Former Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik, Elster Solutions CEO Mark Munday and UNC system president Erskine Bowles took home honors on Wednesday night, as the state's largest technology trade group handed out its annual awards.

Szulik won the N.C. Technology Association's outstanding achievement award. He stepped down as chairman of Raleigh-based Red Hat earlier in August, was the company's CEO for nearly a decade and transformed it into one of the Triangle's largest and most successful technology companies.  He stepped down as CEO in early 2008 so that he could focus on family health matters.

Munday, who runs one of the world’s largest electricity, gas and water measurement and control providers, received the group's tech executive of the year award. Bowles was recognized for public leadership.

A few days after throwing a bash at iContact's Durham headquarters for about 500 employees and guests, co-founder and CEO Ryan Allis needs your vote.

The N.C. Technology Association announced today that he's one of four finalists for the trade group's 2010 Tech Executive of the year. The other finalists include David Jones, co-founder and CEO of Charlotte's Peak 10; David Morken, co-founder and CEO of Cary's Bandwidth.com; and Mark Munday, president and CEO of Raleigh's Elster Solutions.

The winner will be chosen by popular vote and NCTA will accept votes through Oct. 15 online here.

It's not clear whether Allis was hoping iContact's big party on Friday, which included free barbecue, blue grass band, bouncy slide and more, might help him win a few extra votes.