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TechAmerica, Illinois Executives Open NASDAQ Stock Market

Posted on: Monday, 9 November 2009, 11:08 CST

Initiative Highlights Illinois High-Tech Industry and Statewide Technology Index

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- In continuation with ongoing efforts to raise visibility for the high-tech industry in Illinois, TechAmerica Midwest and several Illinois high-tech executives will convene in New York City to open the NASDAQ Stock Market on Tuesday. The event, arranged by TechAmerica, will also emphasize the association's Illinois Technology Index (ILTI), and the winners of the 2009 Chicago Innovation Awards.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090319/TECHAMERICALOGO )

In May 2008, TechAmerica and The NASDAQ Stock Market unveiled the 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.

"As the leading technology association in the country, TechAmerica and our members continue to lead efforts to promote our industry and support growth and 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."

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 2009, several of which will be participating in the Illinois NASDAQ open.

"Opening the NASDAQ market further demonstrates TechAmerica's ongoing dedication to promote Illinois' high-tech industry," said Ed Longanecker, Executive Director and Regional Director of State Government Affairs, TechAmerica Midwest. "We must continue to support innovation and growth in this critical industry. High-tech positions command higher salaries and these companies attract investment and talent to the state."

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:

Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (Nasdaq (GS): CCMP); Baker & McKenzie LLP; comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq (GM): SCOR); Electronic Knowledge Interchange; Grant Thornton LLP; HERO Pipe; Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity; Illinois Science & Technology Coalition; InnerWorkings, Inc. (Nasdaq (GM): INWK); iTRACS; Littelfuse, Inc. (Nasdaq (GS): LFUS); Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq (GS): MSFT); Nextend; PCTEL, Inc. (Nasdaq (GM): PCTI); Rescue Vac Systems, Inc.; SVB Financial Group (Nasdaq (GS): SIVB); SNTial Technologies, Inc.; Supply-Chain Services, Inc.; Tellabs, Inc. (Nasdaq (GS): TLAB); Telular Corporation (Nasdaq (GM): WRLS); Tripp Lite; VASCO Data Security International, Inc. (Nasdaq (GM): VDSI); Visible Vote; and Zebra Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq (GS): ZBRA).

2009 Chicago Innovation Awards winners:

Aircell, for Gogo Inflight Internet Service; comScore, Inc., for ComScore Ad Effx Suite; Groupon, for collective buying power; EveryBlock, for local news feeds; Rescue Vac Systems, Inc., for the Rescue Vac 800 Series Rescue Kit; Suncast Corporation, for the No Crank Water Powered Hose Reel; The Art Institute of Chicago, for its new Modern Wing; The Robotic Surgery Program of the University of Illinois at Chicago; Tripp Lite, for its ECO Series Uninterruptable Power Supply System; Visible Vote, for providing citizens expanded access to their elected officials.

The First People's Choice Award of the Chicago Innovation Awards

The global health care company Abbott was named winner of the first People's Choice Award of the Chicago Innovation Awards, winning an open vote on the Internet that attracted more than 11,000 ballots. The Nutrition Division of Abbott was recognized for its innovation -- a new way of packaging Abbott's well-known Similac baby formula to make formula preparation easier.

The Innovation Visionary Award

Chicago firefighter Lt. Michael Wielgat was named winner of the 2009 Innovation Visionary Award for his invention and development of the HERO Pipe, a system that is seen as having great potential for fighting fires in high rise buildings. The system has shown impressive capacity to rapidly knock down fires on floors that cannot be reached by ladders.

The Young Innovator Award

Matthew Morris and Michael McCoy, recent graduates of the Liautaud Graduate School of Business at UIC were awarded the 2009 Young Innovator Award for development of Heartsounds, a business that is developing sound separation technology developed at UIC to build highly sensitive and precise cardiac monitoring systems that can detect ailments of the heart. The device is on the verge of FDA approval.

About TechAmerica

TechAmerica is the leading voice for the U.S. technology industry, which is 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.techamerica.org.

SOURCE TechAmerica

Source: PR Newswire

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