Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Awards “State of the Industry Report” Research Project to Internet Decisions and CSM Research

Atlanta – August 30, 2010 – Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) has awarded the research contract for its next “State of the Industry Report” to Internet Decisions of Atlanta and CSM Research of Marietta.

Internet Decisions and CSM Research submitted a joint response to TAG’s “request for proposal,” and the firms were selected following a competitive bidding process. The State of the Industry Report, published annually by TAG, includes comprehensive statistics about technology in Georgia and insights from industry thought leaders from around the state.  The report is published in March with its findings presented at the Georgia Technology Summit.

“Internet Decisions and CSM Research have a proven record of expertise in conducting and managing research projects, but they also were chosen for this important initiative because of their expertise in working in the technology sector and a longstanding commitment to serving the technology community in Georgia,” said Tino J. Mantella, President of TAG.

Internet Decisions will be responsible for secondary research, while CSM Research will conduct the primary research.  Keith Herndon, president of Internet Decisions, will serve as the project manager for the overall engagement.  “CSM Research has partnered with Internet Decisions on numerous projects in recent years and we look forward to bringing this successful collaboration model to our work with TAG,” said Frank Sanders, president of CSM Research. As part of the primary research, surveys will target key technology decision makers to determine the outlook for important aspects of the technology sector such as infrastructure needs and employment growth.

Mr. Mantella emphasized that the purpose of the report is to support growth in technology sectors throughout the state, including both economic development activities and organic growth initiatives. “To accomplish our goals we must have insights that quality research provides,” he said. “The report is a record of the technology accomplishments in Georgia, but the data is also a powerful benchmarking tool that will allow industry and government leaders to know where a call to action is needed.”

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG’s charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG’s community website at www.TAGthink.com.

CSM Research

CSM Research, founded in 1991, provides clients worldwide with the most comprehensive, creative and accurate research available. The firm has distinguished itself as a premier strategic research firm that has consistently served a diverse variety of industries and companies, from heavy equipment manufacturing and commercial software to healthcare and five star hotels. In conducting primary research, CSM specializes in customer, market and competitive information. The company maintains a research call center in Marietta with expert primary researchers capable of interviewing in 10 different languages. Since its inception, CSM Research has conducted more than 1 million customer interviews and maintains an extensive database of historical industry data that allows for robust benchmarking. CSM Research also maintains a state-of-the-art infrastructure for creating and executing online surveys. (www.csmresearch.com)

Internet Decisions

 
Internet Decisions is a research services and strategic planning firm. It assists companies and organizations of all sizes with a variety of services including competitive intelligence, vendor analysis and various types of market research. Created in 2005, the Atlanta-based firm specializes in several vertical markets including high technology, media and entertainment and healthcare. Internet Decisions works independently and in partnership with Marietta-based CSM Research and New Jersey-based SWOT Management Group. Aside from producing and interpreting research information for its clients, Internet Decisions also produces industry white papers and training material and conducts strategic presentations at the executive level. (www.internetdecisions.com)

TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA TO CELEBRATE GEORGIA’S TOP MARKETERS

Awards to honor marketing leaders in ten diverse categories, from CMOs to SEO experts

ATLANTA (August 9, 2010) — TAG Marketing, a society of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and Georgia’s premier organization for technology marketing events  announced today that nominations are now open for the first annual Tech Marketing Awards. The Tech Marketing Awards, which recognize Georgia’s most innovative marketing leaders, will be presented on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at the J. B. Fuqua rooftop pavilion atop the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce in downtown Atlanta.   

Representing Georgia’s “best of the best” in the fusion of marketing and technology, the 2010 Tech Marketing Awards will honor individual excellence and achievements in ten categories:   

• Chief Marketing Officer of the Year (CMO) for both small business (under $10M annual revenue) and big business (over $10M annual revenue)
• Corporate Marketer of the Year for both small business (under $10M annual revenue) and big business (over $10 annual revenue)
• Search Engine Marketer of the Year
• Email Marketer of the Year
• Mobile Marketer of the Year
• Social Media Marketer of the Year
• Up & Coming Marketer of the Year (under 30 years old)
• Lifetime Achievement Award

Georgia-based technology marketers are encouraged to nominate themselves, their peers, and their colleagues for recognition in the only technology marketing awards show focused solely on people, not campaigns. 

Nominations can be submitted at the Tech Marketing Awards website, http://www.techmarketingawards.com. All entries are due no later than September 26, 2010. Finalists will be announced on October 4, 2010 and the winners will be announced at the Tech Marketing Awards Gala on November 18. The awards are open to all Georgia-based technology marketers. It is not necessary to be TAG member to participate. Current sponsors for the event include Mailchimp, NeboWeb, Cbeyond, and Primus Software.  TAG Marketing’s 2010 sponsors include Arketi Group, NeboWeb and Lassiter & Associates. 

Sponsorship opportunities for the 2010 Tech Marketing Awards are also available. For details, visit http://www.techmarketingawards.com or contact Ms. Amanda Shook at tma@tagonline.org.

