TAG Business Launch Competition and Educational Opportunities

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) has sponsored and continues to sponsor the advancement of both technology through company development and education for technology students. By working with the various community professionals and educational institutions, they are able to ensure that technology continues to be a top offering for new companies that are looking to relocate to an area with highly trained technical folks. They also participate in competitions to assist startup companies in their ventures through grants give to the winners. The combination of advanced knowledge in the population through educational advances, and providing a spirited and enticing environment for companies to take root, they are ensuring the future for the technology community.

The TAG business launch competition is cosponsored with the Georgia Research Alliance in order to provide growth and creation of high-tech firms. By encouraging the creation of new high tech businesses, they are also encouraging economic growth as well as continued interest in the local educational opportunities. Since companies often prefer to hire locally, this creates a self-perpetuating situation. Offering over $400,000 in prizes for the finalists, the technology field is encouraged to join the competition. Specifically the reach is towards encouraging developing technologies aimed at online advances.

The TAG education collaborative was developed to provide better educational opportunities focusing on math, science, engineering and other technologies. The advancement of these educational systems allows students to learn and grow towards better career opportunities. It also provides the lead for a community that is knowledgeable and trained in the fields that high tech companies are looking for. This encourages companies that are looking for a highly educated work force to consider moving to Georgia because the student focus is on high tech products and services and the companies can tap into that source of knowledge to grow their own services.

The technology community is fine tuned and constantly growing. There are advances daily and yearly that call for more and more of a specialized workforce. With the TAG business launch competition and TAG education collaborative the community is able to provide both ends of the needs for a highly trained community.


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A Community Technology Center for Those Who Cannot Get Enough!

Sometimes it can be very hard for people who love every aspect of technology to be around people who are interested in the same things as them. This can make it very hard for these people to talk about new things coming out, new ideas they have and to really play a part in the technology community. Well, that is no longer a problem thanks to tagthink.com, which essentially serves as a community technology center. This article will discuss what this website has to offer those in the technology world who want to broaden their horizons.

This website basically serves as a community technology network in the way that it allows people to discuss new and exciting things dealing with technology. People can go on this website and start or become involved in discussions in the Georgia technology community! This means that people can develop connections that may help them in the future or think of new ideas that may lead to new and exciting things in the years to come! Simply put, it's a place where professional discussions can take place and those discussions can lead to new and exciting things in the future!

There are also a lot of events that go on throughout the country in the technology world and sometimes it can be hard for people to be a part of every event. For example, the it tournament as well as the georgia technology summit are two events that anyone who loves technology would love to be a part of in some way, shape or form. That being said, this website allows people to learn about those summits or tournaments in order to help them learn what they may have missed or learn how they can take part in those particular events.

Whitepapers is a section on tagthink.com that provides people with a lot of information on a wide variety of topics. This page includes papers that people can read about things like business intelligence, healthcare, biotechnology, and much more. To add to that, people who register can write and submit papers of their own in order to get their name and ideas out there! In the end, tagthink.com certainly does have a lot to offer anyone who loves technology and that is why people should visit the website and start taking advantage of it right now!

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TAGthink TAG Education Collaborative

At the TAG education collaborative there is plenty of great information that will be beneficial to business leaders and professionals. If they are curious as to the latest information they will be able to find it at the TAG education collaborative program. It will keep them up on the latest technological advances and teach them about how to be competitive in the tough business world of today.

The Georgia technology summit will lay out the groundwork and find out all the latest information that will affect the rest of the world. With their information out there it will benefit many other people.

Spending time in the community technology center will give awareness to many of the advances that are happening in the world today. It will be an extremely wise use of time when they visit the community technology center and hear what is happening.

The community technology center will have so many sources of information for business leaders and professionals. It is a wise idea to take notes and to store them in a folder that is labeled so the information can be found easily. Since much of technology changes so rapidly it is important to visit the community technology center on a regular basis. It will make a huge difference in their businesses.

Technology is constantly evolving. In the last ten years it has changed drastically. The last couple of years it has moved at lightening speed with new technological advances coming out on a daily basis. As it continues to change so quickly it is more and more important to stay up-to-date on the latest changes. If a company does not do this it can run the risk of going out of business or losing its standing in the community simply because it can’t compete technologically.

Staying competitive in the world today is very important. If a company does not or can’t keep up with the competition they will likely have to call it quits or they will simply not make the money that they could. Their profits will suffer immensely and they will not be in a position of power any longer. That is why it is extremely important to stay up on all the latest information that they can. This way they will stand a better chance of getting through the toughest times in history. Part of why it is so tough out in the business world is that things keep changing on a regular basis. That is why the business owners and professionals need to stay informed at all times. If they do this they will have a better chance to stay in business.

