Collaborative Conferencing Expands at InfoComm: IMCCA and ICIA Renew Alliance

FAIRFAX, VA--- The International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA) and the Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA) are pleased to announce a renewed and expanded partnership to hold a Collaborative Conferencing Technologies track at InfoComm in 2004 and 2005. The international tradeshow is the primary annual event for the audiovisual (AV) communications industry, with InfoComm 04 scheduled for June 5-11 in Atlanta, Ga.

In addition to sponsoring the Collaborative Conferencing Technologies Pavilion on the InfoComm exhibit floor, IMCCA plans to hold a full-day workshop/tutorial on collaborative conferencing and a tutorial on collaborative conferencing integrated into InfoComm's AV communications systems conference program. IMCCA views InfoComm 04 as the platform for its annual conference, and will feature its annual Awards Program for the Collaborative Conferencing Industry at the Show as well as hold the first annual meeting of the new Teleconferencing Users' Group. Finally, the IMCCA annual Board of Directors Meeting and Annual Membership Meeting will take place at InfoComm.

"Our continuing association with ICIA is an excellent way for IMCCA to fulfill its mission of educating the marketplace on the benefits and applications of conferencing and collaborative technologies. I know I speak for all our members in saying that holding our annual conference and these educational events at InfoComm brings added value to their participation," stated S. Ann Earon, Ph.D., Chairperson of IMCCA and President of TRI Inc.

Carol Zelkin, Executive Director of IMCCA stated, "We looked at all our options to increase our presence in the marketplace, and InfoComm was the clear choice to focus our association's and the collaborative conferencing community's efforts. While we will participate in other shows, this is our biggest commitment."

Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., ICIA's Executive Director, echoed Earon's and Zelkin's comments. "ICIA is delighted that our continuing relationship with IMCCA gives our combined memberships increased opportunities to learn, network and conduct needed business at InfoComm. Conferencing and collaborative technologies are critical to today's business, training and interactivity needs, and we're pleased that through IMCCA we can bring our attendees and exhibitors increased focus on this field." Customers and technology managers from the corporate, government, military, education, healthcare, worship and other sectors are among a growing number of InfoComm attendees and ICIA members interested in collaborative conferencing solutions.

IMCCA's membership includes vendors and users of videoconferencing, audio-conferencing and web-conferencing technologies and solutions, including ACT, Applied Global Technologies, Compunetix, IVCi, Polycom, RadVision, Review Video, SBC, Sony, Spectel, Sprint, Tandberg, Ubiquity, Voyant and V-SPAN. ICIA's membership is comprised of many of the same companies, along with vendors, distributors and buyers of other audiovisual communications systems.

The IMCCA-sponsored workshop and sessions will be available to all interested InfoComm registrants as a part of the ICIA seminar and workshop series. Registration will be available in late January through the ICIA website, www.infocomm.org.

The Interactive Multimedia and Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA) is the non-profit industry association for conferencing and collaborative communications technologies. IMCCA's mission is to foster and promote people-to-people communications and learning throughout the industry. For information on the IMCCA please visit their website, www.imcca.org or contact [email protected]. The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.(ICIA) is the premier trade association for the professional audiovisual communications industry. ICIA is the founder of InfoComm, the conference and trade exposition for audiovisual communications professionals who come to learn about the latest technologies and available services as well as new and alternative applications. ICIA also co-founded with CEDIA and NSCA the Integrated Systems Events in Europe, China and Singapore. ICIA serves its worldwide membership as the pre-eminent provider of education, training and certification.