Digest Newsletter | November 2020
TECNA Board Chair Message
Hello TECNA Members,
 
I hope our Canadian members enjoyed their Thanksgiving on October 12, which unofficially launches the holiday season in North America. This month, our American members prepare for our version of Thanksgiving. And although this year has been a challenge in so many different ways, I am confident we all have a list of things to be thankful for. 

Soon, the 2020 election will be in the rearview mirror. The impact of election results will be crucial to setting our future policy agenda to not only support you, our members, but the 22,000+ tech employers you represent across the continent. We are in the final stages of planning a post-election webinar including tech policy leaders and insiders from Washington D.C. Stay tuned for more details and please take advantage of this unique educational opportunity provided by TECNA. 

The search for our new TECNA Executive Director has drawn attention from a diverse set of candidates. Your referrals have generated a long list of outstanding candidates and we can’t thank you enough. The search committee, led by Brian Kennedy from the Pittsburgh Technology Council, has reviewed hundreds of applications and initial interviews are currently underway. The committee’s goal is to present a slate of final candidates to the TECNA board of directors before the end of November. I look forward to providing more updates as this process continues. 

In closing, I think it’s fair to say the year 2020 has presented serious challenges to each and every one of us. In some cases, those challenges have felt overwhelming on a personal and professional level. Nonetheless, I am proud of each and every one of you for continuing to be strong advocates for the tech industry. After all, the innovation produced by our industry has connected the world and helped ease the transition into a more virtual world. And that is just one of the many things I am incredibly thankful for this holiday season. 

Thank you,
Ryan Weber 
Chairperson | Technology Councils of North America
President & CEO | KC Tech Council
TECNA 2021 Membership Renewals
TECNA Membership is at a high with 64 Member Councils in 2020! We appreciate the strong peer network created by TECNA, and are especially pleased with how we've continued to serve the community throughout the many challenges presented by COVID-19 this year.

Don't forget to process your Renewal Invoice or pay your dues online so you continue to receive TECNA Member Benefits in 2021 - click here.

Thank you for your continued support of TECNA!
TECNA Member News
Knoxville Technology Council is hosting KTech Pulse: Technology Summit on November 12, and it is open to all TECNA Member Council staff to participate online for free - learn more.

TechRochester announces new scholarship program for IT certifications to help those impacted by job loss during COVID-19 pandemic - read more.

TechPoint is hosting a three-part series entitled "Path to Equity in Indiana Tech" that focuses on finding and implementing solutions to racial equality in its tech community. The series is free and begins November 5. Expert facilitator, Demetria Miles-McDonald, Founder and CEO of Decide Diversity, will lead each session that will include a combination of educational content and interactive breakout discussions - learn more.

Technology Association of Louisville Kentucky worked with TechGirlz to offer online tech training for nearly 200 teenage girls despite COVID-19 interruptions - read more. And TALK continues to offer opportunities for upskilling to those out of work in Louisville - read more.

WEtech Alliance shares that Windsor VR Cave will help in development of concept car - read more.

Tech San Diego recently announced that Irwin and Joan Jacobs are funding the Tech San Diego University Talent Initiative for the next three years. To mark this generous donation, the initiative is renamed the Jacobs Talent Initiative and a new Jacobs Talent Director, Emma Hareas, was hired - read more. Plus - check out the latest San Diego job numbers.

Technology Association of Iowa announces 2020 Iowa High School Tech Summit on November 17, presented by Principal Foundation - learn more.

New Mexico Technology Council invites all TECNA Members to participate in their annual experienceIT Conference for FREE with code "TECNAEXPERIENCE" on November 4 & 5 - learn more and register.

FlagshipKansas.Tech named new Executive Director, Ashley Scheiderman, who will bring stakeholder development expertise to grow the organization - read more.
TECNA Communities of Interest

TECNA Communities of Interest (COI) are peer-to-peer collaborations and information-sharing groups exclusively for members: communications, events, membership, public policy and workforce.
NEW - D&I Community of Interest Kick-off Webinar
Friday, November 6, 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET

On this first webinar, we'll hear about the work being done by TECNA Member: Technology Association of Oregon.

TAO has made some changes in 2020 in an ongoing effort to advance equity within the community. From sharing demographic data of board of directors members and staff to compensating historically excluded folx for speaking, the shift in centering diverse technology voices is in process. The TAO team will share current and future initiatives on our equity and inclusion journey.



Additional Upcoming COI Webinars TBD - watch for dates and topics soon.

Missed a Recent Webinar?
Past COI webinar recordings and slide decks are available for download in the members-only portal on the TECNA website. Login at tecna.org/login and click on the Resources tab to view.


Requests or ideas for Community of Interest webinar topics, contact the COI Chairs:
TECNA Public Policy Advocacy
Public Policy - US
TECNA Signs on to support for rural broadband development - read the letter.
Public Policy Committee Meeting
Next Meeting TBD

Contact Alina at ahardy@tecna.org if you'd like to be added to the Public Policy Committee Mailing List.
TECNA Partnerships
TECNA 401k Program Offering

TECNA is partnered with 401(k) Tech Collective to offer the TECNA National 401(k) Program. This is a national retirement program built by the WTIA, one of our member associations. This program has been constructed specifically for technology organizations.
 
This partnership enables you to offer this exclusive program to your own member companies, providing additional value to their membership and helping them attract and retain talent in this competitive time. It also opens the door to a new revenue opportunity for your association.

Please check out all of the benefits here: 401ktechcollective.org
TECNA Health Insurance Benefit

TECNA offers a health insurance benefit for members, as well your members. TECNA is committed to helping member councils provide additional value to you, your staff and your members. Insurance is one area where TECNA may be able to offer immediate savings on items for which you and your members are currently paying. Your council must be a member of TECNA in good standing to qualify for this benefit. Please click here to see an overview of TECNA’s Health Insurance Benefit.

Coming Soon: Member General Liability, Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) Cyber Liability, Property & Workers Compensation Insurance.
TechGirlz Partnership Opportunities for TECNA Members
TECNA and TechGirlz are partnering in 2020 to offer member tech councils the opportunity to host a workshop.

The TechGirlz program works to make learning technology both thrilling and inviting for middle school girls, through their free extra curricular workshops (or TechShopz as their coined them!). From programming to robotics, web/app design, genetics and beyond, there is so much for the TechGirlz to experience. Their vision is to create a world where girls have a lifelong passion and confidence in their use of technology throughout their careers.

TECNA member councils interested in organizing a TechGirlz workshop please contact Alina Hardy, ahardy@tecna.org.
TECNA Discount for Premier Virtual

We are very pleased to announce TECNA has partnered with Premier Virtual to offer a TECNA Discount for their platform which offers virtual career fairs and virtual hiring events: 
  • First Single Event Cost for TECNA Members $2,500
  • Additional Single Event Cost for TECNA Members $3,500
  • TECNA Member Yearly License Discount 10%
You must be a TECNA member in good standing to get this TECNA benefit.

Review the Info Guide about Premier Virtual’s offering and standard pricing – click here to download or visit their website to learn more.
 
We encourage you to reach out to Jamie Varraso at Premier Virtual directly with any questions or to schedule a demo to learn more about this software that bridges the gap between technology and human interaction.
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