Additional Speakers Attracted to the 2006 Sarasota / Manatee Technology Conference.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The 2006 Sarasota / Manatee Technology Conference: Integration at the Crossroads, on August 31, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Sarasota, has attracted additional speakers to its already stellar speaker panel.

"Each additional expert speaker solidifies the fact that this is the premier event for business owners and managers interested in learning how technology will affect and advance their companies," said Young Technology Alliance Chair Anand Pallegar, "whether you're in the real estate, consulting, manufacturing, restaurant, government or marketing sectors -- this is the place to be on August 31."

And the 'place to be' has rounded out its diverse 25-person panel with the following additions:

Josh Linkner, Founder & CEO, ePrize (Closing Keynote Speaker)

As a pioneer in interactive marketing, Josh Linkner has been involved in the development of thousands of digital marketing strategies and e-commerce solutions over the last 15 years. Linkner is the founder and CEO of ePrize, the largest international interactive promotion agency. ePrize designs and manages powerfully effective programs that create one-to-one relationships and motivate specific consumer behavior.

Linkner has led the firm from inception to its current No. 3 overall promotion agency position as named by PROMO Magazine in 2006. ePrize has produced 2,300 promotions for clients including Coca-Cola, American Express, The Gap, P&G, Warner Brothers, Dell, Adidas, The Home Depot and General Motors.

Prior to founding ePrize, the 2004 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year recipient built one of the world's first Web marketing agencies, GlobalLink New Media in 1995, which was recognized as a "Top 100 Interactive Agency" by Advertising Age in both 1997 and 1998.

Laurey T. Stryker, President & CEO, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee 

As VP and CEO for USF Sarasota-Manatee, Dr. Laurey T. Stryker oversees a campus program serving 3,500 students annually. She's spent 25 years in education serving as a charter Hillsborough Community College faculty member, an assistant commissioner of education and a VP at USF. Stryker's academic experience is broadened by assignment as Florida's deputy labor secretary.

Tom O'Neal, Associate VP of Research & Technology Incubator Director, University of Central Florida 

Tom O'Neal is the director of the UCF Technology Incubator and is the associate vice president of research at UCF. Tom was a key member in the establishment of the UCF Technology Incubator, which was recently named the Incubator of the Year by the National Business Incubator Association. Tom also serves on the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

Stuart L. Rogel, President & CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership

Stuart L. Rogel is the president & CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership which markets the west central Florida area that includes the communities of Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Sarasota/Bradenton and Lakeland.

Rogel serves on the board of Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Bay Technology Forum and the Tampa Bay chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. He serves nationally on the Urban Land Institute's Public-Private Partnership Council.

Bob Leonard, Owner, Bolen Communications

Bob Leonard owns and operates Bolen Communications, a marketing firm exclusively for technology companies.

Leonard has over twenty years of experience marketing technology in the B2B marketplace, primarily to financial services firms. At Digital Equipment Corp., Interleaf, GTE and EMC, he held various sales support and marketing management positions and has participated in major sales to Citibank, Morgan Stanley, Morningstar, Zurich and many others. At EMC, he was the product marketing manager for Symmetrix, the company's flagship intelligent storage system.

Bolen is the agency of record for 82 Degrees Tech, the organization focused on the specific needs and interests of professionals involved in launching and operating technology-related companies in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Michael Hinman, Staff Writer, Tampa Bay Business Journal

Michael Hinman is a staff writer for the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Michael's primary beats include technology, real estate and economic development. Over the years, he's been honored for his reporting several times. Michael has been editor of the Temple Terrace News, a weekly newspaper published by The Tampa Tribune, a deputy editor for The Pasco News in Dade City and the editor of the Zephyrhills News in Pasco County.

Maurice Tamman, Staff Writer, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Maurice Tamman is a staff writer on the investigative/special projects team at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He developed the concept and managed the development of IBISEYE.com, a hurricane tracking and analysis Web site. He has been doing Web development since 1994 when he created newsmait.com, one of the first newspaper-related blogs.

Before coming to Sarasota, he was a reporter on the Atlanta Journal Constitution's special projects team. He handled the data analysis for several major projects and worked on the post-9/11 terror team.

About the 2006 Sarasota / Manatee Technology Conference

The 2006 Sarasota / Manatee Technology Conference is the first of its kind on the Gulf Coast and boasts a slate of high-level speakers whose expertise range from Web marketing to manufacturing. The conference will focus on how businesses within the Gulf Coast region and around the world integrate technology to improve efficiency, processes and sales.

The conference consists of these five tracks:

--Business Essentials - B2B Entrepreneurship

--Economic Development Roundtable - People, Location, Productivity & Inspiration

--Business Leaders - A View From The Top

--Technology Implementation - How to Incorporate Solutions Providing Value and ROI 

--Marketing - Digital, Traditional & Best-of-Breed

The cost of the conference is $125 per attendee and includes breakfast and lunch. Visit http://www.SarasotaTechConference.com to register and preview the latest information.

As of 8/21/06, sponsors include: LexJet, Verizon Wireless, Sarasota Manatee Business Magazine, Gulf Coast Business Review, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, Business Wire, Bolen Communications, Keiser College, GravityFree Web Design, atLarge, Inc., S2 Report, Spotlight Graphics, Herald-Tribune Media Group, AeA, PCM Networking, Sarasota News & Books and Startup Florida.

About The Young Technology Alliance

The Young Technology Alliance is a newly formed not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing technology events to the Gulf Coast. Its mission is to nurture technology awareness in the community by harnessing the power of technology through the education and unification of technology professionals. YTA Chair members include Anand Pallegar, atLarge, Inc.; John Barron, Barron Productions; Amanda Eyer; Tropics Software Technologies; Jessica Moats, GravityFree Web Design; Sinan Gurman, Sequoya Group Inc. and Diane Arthurs, Artemis, LLC. The Alliance has partnered with The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and 82 DegreesTech to bring the 2006 Sarasota / Manatee Technology Conference to the area. For more information, visit http://www.SarasotaTechConference.com