SARASOTA, FL - September 1, 2006 - Over 250 executives converged on the Sarasota | Manatee Technology Conference: Integration at the Crossroads, the region's first-ever technology conference, on August 31, 2006. Attendees came from across the state to participate in the full-day interactive conference to learn how businesses within Florida's Gulf Coast and around the world integrate technology to improve efficiency, processes and sales.
Ninety-five percent of all attendees said the event "offered expertise that was instrumental to the success of my business." The wide range of speakers included CEO's in technology, sales, finance, real estate and marketing who had successfully implemented technology for business success. "The variety and experience these 25 speakers offered was truly unmatched by any other technology conference in the state. To have the Sun Hydraulics, Inc. Global IT Systems Director, the LexJet Corporation Founder and the Sarasota Memorial Hospital CEO together -- openly discussing how they have used technology to solve their greatest business challenges was an extraordinary learning opportunity for us all," said atLarge, Inc. President and Young Technology Alliance founder Anand Pallegar. Attendees left the event engaged and inspired by the technology opportunities ranging from interactive marketing to CRM systems that could position them as market leaders. "Best of all, the interactive dialogue and real-life case studies empowered attendees with a plan of action for immediately implementing technologies into their own business process."
In addition to the substantial attendance, which surpassed the attendance goals by over 15 percent, the conference also exceeded all sponsorship goals. Generous sponsorships from Sperry Van Ness, LexJet, Verizon Wireless, the University of South Florida at Sarasota-Manatee, the University of Central Florida, Progressive Employer Services, AeA and the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, enabled minimal conference registration fees for a speaker line-up of this caliber.
The conference was also featured in several regional publications including the Gulf Coast Business Review, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, SRQ Magazine, the Tampa Bay Business Journal and The Herald.
About the Young Technology Alliance
The Integration at the Crossroads Conference is produced by The Young Technology Alliance (YTA), an organization dedicated to bringing technology events to the Florida Gulf Coast region. The YTA's mission is to nurture technology awareness in the community by harnessing the power of technology through the education and unification of technology professionals. The YTA has partnered with The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and 82 Degrees Tech to produce the Sarasota Technology Conference 2006. Please visit www.SarasotaTechConference.com for additional details.
