News
Legislative update 1/20/21
The 87th Texas Legislature regular session is going to be fast and furious. It kicked off Jan. 12 with rules approvals and other formalities. It is now adjourned until Jan. 26. To refresh: the Texas Legislature meets every odd-numbered year for 140 days, as dictated by the Texas Constitution. While the governor can call special sessions to focus on specific issues, this session is the big one.At the top of the agenda will be approving the state budget, while navigating coronavirus health restrictions in the
2021 Legislative Agenda
These priorities address issues that are vital to North Texas technology businesses and citizens, especially in the areas of economic development, workforce development, education, transportation, water and local government. Tech Titans 2021 Legislative AgendaBusiness competitivenessRecommendations:Support the continuation of funding for economic development incentive programs such as: the Texas Enterprise Fund, Event Trust Fund, Texas Tourism, the Texas Music Office, and the Texas Film Commission at
#Tech Tuesdays is your connection to localized tech insights
Though you can’t contain technology to one day a week, at least you can count on learning something new from Tech Titans every Tuesday during Tech Tuesdays. Tech Insights, the Tech Titans weekly compilation of news stories, is moving to every Tuesday. If you don’t already subscribe, sign up here. As for forum events, like Analytics, Blockchain or Emerging Growth (see the whole list), you can learn something within one of these verticals on either the second or fourth Tuesday of the month. These forum
2020 Tech Titans update from Chair Amy Wheelus
Chair Amy Wheelus from AT&T gave an update for 2020 during the Tech Titans Awards Gala. View her message (understanding that the Gala had a Roaring 20s theme).View the video Tech Titans has an overarching why. We are a forum that connects the regional technology community to collaborate, share, and inspire the creative thinking that fuels tomorrow's innovations. In 2020, this has become more important than ever. And we have demonstrated our why, by adapting how we operate, and deliver programming
Qorvo inspires next generation through STEM initiative
By Melinda Guravich, staff writer Qorvo inspires employees and the next generation through the STEM initiative How do STEM careers start? Marvin Harris, foundry engineer with Qorvo, Inc. (photo at right), knew he wanted to become an engineer in seventh grade after attending a summer outreach program at Purdue University. “I fell in love with electrical engineering,” he said. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue and master’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia
.png)
New/returning members for October
Thank you to the Tech Titans members who either joined or renewed their memberships in October. Our members are the lifeline of our organization and serve to make us stronger and more successful. We hope you will join us in welcoming these new members, doing business with them and referring other members to the Tech Titans organization. New members Champion's Circle Sales Enablement Strategies - Kay ShawRichardsonhttp://www.salesenablementstrategies.tech The Dubrof
President Bill Sproull talks 2020 election results
Though a lot has not been decided yet, Tech Titans President talks through where things stand on the national and state-wide level and what the implications are for North Texas today and in the future. Watch his presentation on YouTube or on the Tech Titans podcast, audio only
What do teachers have to say about the Tech Titans STEM Video Contest? Plenty!
By Melinda Guravich The STEM Video Contest, sponsored by State Farm, creates excitement about future technologies and career opportunities while filling the Tech Titans vault of compelling digital content for elementary-age students. The fourth annual contest is now underway. Teachers are instrumental in driving student involvement in the competition. Last year 175 students participated, representing 11 schools in six school districts. How does the video contest benefit students and inspire them to
.png)
Tech Titans celebrates North Texas' best and brightest at annual Awards Gala
11 categories of companies, organizations and individuals honored for significant contributions to their industries in the 20th anniversary of the event DALLAS – Oct. 26, 2020 – Tech Titans, the largest technology trade organization in Texas, recognized outstanding technology companies and individuals in the North Texas area who have made significant contributions to their industries at its annual awards gala on Friday, Oct. 23. “For 20 years, we have seen amazing innovation from nominees,” said Bill
Corporate CEO Award: Niklas Heuveldop, Ericsson North America
Niklas Heuveldop was named as the leader of Ericsson North America in 2017 and placed at the forefront of a company turnaround as the telecom industry was starting to make substantial investments in 5G commercial development. His leadership through the challenging period, and currently, has made a significant impact.Under Niklas’ leadership, the company currently employs more than 10,000 people across the United States and Canada. To date, Ericsson has launched 65 live commercial 5G networks in 33
