CompTIA Unified Brand For Advocacy Efforts

TechAmerica name retired in favor of CompTIA brand; expanded focus centers on federal policy, state government affairs and trade regulation and compliance

CompTIA, the IT industry trade association, said recently it is evolving and expanding its engagement in public advocacy to advance policies that drive innovation and growth in the digital economy.

Building on the significant accomplishments of TechAmerica, which CompTIA acquired in May 2014, all of the association’s advocacy efforts – local, state, federal and international – will now be carried out under the CompTIA name. This includes three public sector groups, which have been fully integrated into the CompTIA roster of advisory councils and member communities. This move allows CompTIA to streamline communications, consolidate all activities under a single brand and advocate for the broader IT industry under one banner.

“We firmly believe in and are fully committed to our holistic approach to improving the prospects for the IT industry,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA. “This approach leverages all of the strengths of CompTIA – in education and credentialing, advocacy and philanthropy. To highlight all that CompTIA does for its members and the industry, it makes sense to align under a single, recognizable brand.”

In the advocacy arena, CompTIA is committed to carrying out policy priorities in three distinct yet interconnected areas:

• CompTIA State Government Affairs (SGA): As the only advocacy network of its kind in the industry, we have the ability to interact with local legislators, impacting an issue in any state on a moment’s notice to advance innovation and business opportunities that are in the best interests of the industry.
• CompTIA Federal Policy: Addressing policy and regulatory landscapes to advance policy solutions that support the health of our nation’s “tech ecosystem” – whether for the largest IT enterprise company or the smallest IT solution provider.
• Trade Regulation & Compliance: Monitoring customs and export laws and regulations in Washington D.C. and in major trading partner countries, we aid our technology companies in their ability adhere to trade laws, strengthen their internal compliance programs, and find cost savings where possible in the exercise of global trade.

Elizabeth Hyman, executive vice president, public advocacy, said: “CompTIA supports policies that advance free and open competition, promote a highly educated and technical workforce, encourage collaboration and cooperation in ideas and technology, and advance regulations that positively impact the ability of the private sector to effectively research, develop, integrate, manufacture, service and freely sell solutions in the global marketplace.

Public Sector Membership Councils
Three public sector groups have been fully integrated into the CompTIA roster of advisory councils and member communities. They are:·

• The Human Services IT Advisory Group, which provides a forum for communication and partnership between state and federal human service agencies, non-profits and the private sector IT firms that serve this market.
• The Space Enterprise Council, which plays a prominent role in developing and advocating policies and programs that ensure the United States continues to be a leader in the space marketplace.
• The State and Local Government and Education Council, a consortium of executives from leading technology companies committed to driving innovation and educating public program leaders, CIOs and elected officials in state and local government.

“These groups, along with our other member communities and advisory councils, form the foundation of our initiatives, programs, education and research,” said Nancy Hammervik, senior vice president, industry relations, CompTIA. “The ‘big tent’ nature of this structure offers unique opportunities for our members to get active and engaged in growing our industry.”

Accompanying the rebranding of CompTIA Advocacy is its inclusion in the association’s main website, under http://comptia.org/advocacy.

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.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a non-profit trade association serving as the voice of the information technology industry. With approximately 2,000 member companies, 3,000 academic and training partners and more than two million IT certifications issued, CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications and public policy advocacy.

For more information, visit http://www.comptia.org/.