AeANET : AeA San Diego Council -- About Us

About the High-Tech Industry and AeA San Diego
San Diego is the nation's third largest cybercity in consumer electronics manufacturing employment. Further, San Diego's 2,200 high-tech establishments paid an average wage of $53,000, or 69 percent more than the average private sector wage.

The residents of San Diego also use technology. Computers were in 64 percent of the households and Internet access was available in 56 percent of households as of August 2000. These tech usage rates are higher than the national average.

AeA San Diego Councils' membership of over 200 high-tech and business service provider corporations is comprised of firms from the software, semiconductor, computer, telecommunications, medical device, multi-media, instrumentation, legal, accounting, and banking/ investment business segments. Our membership is committed to providing numerous networking and educational programs for its members.

AeA San Diego Council
6540 Lusk Blvd., C277
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: 858.452.9288
Fax: 858.452.2766

Our primary purpose is helping our members� top and bottom lines
by providing the following services:

Chairperson Melissa Ford Chief Executive Officer Vektrex	Melissa Ford is the Chair of the AeA San Diego Council's Executive Committee and the CEO of Vektrex. Vektrex is a software and systems integration company supporting the test and measurement industry. Ford brings more than 20 years of senior technology experience to Vektrex. As the company's first CEO, Melissa created the Vektrex vision from the start - Advancing Measurement Technology - and she has focused the company on this vision, guiding it steadfastly toward measurement products, augmenting the original systems integration services business. Within the San Diego community, Melissa sits on the AeA San Diego Council Executive Committee, chairs the Government Procurement Task force, and participates in the CEO Round Table. Melissa also finds time to contribute to the community through active participation in Athena and its affinity groups, including FEW (Forum for Executive Women), where she works on the steering committee. Melissa's contribution to San Diego business was recently recognized with a San Diego Business Journal "Women Who Means Business" award.

Kevin Carroll Executive Director AeA San Diego Council P: 858.452.9288 F: 858.452.2766	For the past five years Kevin Carroll has been the face of AeA in the growing high tech community of San Diego, California. Prior to serving as Executive Director in San Diego, Kevin managed AeA�s Potomac Council. In both positions, Mr. Carroll attributed his success to the strength of AeA. Says Carroll, �The strength of AeA is in its ability to have local activities while still retaining a national face.� Kevin was recently named �Tech Supporter of the Year� in San Diego. One of the recent initiatives of the AeA San Diego Council is mobilizing senior tech executives in support of AeA policy issues. Former Governor Pete Wilson recently addressed a gathering of San Diego AeA CEO�s to discuss the potential of the tech community in swaying legislative and regulatory issues. Whether getting CEO�s involved in policy issues or overseeing an AeA HR Roundtable, Carroll explains the critical need to have AeA members involved � �Having an AeA membership is like having a nice sports car in your garage, its nice and everything but unless you take it our for a spin every once in a while, you don�t really get the full experience." Mr. Carroll lives with his wife and two year old daughter and takes full advantage of living in San Diego with such diverse hobbies as sailing, surfing and skateboarding.

Lauri Keller Membership Development Director AeA San Diego Council P: 858.452.9288 F: 858.452.2766	Lauri Keller is the Director of Membership Development for the AeA San Diego Council, where she oversees marketing strategies designed to recruit new AeA members. In addition to recruiting new corporate members, Keller assists in delivering member programs and services as well as implementing industry events. Keller joined AeA with over fifteen years experience in marketing and public affairs. From 1995 through 2001, she served as Regional Marketing Manager for technology leader Lockheed Martin (IMS). While at IMS, Keller managed the western U.S. marketing of the company�s high-tech system and services -- including red light camera contracts � which she successfully marketed to the City of San Diego . As a public affairs consultant, some of her clients included Segway Human Transporter^TM, V-Fluence Interactive Public Relations, Nestor Traffic Systems and Southwest Strategies LLC. Keller has also worked on many successful campaign efforts, including then-Speaker of the Assembly Herb J. Wesson, Jr., Congresswoman Susan Davis, Congressman Bob Filner and Councilman Michael Zucchet. Keller has resided in San Diego for 13 years and holds a BS in Political Science from University of Oregon .

Tammy Carney Program & Event Manager AeA San Diego Council P: 858.452.9288 F: 858.452.2766	Since February 2001, Tammy Carney has been the Program and Event Manager for the AeA San Diego Council. Within this role Carney is responsible for marketing, communications, client relations, and planning events--including the AeA San Diego High-Tech Awards ceremony attended annually by 500+ technology leaders. Carney graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Journalism and a minor in Political Science. Prior to AeA, Carney worked in the Marketing and Broadcast Journalism fields, including working side-by-side with Cokie Roberts, Ted Koppel and David Brinkley. Carney lives in San Diego with her husband, Tom, and son, Colin.