.png)
Fast Tech top five companies announced
Fast Tech honors the fastest growing technology companies in North Texas based on three-year revenue growth and is part of the Tech Titans Awards Gala. The ranking is compiled from nominations submitted directly to Tech Titans and Moss Adams, also sponsored by Comerica Bank. The ranking of the fastest growing companies will be announced at the Tech Titans Awards Gala on Friday, Oct. 23. In its 20th year, the Fast Tech Award honors the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences
Hall of Fame inductee: entrepreneur & women's advocate Valerie Freeman
By Melinda Guravich, staff writer This year’s Hall of Fame inductee is Valerie Freeman, an accomplished entrepreneur who, in addition to building businesses from the ground up, pays it forward in the Dallas business community. She will join the prestigious ranks of other influencers during the virtual Tech Titans Awards Gala on Oct. 23. For 38 years, she’s been an entrepreneur, mentor, encourager, as well as a playing-field leveler for women in technology. She has continually connected the dots across
.png)
Fast Tech companies announced
Tech Titans has named its list of the fastest growing tech companies in North Texas. Fast Tech honors the fastest growing technology companies in North Texas based on three-year revenue growth and is part of the Tech Titans Awards Gala. The ranking is compiled from nominations submitted directly to Tech Titans and Moss Adams, also sponsored by Comerica Bank. The top five fastest growing companies will be announced at the Fast Tech Reveal on Tuesday, Oct. 13, with the ranking of the fastest growing
5G Grand Challenge top choice brings artificial intelligence to the classroom through virtual reality
5G Grand Challenge top choice brings artificial intelligence to the classroom through virtual reality Marjorie Zielke, Ph.D., director of the UT Dallas Center for Simulation and Synthetic Humans, is the choice of the Tech Titans inaugural 5G Grand Challenge with her proposed creation of the Emergent Virtual Teacher Platform (EVTP). The program uses sensor capture and Internet of Things (IoT) data and connectivity, low latency, security and speed aspects of 5G to deliver virtual teachers in virtual reality
Awards finalists announced for 2020
Tech Titans, the largest technology trade association in Texas, has announced its finalists for the Tech Titans Awards.This year's 20th anniversary of the Tech Titans Awards Gala has moved online in a virtual setting, heavy on high-quality video production and the latest in virtual events from partner MarketScale. The Roaring Twenties-style production will ramp up Friday, Oct. 23 with a slate of networking thought-leadership sessions at 3:15 pm. The awards preshow begins at 3:45 with presentation of awards
Member profile: Jeanie Jones
Jeanie Jones is a familiar face in the close-knit community of Tech Titans. She and her husband, Charlie, of Veritis Group, are long-time members. Jeanie is senior business development manager of Wimmer Solutions. Wimmer, founded in 2002, is a premier source for consulting solutions, managed solutions and staffing solutions. “Connecting within our local community through Tech Titans is vital," Jeanie said. "Relationships are formed, and Tech Titans has many opportunities weekly, monthly and
Spotlight on Diodes
Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD), a Standard and Poor’s SmallCap 600 and Russell 3000 Index company, delivers high-quality semiconductor products to the world’s leading companies in the consumer electronics, computing, communications, industrial and automotive markets. The company has an expanded product portfolio of discrete, analog and mixed-signal products and leading-edge packaging technology. This broad range of application-specific solutions coupled with our solutions-focused sales and customer
Board member from GIACT makes EY finalist/ 95% YoY growth
Tech Titans board member, Melissa Townsley Solis, is a finalist for EY’s 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Southwest region. Melissa, along with GIACT co-founder Merlin Bise, chief technology officer, are among 40 finalists on the list from the professional services network EY. The Entrepreneur of the Year award programs recognize businesses in more than 145 cities and 60 countries. The winner of the Southwest region’s award, which will be announced virtually on Oct. 1, will be eligible for
.jpg)
Cisco’s Webex bridging the gap to reach diverse students in STEM effort
Melinda Guravich, Staff Writer Empowering students from diverse backgrounds is a passion for Lymari Ames, a project delivery lead at Cisco Systems, Inc., who herself came from a Hispanic background. When she talks to students about STEM careers, Lymari tells them that her job is to break things and then fix them. Kids relate to her personal story which included entering college as an undeclared major, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering and working on the cutting-edge technology that we
UT Dallas knows STEM-love starts before the university level
