Corey Melhus, VP of information security at Fareway Stores, was named CISO of the Year at the 2026 Prometheus Awards, held Nov. 5 at the Community Choice Convention Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Presented annually by the Technology Association of Iowa, the Prometheus Awards honor the people, organizations and innovations driving the state’s technology industry, with this year’s event spanning 15 categories judged by a panel of Iowa technology leaders. Melhus, a finalist in the same category in 2025, was recognized for strengthening Fareway’s cybersecurity initiatives and safeguarding its technology infrastructure.
“Receiving the 2026 CISO of the Year award is an incredible honor,” Melhus said. “I’m thankful to the Technology Association of Iowa for this recognition, to Fareway for continuing to invest in me and providing the opportunity to build and lead an amazing team, and to the many talented people I’ve had the privilege of working with along the way.”
Two other Fareway team members earned nominations: Nathan Kerns, EVP of information technology, for CIO/CTO of the Year, and Bryce Teff, network engineer, for Next-Gen Tech Professional of the Year.
“We are incredibly proud of Corey, Nathan and Bryce for their accomplishments and the recognition they received from the Technology Association of Iowa,” said Reynolds W. Cramer, CEO of Fareway Stores. “These honors reflect Fareway’s continued commitment to innovation, cybersecurity, operational excellence, and investing in talented team members who help move our company forward.”
Johnston, Iowa-based Fareway Stores is a family-owned grocery company operating 144 stores in a seven-state region, known for its full-service meat departments, farm-fresh produce and to-your-car customer service, with more than 13,000 employees.
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