Brian McGowan to Speak at the 2012 Georgia Technology Summit

President and CEO of the Atlanta Development Authority to Address Georgia’s Thriving Technology Scene

ATLANTA (January 13, 2012) – 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 Brian McGowan, president and CEO of the Atlanta Development Authority (ADA), has joined the lineup of speakers for the 2012 Georgia Technology Summit (GTS) to be held March 28 starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

“Brian brings a unique perspective to the 2012 GTS having served as a driving force behind the growth of the tech-driven state of California and as a leader in innovation through U.S. economic initiatives at our nation’s capital,” said Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. “We are excited to add him to our lineup of speakers and know his experience building innovative economies at the state, national and international level will translate into valuable insights for Georgia’s technology community.”

Prior to joining the ADA, McGowan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and COO of the U.S. Economic Development Administration. He was also previously California’s Deputy Secretary for Economic Development, serving under former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. McGowan’s international experience includes serving as a consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development and chair of an international economic committee for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.

Mantella added, “Whether ideating new technologies or simply embracing them, companies that innovate will stand the best chance to be on the path to a brighter future and we believe Brian and all of our speakers at this year’s Summit will provide important insights to help Georgia’s technology community thrive through innovation.”
The 9th annual Georgia Technology Summit is expected to draw a crowd of more than 1,000 C-level executives, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and academia to celebrate and recognize Georgia’s technology community. Speakers also include Farhad Manjoo, a technology columnist at Slate and Fast Company and a regular contributor to the New York Times, and Tino Mantella, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia.

This year’s theme, Innovation: The Path to a Bright Future, builds upon TAG’s public awareness campaign to promote Georgia’s technology industry through an emphasis on the fastest-growing tech clusters in the state, including health IT, information security, financial technology, logistics and communication services. According to experts, clusters bring about more resources which lead to greater innovation.

For more information about TAG and the Georgia Technology Summit and to register for the event, visit http://www.tagonline.org/georgia-technology-summit.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 14,000 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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