Lauren Jones Named TAG’s Director of Membership and Corporate Events

Technology Association of Georgia Enhances Membership Team with New Hire

ATLANTA (August 29, 2011) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, today announced it has named Lauren Jones as the director of membership and corporate events. In this role, Jones will support the continued growth of TAG programs and is responsible of the strategic direction and management of membership development, recruitment and retention of Individual, Corporate Level One and Two members. In addition, she will be responsible for planning several events, including two of TAG’s largest events of the year: the Georgia Technology Summit and Excalibur Awards.

“TAG has grown exponentially in the past few years to now support more than 13,500 members,” stated Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. “So we are pleased and excited to welcome Lauren to the team and tap into her rich event and marketing experience as we continue to look for new ways to enhance member services, support technology companies and fuel Georgia’s rise to be recognized as a top states in the nation for technology.”

Before joining TAG, Jones served as the office and special projects coordinator for the Cobb Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and was quickly promoted to marketing coordinator. In this role she was responsible for planning a number of major events, including Cobb County’s Restaurant Week. She also worked on company-wide marketing and social media efforts. Prior to the Cobb CVB, Jones served as the vice president of the Auburn University Program Council where she was responsible for managing a staff of 25 and bringing more than 60 events to campus in one year.

Jones is a graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a concentration in Marketing. In addition to working at TAG, she serves on the steering committee for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Achieving Chief Executive Success (ACES) Young Professionals program and is active in her community.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://tagthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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Brady Cannon Named Programs Director for TAG Savannah Office

Technology Association of Georgia Strengthens and Expands Presence in Costal Georgia

ATLANTA (August 29, 2011) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, today announced it has named Brady Cannon programs director for the TAG Savannah office. Cannon was appointed to this position to help further establish TAG’s presence in the region by coordinating unique local TAG events, supporting TAG’s annual CFO auction fundraiser and serving as the key liaison with TAG’s existing and future partners in the Savannah area.

“The presence of one of the fastest growing seaports in the nation and resources including the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) contribute to making Savannah a key region for Georgia’s technology industry,” stated Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. “We are pleased to bring Brady on board and are excited to extend the valuable programs and services we provide to the Atlanta region to such a key technology area for our state. “

Cannon will also be coordinating TAG’s Economic Gardening program in Savannah. Last year, TAG assisted 26 second-stage (employees of 10-99) companies with their needs in financing, core strategy, management team development and market intelligence. Utilizing a year-long match grant from the Economic Development Administration that TAG has invested over TAG has invested over $200,000 in the ten-county costal Georgia Region through the Economic Gardening program.

Mantella added: “Georgia tops the nation in entrepreneurial activity, but many of our startup companies move out of state as they grow. We are pleased that, through TAG’s Economic Gardening program, we’ve been able to help Savannah companies, such as Digitus Biometrics and iTech, take the next steps in their development and keep them here in Georgia.”
Before joining TAG, Brady served in the United States Peace Corps for over two years as an Agricultural and Rural Business consultant in the Republic of Moldova. After the Peace Corps, Brady worked with the Small Business Assistance Corporation as a micro-business finance associate and later as the shipping manager for Savannah Bee Company.

Born and raised in Savannah, Brady has a degree in economics from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://www.tagthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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TechAmerica Georgia Announces New Advisory Board Members

ATLANTA –TechAmerica Georgia, the national partner of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), today announced twelve new members to the 2011 TechAmerica Georgia Council advisory board. The new board members include:

• Bruce Kopkin, Mid-Atlantic Sales Director, IBM;
• Dan Mondor, President and Chief Executive Officer, Concurrent;
• Bryan Martin, Southeast District Manager, Hewlett Packard Company;
• Bo Laughlin, Account Executive, Dell, Inc;
• David Keating, Partner, Alston & Bird, LLP; Paula Fowler, Senior Vice President of Operations, CresaPartners;
• Phil Davis, Senior Vice President, Flex HR, Inc; Jeff Sharritts, Area Vice President – Commercial South, Cisco Systems, Inc;
• Bruce Hagenau, President & Co-Founder, Metcam, Inc;
• Marilyn Jackson, Client Partner, Verizon Business;
• Mary Hester, Chairman & CEO, LAN Systems;
• Jeff Schimelman, State and Local Government and Education, Google Enterprise Sales.
  

