By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff

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The Boards of Directors of AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association) and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) say they are in discussions to merge the trade associations’ memberships and programs. The combination would give rise to a stronger voice for the technology industry by bringing together the largest number of tech companies in the country, and combining the two associations’ highly complementary offerings.
"Together we would be the national technology association, unrivaled in size and clout,” says ITAA Chairman Hank Steininger, a managing partner at Grant Thornton. “With a new Administration and Congress on the horizon in Washington, it’s critical for the industry to present a united front.”
AeA Chairperson Deirdre Hanford, a senior VP for Global Technical Services for Synopsys Inc., concurs.
“Convergence, consolidation, and the change brewing in Washington require us to speak with a louder, clearer voice,” she says. “Our member companies compete in a global marketplace. In the states, in Washington, and around the world, this merger would allow the U.S. technology industry to further strengthen its partnerships with government for the continued advancement of technology.”
Members of both associations would benefit from access to a wider variety of government and commercial programs, including unprecedented capabilities in lobbying, business and capital development, business services, elite networking, market forecasting, standards development, and research.
Additionally, the resulting organization would have offices across the U.S., and in Beijing and Brussels. AeA’s network of regional councils combined with ITAA’s alliances with more than 40 regional associations through the Technology Councils of North America and ITAA’s membership in the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA)—a network of 69 technology associations in countries around the world—would complete a robust presence for the technology industry at large.