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Greetings!
Greetings and Happy New Year! I'm excited to welcome in the new year and with it new opportunities to engage the Technology Community. This year will mark our 10th anniversary and our Awards Night event will have special meaning so mark your calendar now for May 17.
Our plate is looking pretty full this year with many opportunities for networking, education, and volunteerism. We will continue our quarterly Wired Wednesdays and Tech@Breakfast events (both of which continue to grow). If your company would like to sponsor an event or offer to be a presenter, please let me know soon; we only have a few opportunities left.
Last year was the first year for our Future Focus Foundation and I am pleased to report that we were able to reach our goal of raising $50,000 to support several area STEM programs for area youth. We are excited to see these programs growing and welcome new contributors, sponsors, and volunteers.
I hope that 2011 is off to a great start for you and hope to see you at our February 16 Wired Wednesday luncheon.
-Jonathan Whitt, Executive Director
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| What We Accomplished In 2010
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While 2010 was a tough year for many, we were able to move our work program forward last year in several significant ways. While our annual report will be released at a later date, here's a quick look at several of our major accomplishments:
- Grew programs that advanced networking, advocacy, and workforce development. Examples include: Awards Night, Wired Wednesday, Tech@Breakfast, CIO Roundtables, Website and Social Networking sites.
- Increased collaboration with area private and public schools, colleges, and universities.
- Assisted local economic developers and Region 2000 partners in order to strengthen the region's economy through shared programs and objectives: CAER, Broadband, Technology-Based Economic Development.
- Participation in various associations in an effort to bring visibility and awareness to the technology community in Region 2000.
- Growth of membership base and programs that directly benefited members.
- Growth of all educational programs related to our STEM Workforce Pipeline initiative, including: FIRST LEGO League, VEX Robotics, Summer Academies, GetSet Magazine, and Future Focus EXPO. More than 3,000 students serviced with hands-on activities, 10,000 with education and career information.
- Launch of new educational programs: Jr. FIRST LEGO League and Regional VEX Tournament.
- Redesign of GetSet website and creation of promotional materials for the GetSet brand.
- Creation of educational foundation (Future Focus Foundation) to support the growth of K-12 STEM programs and activities in our region's public and private schools. Raised $50,000 first year from Verizon, Wachovia, Region 2000 WIB.
- Supported other community STEM related programs: Regional Technology Fair, Regional Science Fair, Partners in Education, Tech Prep Consortium.
- Supported area partners and employers in developing additional STEM Workforce Pipelines: CVCC, Dominion Power, Region 2000 WIB "R2 Program", Jubliee Center.
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| Wired Wednesday | February 16th
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 Our next Wired Wednesday luncheon will be held on February 16, 2011 from Noon until 2:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Select on Main Street, Lynchburg. Ranny Grubb, Chief Technology Officer of Virtual IT, Inc. will be presenting on the 'Business Benefits of Cloud Computing'. Come learn basic concepts of cloud computing and how these emerging technologies can transform the way you work. Don't miss out! Sign up and download the event flyer today:
Register Online >>>
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| Wachovia Gives Grant To Jr. LEGO League
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The Wachovia-Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Technology Council's Future Focus Foundation.The grant will support the 2011 season of the Lynchburg Regional Junior FIRST LEGO League. Junior FIRST LEGO is a program for 6-9 year-olds that focuses on developing children's interest in science and engineering through solving a real-world challenge and designing and building an original model complete with moving parts.
The Future Focus Foundation, whose mission is to prepare and encourage Region 2000 students to seek careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, will provide sponsorships to area Junior FIRST LEGO teams and will hold an end-of-season event. The Junior FIRST LEGO Expo will be held at Timberlake Christian Schools on April 30, 2011. Parties interested in forming Junior FIRST LEGO teams can contact Janet Walton, STEM Education & Outreach Program Coordinator, at jwalton@region2000.org or at 434-847-1447, ext. 318.
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| New Memberships Available!
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Due to a number of requests in recent months, we are now offering Individual memberships in the Technology Council in addition to corporate memberships. New Individual Memberships include: Professional $75, Educator $35 and Student $25.
Sign Up For New Individual Membership >>>
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| News & Advance: CAER 2011 Story to Watch
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From The News & Advance's Brian Gentry:
"The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research should be ready to open in Bedford County in April and start hosting research on nuclear reactor designs and wireless technologies.
The Babcock & Wilcox Co. will install a prototype of its new modular nuclear power reactor, called mPower, in the CAER. On the other end of the research campus, Areva will set up a mock nuclear power plant control room to test its control room design.
Bob Bailey, CAER executive director, said the center also will have lab space for University of Virginia's distance learning engineering students, as well as labs to help develop wireless technologies."
Check Out the CAER Facility Tour Video (12/9/10)>>>
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