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Talk of the Bay

Tech network growing with marketing specialty group

By DAVE GUSSOW
Published July 31, 2006

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum's big tent is growing.

The region's premier tech networking organization (www.tbtf.org) has specialty groups for chief executives, chief information officers, executive women, engineers and angel investors. Coming in August: a new group for marketing.

"We think it's unique because it does look strictly at that peer group of CMOs (chief marketing officers)," said Sandy Hamel, area marketing manager for Microsoft's gulf states district in Tampa and the moving force to create the group.

The tech forum's sales and marketing group has focused on networking and generating sales leads, Hamel said. The "marketing roundtable" and "marketing network" plan to explore trends, techniques and challenges that these professionals face.

"We see this as a natural offering from our organization to our members," said Michelle Bauer, former TBTF executive director who now assists with the group's communications. "It's in our best interest to ensure that they have regular access to the best expertise from local and outside professionals."

And speaking of getting bigger: The tech forum said it has reached 400 member companies, representing 40,000 workers in the region. In February, the count was at 350 companies with about 30,000 workers.

[Last modified July 31, 2006, 06:13:02]