2012: A Year About Growth Business
Happy New Year! The New Year reminds us to both reflect on what was accomplished in the last year and what lies ahead. In both cases for the Illinois technology community and ITA, there is great change, great optimism and great growth. From Groupon’s IPO, to real revenue for local companies, from considerable acquisition and capital infusions to tremendous startup activity, I believe we’ll look back at 2011 as the key inflection point in a journey that establishes Chicago as a leading technology center. And just as the industry grew in 2011, so did its leading trade organization, ITA, with over 215 new technology company members. ITA engaged over 4500 new executives in association activities and programs in 2011 as well. When we started ITA seven years ago, we didn’t have those numbers in total! As we enter 2012 and talk to our members, from startups to industry leaders, the prevailing wisdom is that 2012 is the year that companies really hunker down and achieve, really get to work. They are looking to lay solid footing, refine, and evolve business models in order to accelerate growth. The game got started and everyone cheered, but now it’s time to get down to it. That’s where the ITA, as an organization representing the breadth of the industry, can be a tremendous asset. We look forward to offering programs, events, and opportunities to support your hard work, helping you achieve the goals of your company. To that end, we’ve got a lot planned. ITA has become a growth organization and every day we work to provide significant value to our members and be an ongoing service and catalyst for their growth. From daily and weekly acceleration programs, to raising the visibility of companies and the community nationally, to attracting the talent to fuel member’s needs to succeed, we are focused on supporting our member’s growth. In the coming months look for some exciting announcements that expand how we can help you grow. And as always, if you have ideas or needs, get in touch! We can’t wait and we look forward to supporting your growth.