Submitted by Katherine Pankratz on
Written by Aaron Epperson, Membership Coordinator for the Technology Association of Oregon. Reposted with permission from the Technology Association of Oregon blog.
When I first started going out to visit companies I normally know what they do. I mean, it is a huge part of my job as TAO’s Membership Coordinator. However, I’ll need to admit that I was a little lost when I showed up on the doorstep of VTM to spend a day with them.
I had gone to their website and poked around, just like I should have. But still, I was a little hazy. Not a good feeling to have when you’re walking into someone’s office.
I was given a tour of their Beaverton headquarters by their Marketing Manager, Katherine Pankratz. I was interested in their fancy vault (the building used to be a bank) that I was allowed to see but not touch. Everyone was very nice, and the whole office seemed to buzz with a quiet activity.
After the tour we took a seat in a conference room. The conversation started like normal. I got to overview all the things TAO does. But, finally, the part came where I had to have her explain to me what they really do.
Now, to be honest, even though Katherine and her co-workers had been very welcoming, I was assuming I was about to get that look. You know, the look someone gives you when you’ve completely missed something obvious and now they have to explain it to you. Thankfully, that never happened. Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s had to ask!
VTM is in the business of management for associations that deal in tech standards. Specifically full-service management and support. Every day, a large chunk of business gets done for a lot of people because of their teams.
VTM functions as staff for groups like the Blu-ray Disc™ Association, USB Implementers Forum, and the Ethernet Alliance. That means VTM is tasked with the day-to-day operations for these organizations. It allows their members and directors the time to make the choices and decisions that work best for their industries. Some of these, having impacts on how all of us use our technology. Nearly 40% of tech consortia with standards implemented in an average PC laptop have partnered with VTM. Meaning, these global organizations are all headquartered right here in Oregon!
Needless to say, this keeps the whole team pretty busy. There’s also an air of intrigue floating around. With so many projects, people, and associations, confidentiality is taken very seriously. And it was obvious from talking to the staff that dull moments are unknown to them.
VTM is a great asset for the state and the region.
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