NVTC Launches Foundation to Foster Local Technology Education and Workforce Initiatives

Goal is $10 Million for Programs in Northern Virginia

Herndon, VA, March 8, 2001 - The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) today announced it has created a charitable foundation to provide financing for community outreach initiatives that help bridge the "digital divide" and improve the lives of Northern Virginians through technology.

The NVTC Foundation was unveiled to more than 700 local technology executives at today's "Titans of Technology" breakfast which featured as keynote speaker Mario Morino, chairman of the Morino Institute and chairman of Venture Philanthropy Partners.

The NVTC Foundation, incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, has set out to raise $10 million over the next five years to expand the reach of current programs that relate to education and technology workforce issues, and to develop new technology-related initiatives for the community.

"This region has succeeded in firmly establishing itself as a major technology center, and as a result, all of us have done well," explained Dan Bannister, chairman of the NVTC Foundation and chairman of the board of Reston-based DynCorp.

"So it is important that we give back to the community something that will have a degree of permanence and a lasting impact. We are counting on the support of companies and individuals throughout the region to help ensure that technology continues to enhance peoples' quality of life," Bannister said.

The Foundation will seek tax-deductible contributions from companies, individuals, organizations and other foundations that have an interest in advancing the role that technology plays at all levels in society.

As its initial focus, the Foundation plans to expand its nationally acclaimed Computer Learning Center program by adding a new center to serve disadvantaged youth in the Baileys Crossroads area of Fairfax County. The first center at Gum Springs in the Route 1 corridor of Fairfax County served more than 600 students in its first year, with more than 300 children attending on a regular basis.

The Foundation also is planning to increase funding for two other programs supported by NVTC - a robotics tournament for area high schools, and a scholarship program for students enrolled in George Mason University's School of Information Technology and Engineering. The scholarships are named for DynCorp's Bannister, who is a former chairman of NVTC and an early leader in the Northern Virginia technology community.

Mario Morino, whose Venture Philanthropy Partners is also engaging the technology community in a new approach to giving, told the NVTC audience, "We are seeing a growing interest and engagement in what some have called 'high impact' philanthropy."

He complimented the region's technology leadership, telling them, "The impact of your caring actions - demonstrated in today's announcement of the formation of the Foundation - is going to be felt throughout the region."
Tim Nurvala, the NVTC Foundation's President, said that by creating the non-profit entity, the NVTC's community-focused efforts would pack more punch.

"The NVTC Foundation will enable the technology industry to more easily give something back to the community and make a meaningful contribution for tomorrow. We already have a proven record of success and we want to build on our experience in supporting technology-based community initiatives, " Nurvala explained.

"The new Foundation will also benefit from established, successful fundraising events such as NVTC's annual Wolf Trap event and Spring and Fall golf tournaments," he said.

Nurvala also said the Foundation is planning to enter into a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation - an organization that grants wishes to children battling life-threatening illnesses - to provide computers and access to the Internet for children in the Northern Virginia region making that wish.
Bobbie Greene Kilberg, NVTC's President, said that strengthening the technology sector's ability to make a recognizable imprint on the community is a powerful incentive for local entrepreneurs to participate in the foundation.

"In recent years, the NVTC has raised nearly half a million dollars from its member companies to fund these important community initiatives. Based on their success, we thought it was time to create a branch of the NVTC that is solely dedicated to raising funds and advancing programs with significant community impact to a higher level of importance," Kilberg explained.

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About the NVTC Foundation
The NVTC Foundation was founded to encourage and facilitate corporate efforts to give something back to the community and specifically looks for community initiatives based in Northern Virginia that include technology as an important component in their mission. It is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The NVTC Foundation is affiliated with the Northern Virginia Technology Council, a membership organization of more than 1,300 companies representing nearly 170,000 people involved in the technology industry in the Northern Virginia region. More information about the programs that it supports can be found on its Web site at www.nvtc.org/foundation.