High Tech Happy Hour: 10 year anniversary celebration

Madison, WI –– On August 18, 2011, local networking group, High Tech Happy Hour (HTHH), will celebrate its 10 year anniversary of connecting Madison area professionals.

High Tech Happy Hour began in 2001 as a way for people in the tech community to gather and network for fun and business. The concept was simple: no agenda, no fees, no program, and no pre-registration – just people connecting with others to leverage ideas and opportunities. High Tech Happy Hour has grown remarkably since then, and now draws over 300 business professionals to each monthly event. Held on the last Thursday of every month, HTHH is made possible by its co-hosts, Yahara Software and SupraNet Communications, as well as the many local businesses that sponsor each month.

Every August the anniversary event is held at the Memorial Union Terrace from 5:00-7:00 pm and is the biggest event of the year, drawing over 500 people. This year will be no exception! The 10 year anniversary event will feature free food and beer, numerous raffle prizes, and of course, great networking. It is also the kick off to Madison’s Forward Technology Festival, in which several technology related events will occur between August 18-27.

In addition to HTHH, another celebrated event called Pecha Kucha (“pe-chak-cha”) will take place. Created in Tokyo and growing rapidly in popularity, Pecha Kucha was designed as an event for young professionals to meet, network, and show their work in public. It rests on a presentation format in which 20 slides are presented for 20 seconds each. The rapid pace keeps the presentations running efficiently and informally. Madison’s Pecha Kucha Happy Hour, organized by the hosts of HTHH, takes place once a quarter, immediately prior to HTHH from 3:00-4:30pm. The next Pecha Kucha will also be in August at the Memorial Union and will mark the 2 year anniversary of the event in Madison.

August’s event will also be the third year HTHH teams up with Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. To date, HTHH has helped to raise 1,956 meals to help fight hunger in our community. Just $1 can provide 3 meals for those in need.

The much anticipated milestone anniversary is sure to make for a successful and enjoyable event. It is also a great time to thank the local businesses who have made HTHH possible every month by providing sponsorships. With a strong following, HTHH is sure to grow even more in the coming years and has become a mainstay in the Madison community.

For more information about the HTHH anniversary event, Pecha Kucha, and other High Tech Happy Hours, visit http://www. hthh.org .

Contact:

Dawn Lyons

dawnl@supranet.net

8000 Excelsior Dr.

Madison, WI 53717

Phone: 608-836-0282