Information Technology Association of Wisconsin

Madison, WI – April 11, 2007 – The Information Technology Association of Wisconsin (ITAWi) today announced that John Gee has been named President and CEO of the Association.  William C. Mortimore, who has been serving as the Interim President and CEO of ITAWi for the past two months, will remain Chairman of the Board. 

Gee brings to ITAWi a diverse technology background and extensive management and leadership experience. Since 1993, he has directly contributed to the development of more than a dozen successful companies. 

Most recently Gee worked on business development for the Academic Advanced Digital Co-Lab, an organization associated with the University of Wisconsin System, which develops advanced digital learning applications to improve teaching and learning.  Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Gee worked in various technology-related leadership roles in California.  He was the founder and Director of the NASA Ames Technology Commercialization Center. This business incubator in Sunnyvale, CA assisted many successful new ventures, including eBay and iPrint. Subsequently, Gee headed two of his own startups, one having to with the Web and television convergence and the other Web-based healthcare.

Gee also worked at an executive level in a large county government and a school district. He was a key player in developing Beaver Creek, CO, a private city and world class ski resort that is part of Vail Associates, Inc.  Gee was elected to the Eagle County School Board during his time in Colorado.

“Wisconsin offers a uniquely wonderful quality of life. A strong technology sector—for workers and employers—is an important part of this. I am excited to be able to work to contribute to its continued growth and success.” said Gee.  “In the next few months, I will focus on ensuring that ITAWi brings real value to its members.  We will continue to focus on workforce development, legislative advocacy and networking.”

“We are very pleased to have John Gee lead the Information Technology Association of Wisconsin,” stated Mortimore.  “John has all the required qualities that we looked for in our search for the Association’s leader – he has the strong technical background as he has founded numerous hi-tech ventures, he has extensive leadership and strategic experience, and he has worked closely with governmental entities.  He also has a strong track record of success that will lead ITAWi forward into its next phase.”

Gee will stress the statewide nature of ITAWi and will establish a strong organizational presence in the Milwaukee, Madison, Fox Valley and Chippewa areas.

About ITAWi (www.itawi.org)

The Information Technology Association of Wisconsin (ITAWi) was launched in June 2005, and is the first statewide organization focused on the needs and requirements of the information technology sector.  The Association is working to foster growth and the competitive strength of the Wisconsin IT sector in a marketplace increasingly international in scope, via a coordinated forum of the State’s IT executives, innovators, and entrepreneurs.