ITA Launches Internet of Things Council

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2015) - The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) today announced the formation of the ITA Internet of Things Council. This Council is a cross-disciplinary effort bringing together leaders from the technology industry and academia, as well as consumers and civic leaders to collaborate towards driving the growth and use of Internet of things technologies in Chicago and the Midwest.

"Chicago and the Midwest are in a unique position to be a leader in the Internet of Things evolution," said Don DeLoach, CEO, Infobright and Council Co-Chair. "Chicago has a rich history of supporting industries such as manufacturing, software, big data, retail and healthcare, giving the region the experience and knowledge to foster the development of the Internet of Things. With the council members collaborating closely together, all the pieces are right here for the Midwest to emerge as a national leader in the advancement of the IoT."

In its inaugural meeting, the advisory board of the council established three working groups:

• Inventory - responsible for cataloging and better understanding the full spectrum of the council's assets
• Branding and Communications - driving a deeper understanding and insight into the IoT
• Capital - identifying new capital sources for innovative technologies

Additionally, the advisory board affirmed its commitment to a public/private partnership to assure civic leadership in IoT.

"The adoption of IoT technologies is a key component in Chicago's effort to become the most digitally connected city in the world," said Brenna Berman, CIO, City of Chicago and Council Co-Chair. "Working with the industry to collaborate and drive adoption will mean smarter services, a smarter city and our governmental desire to see the Internet of Things play a prominent role in shaping the region."

Members of the Internet of Things Council Advisory Board include Don DeLoach, CEO, Infobright, (Co-Chair); Brenna Berman, CIO, City of Chicago (Co-Chair); Charlie Catlett, Director, Urban Center for Computation and Data, Argonne National Labs; Tom Clewett, CTO, Exelon; Gary Conkright, CEO, PhysIQ; Terri Diggs, Sales Center Vice President, AT&T; Jim Gagnard, Former CEO, Smart Signal; Phil Gerskovich, SVP, New Growth Platforms, Zebra Technologies; Jay Hedley, Managing Director, Global Lead for Connected Spaces, Accenture Digital; Matt Nicklin, Managing Director, First Analysis; Dan O'Neil, Executive Director, Smart Chicago Collaborative; Larry Schook, Vice Provost, University of Illinois; Peggy Smedley, Editor, Connected World Magazine; Paul Steinberg, CTO, Motorola Solutions; Peter Tapling, CEO, Authentify; and, Anthony Townsend, Sr. Research Fellow, NYU, Rudin Center for Transportation.

Participation in the council is open to interested companies in the technology industry. More information about the council and how to get involved can be found at www.illinoistech.org/iot-council. 

The IoT Council is the first in a series of councils that ITA is establishing to address key local clusters of the technology industry.

About the Illinois Technology Association
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is an enabling organization powering the growth of tech in Illinois. Through vibrant programs, services and strategic consulting, the ITA drives our dynamic industry by working to grow, build and elevate our members. For more information, visit www.illinoistech.org, follow ITA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/itabuzz, and view the ITA's Facebook profile at www.facebook.com/illinoistechnology.

Contact:
Michelle Cox
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