FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2009
 

TechAmerica Announces Merger with Illinois Defense Industry Association (IDIA)
Focus on Expanding Public Sector Resources for Illinois Technology and Defense Industry

Oakbrook Terrace, IL – TechAmerica, formed by the merger of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and AeA, and the Illinois Defense Industry Association (IDIA) announced today that they have officially consolidated activities to strengthen their focus on providing the Illinois technology and defense industry access to resources to grow their public sector business, visibility, and strategic partnerships.

"Illinois and the greater Midwest region is home to thousands of companies that sell products and services to the government,” stated Ed Longanecker, Executive Director, TechAmerica Midwest. “State, local, and federal governments remain the largest procurer of IT products and services in the country. These contracts provide significant opportunities for technology and defense oriented companies to grow their business, and Illinois is a leader in developing innovative products, services, and public sector solutions.”

The merger between TechAmerica and IDIA includes the formation of the Illinois Defense & Technology Procurement Advisory Board, which is a sub-committee of TechAmerica’s Midwest Board of Directors. Companies participating on the Advisory Board include Motorola, Inc., The Boeing Company, SAIC, SPSS Inc., Zebra Technologies, Inc., PCTEL, Inc., Univa UD, and RedSky Technologies, Inc.

"The combining of our assets with TechAmerica's resources will unlock great opportunities for Illinois companies,” said Jeff Datkuliak, IDIA President. “The visibility of this critical industry segment and the impact of these contracts and government expenditures to local businesses and our local economy are especially important in the current challenging environment. I look forward to the great leap forward this gives our members and to delivering the message to higher and broader audiences."

TechAmerica and the new Illinois Defense & Technology Procurement Advisory Board will expand resources for members of the combined organizations to develop new strategic partnerships, business development opportunities, focused programmatic activities, and legislative initiatives at the state and federal level. The Advisory Board and newly merged organization will focus on assisting small, medium, and large businesses in Illinois with their public sector efforts and strategy. Members will also have access to a broad range of committees, market intelligence resources, and standards development offered through TechAmerica’s Public Sector Group.

TechAmerica’s Public Sector Group is the leading promoter of e-Gov for the federal, state, and local government markets. Companies looking to network with major IT contractors or dialogue with their government customers have significant opportunity within the Public Sector Group. Members have the ability to meet directly with Federal Agency CIO’s, State and Local CIO’s, program managers, and other key decision makers, and actively influence outsourcing/procurement issues with agency and congressional officials. Details on TechAmerica’s public sector committees can be found at http://www.aeanet.org/PS.

For additional information on TechAmerica’s Public Sector Group and broad portfolio of industry leading resources, please contact Ed Longanecker, Executive Director, TechAmerica Midwest, at 630-613-7174, or ed.longanecker@techamerica.org.

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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 1,500 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. It 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). TechAmerica 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 at www.aeanet.org or www.itaa.org.

About IDIA
The Illinois Defense Industry Association is a professional organization of over 40 Illinois businesses dedicated to improving opportunities for Illinois companies working in the defense and homeland security industries. Founded in 1997 by eight companies with a vision for cooperative effort and mutual advancement, the organization has grown to include large and small manufacturers, information technology firms and support organizations. IDIA hosts regular networking meetings, legislative updates and informational sessions on topics of interest to our members and provides educational information to the media, general public, public agencies and elected officials on the vibrant and growing Illinois business segment providing goods and services in the defense of our Nation.

This page was last updated on 03/10/09.