TORONTO – July 8, 2011 – ESRI Canada today announced that John Kitchen, the company's vice president and general manager, has been appointed chair of the York Technology Alliance (YTA).  Mr. Kitchen, who has served on the YTA board of directors since 2004, will leverage his over 30 years experience in business development and management to increase the YTA's prominence as a hub for knowledge mobilization, helping technology companies and service providers in the Greater Toronto Area connect and learn from one another to succeed.

“The Greater Toronto Region is a hotbed for innovation,” says John Kitchen.  “There are more than 5,000 tech leaders in this region, which offer products and services critical to running efficient governments, industries and schools.  For nearly 30 years, the YTA has provided members with the ideal setting to learn from the best, capitalize on industry trends and make their businesses more profitable.  Our goal is to continue building on the unique capabilities of our members by delivering valuable programs and services that will enable them to make a sustained impact on our economy.”

In 2010, more than 3,000 professionals participated in over 150 YTA luncheons, seminars, peer group meetings and bootcamp training.  Senior executives from 220 member companies volunteered over 15,000 hours to help with the alliance's events and activities.  A broad range of businesses – from startups to blue-chip companies – participated in new programs including the YTA Solutions Showcase, which profiles members and local technology; and the YTA Technology Leadership Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in business management and innovation.  The alliance also continued its support for future industry leaders by awarding two scholarships to students pursuing technology courses at York University and Seneca College.

To further expand its reach, Mr. Kitchen will lead the YTA in forming new partnerships and enhancing existing relationships with key regional and industry organizations including VentureLab, the Region of York, York University, Ryerson University, Branham Group and the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC).

“We welcome John Kitchen as chair of the YTA Board,” says Patrick Shaw, executive director, YTA.  “The experience and knowledge he brings as a technology company leader will further strengthen our position as the premier business association for technology companies in the GTA.”

For more information on YTA's programs, visit: www.yorktech.ca.

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About ESRI Canada
Founded in 1984, ESRI Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography.  The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from ESRI, Telvent, Cityworks and other technology partners.  Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada and has been named as one of the top 250 Canadian IT companies and top 25 IT professional services providers in Canada by the Branham Group.  Information about ESRI Canada can be found at esricanada.com.

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