After recently settling its $5 million lawsuit with competitor Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), TechAmerica will be absorbed by IT trade association CompTIA, which now positions itself to take a greater role in state and local government. TechAmerica was first formed in 2009.
The merging of the two companies' membership bases enables CompTIA to pursue the best interests of the information and communications technologies (ICT) sector as a whole, eliminating an artificial barrier that has divided efforts in the past, according to Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA.
"Moving forward, CompTIA will champion member-driven business and policy priorities that impact the entire continuum of companies from the small IT service provider to the software developer to the equipment manufacturer to communications service providers," Thibodeaux said in a press release. "The transaction clearly amplifies the industry's already powerful voice in Washington, D.C., at a time when policies critical to continued innovation and economic growth are at stake."
Some TechAmerica staff, including President and CEO Shawn Osborne, will leave the merged group, while all of TechAmerica’s policy, business intelligence and research staff are to remain. Mike Hettinger, TechAmerica vice president for the public sector, will stay with the group.
CompTIA will retain its name, branding, leadership and board of directors, while changing its tagline to “The ICT Industry Trade Association” to reflect its new industry-wide focus.
