Champions of the c-suite.

• Position: CXO OF THE YEAR - Chief experience officer

The individuals who make it to the C-suite are unique in the business world: They are both experts in a specific profession and motivational leaders who are able to inspire and support their teams to achieve remarkable results. From technology to finance, and from marketing to operations, this year's CXO of the Year honorees exemplify the teamwork, leadership and expertise that are propelling their organizations forward.

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GREGORY AYERS

CFO, inContact

Gregory Ayers' love of his profession is long-lived. He came to accounting and finance through a bookkeeping class that he took in high school. "It was particularly logical and methodical. It was easy to understand," he says. "I just naturally gravitated to accounting from there."

Now Ayers has nearly 30 years of experience in corporate finance, investor relations, strategic business operations and compliance in both private and publicly held companies. Ayers joined inContact in 2009 and has since led the company to record revenue results. He was instrumental in raising more than $100 million for inContact, and just a few short weeks ago, he was also instrumental in the company's acquisition by global insight firm NICE Systems. In the transaction, the company was given a valuation of $940 million.

Ayers remains motivated by keeping a healthy perspective in his career, knowing that the success of today can lead to even greater success tomorrow. "I think, as I reflect on my career, that it's more about the journey than the destination. When you start out early in public accounting ... it's a very regimented progression up the ladder," he says. "Sometimes, however, you're only focusing on the next rung up the ladder and not taking into account appreciation that it is a journey, not just a destination."

JODY BAILEY

CTO, Pluralsight

The past year has brought a tremendous amount of growth for Pluralsight which expanded its offerings by acquiring three companies. But in addition to that, says CTO Jody Bailey, the company moved its entire platform to the cloud, built a video player for the desktop and web, built new iPhone and Android apps, and completely reworked Pluralsight's entire web platform.

"The sheer output of the technology teams over the past year is astonishing," he says. "I'm very proud of what the teams have accomplished."

Pluralsight's professional development platform encompasses more than 4,700 unique courses and boasts three million users-and growing.

"The work involved with maintaining a platform with that much content and demand to meet it keeps us busy, but it doesn't stop there," says Bailey. "Our customer and content base is still growing. While that creates a lot of challenges when it comes to developing our product to stay ahead of the game, it's incredibly satisfying to see the team succeed in meeting those challenges.

Bailey says he got a "late start" in the tech industry, after graduating with a degree in physics. He returned to school to obtain a graduate degree in computer programming and then launched into his career in IT. He similarly wants to help his employees "grow and develop in whatever form that may take including experience, education and life satisfaction."

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DAVID BYWATER

COO, Vivint Smart Home

After more than two decades of management and consulting roles in some of the most dynamic companies in the world, David By water found himself at Vivint Smart Home, where his role as COO means the bulk of the 3,000 employees report to him. But Bywater relishes the challenge-and the opportunities it brings to support the company's growth and create a better customer experience.

Throughout his career, Bywater has learned that leadership is not a one-size-fits-all skill; one situation might call for a more hands-on approach, while working with another person might require taking a step back. With some experience under his belt, too, Bywater has realized the value of risk-taking, particularly when the opportunity might make a person take a leap.

And while he's enjoying his time at Vivint, Bywater says he wants to someday get back in the classroom--as a college professor teaching business classes to inspire a new generation of leaders.

JASON DAN LEY

COO, Peak Capital Partners

When Jason Danley was offered a role at Peak Capital Partners, it put him at a crossroads: Stay with a large and more established company or venture off...