YTA 2012–2013 Annual Report

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Growing Community2012–2013 Annual Report

Table Of Contents

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Report To The Members ....................................................

Objectives Of The Corporation ..........................................

2012–2013 Overview ........................................................

Membership ....................................................................

Annual Revenue ..............................................................

Monthly Luncheons .........................................................

Keynote Luncheon Highlights ...........................................

Branham300 Luncheon ....................................................

Tech Predictions Luncheon ...............................................

Peer Groups .....................................................................

YTA Technology Leadership Awards ..................................

YTA Golf Tournament .......................................................

Board Of Directors ............................................................

Past Chairs ......................................................................

Sponsors .........................................................................

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Report To The Members

We are pleased to provide this report to member companies and those interested in the continued growth of the YTA.

Our purpose as an industry organization is straight forward. We assist member companies and their leaders to connect, find and share

practical, no-nonsense advice and business insights that will help each other grow their tech businesses.

We do this through a massive volunteer effort - with a representative board of directors with just under 30 members, senior business leaders facilitating our 16 monthly Peer2Peer Series, and industry leaders preparing and presenting learning programs in terms of Seminars and Bootcamps throughout the year. All told, nearly 15,000 hours of volunteer time by industry leaders put back into the ecosystem to build community and grow wealth.

We started the year accepting a milestone challenge: 60 – 60 – 360. Attract 60 new member companies to join, find $60K in new funding, and attract 360 attendees to YTA programs and events who had not attended before.

We did attract more than 60 new members. That good news is somewhat offset by the fact that even with our 85% membership renewal rate it wasn’t 60 “net new” (net 32) but we did grow and are on track to keep doing so in the year ahead.

Find $60K in new funding presented some challenge. We didn’t want to raise fees, but despite careful management of events and operating costs, a membership fee increase was approved by the board - the first fee increase in 5 years. That coupled with increased interest in sponsorships and a significant one-time contribution from NRC-IRAP to help grow the Peer2Peer Program we can put a check beside that box too. (Is this correct?) I’m not sure how we get to $60,000 net new without IRAP or do you mean including the extra $24K from IRAP?

The YTA had another excellent year facilitating connecting and collaborating by members. Nearly 3000 members and guests attended a record 175 events. The di-versity of activities ranged from individual Peer2Peer series and Marquee luncheons to breakfast Seminars and 1/2-day Bootcamps.

A strong emphasis on financial management is evident as the organization contin-ues with a balance sheet and income statement that supports confidence in our sustainability. This provides an important underpinning as we significantly expand our geographic reach throughout the GTA.

We thank the members of the board for their guidance and support of our strategic plan; the operations committee that helped us accomplish the YTA goals and the dedicated volunteers who support the large numbers of programs and events of-fered throughout the GTA. A special note of thanks goes to John Kitchen and ESRI Canada. John’s insight and guidance leaves the YTA in good hands after a record 10 year run on the Board that oversaw the resurgence of the modern YTA as a Peer2Peer focused Industry growth engine.

Particular thanks goes to our staff. Ryan Ellis, as Membership Director, again taking a leadership role in our membership growth and delivering fiscal management expertise to keep our books strong; and Pamela Montgomery, as Event Coordina-tor, has elevated event execution to a new level - especially the spectacular Tech Leadership Awards Gala - well done and thank you!

The YTA has an outstanding incoming board with broad representation from across the technology community. The incoming chair, Tracey Whitehouse, is a very capable executive and brings excellent credentials to her role from cofounding and leading the operations at TGO Consulting for over 25 years.

We believe that YTA is very well positioned to continue to extend its pivotal role in connecting the growth and success of the technology community throughout the GTA.

Patrick ShawExecutive Director905.415.4558

Dan DuffyChairman905.940.1814

Objects of the Corporation June 1983

To provide a forum to act as a catalyst to attract, grow and serve the high technology industry to the mutual benefit of the industry and the community

To assist in the creation of an environment conducive to the attrac-tion and growth of high technology industry

To promote the advantages of the community for high technology industry

To promote the image of high technology industry of the community

To provide a forum for high technology industries for the interchange of ideas.

To help educate the community of the needs and benefits of high technology industry.

To act as a focal point for participation in the short, medium and long term planning activ-ity in the community.

To consolidate the views of high technology industries and dialogue with local, provincial and federal governments to facilitate mutual understanding.

