Tech council establishes state PAC – Nashville Post

The Greater Nashville Technology Council is getting further engaged in state politics with the establishment late last month of a political action committee that will allow the group and its supporters to back candidates for elected office.

The move follows the advocacy and education group’s decision last year to begin lobbying at the state Capitol.

The PAC’s treasurer is Alex Curtis, the council’s vice president for public affairs and communications, and its officers are lobbyist Baylor Bone Swindell and Vaco executive Jeff Haithcoat, both GNTC board members with backgrounds in politics.

From Curtis:

Tech PAC Tennessee will be a next step in our advocacy efforts, guided by four principles, to:
    1.    Promote the growth of technology related jobs in Middle Tennessee;
    2.    Spur innovation in a creative and competitive environment that has access to services and capital;
    3.    Ensure a marketplace of equal opportunities for an educated workforce; and
    4.    Educate our membership about the importance of balanced technology policy and strong relationships with policy makers.
We’ll continue to work to bring together all parts of the state’s tech community, not just Nashville.

The group is holding a tech policy update later this year to inform members on the council’s advocacy efforts and help them better engage with lawmakers.

The GNTC’s purview has steadily grown in recent years. Earlier this week, Gov. Bill Lee awarded a coalition led by the council $1 million to help develop tech talent in the state.