“Reprinted with permission from The National NetWorker“
Published July 2007
How do you connect up with a network of 28,000 hi-tech movers and shakers? The fastest way is an e-mail to my buddy Barry Gander at the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA).
Barry’s is the Executive Vice-President of CATA and works closely with CATA’s President John Reid to grow and guide CATA. CATA is a 30 years old organization that has grown from simple technology networking group to a powerful organization providing help to all members of Canadian society and advocating for Canadian technology companies in Canada and around the world. When you become a member of CATA, you can learn their heartburn issues and find the companies and people to buy your goods and services.
The CATA membership starts with who’s who of technology companies and ends with relationships with all the other major associations in Canada. Joining this powerful organization means that everyday you will have a new business opportunity.
A small sample from the last couple of weeks provides insight into what can happen to you and your company. BASF was looking for companies to invest in, Tuscon AZ was looking for wireless proposals, the Chinese government wanted to help companies expand in China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were looking to increase trade, and the Canadian Aboriginal Council needed help growing the entrepreneurial spirit in Canadian aboriginal communities. For the right person or company, each of these projects represents thousands of dollars of potential business.
This is just the tip of the CATA iceberg.
CATA participates in Face-to-face events of all types occur across Canada, including golf tournaments, award ceremonies, and different types of knowledge sharing events. Once in the CATA orbit, the number of networking opportunities is only limited by the days in the week. Through CATA you can meet anybody and everyone in high-tech.
CATA’s network extends around the globe.
CATA’s focus on technology pushes the edges of technology by using one technology to highlight another. A fourteen hour Webinar looked at the state of healthcare around the world. The leading edge Webinar technology enabled people to watch multiple speakers to see and interact from Canada, India and Pakistan.
With so many opportunities and so many projects, how does one navigate it all? That’s where Barry Gander comes in. For a new member, Barry or one of the CATA team will act as your personal mentor in the CATA world. They guide new members, provide some of your first introductions, and help you understand the various opportunities available in CATA. Once you start receiving the various announcements, you learn how to get connected without Barry.
Once you understand the nature of the CATA network, the next step is to create your own programs and if they provide real value to CATA members, Barry will help CATA partner with you and make your dream a reality.
I strongly believe that Barry’s success comes from his pleasant nature, his warm smile, his gracious manners, and his great sense of humour. As you can probably tell, I just like being in his presence. And since he is so popular, I don’t think I am the only one with this opinion.
First things first, cruise the CATA web site, spend time seeing the kinds of projects that CATA is involved in. If they are a fit, join CATA and send Barry an e-mail saying Hi and don’t forget to tell him Zale sent you.
Till Next Month!
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