SIIA Honors Education Industry Veterans with Prestigious Awards


SIIA Honors Education Industry Veterans with Prestigious Awards

Association also highlights long-standing members of Education Division

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 11, 2012) The Education Division of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) honored Dr. Patrick Suppes, Lucie Stern Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Stanford University, with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. SIIA also presented the Ed Tech Impact Award to Charles Blaschke, Founder and President of Education TURNKEY Systems, Inc. In addition, the Education Division honored long-standing members of the Division during the recent Ed Tech Industry Summit (ETIS) in San Francisco.

During a special awards ceremony, SIIA President Ken Wasch and SIIA Vice President for Education Karen Billings presented Suppes with the award, which highlighted his accomplishments and contributions to the education technology industry. Suppes began conducting experiments using computers to teach students in the 1960s and led the charge of online instructional development. Computer Curriculum Corporation, the company he founded in 1967, is now part of Pearson Education Technologies. Among countless other awards, he received the National Medal of Science in 1990. With 50 years of experience in education technology at Stanford, Suppes is now Lucie Stern Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, and is Director and Faculty Advisor at Stanford’s Education Program for Gifted Youth.

In addition, SIIA presented the Ed Tech Impact Award to Charles Blaschke, Founder and President of Education TURNKEY Systems, Inc., a 40-year-old Washington D.C.-based firm which provides data and analysis about federal funding policies and K-12 technology spending, including Title I, IDEA/Special Ed, the new ARRA stimulus funding, and other related federal programs. Among many other contributions to education and technology, Blaschke developed one of the first two IEP special education administrative systems and co-authored the first Title I Policy Manual.

“During their years of service, these honorees have made outstanding achievements that benefit the entire education industry,” said Karen Billings, vice president of SIIA’s Education Division. “Their hard work and dedication has helped innovative ed tech ideas flourish, making them worthy recipients of SIIA’s top Awards.”

Several companies also were recognized by SIIA for helping support the ed tech industry through their long-standing membership of the association. Member companies recognized at the awards luncheon for attaining long-term membership levels included:

  • 25 years of membership
    • Interactive Education Systems Design, Inc. (IESD)
  • 20 years of membership
    • Adobe
  • 15 years of membership
    • Texas Instruments Education Technology Group
  • 10 years of membership
    • Headsprout, Inc.
    • CyberSmart! Education Company
    • Apple Education
    • Knovation/netTrekker/Thinkronize

“Our members help achieve goals set forth by the Education Division, and these member companies in particular helped lead the change throughout the last 25 years,” said Billings. “SIIA members demand continued success and work together to provide our Division with leadership that plays a significant role in shaping the software and information industries.”

The Ed Tech Industry Summit is an industry conference for technology companies serving the K-12 and postsecondary education marketplace. For information regarding the event, visit http://www.siia.net/etis.

About SIIA
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry. SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, corporate education, and intellectual property protection to more than 500 leading software and information companies. The SIIA Education Division serves and represents more than 180 member companies that provide software, digital content and other technologies that address educational needs. The Division shapes and supports the industry by providing leadership, advocacy, business development opportunities and critical market information. For more information, visit www.siia.net/education.

Media Contacts
• Laura Greenback, SIIA Communications, 410-533-1943, lgreenback@siia.net

• Charlene Blohm, C. Blohm & Associates, 608-216-7300 x17, charlene@cblohm.com

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