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AeA
Texas Council Newsletter - July 2006
Greetings
From
the desk of...Clare Emerson
Competition in the
technology industry has risen to become one of the nation’s top economic
and cultural issues during the past few years. United States production in
several of the high-technology markets has declined since 2001, with the
nation falling behind developing technology powerhouses such as France and
Germany in some markets.
As part of national effort to raise awareness of this problem, the Texas
Council of AeA, will be hosting the Texas Competitiveness Summit, Aug.
30, at the University of Texas, Dallas. The summit is intended to
raise visibility of the issue, allow participants to discuss how it is
affecting the region and how Texas, specifically, is combating the
problem. Sen. John Cornyn will serve as honorary chair and keynote
speaker of the summit, and Ass't Secretary of the Dept. of Education,
Tom Luce, is the luncheon keynote speaker.
I am inviting your company to participate in this very important regional
event. Please plan to attend and participate in the afternoon breakout
discussion groups. Details are available by clicking here:
http://www.aeanet.org/txcompetitivenesssummit
AeA is putting a national emphasis on U.S. global competitiveness. It is
the number one priority right now. Companies in the United States are not
competing globally as well as they could be or should be. The summit will
shine the spotlight on this issue, and bring great minds together to
evaluate possible solutions.
In addition to Sen. Cornyn, the summit will have a number of
distinguished speakers, including AeA CEO Bill Archey, UTD President
Dr. David Daniel, UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson, SMU Dean of the
School of Engineering Dr. Geoffrey Orsak, UTD Dean of the School of
Engineering Dr. Robert Helms, UNT Dean of the School of Engineering Dr.
Oscar Garcia , Phil Wilson, Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor Rick Perry, as
well as leaders from the technology industry, elected officials, and K-12
education.
Please reserve your seats early. If you have any questions or need
further information, please contact me directly at
clare_emerson@aeanet.org or
972-386-6540 x104.
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Legislative
Update
Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF)
In May of this year, Gov. Rick Perry announced that nearly $6 million in
Emerging Technology Grants would go to four companies to help these early
stage businesses get their emerging technology innovations to the
marketplace. The awards are the second announcements by Perry under the
Texas Emerging Technology Fund, a $200 million initiative created by the
Texas Legislature last year at the governor’s request.
According to the news release, the TETF awards are going to CardioSpectra,
Inc., of San Antonio, Xilas Medical, Inc., of San Antonio, Molecular
Imprints of Austin and CorInnova Incorporated, of College Station.
The TETF program has three main areas of investment:
-
Increasing research collaboration between public
and private sector entities through new Regional Centers of Innovation and
Commercialization where the seeds of an idea can take root in a university
lab and eventually grow into a new product marketed by a new or expanding
firm.
-
Matching research grants provided by both
federal and private sponsors to help innovators acquire the capital they
need to bring their idea to life.
-
Attracting more top-notch research teams from
other universities around the nation that will help put Texas universities
on the cutting edge of technology research and development.
For more information on the ETF, please contact
the AeA Texas Council Austin office at 512/474-4403.
Math and Science Reforms Addressed by Texas State Board of Education
During the last legislative special session, the Texas Legislature adopted a
law that would have students on the Recommended and Distinguished high
school graduation plans complete a fourth year of math and a fourth year of
science. AeA supported the Texas Legislature’s May 2006 efforts to increase
the number of Texas high school graduates ready for college.
On July 6, 2006, AeA, along with a strong business consortium that included
the Austin Chamber of Commerce, TAB, LULAC and several Texas technology
companies – testified before the State Board of Education (SBOE) on the Math
& Science Recommendations.
Establishing the proper rules for this law and providing thorough oversight
will significantly improve Texas’ workforce needs and help hundreds of high
tech companies meet the current demands for a 21st century workforce.
