Char Baxter Communications Among 250+ Companies on Georgia Technology Timeline
"Technology Timeline" Highlights Georgia's Founding Tech Companies

One Hundred Years on Exhibit at the Georgia Technology Celebration; Be Sure Your Company Isn't Left Out

Atlanta, GA., October 6, 2003-When the Georgia Technology Celebration gets underway at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria Centre on October 21, one of the focal points will be the "Technology Timeline" mapping the genealogy of technology in Georgia-an ambitious project that started several months ago and will continue during the Celebration and beyond.

"We've created the Timeline for the Celebration-but it's only the beginning," said John Yates, who leads law firm Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP's technology group. Yates is chairman of the Celebration, a one-day event whose goal is to begin moving Georgia from the ranks of the top 10 technology states to the top 5. "We're off to a good start, but there's still more work to be done to chart the history of the technology industry's robust growth in Georgia. We want to be sure no one is left out."

The 30-foot-long Technology Timeline chronicles the growth of the industry by highlighting a sampling of the 15-25 major parent companies founded in Georgia, and the successful businesses they spawned over the years. So far, more than 260 companies are included. The Timeline will also feature major Georgia technology milestones, events and innovations.

Every participant at the Georgia Technology Celebration will have the opportunity to see the Timeline and to add information to it. "It is truly a collective effort," Yates said.

Why a Technology Timeline? "The technology industry is all about looking forward," said Bill Bolen, chair of the Celebration's Timeline Committee and principal of The DaVinci Group, a management consulting firm in Atlanta. "But once in a while it's good to take a look back, too. That's the reason we've undertaken the Timeline project-to have a clear picture of the incredible growth of technology in Georgia over the past decades, and the companies that started it all. We think it will serve as a valuable baseline for us, too, as the industry grows into the future."

"Dozens of technology leaders have contributed to the Timeline's framework," said Char Baxter, CEO of Char Baxter Communications and chair of the Celebration's PR Committee. Baxter's technology-focused agency has hosted the Timeline sessions, and is itself one of the many offspring companies of MSA. "A Collector's Edition Technology Timeline poster will be available to all attendees at the Celebration on October 21. But it won't stop there-it will continue to be a work-in-progress that we all can contribute to, so that it truly becomes a living portrait of technological achievement in Georgia," said Baxter.

"The Celebration is an important event for every CEO and CIO to consider attending. As the statewide interest grows in the Celebration, we anticipate this event will actually kick off a renewed vitality in the high-tech industry throughout Georgia," says Steve Jeffery, president of the Technology Association of Georgia.

The Georgia Technology Celebration promises to be the largest gathering of technology executives in the state. Honored guests include Sonny Perdue, Governor of Georgia, who, together with Garry Betty, CEO, EarthLink, will open the Keynote Luncheon, followed by more than 35 high-tech luminaries on two working panels, followed by Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Dave Dorman, CEO of AT&T, and a star-studded Awards Ceremony and cocktail reception.

Georgia Technology Celebration Sponsors
Sponsors for the Georgia Technology Celebration, Investor Showcase and TAG Cyber Café include: AGL Resources; Atlanta Business Chronicle; Atlanta CEO High-Tech Council; Bowne Digital Partners; Char Baxter Communications; CheckFree; Computer Associates; Covente (formerly EDSI); Critical3 Marketing; ExactTarget; Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism's Office of Science and Technology (GDITT); ICAPP®; Imlay Investments; Intellinet; Interland; Knowlagent; Manhattan Associates, Inc; Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP; NetBank; NetFinancials, Inc; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Procuri, Inc.; Silicon Valley Bank; Silverpop; Spherion Technology Services; STI Knowledge; Verizon Wireless.

To register for the Georgia Technology Celebration, contact TAG at 404-817-3333. Or visit the Celebration web site at www.techcelebration.org.

About TAG
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is a non-profit organization that serves the technology community in Georgia. TAG is dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry and provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving. TAG helps to bring the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. Founded in 1999 through the merger of the Business & Technology Alliance (B&TA), the Southeastern Software Association (SSA) and Women in Technology (WIT); TAG is one of the largest state technology associations in the nation. TAG is made up of several thousand members representing technology leaders from over 1500 Georgia-based companies, affiliated technology and business organizations. For more information on TAG, visit www.tagonline.org, email info@tagonline.org or call (404) 817-3333.