Robert Shults, Public Sector Program Manager at Intel continues to chair the 2011 TechAmerica Georgia board and Dan Mondor, President and Chief Executive Officer at Concurrent serves as vice-chair.

“The quality and commitment of individuals that we have on the TechAmerica Georgia Advisory Board continues to grow,” said Robert Shults. “The accomplishments we have made thus far in 2011 are a clear indication that the members of the board were chosen well.”

TechAmerica Georgia advisory board supports the direction and strategic objectives for the association in Georgia. Georgia board members set the strategic course by playing a key role in the development and execution of the organization’s plan; open doors to leverage physical, social, intellectual and political capital; and provide resources to support the procurement of human capital and financial resources. The board’s structure is supported by three primary task forces – Membership, Spirit of Endeavor and Government Relations – which ultimately contribute to the association’s aspiration.

“TAG’s partnership with TechAmerica allows us to extend our support for Georgia technology companies beyond state boundaries and around the world,” said Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. “We are pleased our Georgia chapter is expanding with such a diverse and talented advisory board and expect TechAmerica Georgia to help further position the state as a leader in technology.”

Additional TechAmerica Georgia Board members include: Adam Beckerman, Partner, Habif, Arogeti & Wynne; Stan Burnette, President, Burnette Insurance; Norman Geddes, Chairman, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Applied Systems Intelligence; Price Harding, Chairman of the Board, United Technology Group; Joan Herbig, Chief Executive Officer, ControlScan, Inc; Robert Horne, President, CCC, Inc; Jeff Katz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Definition 6; Neil MacKay, President and Chief Executive Officer, EMS Technologies; Jonathan Pine, President, Renova Technologies; Mike Scher, President, Frontline Selling; George Shea, Partner and Information Technology Team, Focus, LLC; Rob Stewart, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Quality Group; and Chuck Wilson, Senior Partner, Technology Practice, McKenna, Long and Aldridge.

TAG and TechAmerica partnered to form the TechAmerica Georgia chapter in an effort to to enhance TAG’s benefits and offer national reach to Georgia companies. For more information about events and membership benefits visit http://www.tagonline.org/techamerica.php.

About TechAmerica
TechAmerica is the leading voice for the U.S. technology industry – the driving force behind productivity growth and jobs creation in the United States and the foundation of the global innovation economy. Representing approximately 1,200 member companies of all sizes from the public and commercial sectors of the economy, it is the industry's largest advocacy organization and is dedicated to helping members' top and bottom lines. TechAmerica is also the technology industry's only grassroots-to-global advocacy network, with offices in state capitals around the United States, Washington, D.C., Europe (Brussels) and Asia (Beijing).It was formed by the merger of AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association), the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA), the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and the Government Electronics & Information Technology Association (GEIA).Learn more about TechAmerica at www.techamerica.org.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://www.tagthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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Top Atlanta Technology Executives to Discuss the Rules of Social Business

TAG and TAG Social Business Society Host Upcoming CIO Panel

ATLANTA (August 24, 2011) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, and the TAG Social Business society are hosting a CIO panel discussion on accelerating business performance through Social Business enterprise collaboration at 5:30p.m. on September 7, 2011 at Villa Christina at Perimeter Summit.

The discussion will be moderated by Paul Miller, Business Development at McKesson. Panelists include Chris Kenyon, CIO at Elavon; Andy Goodwin, CIO at Georgia Hospital Association; Edwin Marcial, CTO at Intercontinental Exchange; and Jay Ferro, SVP, CIO at AdCare Health Systems, and will focus on the new business opportunities existing through social media platforms and other collaborative tools, including Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft 365. Panelists will share the impact they are seeing in their own businesses by developing collaborative tools, including on productivity, employee retention and competitiveness in the marketplace.

“Social business is about recognizing the value of people,” said Hal Schlenger, of Allconnect and TAG Social Business co-chair. “It’s about the cultural shift to better enable collaboration and engagement internally as well as various external stakeholders and customers. Many well-known, successful corporations understand this and continue to streamline their companies’ performance as a result. The intent of this discussion is to separate the hype from reality in order to facilitate the growth of local businesses by helping them understand the practical application of social business tactics.”

TAG Social Business society is sponsored by gold sponsors McKesson, PGi and North Highland Company.

TAG’s Social Business society (formerly Enterprise 2.0) focuses on a new breed of IT infrastructure that enables organizations to become more competitive in the age of globalization and accelerating change. It has its roots in consumer social software which has led to breakthroughs in just-in-time relevant communications and collaboration that is now leading directly back into the enterprise. For more information visit: http://www.tagonline.org/tag_social_business.php.

