CHICAGO, Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In continuation
with ongoing efforts to raise visibility for the high-tech industry
in Illinois, TechAmerica, Governor
Pat Quinn and more than 50 Illinois
high-tech executives will convene in New
York City on Tuesday, November 15,
2011 to open the NASDAQ Stock Market. The event, arranged by
TechAmerica, will also emphasize the association's Illinois Tech
Index (NASDAQ: ILTI), and the winners of the 2011 Chicago
Innovation Awards.
"As the nation's largest technology advocacy organization,
TechAmerica and our members continue to lead efforts to promote our
industry and support innovation in Illinois and throughout the United States," said T. Kendall Hunt, Chairman, CEO, VASCO Data
Security, Inc., and Chairman, TechAmerica Midwest. "Illinois' outstanding companies, universities,
talent pool, R&D capabilities, and quality of life make the
state a unique and attractive place to do business."
"Illinois is proud to be home
to some of the world's most innovative companies," Governor Quinn
said. "We know that jobs follow brainpower and to attract that
brainpower, you need to create an environment where the
entrepreneurs that drive the 21st century economy can get what they
need to make the next big ideas of the future a reality."
In May 2008, TechAmerica and The
NASDAQ Stock Market unveiled the Illinois Tech Index (NASDAQ:
ILTI), the first statewide public technology index in the United States. The public-private
partnership, supported by the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity, Grant Thornton LLP, Baker & McKenzie, and the
Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO), tracks all
public companies headquartered in Illinois from major sectors including high
tech manufacturing, information technology, biotech, alternative
fuels, and life sciences.
"Our index and annual NASDAQ event demonstrates TechAmerica's
ongoing commitment to promoting Illinois' high-tech industry and its critical
impact on our state and national economy," said Ed Longanecker, Executive Director and Regional
Vice President, TechAmerica Midwest. "TechAmerica and our members
are focused on supporting policies and initiatives to promote our
industry and create a business environment in Illinois that is conducive to innovation and
high quality job growth."
Attending executives represent many of Illinois' leading technology companies and
employers, including both emerging companies and many of
Illinois' most influential
innovators. Participating companies and organizations include:
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDRX); Adage
Technologies; Appolicious; Baker & McKenzie LLP; Cabot
Microelectronics Corporation (NASDAQ: CCMP); Callibra; CDW; Chicago
Innovation Awards; Elkay; Fresh Moves; Grant Thornton LLP; Illinois
Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity; Intel
Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC); Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW);
Level-(1) Global Solutions, LLC; Market Strategy Group; Merge
Healthcare Incorporated (NASDAQ: MRGE); Molex Incorporated (NASDAQ:
MOLX); Nanophase Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: NANX); Narrative
Science; Navman Wireless; PCTEL, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCTI); Red Frog
Events; Silicon Valley Bank; SNTial Technologies; State of Illinois; Supply-Chain Services, Inc.
(SSI); TechAmerica; Tellabs, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLAB); Telular
Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLS); Tripp Lite; Trustwave Holdings, Inc.;
VASCO Data Security International Inc. (NASDAQ: VDSI); World
Bicycle Relief; and Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:
ZBRA).
TechAmerica continues to lead targeted workforce, economic
development, and legislative initiatives to elevate Illinois' position as a leading technology
employer and innovator. TechAmerica is also a proud sponsor of the
annual Chicago Innovation Awards and is pleased to promote the
winners of 2011, all of which will be participating in the Illinois
NASDAQ market open.
2011 Chicago Innovation Awards winners:
There were more than 400 nominations for the Chicago Innovation
Awards this year, an all-time high, with more than 1400 people
attending the full-house event at Chicago's Harris Theater on November 8, 2011.
Award Winners
The People's Choice Award was presented to the mobile
grocery store with a heart, Fresh Moves. By retrofitting a CTA bus
into a one-aisle produce market on wheels, Fresh Moves bring
organization and local produce at affordable prices to Chicago's West Side, bringing financial,
social, and environmental benefit to the neighborhoods they
serve.
The winners of the 10th annual Chicago Innovation Awards
are:
- Red Frog Events
- Navman Wireless' Qtanium
- Illinois Tool Works' Global Capless
- Tripp Lite's SRCOOL12K Portable AC Unit
- Elkay's EZH2O
- World Bicycle Relief's Buffalo Bicycles
- Appolicious
- Callibra's Discharge 1-2-3 Composer
- Trustwave's TrustKeeper
- Narrative Science
Recognition of the region's vibrant start-up community came
through the Chicago Innovation Awards expanded Up-and Comer
Program, done in partnership with J.B.
Pritzker and Matt McCall of
the venture capital firm New World Ventures. Ten local startups
were recognized on stage.
- Power2Switch
- Tap.Me
- FeeFighters
- Alltuition
- Nexvu
- Eved
- GiveForward
- Clean Urban Energy
- Excelerate Labs
- Technori
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 1,000 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. TechAmerica 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). Learn more about TechAmerica at
www.techamerica.org
SOURCE TechAmerica