AeA supports the business coalitions’ recommendation to retain the first
three credits of math unchanged: Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II. The fourth
credit should be chosen from the following selection of courses: statistics,
pre-calculus and calculus. Statistics and trigonometry are prerequisites for
many technical training programs. Completion of a math course more advanced
than Algebra II doubles student likelihood to earn a baccalaureate degree
and significantly enhances readiness for skilled workforce training. For
Texans who take the ACT college-entrance test, completion of these math
courses added at least 2.8 points to the average ACT math score.
AeA supports the business coalitions’ recommendation that in science,
students should master content in the three basic lab sciences: biology,
chemistry and physics, first, before completing a fourth science course of
their choosing. Grounding in the core science disciplines is a prerequisite
for most high-performance workplaces. Completion of the three basic lab
sciences increases ACT-science performance by 2.8 points over completing
only two basic lab sciences.
AeA believes the work of the SBOE in establishing rules in relation to the
new law is critical. Texas has a unique opportunity to pave the way for
students to succeed; and for Texas to become a role-model for other states.
Breakfast Briefing Event
AeA hosted a breakfast with Dr. William Jeffrey, Director of NIST on
Tuesday, June 27, 2006. Dr. Jeffrey discussed key areas for NIST including
America's economic strength and global leadership depending in large measure
on our Nation’s and especially Texas’ ability to generate and harness the
latest in scientific and technological developments, and applying these
developments to real world applications which are fueled by scientific
research.
Previous to his appointment as Director of NIST, Dr. Jeffrey served as
senior director for homeland and national security and aeronautics at the
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office
of the President. Earlier, he was the deputy director for the Advanced
Technology Office and chief scientist for the Tactical Technology Office
with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Jeffrey
received his Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard University and his B.Sc. in
physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
SPAN Meeting in Nasville, TN
Join us Monday August 14 and Tuesday, August 15th in Nashville, Tennessee
for AeA/SGA's State Policy Action Network (SPAN) Conference, timed to
coincide with the National Conference of State Legislature's (NCSL) 32nd
Annual Meeting in Nashville.
High-tech state government affairs professionals from all over the nation
are planning to attend AeA's State Policy Action Network (SPAN) biannual
meeting on August 14 & 15, 2006, in Nashville, TN - timed to recap all that
went on in the 2006 legislative session, and plan for the upcoming 2007
session. We'll engage in discussions on important policy issues surrounding
high-tech at the state level, and fine-tuning AeA's State Government Affairs
program to address all your legislative needs.
Our policy discussion will be kicked off with a keynote federal update by
Bill Archey, AeA's President & CEO. Issue tutorials covered will include
E-Commerce & Online Safety, RFID, E-Waste, and Municipal Broadband issues at
the State Level.
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Upcoming
Events
7.25.06
- Dallas
-
AeA Texas CFO Forum
Topic:
Intellectual Property Law in 26 1/2 Steps
8.15.06
- Dallas - AeA Texas Sales and Marketing
Roundtable
Monthly meeting to help build additional AeA
member value by providing an environment for Sales and Marketing
professionals from the tech industry to discuss relevant topics, exchange
best practices, and gain insight from the collective knowledge of group
participants. If you wish to be a part of this group, please contact
Greg Heider at 972.386.6540 x103.
8.16.06
- Dallas -
AeA Texas Business Development Meeting
Monthly meeting for representatives of AeA
Member Companies to discuss AeA business development. If you wish to
be a part of this Business Development Working Group please contact Greg
Heider at 972.386.6540 x103.
8.17.06
- Dallas -
AeA Texas CEO Forum
Monthly meeting for AeA Member CEO's to discuss
current business issues. This is an exclusive member's only benefit for
CEO's. If you wish to be a part of this CEO Roundtable please
contact Jessica Acuna at 512.474.4403.
8.30.06
- Dallas -
Texas Competitiveness Summit
Hon. Chair and Keynote Speaker: Senator
John Cornyn
9.12.06
- Austin - Global Software Development
Program Series
Topic: Software Company Mergers &
Acquisitions
9.14.06
- Dallas -
Int'l Business Series: Doing Business in China
9.17.06 - 9/20.06
- Dallas -
SIMposium 2006
AeA is proud to be a conference affiliate for
SIMposium 2006. SIMposium is the premier practioner-driven conference
designed for and by CIOs for peer-to-peer exchange on technology and
business integration best practices.