About TAG Social Business
TAG Social Business society provides Georgia business leaders with insights, resources and the opportunity to collaborate to help harness the power of “social” for their companies. Social Business is the adaptation to a new world of work where employees and customers expect to get more and do more, with less. Businesses who have adopted the technologies and embraced the cultural changes have accelerated by focusing on these changes. We are as much about the impact to company culture as we are about the benefits to the customers and employees. The goal of the TAG Social Business society is to empower leaders within Georgia's technology industry with knowledge and networking necessary to begin moving their organizations towards an organizational process paradigm that meets the challenges for the 21st century. For additional information, please visit www.tagonline.org/tag_social_business.php or follow the group on Twitter @TAGSocialBiz.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://www.tagthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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Deadline Extended For Health IT Leadership Summit Award

Companies Encouraged to Apply for Intel Innovation Award through September 15

ATLANTA, August 22, 2011 – Due to numerous requests from companies and organizations that want to participate in the Intel Innovation Awards portion of the 2011 Health IT Leadership Summit, the deadline for submissions has been extended to September 15, 2011. Presented for the first time this year, the Intel Innovation Awards will recognize companies developing leading-edge technology to improve healthcare delivery and processes. Entry forms may be downloaded from the website at: www.GAHealthIT.com.

Interested parties operating in every aspect of the healthcare industry, from startups and large enterprises, to single physician practices and healthcare delivery systems, are encouraged to apply. Four finalists will be selected to present at the 2011 Health IT Leadership Summit and one will be recognized as the top innovator. The winner will also be showcased by Intel as an innovation leader at 2012 HIMSS and in other Intel promotions.

“We’ve received such great interest in this award—from established companies, start-ups, government departments, non-profit agencies, hospitals and private practices—we wanted to give everyone a chance to participate,” explained Pat Williams, chairwoman for the 2011 Summit. “From the applications we’ve received so far, we’ve been truly impressed by the collaboration of these groups to find solutions to the challenges facing our health delivery process.”

The 2011 Health IT Leadership Summit will take place on November 8, 2011, at the Fox Theatre from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. In addition to innovation, the 2011 Summit will address the programs and initiatives that support a robust health IT cluster, including workforce readiness, special projects, capital investments, public policy and innovation.

The Health IT Leadership Summit was founded in 2010 by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Metro Atlanta Chamber and Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Health. More than 111 leading health IT companies participated and over 500 people attended the first event, which highlighted Georgia's leadership in the industry and addressed the actions needed to build and sustain a premier health IT workforce and build a robust health IT cluster. Attendance for the second annual Summit is expected to top 500 people.

Additional information and registration: www.GAHealthIT.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://www.TAGthink.com.

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TAG Smart Grid Society Hosts Seminar on Distributed Battery Storage

Industry Expert Will Provide Keynote at August 30th Event

ATLANTA (August 22, 2011) – Dan Rastler, senior project manager for the energy storage program at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo, Alto, Calif., will be the keynote speaker at a Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Smart Grid society seminar on battery storage Aug. 30.

Rastler will join several energy storage experts in discussing trends and innovations in the $500 million battery storage industry during the event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Alston & Bird, 1180 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta.

The seminar will also include a panel discussion with Ken Caird, senior transmission and distribution systems engineer, GE Energy; Clifton Black, senior research engineer, Southern Company; and Vincent Pusateri, senior director, business development, GS Battery USA. The panel discussion will be moderated by Sean Atkins, partner, Alston & Bird.

“Despite the large anticipated need for energy storage solutions within the electric enterprise, very few grid-integrated storage installations are in actual operation in the United States today,” said Rastler. “This landscape is expected to change around 2011–2012, when a host of new storage options supported by more than $250 million in U.S. stimulus funding begin to emerge and, in turn, catalyze a portfolio of new energy storage demonstrations.”

The battery storage event is the fourth in a series of programs on a wide range of smart grid technologies sponsored by the TAG Smart Grid society. The group’s mission is to raise awareness and the development of smart grid technologies in Georgia.

“We are extremely pleased about the high level of experience and expertise of our speakers for the seminar,” said Pusateri, who is serving as program chair for the event. “They will bring tremendous insights to our look at the state of battery storage and its future role in the smart grid eco-system.”

