CHICAGO, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CompTIA, the non-profit association for the information technology (IT) industry, concluded its fourth Annual Member Meeting here this week with heavy focus on how to do business in an increasingly mobile world where technology users expect and demand anytime, anywhere, any device access to applications and information.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130107/DC38135LOGO)

The annual meeting brings together IT channel leaders to network with peers; discuss and strategize on issues affecting their business; learn about trends shaping the IT industry; and provide direction for new initiatives and programs from CompTIA.

CompTIA President and CEO Todd Thibodeaux shared a preview of some of the new initiatives coming from the association in 2013. Several of those initiatives center on making CompTIA's programs more accessible. One such effort announced this week by CompTIA is the upcoming availability of new e-learning training programs in cloud computing, mobile technologies and IT security for IT channel businesses.

This year CompTIA also will deliver more content tools, robust products for mobile platforms and other innovations to address the need to fill the pipeline with more skilled and certified IT workers, according to Terry Erdle, executive vice president, skills certification.

"There are IT jobs available today and the number is growing," Erdle said. "But that message does not get out enough. We're not putting enough people into the IT workforce."

Another highlight of the annual conference is the induction of new members into the IT Hall of Fame. Three new members joined the hall this year.

Victor Hayes played a leading role in shepherding the development of the Wi-Fi technology used in millions of wireless networks in homes and offices around the world.

Jim Ciccarelli, president of Connecting Point of America, helped pioneered a new franchise model within the computer retail industry.

C. Wayne Ratliff designed and wrote the Vulcan Database Management Program, which became known as Ashton-Tate's dBASE, the first widely used database management software for the personal computer.

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org, http://www.facebook.com/CompTIA and http://twitter.com/comptia.

SOURCE CompTIA