Triangle Technology Executives Council – Building success together
Editor’s note: This is the first in a new weekly feature for Local Tech Wire.
By John Crites, President and CEO, TTEC
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Welcome to the first “Executive Insight” column for Local Tech Wire.
The Triangle Technology Executives Council (TTEC), MMI Public Relations and Local Tech Wire, which is part of the WRAL.com and Capitol Broadcasting Company family, are combining resources to bring you insights from the technology leaders in this region.
I have been impressed with the insights shared by IT executives during TTEC’s first year of incorporation and believe these weekly columns will provide unique views of the key technology challenges facing our collective community.
The TTEC group of IT executives facilitates sharing professional expertise to promote success in all our member companies. Our executive members need and want an outlet that enables them to give back to the local community. This weekly WRAL Local TechWire column will provide our members yet another opportunity to share their expertise.
TTEC has grown from about 25 members at the beginning of 2008 to more than 190 members. We attribute our growth to the fact that our members gain free practical and direct insight into major IT challenges as an alternative to consulting engagements.
It is no coincidence that TTEC was formed in conjunction with the arrival of popular social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Second Life and many more. Even now that social media tools have brought an openness to professional networking, it is nice to see that the face-to-face networking through organizations like TTEC is still thriving. As much as IT executives focus on the pursuit of technology, it is obvious to us that there will never be a substitute for the trust and understanding that accompanies personal relationships.
It has been gratifying to see so many of the IT executives dedicate their time to support technology students at local universities and to support the success of entrepreneurs. Businesses in this region are fortunate to have advanced IT programs at the local universities. At TTEC, we would like to see the top talent from these universities stay in this area. We have more than 50 IT executives functioning as one-on-one mentors to IT students in the community, and our program is growing. Starting an IT career with personal relationships with executive management in the area is a significant asset for IT students. TTEC provides executive speakers to university programs and has initiated a scholarship for interns working at our member companies. It is rewarding to see CIOs and CTOs, whose schedules are packed, volunteer their time to help the top talent at local universities get a head start in their careers.
We have also entered into a partnership with the Council for Entrepreneurial Development to ensure the success of technology entrepreneurs in this region. In addition to providing mentors and instructors for the CED FastTrac program, TTEC offers a panel of CTOs and CIOs from a broad range of companies to advise entrepreneurs on the viability of solutions to challenges that they may face. Although the perspectives from the TTEC executives range from complementary to constructive criticism, their insights are valuable to entrepreneurs initiating new enterprises.
TTEC recently partnered with the Gartner Group for research and advice at a conference for midsize enterprise companies. After presenting the success of TTEC, we received queries from several groups asking about our “secret sauce” for the growth of the CIO/CTO collaboration community. I attribute the success of this council to the culture of the Research Triangle region. Executives are willing to share their expertise and dedicate their spare time to help the community prosper. We also have a well-managed and motivated volunteer staff and sponsor base that focuses on the success of businesses in the region.
In short, helping people is simply good business, and at TTEC, our executive community embraces this charge.
(Note: Feedback is welcome: Contact LTW Editor Rick Smith via e-mail (rsmith@wral.com). He will forward your comments.)
About the author: John Crites is president and CEO of the Triangle Technology Executives Council (TTEC). He is also president and CEO of AuctionBlox Inc., an Internet channel marketing firm located in Raleigh, N.C. He has served as the CEO of MCNC and as vice president and CIO at RTI International. He holds a Masters of Science degree from California State University.
TTEC is a nonprofit organization for IT Executives in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. Membership is by invitation only and is limited to the senior decision-makers in companies located in this region. The council facilitates executive education, collaboration and social networking. It also provides volunteer resources to local universities and entrepreneurs.
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