The term “smart grid” refers to a modernization of the electricity delivery system so it monitors, protects, and automatically optimizes the operation of its interconnected elements. The Smart Grid encompasses everything from distributed power generation, to renewable energy sources, like solar.

The battery storage seminar is sponsored by Alston & Bird, Atlanta; Exide Technologies, Milton, Ga.; and GS Battery USA, Roswell, Ga. The event, which includes a luncheon buffet, costs $15 for TAG members and $25 for nonmembers. For more information the event, please contact Richie Johnson at TAG at (404) 920-2028 or at Richie@tagonline.org.

For more information on the TAG Smart Grid society, please visit: www.tagonline.org/SmartGrid.php.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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 http://tagthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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TechAmerica Georgia and McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP Host Discussion on National Cybersecurity Policy

Discussion lead by Ari M. Schwartz, Senior Internet Policy Advisor for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Department of Commerce

Atlanta, GA– TechAmerica Georgia, the national partner of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), and McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP announced that Ari M. Schwartz, Senior Internet Policy Advisor for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Department of Commerce will be speaking at their jointly hosted breakfast discussion on National Cybersecurity Policy from 7:30-9:30 a.m. on September 7, 2011 at the SunTrust Plaza in downtown Atlanta.

The White House recently unveiled its new Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal, which is currently being debated in Washington. If enacted, this legislation will affect many government and private-sector owners and operators of information systems and networks deemed “critical infrastructure”, including the transportation, logistics, IT security, payment services, telecommunications, and health care industries, key clusters in Georgia.

Schwartz, the Department of Commerce’s top technology policy architect tasked with coordinating the Obama Administration’s cybersecurity initiatives, will discuss the implications of these issues and how they could affect area businesses.

“As technology advances and more information and services are offered in the cloud, so do the threats to the security of our information,” stated Robert Shults, chair of the TechAmerica Georgia board of advisors and Strategic Public Sector Programs at Intel. “We are pleased to bring one of the nation’s top security experts to Atlanta to discuss the impact of national cybersecurity legislation on our businesses.”

TAG and TechAmerica partnered to form the TechAmerica Georgia chapter in an effort to enhance TAG’s benefits and offer national reach to Georgia companies. For more information about events and membership benefits visit http://www.tagonline.org/techamerica.php.

TechAmerica Georgia is the national partner of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).

About TechAmerica
TechAmerica is the leading voice for the U.S. technology industry – the driving force behind productivity growth and jobs creation in the United States and the foundation of the global innovation economy. Representing approximately 1,200 member companies of all sizes from the public and commercial sectors of the economy, it is the industry's largest advocacy organization and is dedicated to helping members' top and bottom lines. TechAmerica is also the technology industry's only grassroots-to-global advocacy network, with offices in state capitals around the United States, Washington, D.C., Europe (Brussels) and Asia (Beijing).It was formed by the merger of AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association), the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA), the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and the Government Electronics & Information Technology Association (GEIA).Learn more about TechAmerica at www.techamerica.org.

About McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP is an international law firm with 475 attorneys and public policy advisors. The firm provides business solutions in the areas of complex litigation, corporate, government contracts, health care, intellectual property, technology, environment and energy regulations, climate change, finance, international law, public policy and real estate. To learn more about the firm and its services, go to http://www.mckennalong.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

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TechAmerica Georgia Announces the Call for Nominations and Event Sponsors for the 2011 Spirit of Endeavor Awards

Awards Honor Most Innovative Georgia Technology Businesses and People

ATLANTA (August 15, 2011) – TechAmerica Georgia and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) are accepting nominations for the ninth annual Sprit of Endeavor Awards through October 14, 2011. The awards program recognizes outstanding technology companies and individuals in Georgia. Honorees and finalists will be celebrated during the awards ceremony over breakfast from 7:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. on December 9, 2011 at Twelve Hotel Atlantic Station in Atlanta and a portion of the proceeds from the ceremony will benefit the TAG Education Collaborative.

The TechAmerica Spirit of Endeavor awards recognize the critical components of creativity and execution of ideas that the technology industry thrives upon. Open to both TechAmerica members and non-members, the awards honor companies and individuals for their significant accomplishments in the technology industry.