by Melinda Guravich, staff writer “I cannot tell you how energized I am every time high school students come to the UTDesign Makerspace studio for a Tech Titans workshop, and every time I talk to kids about STEM careers,” said Rod Wetterskog, assistant dean of corporate relations for UT Dallas. Tech Titans’ STEM partnership with the Tier One university is essential to the success of the STEM initiative. Rod, an “engineering physics guy” by training and six-year member of the Talent Team, has hosted
.png)
New members in May/June/July
Thank you to the Tech Titans members who either joined or renewed their memberships in May, June and July. Our members are the lifeline of our organization and serve to make us stronger and more successful. We hope you will join us in welcoming these new members, doing business with them and referring other members to the Tech Titans organization. New members Appian http://www.appian.com Cypress Growth CapitalDallashttp://www.cypressgrowthcapital.com Diodes
Podcast: Qorvo CEO James Klein
James Klein is president of infrastructure and defense products at Qorvo. Interviewed by Tech Titans’ President/CEO Bill Sproull, James talks about his background, Qorvo’s history, how Qorvo managed to keep their plants healthy even in China and the need to support STEM and diversity efforts.. Part of the discussion focuses on the importance of culture, leadership and the trust of the team. Access the podcast directly or through the Tech Titans podcast page. Transcript Bill Sproull 0:00 This is Bill
Volunteering at every career and life stage, even during a pandemic
by Melinda Guravich, STEM writer Lynn Mortensen is passionate about getting kids engaged with STEM. “If we don’t show them what they can be, especially girls and minority children, they often don’t have a clue.” While vice president of engineering at Raytheon, Lynn served as the company’s Tech Titans corporate representative. At retirement, she joined the newly formed STEM committee, committing her time and energy to inspiring a new generation of engineers from diverse backgrounds. She was recognized as
Collaborative workspace for changing needs: Venture X
Venture X Dallas Campbell Centre offers state-of-the-art flexible office space. The local franchise of Venture X is owned by Jason and Casi Bowers. “We enjoy engaging, collaborating and putting companies, teams and people together to create more opportunities for success,” said Jason. From community space to a dedicated desk to a private office for daily use, Venture X has multiple membership plans. There are even options for a team of employees or meeting rooms. Event space include customizable
Member profile: Appian
Welcome to Tech Titans’ newest member of the Champion’s Circle: Appian. The company was founded 20 years ago on the belief that talented and passionate people, given the power to be heard and the autonomy to excel, will deliver amazing results. Appian provides a low-code automation platform that accelerates the creation of high-impact business applications. Appian simplifies what it takes to turn great ideas into powerful business applications that deliver significant value. Area Vice President Jen
The Talent Team strikes back: STEM inspirations go digital
by Melinda Guravich, Tech Titans contributor Dave Galley, director of the STEM workforce initiatives for Tech Titans, was looking forward to the Talent Team’s biggest year yet in 2020: more events scheduled, in more schools for more kids and the launch of new events, all powered by a growing volunteer base and committed corporate sponsors. By the first week of March, volunteers had already logged a thousand-plus STEM inspirations for the year, for a total of nearly 15,000 since the initiative began.
Podcast: Bottle Rocket CEO Calvin Carter
Bottle Rocket is known for being innovative, thanks to the collaborative leadership of Founder & CEO Calvin Carter. The organization has been recognized locally for their leadership by Tech Titans in 2018 with its Emerging Company Innovation award and in 2019 with the Emerging Company CEO award for Calvin himself. During this podcast, Calvin talks about allowing employees to work from wherever, on top of their self-managed vacation plan. Calvin talks about connecting employees to a purpose, how an
Our peers of color make us better
No matter the shape or color,all pieces connect to create something great.At Tech Titans, we know that innovation doesn't follow a formula. Great ideas are sparked by diversity, the unexpected, and an inquisitive perspective. We value each person in our community.We are horrified by the death of George Floyd and send our condolences to his family.We support peaceful protesters and absolutely believe #BlackLivesMatter The persistence of racism, prejudice and privilege in our country is a
Introducing the Tech Titans STEM Challenge: Where students learn and earn
Students have gone virtual. So has the Tech Titans STEM initiative and our ongoing commitment to inspire students to choose STEM careers. Trying to learn from home represents so many challenges. For many North Texas students, increased food insecurity is exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The Tech Titans STEM Challenge motivates middle and high school students to learn about STEM and earn $50 gift cards their families can use during this trying time, by researching and responding to the weekly questions.
