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DRS, Regional Chamber Host Inaugural 'Tech Summit'
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Mahoning Valley's status as an important notch in the emerging “Tech Belt” that runs from Pittsburgh to Cleveland was on display May 9 as companies from the region gathered for the inaugural Northeast Ohio Tech Summit at Youngstown State University.
More than 160 business representatives were registered to network with vendors and attend seminars throughout the day. The venue, the Williamson College of Business Administration, proved a valuable platform for companies to discover ways to improve their businesses with new technology, says Brad Yocum, general manager of Akron-based Comdoc, a co-sponsor of the event.
"We expect to see a lot of people looking to change their business and see how technology can supplement it," Yocum said. "We've gotten a very good response."
The tech summit, sponsored by Youngstown-based DRS Inc. and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, was intended to highlight the region's growing technology sector. The premise was to bring vendors, CEOs and chief information officers together so they could learn about new strategies and systems, said Patrick Bateman, assistant professor of information systems at the Williamson College.
"This is the first and largest summit of technology professionals," Bateman said. "This looks to bring together the partners in implementing and developing business strategies -- the CIO and the CEO level."
Bateman, who delivered the first of two presentations, said it's imperative that companies identify how technology can improve their operations and bottom lines.
"This is a very exciting time for technology, especially SMAC technologies," an acronym for social, mobile, analytics and cloud computing, Bateman said. "What businesses want to pay attention to are the different voices within an organization, whether it be the technology professionals, the CIO or the CEO."
While many organizations are aware of the potential these technologies hold, many remain unsure of how they will help or augment their businesses, Bateman said. "Many are trying to figure out how to best execute, and which ones they should adapt, and at what time, in order to create value," he explained.
Websites are indispensable for doing business in today's markets, he observed, while social media, for example, might not be the best match for a specific company.
Ben League, account manager for Chagrin Falls-based E-Technologies, said his company supplies power quality equipment for mission-critical organizations such as data centers, hospitals and banks. The Youngstown tech summit provided a great opportunity for his company to network with current customers and possibly secure new ones, he said.
"A few of my customers are involved, and hopefully potential customers," League said. "It's my responsibility to come to events like this that can not only benefit us, but other participants who are here."
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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