ABOUT TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support its members by generating opportunities for personal, professional and business growth. By forging strategic alliances, TAG serves as a primary catalyst to foster a rich environment for economic development in Georgia's technology community. TAG is made up of over 10,500 members representing technology leaders from over 1,400 Georgia-based companies, affiliated technology and business organizations. For more information on TAG, visit http://www.tagonline.org

OTHER INFORMATION

Tech Marketing Awards

http://www.techmarketingawards.com

Technology Association of Georgia

http://www.tagonline.org/

MEDIA CONTACT :

Shana Keith

678-384-8304

shana.keith@cbeyond.net

Savannah Economic Development Authority Contributes to Technology Association of Georgia’s Economic Gardening Program

SAVANNAH, GA – September 27, 2010 – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) today announced that the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) has pledged $15,000 to the Economic Gardening program in the Coastal Georgia Economic Development District. This contribution is in addition to the $100,000 investment TAG has brought to the region to spur job creation by meeting the needs of entrepreneurs with innovative business support services. Funded in part by a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) the program will focus on enabling second-stage companies to scale business activity for sustainable growth.

“We are proud to support TAG in their efforts to grow our economy from within,” said Lynn Pitts, president of SEDA. “By providing our entrepreneurs with access to information and decision-making tools typically only available to larger companies, this program will accelerate the maturity of those early-stage companies and allow them to increase their workforces as their businesses grow. This program is a perfect complement to other valuable business support and referral services in the area like UGA’s Small Business Development Center, the Small Business Assistance Corporation, SCORE, the City’s Economic Development Office and The Creative Coast, to name just a few. ”

“TAG is grateful to SEDA for this substantial commitment to the economic gardening program,” said Tino Mantella, president of TAG. “Their contribution is a testament to the importance of cultivating growth companies in the region to take them to the next level.”

The Economic Gardening program offers an array of services including market research provided by Chris Gibbons, the pioneer of the Economic Gardening methodology, and his team of specialized research analysts. Other offerings include staffing assessments, peer-to-peer learning, competitive analysis and GIS data. Currently, only businesses in the Coastal Georgia Economic Development District qualify for the free services. These counties are Byran, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven.

More information about TAG’s Economic Gardening program is available at www.GAgrow.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG’s charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG’s community website at www.TAGthink.com.

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Contact:    Lisa Ballard

      Director, Economic Gardening

                  Technology Association of Georgia

                  912-220-1179

                  lisa@tagonline.com

                  Katie Dye

                  Director, Marketing and Public Relations

                  Savannah Economic Development Authority

                  912-447-8450

            kdye@seda.org

GGC, TAG partner to enhance student experience

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) unites with Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) to offer TAG memberships to students

ATLANTA – August 5, 2010 – Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) have formed a strategic alliance to greatly enhance the educational experience for the college’s students through access to TAG’s technology-focused programming, resources and networking opportunities.

The alliance is the first of its kind in Georgia, and thought to be the first in the nation.  It will create a wide variety of opportunities for students seeking a technology-based career in a broad spectrum of industries. This partnership supports efforts to develop and retain a qualified workforce to meet high demands for Georgia’s fastest-growing and most dynamic range of disciplines, impacting virtually all industries.

“By partnering with TAG, our students will have access to a rich resource that will add tremendous value to their educational program, expand their exposure to professional  environments, and give them a jump start on their careers,” said Lonnie Harvel, GGC’s vice president of educational technology. “TAG’s programming will extend our students’ learning opportunities beyond the classroom, and increase the marketability of their degrees.”

TAG is a 10,000-member industry advancement organization dedicated to educating, uniting, and informing the Georgia technology community. With nearly 30 profession-specific societies and special interest groups, as well as large award programs like the Georgia Technology Summit and the Excalibur Awards, TAG recognizes and works with companies using innovation to gain a competitive advantage.  It also has technology-focused initiatives in government relations, and K-12 education.

“We are very excited to join GGC in this unique partnership,” said Melanie Brandt, TAG’s chief operating officer. “Georgia Gwinnett College is an inspirational institution with an energizing mission and truly visionary leaders. Expanding our programs and services to GGC’s students, along with their faculty and staff, gives us an opportunity to be innovative with how we continue to define and approach achieving our mission, as well as help GGC achieve its mission.”

Key to the partnership is the automatic membership in TAG for all GGC students and employees.  With membership comes access to all TAG meetings and members-only events, and discounts on all TAG training programs.

TAG has roughly 150 meetings and educational programs each year, and its societies represent industries ranging from manufacturing and health care to software and entertainment, and functions ranging from finance and international business to product management and information security.  As part of the partnership, some of TAG’s programs will be held on the GGC campus. 

In addition to the educational value of TAG’s programs, GGC students and faculty will have multiple opportunities to network and connect with leaders and executives representing various technology-based fields and industries.

While the program is primarily intended for students majoring in technical fields, all students can benefit from the TAG partnership. By extending TAG membership to GGC faculty, the alliance enables them to bring real-world applications of technology into the classroom, enriching the curriculum for all students. 

“At GGC, the innovative use of technology is a fundamental part of what, and how, we teach,” said Harvel.  “Technological competence is fundamental to future success. It is an integral part of every profession. Our alliance with TAG will provide our students access to an incredible spectrum of arenas where their technological skills may be challenged and grow.”

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About Georgia Gwinnett College

Georgia Gwinnett College is a four-year, accredited liberal arts college that provides access to targeted baccalaureate level degrees that meet the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of Gwinnett County and the northeast Atlanta metropolitan region. GGC opened its doors in August 2006 as the nation’s first four-year public college founded in the 21st century, and the first four-year public college founded in Georgia in more than 100 years. Georgia Gwinnett produces contributing citizens and future leaders for Georgia and the nation. Its graduates are inspired to contribute to their local, state, national and international communities and are prepared to anticipate and respond effectively to an uncertain and changing world. Visit Georgia Gwinnett College’s Web site at www.ggc.edu

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG’s charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at http://www.tagonline.org or TAG’s community website at http://www.TAGthink.com.