In a visit to the new Blacksburg offices of the NewVa Corridor Technology Council (also known as NCTC or The Tech Council), I asked that question of Cory Donovan, the Tech Council's Executive Director.
Cory looked quickly at his Office Manager, Bethanne Trexell. "Didn't the Tech Nite invitation mention 'business attire'?" he asked.
I must have missed--or blocked--that part. "You mean we don't get to wear long dresses?" I protested. "Not even to the Hotel Roanoke?"
The very-quick-on-his-feet Donovan gave me excellent reasons why business attire was appropriate for an after-business function scheduled early in the evening on a week night. He has a point.
The Tech Nite 9.0 Awards Banquet, honoring the NewVA region's technology companies, leaders, entrepreneurs, and educators, is on Thursday, May 15, 2008, at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center at 5:30 p.m.
Still.
Very poutily, I will admit, I asked, "Well, if I can't wear a long dress, why should I come to Tech Nite?"
Cory gently and diplomatically turned the conversation to important topics--like entrepreneurship, VT KnowledgeWorks, friction stir fabrication, stuff like that.
But I got an e-mail via Cory's BlackBerry last night:
Why You--and Anyone--Should Be At Tech Nite
- inform other local business leaders about your company
- meet a mentor, partner, or key contact for your business
- bring your husband so he can show off the new suit you bought him
- bring your wife so she can show off the new dress she bought
- bring your partner and just show off
- awareness: put your face and company in front of over 300 local business and technology leaders - we can all help each other if we know what each other needs
- learn about other successful businesses in the region
- wear that scarf or tie you got for your last birthday
- meet the secretary of technology and legislators from around the state
- take notes for your award acceptance speech at next year's Tech Nite
Over 300 businesses will be represented at Tech Nite?! Wow!
Full disclosure: I was being really pouty. Cory didn't know I had already signed up for Tech Nite online. I thought he was very sweet to extend the deadline for signing up from today, May 1, until May 7.
So it's not too late to sign up to wear your business attire to Tech Nite!
I wonder if VT KnowledgeWorks would sponsor a High-Tech Ball. I could wear my long dress. Or shop for a new one!
See you at Tech Nite!
To learn more about the NCTC, click here.
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