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2012–2013 OverviewEntering our 31st year

• Introduced 5 new Peer Groups: Downtown Financial, Channel & Alliance, Downtown Project Delivery and Services, Downtown Sales Leadership, Downtown Digital Strategies

• Held over 175 different events with over 3,000 participants

• Over 15,000 volunteer hours contributed by senior executives in our community

• Added Alliance Partner North of 41 to connect with small and medium-sized enterprises in the GTA

• Grew the YTA community with the addition of 68 new members

• First Seneca College scholarship awarded from The York Technology Alliance Endowed Scholarship Fund

• Expanded The Technology Leadership Awards as gala event to celebrate nominees in 5 categories

• Launched a branding assessment and Board Committee to modernize YTA brand

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York Technology Alliance | 7

Technology Companies Enabling Companies

YTA members have earned high regard as catalysts for the growth of the tech sector in Canada. This growth led to the development of a vigorous knowledge-based economy in Canada with a major corridor of technology businesses stretching across Southern Ontario. YTA members now find themselves at the heart of this tech corridor—the centre-point of Canada’s technology industry—with access and connections to more than 5,500 leaders and influencers of the tech ecosystem in the Greater Toronto area than in any other area of the country.

YTA is the only independent industry association in the GTA that is entirely focused upon the growth of small and mid-size technology businesses and their people.

The YTA had the most successful member recruitment campaign in recent years when in 2012, we attracted a total of 68 new member companies.

Membership

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Category 4 Category 5

1–4

5–15

16–50

51–100

101 +

Number of Employees

50%

26%

10%

4%24%

24%

21%

9%

22%10%

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1

2

3

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Annual Revenue

$339,000

$112,000

$285,000

$270

,000

$160,000

$140,000

$115,000

$128,000

$99,000

$80,000$130,000$75,000

$80,

000

$140

,000$5

0,00

0

$90,000

$70,000

$80,000

$60,000

$60,000

$55,000

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

Government Allocations

Membership Revenue

Sponsorship Revenue


Monthly Luncheons

Monthly luncheons at the YTA are an opportunity for members and guests to connect with peers, clients, and top-level professional business enablers. These events are designed to celebrate success in ecosystem companies, while updating members on current issues, opportunities and technological advances affecting their business. Networking is vigorously encouraged as this is a time and place where members connect with other members of the technology community.

Speakers at these events are leaders in the technology sector and share their knowledge, expertise and lessons learned with members. Luncheons aim to share practical experiences, issues and insights that are current and relevant to the growth of your business.

For over 30 years the YTA has been providing members with access to the information and tools they need to build their tech businesses and grow wealth. This year, the focus of the YTA Keynote Luncheon Program continued to both celebrate success and provide access to experts that shared relevant information that members could take back and implement in their own business right away.

Keynote Luncheon Highlights

Branham300 Luncheon

The YTA was host to Branham CEO Wayne Gudbranson for the 20th annual Branham “Reveal” of companies from York Region and the GTA that made the Branham300 list. With the generous sponsorship of KPMG, the YTA was to repeat what has become an annual marquee networking luncheon

More than one third of the companies named to the list have head offices within the reach of the YTA, including 12 of the top 25 up and comers, and an impressive 19 of the top 25 IT Multinationals.

This year, members and guests heard from a panel of executives from Branham300 companies including Errol Singer (CFO, NexJ) Barry Symons (CEO, Jonas Software), and Thomas Hearne (CFO, theScore Inc.) joining Wayne Gudbranson on a panel moderated by Micahel Kavanagh of (KPMG) to reveal some of the ways that their companies achieved such impressive growth in 2012/13.


Tech Predictions Luncheon

Michael O’Neil polished up his crystal ball and engaged attendees in formulating predictions about technology changes and opportunities for the year ahead.

Michael moderated a panel of experts including Robert Lane as himself, and Kris Johnson of Robert Half Technology. Considerable discussion was focused on the idea of BYOD—bring your own device—and the related concept of virtual workforce. The hot topic of industry capacity to deliver wifi and broadband was challenged as influencing our near term business future.


CFO

Tech CEO

People Matters

Sales Leadership

Downtown Sales

Cloud Computing

Legal Perspectives

Channel & Alliance

Marketing Leadership

Downtown Tech Executives

Downtown Digital Strategies

Women Leaders in Technology

Technical Project Management

Downtown Financial Executives

Leaders of Emerging Companies

Downtown Project Delivery & Services

Peer Group Series

The YTA Peer Group Program is where fast-growth technology company leaders, entrepreneurs and executives come together in a no non-sense exchange

of information that will help them expand their businesses and grow their people. In 2012/2013, more than 1500 people attended the monthly Peer2Peer meetings, building networks and learning from peers and industry leaders.

This year the YTA received assistance from NRC–IRAP to further develop the existing peer groups and to expand the P2P programs in the downtown core. Five new Peer Series started in Toronto in the downtown core with great suc-cess, and the appetite for more is quite evident. With this demand, plans are underway to start 4 new Peer Series in the coming year.

