2009-02-24 20:13:04 -

Capping off a watershed year for the state's leading technology association, the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council today announced that executive director Tom Hopcroft has been named president and CEO, succeeding Joyce Plotkin, who has served as Council president, and as president of the predecessor Massachusetts Software Council, for more than 22 years, overseeing the organization's emergence as the leading representative

of the state's technology industry.


Plotkin, who was named president emerita, handed over management of day-to-day operations to Hopcroft a year ago, allowing her to focus on more on the external activities of the organization.


Hopcroft, who joined the Council's executive team through its merger with the New England Business and Technology Association (NEBATA) in 2005, has worked closely with Plotkin and the Council's executive team to launch a number of initiatives. Recent Council developments that took shape in 2008 include:


- a highly-successful unConference in October, which brought together several generations of technology leaders in a day-long event focused on providing timely help to early stage companies and catalyzing innovation in Massachusetts;


- the growth of the Council's "cluster groups" focusing on new areas such as video gaming;


- a recently completed report highlighting the extraordinary success of the robotics industry in Massachusetts, to be released at the Council's February 25 annual meeting;


- the move of the Council's offices to Burlington, enabling greater physical access to the Commonwealth's technology community, late last year.


"With this announcement of these new leadership roles and other Council developments, we are acknowledging Joyce's extraordinary contributions over the past 20 years as well as the important steps the Council is taking to prepare for the next 20 years," said John Cullinane, the Council's founding chairman, who will also be named trustee emeritus.


Hopcroft founded NEBATA in 1998 and since the merger with the Council he has headed up cluster activities for the organization, growing the cluster portfolio from three to ten active groups. Prior to founding NEBATA, Hopcroft served on the American Bar Association's Information Security Committee, where he contributed to the drafting and editing of the ABA's Digital Signature Guidelines: Legal Infrastructure for Certification Authorities and Secure Electronic Commerce, published in 1996.


In her role as president emerita, Plotkin will focus, on a part-time basis, on strategic projects such as the STEMTech Alliance, a collaboration of five Massachusetts technology trade associations, led by the Council, that is working to increase awareness among middle school students of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers. STEMTech is supported by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education STEM Pipeline Fund. Plotkin will work on other projects with industry-wide impact, including patent reform and a recently-announced Massachusetts IT industry initiative.


Under Plotkin's leadership, the Council emerged as a role model for other technology associations throughout the country. In addition, she has organized major Massachusetts events that showcased world leaders like former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan as keynoters, raising the visibility of the organization.


Plotkin has been a well recognized member of the state's technology industry, and the primary force behind the Council's involvement with government, community, and international initiatives. She was responsible for the passage of the existing computer crime laws in Massachusetts more than a decade ago, forged international partnerships with technology associations in five countries, co-chaired the state's effort to bring computers and Internet access into K-12 schools, and has been involved in workforce development activities on behalf of the Council for 17 years. She co-founded a national group of technology councils across the country and is the recipient of five leadership and achievement awards.


Founded in 1985 as the Massachusetts Software Council to help executives start, manage and grow their companies, the organization saw its membership and influence grow with the rapid emergence of the state's technology community. Later, the Council played an instrumental role in helping the state's technology businesses successfully weather the difficult first years of this decade. With more than 400 corporate members, the Council today is one of the largest regional technology associations in New England.


"I am proud of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council's track record of success over the past 20 years, and I look forward to continuing to play a leadership role supporting our region's technology community as president emerita," said Plotkin.


"I am honored to take on this role with the Council, and I'm committed to maintaining the legacy of leadership and continuing the recent progress we've seen as the Council adapts to new challenges and opportunities," said Hopcroft.


"Over the past year, we've seen tremendous change in our region's tech community, and the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council has continued to evolve with new programs, new initiatives and now with new leadership that builds on our track record as the state's leading technology association," said Council Chair Mary Finlay of Partners Healthcare.


About The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, Inc.


The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, Inc. is the only association that addresses the critical leadership issues of innovative software and technology-enabled companies. It is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship and promoting the success of companies that develop and deploy technology. The Council conducts educational programs; hosts industry events; facilitates networking; sponsors research; advocates in favor of technology policies that promote innovation, entrepreneurship and competition; and recognizes industry-leading companies and people.





Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council PR Contact:

Topaz Partners

Amy Krigman, 781-404-2437

akrigman@topazpartners.com