Jeff Sandene: A finance guy talks about how tech forums benefit his business
A finance guy talks about how tech forums benefit his businessJeff Sandene, president of Sandene Strategies, LLCby Melinda Guravich Even if you’re not a full-time engineer at a tech company, Tech Titans can provide knowledge about where the profitable technologies will be tomorrow. Jeff Sandene is a certified financial planner (CFP) and technology enthusiast. He began attending monthly Tech Industry luncheons to stay on top of trends and developments. “I have several technology clients and wanted to be
Bill Ballard is your top connection for member services
Bill Ballard joins the Tech Titans team this year bringing more than 25 years of experience. He is taking over the VP of member services position from Drew Snow. “It’s been a whirlwind so far,” he said. “I am excited to be a part of this amazing team at Tech Titans as we work with North Texas technology companies during this challenging business climate.” He has more than 22 years of experience as a Dallas-based small-business owner and has spent the last three years building a successful start-up tech
Podcast: Tech Titans Chair Amy Wheelus with AT&T
Amy Wheelus acts as the CIO of AT&T’s broadband and video business. During the podcast, Amy talks about how AT&T plans for disasters, what she thinks the new normal will be after coronavirus and what innovation looks like. Amy also discusses her background and how that influences her ability to lead in a diverse but results-oriented environment. 30 minute podcast. Click to go to the page
-(1).jpg)
UT Dallas' new engineering/CS dean talks industry's influence at Tech Industry Lunch
By Kim Horner, UTD Universities need greater involvement from industry to teach future engineers the skills they will need to tackle challenges such as climate change, cybersecurity, and providing food and clean water to a growing global population. That was the sentiment expressed by Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, dean of The University of Texas at Dallas’ Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, to an audience of North Texas technology leaders at a recent luncheon. “There are no clearly
Get to know the 2020 Tech Titans Executive Committee
Tech Titans’ executive committee is staffed by eight outstanding but diverse professionals in their field. Some are returning to the executive committee, while some are new. Besides Chair Amy Wheelus (AT&T), welcome Lisa Frey (State Farm), Vance McCollough (Moss Adams), Tad McIntosh (HumCap), Andrew Olowu (Axxess), Deborah Sawyer (ZRG Partners), Marianne Strobel (Nokia) and Barbara Baffer (Ericsson). Read a short bio on each.Chairman -- Amy Wheelus, VP – Cloud & D2 Platform & Integration, AT&TAmy Wheelus
Championing the STEM cause: Lisa Frey, State Farm
By Melinda Guravich Corporate champions play a critical role in the success of Tech Titans’ STEM initiative by making the effort visible to others, creating connections to volunteers and getting executives to buy-in within their organizations. The Tech Titans corporate champion at State Farm is Agile Coach Lisa Frey. The company has been an active partner since 2014, when Lisa led the relocation of the IT team to Richardson from corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois.“The dark horse of
Mitel employees serve up STEM inspiration
Written by Melinda Guravich Mitel employees around the world recently celebrated the company’s 46th anniversary by giving back on Mitel Serves Day. Employees from the company’s Plano headquarters spent the day providing STEM career inspiration–and pizza–during a Tech Titans panel presentation for 132 middle and high school students attending a STEM Coding camp at UT Dallas. Led by president and CEO Rich McBee, Mitel was the first corporate investor in the Tech Titans STEM workforce initiative. “We owe our
Panelists inspire kids toward STEM fields
Stand back, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé! Engineers are the new rock stars for middle school students attending Tech Titans’ “Successful Women in Technology” and “You Can Be an Engineer” panels. These engaging and diverse panelists are creating a sensation and inspiring kids from all backgrounds to imagine STEM careers of their own. It’s all part of the Tech Titans Talent Team’s initiative to inspire students to pursue STEM education in high school and beyond. To date, they’ve provided 10,000 STEM inspirations
Tech Titans creates hands-on activities during SMARTgirls STEM Camp
Tech Titans and Qorvo sponsored three days of SMARTgirls summer camp at Davis Intermediate in Wylie during the summer. The focus of the week-long camp was building awareness of STEM opportunities and careers among rising fifth, sixth and seventh grade girls. Thanks to the talent of several Tech Titans volunteers and the generous sponsorship of Qorvo, 29 girls learned about aerospace engineering, robotics, coding, electrical engineering and engineering design principles through presentations, exercises and
Wylie camp encourages girls to pursue STEM careers
Tech Titans recently hosted a STEM camp sponsored by the Wylie ISD Foundation and Girls in Tech, which included activities and tours at Qorvo’s Richardson plant. The four-day camp was created to get young girls excited about STEM. “The highlight of the camp for me was watching the girls in the activities and realizing they have what it takes to solve a real-world problem,” said Lymari Ames, volunteer and project manager at Cisco Systems. Students spent three days learning about various STEM fields by
Tech Titans STEM camp drives interest in tech fields
Tech Titans recently hosted one of their largest STEM camps of the summer at Coppell ISD’s Richard Lee Elementary School with the help of volunteers from member organizations such as AT&T and Ericsson. Students learned about the unique and exciting challenges that occur in STEM fields when designing an autonomous vehicle. “This is a really great opportunity to teach kids about all of the interesting [fields] in STEM,” said Dave Galley, director of STEM workforce initiatives at Tech Titans. Students were
Tech Titans Hall of Fame inductee announced
Digital telecom giant Jim Donald selected as 2014 inductee to Tech Titans Hall of Fame James (Jim) Lee Donald has been selected as The Metroplex Technology Business Council’s 2014 inductee to the MTBC Tech Titans Hall of Fame. This honor recognizes a technology visionary from the DFW Metroplex for outstanding leadership in assisting, advancing and accelerating the performance of the technology industry and/or adoption of technology in North Texas. These accomplishments must span more than one decade and