9.19.06
- Dallas - AeA Texas Sales and Marketing
Roundtable
Monthly meeting to help build additional AeA
member value by providing an environment for Sales and Marketing
professionals from the tech industry to discuss relevant topics, exchange
best practices, and gain insight from the collective knowledge of group
participants. If you wish to be a part of this group, please contact
Greg Heider at 972.386.6540 x103.
9.20.06
- Dallas -
AeA Texas Business Development Meeting
Monthly meeting for representatives of AeA
Member Companies to discuss AeA business development. If you wish to
be a part of this Business Development Working Group please contact Greg
Heider at 972.386.6540 x103.
9.21.06
- Dallas -
AeA Texas CEO Forum
Monthly meeting for AeA Member CEO's to discuss
current business issues. This is an exclusive member's only benefit for
CEO's. If you wish to be a part of this CEO Roundtable please
contact Jessica Acuna at 512.474.4403.
9.26.06
- Dallas
-
AeA Texas CFO Forum
Topic:
To be determined.
9.27.06
- 9.28.06
- Dallas
-
NanoTX '06
Come to NanoTX '06 to
learn all about the nanotechnology industry.
National
Events
8.13.06 - 8.24.06
–
2006 AeA/Stanford Executive Institute
Gain a strategic and
practical understanding of the critical business operations of a tech
company today in 11 days of rigorous curriculum led by distinguished
faculty, notable guest speakers and highly qualified classmates.
8.14.06 - 8.15.06 –
AeA State Government Affairs SPAN
Conference
High-tech state
government affairs professionals from all over the nation should attend
the AeA's State Policy Action Network (SPAN) biannual meeting on August
14-15, 2006 in Nashville, TN.
Local Council Events - AeA
Events Calendar
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Welcome
New Members
Ayoka Systems
Ayoka is the onshore (American) alternative to offshore
software development. With many software development jobs moving overseas,
Ayoka has developed a unique business model that cuts the cost of U.S.
software production through its University relations. Ayoka focuses on
enterprise software development, from database backed web systems, J2EE,
.NET, and other enterprise programming languages. Industries served
include backend programming & integration for e-commerce, finance &
accounting, manufacturing, healthcare, and e-government software.
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Epstein
Becker & Green (EBG) is a general practice law firm with more than 380
lawyers in the
United States,
in addition to affiliations worldwide. EBG represents domestic and foreign
companies in myriad industries, including health care, high-tech,
telecommunications, consumer products, construction, manufacturing, real
estate, banking, and oil and gas. Our practice spans diverse areas of the
law, with particular emphasis on Commercial Litigation, Corporate and
Securities, Health Law, Immigration Law, International Law, and Labor and
Employment Law.
Global RFID Solutions
Global RFID Solutions is a leading
asset-tracking solutions provider that utilizes the most advanced RFID
technology to help organizations and government agencies. We are involved
with real time tracking of intermodal containers and chassis in the
trucking industry with a system that identifies the location of a
container and its specific trip history. Sensors are also available to
monitor individual items using RFID and report temperature, smoke, door
breach and driver panic alerts. We also offer RFID solutions for office
environment file tracking. Our closed loop system passively monitors the
movement of files in real time as tagged files move from person to person.
Each client can access a web interface via a pc desktop, gain complete
visibility of their filing system, and then request, create, monitor
and/or locate files utilizing RFID technology.
Research in Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion
(RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative
wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market.
RIM's portfolio of award-winning products are used by thousands of
organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless
platform, software development tools, and software/hardware licensing
agreements.
