Governor Nathan Deal Declares Technology A Focus for Georgia

State's Leading Tech Clusters Include Health IT, Logistics, Financial Technology, Information Security and IT Communication

ATLANTA, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declared technology an important focus for the state and a leading driver of Georgia's economic recovery today in a special presentation to leadership from Georgia's technology community and employees at the Alpharetta headquarters of McKesson Technology Solutions, a division of America's largest healthcare services and information technology company.

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Governor Deal was joined by David Henriksen, senior vice president and general manager of McKesson's Physician Practice Solutions group, and Tino Mantella, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). Governor Deal spoke about Georgia's leadership in health IT, logistics, financial technology, information security and IT communication, as well as efforts to better promote the state's technology footprint through the "Where Georgia Leads" campaign.

"Georgia is home to more than 13,000 technology companies employing more than 250,000 Georgians," said Gov. Deal. "From the companies developing cutting-edge technology, to the men and women who use it every day across a variety of industries, our state is on the forefront of progress."

A series of initiatives are currently under way to bolster the growth of technology in Georgia. As a result of the passage of Senate Resolution 68, leadership in Georgia's technology community will participate in a series of meetings around the state over the next six months to discuss elements needed for a strategic plan for science and technology—the first in Georgia's history. Simultaneously, the Technology Association of Georgia and its partners will rally the technology community through the "Where Georgia Leads" campaign to promote the businesses, talent and innovation that the state has to offer.

"The technology industry in Georgia has been steadily growing in the past few years, even as many other industries saw declines during the recession," said Mantella. "It has been perhaps one of our best kept secrets. But we are determined, as a community, to keep that secret no more and promote Georgia as a top destination for technology business and jobs. We are pleased that the Governor is helping us make a big step in that direction by helping kick off our 'Where Georgia Leads' campaign."

Georgia is home to a number of strong technology industry clusters, and it is among the top states in the nation for logistics, financial technology, information security and IT communication. Georgia also leads the nation in health IT. Combined, these clusters bring in more than $80 billion in revenue each year. The strength of the clusters has contributed to attracting and retaining top technology companies from around the globe, including McKesson, NCR, First Data and CorFire.

"With its impressive infrastructure, culture of innovation and diverse workforce, it's easy to see why Georgia has distinguished itself as a destination of choice for technology companies," said Henriksen. "As the leader in healthcare services and IT, McKesson is proud to represent the growing technology community in Georgia."

"Where Georgia Leads" is a campaign headed by the Technology Association of Georgia, in collaboration with the organizations partners and members, to raise awareness about Georgia's leadership in technology. For more information on Georgia's technology footprint, including statistics and interactive maps of the companies making up Georgia's top clusters, visit www.wheregeorgialeads.com. Get regular updates from the technology community by following #WhereGaLeads on Twitter.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 13,000 members and hosting over 170 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 30 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG's mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia's technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia's technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state's economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG's charitable arm) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at www.TAGthink.com. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

Technology Association of Georgia
Becky Biggs
[email protected]
(404) 920-2008

SOURCE Technology Association of Georgia