Award categories include:

• Outstanding Leadership -presented to an individual who has demonstrated significant leadership in the technology community
• Technology Entrepreneur - presented to an individual who has demonstrated leadership in bringing technology to market
• Emerging Business - presented to a young company that is recognized for its success in the marketplace
• Technology Innovation - presented to an individual for the development of breakthrough technology
• Cool Technology - determined by onsite text voting and presented to a company as having a “cutting edge” hip new idea

“Georgia is a nationally recognized hub for technology and the Spirit of Endeavor Awards is our opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments,” said Bruce Kopkin, MidAtlantic Sales Director at IBM Software Group and chair of the 2011 Spirit of Endeavor Awards. “These awards recognize the ‘best of the best’ in technology in Georgia and provide a platform for national exposure. So we encourage our community to get involved and get recognized for the great advances they are making in technology every day.”

Company nominations and self-nominations are accepted. Nominations are limited to a maximum of three award categories per individual and/or company. Up to five finalists will be chosen for each category by a selection committee comprised of more than 30 representatives from the Georgia technology community.

“The Spirit of Endeavor Awards are a great example of the value our partnership with TechAmerica brings to Georgia’s technology community,” said Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. “We have so many people and companies who are changing the world through their technology and we are proud to provide them recognition for their hard work and innovation.”

The 2011 Spirit of Endeavor Awards would not be possible if it weren’t for the dedication and commitment of the prestigious sponsors. Sponsors include Concurrent (Platinum), ASAP Solutions Group (Gold), CresaPartners (Silver), Intel (Silver), and Burnette Insurance (Silver).

For additional information on sponsorship opportunities, nomination information, award criteria as well as event registration, please visit: www.tagonline.org/Spirit-of-Endeavor.php or contact Kate Kelsey at 404.920.2012 or Kate@tagonline.org .

About TechAmerica Georgia
TechAmerica is the largest and strongest voice and resource for technology in the United States and is the industry's leading trade association. TechAmerica Georgia, formerly TechAmerica Southeast, was created in late 2009 under a unique partnership between TechAmerica and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), which provides operational management for the organization. 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 8,000 members representing technology leaders from over 1,500 Georgia-based companies, affiliated technology and business organizations.

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Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Brings Together Tech Community for 3rd Annual Techie 5K/10K Run/Walk

TAG Annual Run/Walk Encourages Healthy Lifestyles and Supports Organizational Camaraderie through Corporate Team Challenge

Atlanta, GA (August 15, 2011) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, is hosting their annual Techie 5K/10K Run/Walk benefitting the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) on Saturday, October 1, 2011 beginning at 8:00 a.m. The run/walk will be held at 130 Technology Parkway in Norcross, Georgia.

The Techie 5K/10K Run/Walk was created to support healthy competition and networking among Georgia’s technology community. This is the first year that the 5K race is being added to the established 10K, and both races are USATF certified for Peachtree Road Race seeding.

Companies are encouraged to sponsor corporate teams as a way to build camaraderie among employees and encourage healthy and fit lifestyles. Sponsorships range from $500 to $5,000 and all corporate teams have an opportunity to compete for the coveted “Corporate Team Cup”. Past cup winners include: BLiNQ Media (2009) and AutoTrader.com (2010).

“This is a unique opportunity for Georgia’s technology companies to become more directly involved with their community and each other. It’s about strengthening the camaraderie within our own businesses as well as within Georgia’s technology sector,” said Tino Mantella, President and CEO of TAG.

A portion of the proceeds from the run/walk will benefit the TAG-Ed’s mission to strengthen Georgia’s future workforce by helping science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. Last year, there were close to 300 participants with 25 corporate teams and individuals competing.

In addition to the Corporate Cup challenge individual participants have the chance to compete for awards and prizes including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place male and female finisher award, fastest C-level runner award and a prize for all who beat the TAG CEO. In addition, this year all participants will be entered to win a Blackberry Playbook.

Regarding the “Who Can Beat the TAG CEO?” challenge, Mantella remarked: “I look forward to competing this year. I am training hard and am interested to see who will beat me and win a prize. My motto is…catch me if you can!”

For more information regarding the event and registration, please visit http://www.tagonline.org/techie10k.php or contact Era Williams at era@tagonline.org or 404.920.2011. Register online or onsite the day of the event.


About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG’s charitable arm) focuses 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. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

About TAG Education Collaborative
TAG Education Collaborative initiatives include a student internship program, the WebChallenge competition for high school students, and the Vine Event, a fundraiser launched in 2009 which has raised more than $80,000 to support STEM education. The TAG Education Collaborative provides middle school and high school programs designed to provide these students with hands-on activities that enable them to gain an appreciation for the opportunities available in STEM careers. For additional information, visit TAG Education Collaborative or contact Michael Robertson at (404) 920 – 2038 or mrobertson@tagonline.org

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