Sinequanon Group
Sinequanon Group, Inc. (SGI), is an 18 year sales performance and change
leadership practice based in Dallas, TX. President, Arlene Johnson, has
over 25 years of experience in sales, executive sales management and as
founder and CEO of two corporations. One a telecommunications company with
market exclusive top line manufacturer dealer agreements. SGI’s
performance consultant group work internationally with a broad range of
companies in the oil and gas, financial and health services, aerospace,
and technology industries. Their result-oriented leadership, teaching and
coaching style help clients quickly create a competitive differentiation
in a demanding and radically changing business environment. The SGI sales
consultant team partner with alliances such as the Harvard Negotiation
Project Group, Miller Heiman, Vital Learning and Pritchett M&A to provide
“best in class” sales and change leadership process and performance
solutions specific to the clients’ business and selling environment.
Tatum LLC.
Tatum is the largest and fastest-growing executive services and consulting
firm in the United States helping companies in transition to accelerate
business success and create more value.™ With more than 500 partners and
principals in 30 offices across the country, Tatum is ready when needed.
Our professionals are seasoned strategic, financial, and technology
leaders who have done the job before. We know how to move quickly,
objectively, and thoroughly – immediately integrating into your
organization to assess challenges, pursue opportunities, and mobilize the
right resources to solve problems and lead the achievement of results.
TXP Corporation - Texas
Prototypes
TXP,
based in
Richardson,
Texas,
is a global provider of pre-manufacturing services for the electronics
industry, supporting original equipment manufacturers, original design
manufacturers, contract manufacturers and new technology innovators. The
company excels in both design and supply chain solutions services for new
product development which include prototyping and quick-turn electronic
assembly, new product introduction, pilot production, material supply
chain management as well as the transfer of product into production. TXP's
core technology focus is on complex printed circuit board assemblies,
photonics, optoelectronics, and advanced packaging solutions, while
forging profitable business opportunities with well-positioned high speed,
digital, analog, and RF technologies and industries that require
complementary service requirements. By working closely with its customers
and being highly responsive to their requirements throughout the design
processes, TXP believes that it can be an integral part of its customers'
operations, accelerate their time-to-market and time-to-volume production
and reduce their product costs. TXP has three operating divisions that
build on its core Design for Manufacturability foundation: TXP-Texas
Prototypes, TXP-Photonics, and TXP-Packaging.
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Thank You Renewing Members
AirGate Technologies
ASSET InterTech
Bandspeed
BMC Software
Bravo
Technical Resources
Citadel Security Software
CSR (Cambridge Silicon Radio)
Cushman &
Wakefield
Datamatic
Dell
EFJ
Employ Solutions
ePartners
Ernst & Young
ESPRE Solutions
Freescale Semiconductor
Fulbright & Jaworski
Geneva
Aerospace
Hogan and
Associates
InnerWireless
InterVoice
IRM
Corporation
KARLEE
LAN Resources
LINX Data Terminals
M/C/C
National Instruments
Navini Networks
Obsidian Software
On Computer Services
OraMetrix
Perficient
Pervasive Software
PFSweb
Retalix
SEMATECH
Sleeper Sewell & Company
SMAART Medical Systems
TAOS
Teletouch Communications
Texas Instruments
TriNet
University of Texas at Dallas
WEBCO Warren EmployeeBenefits
Company
Whitley Penn
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MemberZone
A message from Ayoka:
Outsourcing is draining skilled talent from the U.S. in computer
science and software development, causing our Nation to lose its
competitive advantage as other countries are catching up. We are a new AeA
member company, Ayoka L.L.C., and believe we have found a way to compete.
Our unique business model was recently featured on the front page of the
business section for the Dallas Morning News. We invite you to view the
article here: http://www.ayokasystems.com/press.html
A message from Employ Solutions:
AeA Texas Council member Employ Solutions is
offering to deliver its ES OnDemand services at a
significantly reduced rate exclusively to fellow AeA members. ES OnDemand
provides knowledge services to its clients via a private-labeled, fully
customizable online platform that delivers flexible e-learning tools and
full reporting, along with HR and Safety policies, handbooks and forms.
