|  KTEC announced the launch of a statewide trade association to provide support to Kansas’ burgeoning software and information technology (IT) industry. The non-profit has been registered with the state as the Software and Information Technology Association of Kansas (SITAKS) and is designed to support Kansas software, information technology and telecommunications companies.
"According to the 2008 American Electronics Association (AeA) Cyberstates report, there are over 3,200 software and IT companies in Kansas employing over 54,000 high-wage technology workers. Kansas software and IT companies contribute more than $3.7 billion to the local economy, yet until now these Kansas companies have not had a united industry voice. SITAKS will provide a strong voice for us at the state and federal level, as well as bring recognition to the technology companies located here,” said Scott Coons, CEO of Perceptive Software and a founding member of SITAKS.
The mission of SITAKS will be to strengthen and expand the software and IT sector through advocacy, management level education and networking. Software and IT companies, companies with large information technology departments, colleges and universities are eligible for membership in the group.
The founding board of directors include: Scott Coons, CEO, Perceptive Software, Shawnee; Laurie Minard, VP of HR, Garmin International, Olathe; Toby Rush, CEO, Rush Tracking, Lenexa; Clint Batman, CEO, ThinkGEO, Lawrence; Col. Randy Roebuck, Great Plains Joint Regional Command, Wichita; Shawn McCarrick, CIO, Freightquote, Lenexa ; Ann Martin, CIO, LSI, Wichita; Lirel Holt, CEO, Powered by U, Overland Park; John Repko, CIO of Chemidex, Overland Park; Joel Wiggins, President, Enterprise Center of Johnson County, Lenexa; Dr. Ravi Pendse, Wichita State University, Wichita; Dr. Virgil Wallentine; Kansas State University, Manhattan and Tracy Taylor, President and CEO, KTEC, Topeka. Additional directors will be added over the coming months by the Board through a nomination process.
Miriam Ubben, an experienced technology trade association executive has been tapped as SITAKS’ first President. “KTEC recruited Ubben six months ago to launch and run SITAKS because of her experience running a successful technology trade association for the state of Iowa. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding public policy, capital formation, member recruitment, public funding programs and event programming that will allow the association to hit the ground running,” according to Tracy Taylor, President and CEO of KTEC.
Kansas is experiencing a critical shortage of technology workers and one of the first SITAKS initiatives will be to work with KTEC and industry members on a three-pronged initiative to 1) increase the pipeline of students choosing software and IT as a career; 2) retain Kansas’ computer science and engineering graduates; and 3) recruit out-of-state talent leveraging the www.comehometokansas.com campaign recently launched by KTEC.
Other SITAKS initiatives will be to educate state and federal legislators regarding industry needs; facilitate CEO and CIO round tables to allow some of Kansas’ best and brightest technology executives to leverage and learn from each other; host monthly seminars and events including an annual awards program, develop a market basket of reduced cost services for members; and develop programs to promote the products and services of Kansas’ software and IT products to buyers of technology.
Contact Miriam Ubben, President, SITAKS, for membership information. 913.894.1394 |