YTA Peer Meetings are open to all employees of YTA member companies.

16 Peer Groups

1500+ Attendees

1200 Attendees

895Attendees

2012 – 201316 Peer Groups2010 – 2011

10 Peer Groups

2011 – 201213 Peer Groups

The Technology Leadership Awards reached new heights as the program emerged as a true evening gala with more finalists and

awards categories than ever before.

A terrific venue hosted a showcase of talent and solutions by nominee finalists in the gathering

cocktail hour as well as coffee time following the big-screen showing of the video segments

of each finalist.


The Nominees

V I D E O I N T E R V I E W S C R E E N I N G

content.community.connected

Momentum Company of the YearFinalists


Recipient

Recipient

Recipient

Most Promising Start-upFinalists

Market Expansion LeaderFinalists

Recipient

Recipient

Technology Enabler of the YearFinalists

Technology Company of the YearFinalists

Technology Lifetime Achievement Award

Robert Lane

The YTA Golf Tournament is one of the organization’s most popular events. The tournament brings together tech company

leaders and their partners to not just play a round of golf but to take part in a great day of networking.

Last year’s Annual Golf Tournament took place at Pheasant Run, one of York Region’s best public courses. Challenge holes were included in the round of 18, testing individual skills and team skills with the “Net-working challenge” and fastest hole challenge.

Join us this year for the 19th Annual Golf Tournament, again being held at Pheasant Run Golf Club on August 22nd.

YTA GOLF TOURNAMENT

18 | York Technology Alliance

YTA GOLF TOURNAMENT

YTA Board of Directors 2013

ChairDan Duffy, Mid-Range Computer Group

TreasurerAtin Gupta, MNP

Executive DirectorPatrick Shaw, York Technology Alliance

Board MembersSusan G. Bishop, Ernst & Young

David Burnett, End to End Networks

John Cameron, Aizan Technologies

Stephen Chan, Dapasoft

Jinha Chung, Miax

Jason Cottrell, Myplanet Digital

Johanna Delroy, Compugen

Joseph Facca, AMD

Paul Gragtmans, ET Group

Robert Haché, York University

Roy Hart, Seneca College

Muneer Hirji, 3.0 Corp

Mike Kavanagh, KPMG

Nasir Kenea, City of Markham

Krista LaRiviere, gShift Labs

Jeremy Laurin, ventureLAB

Eric Leblanc, RBC

Ruby Maini, HR Strategies Consulting

Terry Mocherniak, Encelium|Osram

Andrew Nunes, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin

Vice ChairTracy Whitehouse, TGO Consulting

SecretaryHeather Whitten, Wilson Vukelich LLP

Past ChairJohn Kitchen, Esri Canada


Daniel Duffy

John Kitchen

Marie Wiese

Kevin Tribe

Cal Haverstock

Ted Madden

Doug McIntyre

Dave Carrick

Wayne Scott

Mark Durst

Christopher Stait-Gardner & John Hunter

Christopher Stait-Gardner & Alan D Brenchley

Leslie White & Bob Reid

Bob Pritchard & Leslie White

Bob Pritchard & Monty Richardson

George Hopkins & Gordon Landon,

Honourary Chairman – Don Cousens

Don Cousens & Peter Baines,

2012–2013

2011–2012

2010–2011

2009–2010

2007–2009

2005–2007

2003–2005

2000–2003

1999–2000

1997–1999

1996–1997

1991–1996

1990–1991

1989–1990

1988–1989

1986–1988

1982–1986

Past Chairs

Sponsors

Sponsors have contributed to the growth of the sector and the sustain-ability of the YTA. Even those with nationally recognized brands, they are often the invisible enablers of the business success of the members of the tech cluster throughout the GTA.

This year YTA sponsor support provided the Board with the confidence to move ahead in our outreach and expansion plans through more, and more widely distributed, Peer2Peer series. Instrumental again in that outreach in 2012/13 is the support of NRC IRAP, and their recognition of the value of community-directed peer connections as well as their commitment to help fund the efforts of the YTA in making such connections available.

In 2013 sponsor funding continued to be the single highest segment of revenue for the organization, ensuring continued delivery of the many great YTA programs and services provided to both member companies and industry members across the GTA.


YTA Sustaining SponsorsGold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Community Partners

York Technology Alliance7271 Warden AvenueMarkham, ONL3R 5X5

905.415.4588 [email protected]

Find us on:

@yorktechCA

facebook.com/YorkTechnologyAlliance

Documents

YTA 2012–2013 Annual Report