ES OnDemand will provide to any AeA member in good standing a discount of
20% off the standard monthly service fees as determined by employee
count. For a typical company of 250 employees, this discount would
approximate a $6,000 cost savings per annum! To learn more, please visit
www.esondemand.com.
MemberZone!, is a place for your company’s news. If you
would like us to publish your news, send it to,
Greg Heider, Director of Membership Development at
Gregory_Heider@aeanet.org or call 972.386.6540 ext. 103.
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Member Resources
Freight Savings Can Dwarf AeA Dues - Enroll Today!
Consider that per trade show your company probably spends between $1000
to $3000 to ship conference materials. AeA's Shipping and Freight Discount
Program would cut these expenses by 62% to 65%! A CEO at a recent trade
show discovered that our program would save him over $9300 a year in
reduced trade show materials annually! Let AeA help you minimize
this considerable business expense. Visit
http://www.aeanet.org/shipping
or contact PartnerShip at 800.599.2902 or email
shipping@aeanet.org
for more information.
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Marketing Update
Pay-per-click Advertising Can
Cost
More Than you Bargained For
By Steve Plunkett, M/C/C Director, Internet Marketing
First,
the good news. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising with major search engines
can generate lots of traffic to your website. Now the bad news - choosing
the wrong providers for your PPC advertising can get your website banned
from major search engines. It sounds confusing at first, but let me
clarify.
There are
two basic types of PPC ads: the kind on search engines like Google, Yahoo!
and MSN and the ones that appear anywhere else, places like ordinary
websites, blogs, spam blogs (splogs), domain placeholders and link farms.
Running PPC ads on search engines is no problem. But relying on the second
group can get a little sticky. These types of PPC providers are called
affiliates or downstream partners. Search engines provide affiliates and
downstream partners with code to run their own PPC programs. Unfortunately
some of these providers have learned to exploit the PPC system.
These
nefarious providers retrieve the top-paying PPC keywords each week. Then,
using ingenious programming, they build thousands of websites per night,
each page filled with top-performing PPC ads. These pages are linked to
more pages on other sites, maybe ones that were built the night before or
the night before or the night before. The intent is to link all these
thousands of sites together through the most popular PPC keywords, weaving
a "fictitious" web of linked pages. This is called a link farm. Until
recently, companies using PPC advertising on link farms enjoyed very high
search rankings, primarily because search engines perceive "spidering" as
an important consideration. But this is not true spidering. The link farms
are messing with the integrity of the search engines. And the search
engines don't take kindly to that.
A few
weeks ago, Google decided to do something about it, and many companies
that unknowingly trusted link farms for PPC advertising are paying the
price. Their Google page ranks have dropped from lofty numbers to zero
and/or their organic search engine rankings fell off a cliff. They've been
left wondering what happened. Google sniffed them out, that's what. When
links to their websites showed up on 10,000 pages on 1,000 websites, a
Googlebot took notice, and Google gave them the smackdown.
Search engine optimization isn't as simple as it used to be. Now it's no
longer just a matter of linking to the most sites or having the most sites
linked to you. In addition to popularity, it's a matter of credibility.
Being linked from a link farm is like hanging around with the bad kids at
school. No matter how good you are, you'll often be found guilty by
association. The same goes for trading links with other websites. Because
you have no control or knowledge of the other linked parties on the site,
you can't say for sure with whom or what your website will be associated.
Remember,
PPC advertising is a great way to get you to the front page of a search
engine's results until you can get there organically. But to avoid guilt
by association, make sure to restrict your PPC ads only to search engines.
Also in your PPC account, be sure to uncheck the boxes that allow your PPC
ads to show up on websites other than the search engine itself.
Now, go
out and play with PPC. Just stay away from the bad kids.
back
to top
Texas Team
AeA
Texas - Dallas Office
Clare Emerson, Executive Director
Gregory
Heider, Director, Membership Development
AeA Texas -
Austin Office
Jessica
Acuna, Program Director
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