Why affiliate to a Nonprofit Networking Organization

TAG is a nonprofit, supported entirely by membership fees and fundraising events. Fundraising events are where many of our most valuable networking opportunities take place.

Since 1998, the 10,000-member plus Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) has been furthering dialogues between the movers and shakers who shape Georgia’s thriving high tech sector. Through a series of formal and informal events, and our innovative online community technology center Tag Think, we enhance the personal and professional development of our members. Our goal is to help drive Georgia economic development related to technology.

What are the advantages to joining a nonprofit networking organization like TAG? We can think of several.

1. A nonprofit network expands rapidly, diffusing information through all sorts of unexpected channels. In a technology community like TAG, new members provide access to valuable new connections and resources. It’s an exciting context for the cross pollination of new ideas.
2. A nonprofit community technology center reduces the degrees of separation among its members. Everybody knows somebody you should talk to. Connecting IT professionals has never been easier than at a TAG get together.
3. A nonprofit network is a talent pool that can change quickly to meet participants’ needs. IT professional discussions can flow in a way that they don’t flow in more structured, formal exchanges like meetings and seminars.
4. A nonprofit network doesn’t depend on any one member to create value. If one expert is unavailable, someone else with a complementary skill set is there to take his or her place.

Online and offline, TAG is the place where talented people and creative business ventures can find one another. We hope you’ll join us. To check out all TAG has to offer you, set your browser to http://www.tagthink.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 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/.

The Best IT Tournament in GA

The best IT tournament in GA happens to come from TAG, the leading technology industry association in Georgia. This IT tournament brings the best of the technology in Georgia to the forefront of the industry.

TAG, Technology Association of Georgia, is an organization that helps push IT development and ideas forward in the State of Georgia. Our mission is to unite, promote, and educate Georgia’s technology community. We want to enhance and stimulate a tech-based economy through fostering a connected and innovative marketplace. One of the ways we do this at TAG is by holding an annual IT Tournament in Georgia for our members and the biggest developers of IT technology to attend. Named the Excalibur Awards, IT giants from all over the state gather in a community technology network to talk about and collaborate on various projects.

While we have the charitable arm of our company, the TAG Education Collaborative, which focuses on helping math, engineering, technology, and science education initiatives thrive, we also have the IT tournament. The Excalibur Awards is meant to foster a community of networking while awarding IT professionals for their progress in the field. Innovation is all about collaboration, which is why we work so hard to form such a big community of IT companies and individuals.

Hosted with our Business & Technology Alliance society, we recognize organizations and companies in the state that solve complex business problems through the best use of technology. Enhancing businesses through non-commercial technology solutions are also recognized achievements. In addition to our TAG business launch competition, the IT tournament is set to be the biggest in recent years. Georgia has always been a hub for the development and progress of technology and we want to celebrate that. Visit us at http://www.tagthink.com for more information.

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/.

Speakers Announced for First Annual S.T.E.M. Education Awards

Event attracts national experts on science, technology, engineering and math education

ATLANTA (August 9, 2012) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) today announced Dr. Linda Rosen, chief executive officer for Change the Equation (CTEq), Theodore Gray, co-founder of Wolfram Research and creator of Mathematics and Wolfram|Alpha and Anna Kuchment, senior editor at Scientific American and founder of Scientific American’s “Budding Scientist: Everything you always wanted to know about raising science-literate kids” blog, will be speakers for the first annual S.T.E.M. Education Awards. The event kicks off at noon on September 14 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.

“This is the first time we have offered the S.T.E.M. Education Awards, so we are honored to present such highly respected and influential speakers at our inaugural event,” said Melanie Brandt, chief operating officer of TAG. “Dr. Rosen, Mr. Gray and Ms. Kuchment all have strong backgrounds in STEM education and we’re excited for them to share their passion and experience with our community.”

Michael Robertson, director of TAG-Ed added, “STEM education will play a vital role in preparing a strong future workforce for Georgia and the entire nation. We are proud to help bring the technology community together to learn from one another and collaborate on building strong STEM programs throughout the state.”

Rosen will kick off the half-day at noon with a keynote address over lunch. As CEO of CTEq, she leads a nationwide network of more than 110 CEOs who pledge to connect and align their work to transform STEM learning in the United States. Prior to CTEq, she was Senior Vice President for the National Alliance of Business where she worked with companies to articulate their STEM vision for the original “No Child Left Behind” legislation. She also served as Senior Advisor to Secretary Richard W. Riley on math and science by providing counsel department-wide on STEM initiatives.

Gray and Kuchment will both address the community during the awards program in the evening. An innovative software developer and author, Gray is passionate about communicating the excitement, and the importance, of science to a wide audience. In addition to co-founding Wolfram Research and creating Mathematics and Wolfram|Alpha, Gray is a contributing editor at Popular Science magazine, and has authored its Gray Matter column since 2003.

Kuchment founded the “Budding Scientist: Everything you always wanted to know about raising science-literate kids” blog, which covers advances in math and science education (blogs.scientificamerican.com/budding-scientist). As an editor for Scientific American, she frequently blogs about science education and education policy.

From 1:30-4:30 p.m., participants will have the opportunity to participate in three panels: Best Practices for Forming Public-Private Partnerships; Technology in the 21st Century; and How to Build a Strong Volunteer Base Between Business & Education.

The S.T.E.M. Education awards were created to recognize and celebrate schools, extracurricular programs, public-private partnerships, science agencies and post-secondary education outreach programs for outstanding efforts and achievement in supporting and promoting science, technology, engineering, and math education in Georgia. To learn more or to register, visit: http://bit.ly/STEMAwards.

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 17,800 members and hosting over 200 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 31 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, influence 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.