Farris was pleased to sponsor the 2025 VIATEC Technology Awards, held on May 1 at the Carson Hall Victoria Conference Centre. Farris Senior Counsel, Jenifer Chilcott, and Associates, Michael Rawluk and Kurtis Harms, presented the “Leader of the Year” award to Darren Beckwith, CTO of Barnacle Systems, a Victoria-based manufacturer of security and monitoring systems for boats and RVs. The annual awards bring together Greater Victoria’s tech community to connect and celebrate some of the year’s most notable companies and individuals within the region’s $5.9 billion tech sector. This year’s awards embraced a renewed focus on inclusivity and collaboration, shaped by a coalition of local tech-focused organizations: iWIST (Island Women in Science and Technology), UVic’s Innovation Centre, Cindicates, Women’s Equity Lab, and Alacrity Canada.