Digital Ball® Celebrates the Power of Philanthropy and Technology

Online, May 24, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Building on a decade of momentum, TechBridge is pleased to announce that its eleventh annual Digital Ball once again exceeded expectations. Ninety four corporate sponsors joined presenting sponsor, Accenture, to raise $1.2 million in cash and in-kind donations to continue the TechBridge mission - to help nonprofits use technology to do more and serve more people. The event's other notable sponsors included AirTran Airways, The Coca-Cola Company, Dell, First Data, Prosys, Savvis, EMC, Mohawk Industries, SAP and others.

Maryann Goebel, EVP and CIO, Fiserv and Dave Barnes, SVP and CIO, UPS served as co-chairs of the May 7th event at Atlanta's Marriott Marquis. They were joined by 52 Digital Ball Hosts (CIO-level or equivalent) who greeted more than 800 technology, business and nonprofit leaders and guests.

The 2011 Digital Ball highlighted the impact of local nonprofits who engage TechBridge to help them leverage technology to achieve their missions. To date, more than five million individuals have been touched by TechBridge's technology support and solutions implemented by its more than 300 nonprofit clients.

The festive evening also honored nonprofits' ingenuity with the presentation of the tenth annual Technology Innovation Award, given by Accenture. A panel of Atlanta's technology leaders served as judges to carefully select this year's winner.

"Accenture is committed to helping our clients as well as nonprofits creatively use technology to fulfill their missions and dramatically increase their impact," said Craig Ramsey, Accenture's regional managing director. "For 10 years Accenture has presented the Technology Innovation Award and Southwest Georgia Health Education Center is an excellent example of an organization using technology to realize a vision and serve the community."

The Technology Innovation Award provides the winner with over $55,000 in TechBridge services, Microsoft software and cash to implement its technology vision. Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center was named the 2011 award recipient from a field of sixty-one impressive applicants. It will use the Award to improve collaboration with key stakeholders, medical students, health professionals, clinical sites and clinical preceptors. It will also create a website to collect online donations, leverage social networking, automate data collection and improve training processes. Two finalists were also named. The Diabetes Association of Atlanta, Inc. and Lutheran Services of Georgia, Inc. each received over $13,000 in TechBridge services, Microsoft software and cash.

Kathleen Kurre, TechBridge's CEO, reflecting on the impact of technology and volunteerism on the nonprofit community said, "It takes the best and brightest to light up technology in the right way so it touches someone's life. Our sponsors' generosity, thought leadership and creativity make that happen. We celebrate them for supporting us and the community with their time, technical expertise, and financial resources."

About the TechBridge Digital Ball
Celebrating the spirit of philanthropy in the technology community and highlighting the impact of technology on the nonprofit community, TechBridge's Digital Ball raises funds to support its mission and work throughout the year. Plans for the twelfth annual Digital Ball are underway. Sponsorship information may be found at www.techbridge.org.