Press Releases

Best-Selling Author Steven Johnson Headlines Event with Keynote
on Collaborative Approaches to Innovation

WASHINGTON, September 24, 2018 — National and global tech leaders, policy makers, C-level executives and public policy experts will gather from Oct. 17-18 for the CompTIA Tech Summit at the Gaylord National Resort, located just outside of Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River.

This year’s Tech Summit will examine the nexus between public policy and innovation across state, federal and international boundaries as well as public sector markets and sales strategies. The summit will explore future innovation and current trends as well as help leaders plan for the upcoming year and spend time networking with industry peers and policymakers.

Speakers and panels from government and industry will cover topics including: how the tech industry is addressing the data privacy debate; tech procurement in government as an engine for innovation; workforce development and ‘new collar’ workers; and how the midterm elections will affect tech policy.

The two-day leadership conference kicks off with a keynote address from Steven Johnson, best-selling author and celebrated TV host, titled “How We Got To Now: Lessons From History’s Unsung Innovators.”

Drawing upon his Emmy-nominated PBS series, Steven will tell the amazing stories behind some of the modern world’s most important innovations, and explain how sometimes breakthrough ideas can have unpredictable effects. He will explore the personality traits and environments that led these maverick inventors to create accurate watches, clean drinking water, air conditioning, and other necessities of modern life.

All Tech Summit attendees will receive a signed copy of his new book -- “Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions that Matter Most” – following his remarks.

Other speakers at the Tech Summit include leaders from the technology sector, high education, media, and state and federal government. They are:

• Travis Hall, Telecommunications Policy Analyst, Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
• Greg Otto, Managing Director, CyberScoop
• Dugan Petty, Education and Outreach Coordinator for NASPO ValuePoint and Former CIO and Chief Purchasing Officer, State of Oregon
• Mark Hopson, Innovation Specialist, GSA 18F and Contracting Lead at TTS
• Kevin Plexico, Senior Vice President of Information Solutions, Deltek
• Herb Thompson, VMWare SLED Strategist and Former CTO, State of Wisconsin
• Susan M. Armstrong, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm, Inc.
• Scott Ralls, President, Northern Virginia Community College
• Dana Rygwelski, Director of Communications & Ecosystem, MassChallenge Texas
• Jason Boxt, Executive Vice President at PSB Research

Celebrating CompTIA Champions for Their Outstanding Efforts

CompTIA will also honor members at the Tech Summit with the inaugural CompTIA Champions Awards. These awards recognize members and a member company who have demonstrated outstanding service and impact through their commitment, passion, professionalism and leadership in assisting CompTIA as it advocates on behalf of the IT industry. The Champions Award is the most prestigious acknowledgment that the CompTIA membership can bestow on one of its own.

This year’s winners are:

• Member Company Champion of the Year: Verizon
• Public Sector Champion of the Year: Mike Coulson, Specialist Executive, Deloitte
• Public Policy Champions of the Year: David Foy, Senior Director, RELX Group, & Andrea Appel, Director, Global Trade Compliance, NetApp

All attendees are invited to an All Star Champions Reception at 5 pm, Wednesday, Oct. 17, where this year’s winners will be honored.

For the full agenda and more details about attending the 2018 Tech Summit visit www.comptia.org/techsummit.

About CompTIA Advocacy
Through its advocacy arm, CompTIA champions member-driven business and IT priorities that impact all information technology companies – from small managed solutions providers and software developers to large equipment manufacturers and communications service providers. CompTIA gives eyes, ears and a voice to technology companies, informing them of policy developments – and providing the means to do something about it.