Tag Archive for: Michele Ahlman

AgeTek Alliance Newsletter

AgeTek Newsletter
From the Chairman Peter Radsliff

NEW AGETEK WEBSITE PROGRESSING
Great progress has been made on the new AgeTek website. Not only has the board website subcommittee vetted three website development firms and their bids, we have developed an architecture for the site and a basic framework is now ready for initial review on a test site. Our intent is to have the site up before this Holiday season and to have it be an important place on the Internet to showcase solutions for aging in place. See later in this newsletter for a request for content for your company’s listing.

PRE-CES WORKSHOP & GENERAL MEETING
AgeTek was invited to co-sponsor a special Silvers Summit workshop the day before CES. This workshop is being run by the Silvers Summit people but the AgeTek board provided assistance in the development of the curriculum. There is a cost for this workshop, and AgeTek is not involved with that, but, Silvers Summit has generously offered to let us use the facilities after the workshop for an AgeTek meet-n-greet followed by our Annual Meeting. I encourage all AgeTek members to dedicate one or
more of their employees to sign-up for the workshop (be sure to ask for your AgeTek discount – you save $50!). But whether or not you attend the workshop, BE SURE you attend the AgeTek meet-n-greet and Annual Meeting from 5:30 P.M. — 8:30 P.M.

Sign-up here: http://bit.ly/silversworkshop or, see the workshop flyer which is appended to this newsletter.

LAST CHANCE TO JOIN AGETEK PAVILLION AT CES
There is still one spot left in the AgeTek Pavilion at CES. This is a collection of exhibitors sharing a multi-booth space under the AgeTek imprimatur. My company is participating so that we can take advantage of what I believe will be greater interest from press and attendees to the AgeTek name than I could get alone. I suggest you look at this again if you haven’t already made plans for CES. It could be a cost-effective and no hassle way for you to get the most out of CES.

AARP’S NEW DIRECTOR OF THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
I had a chance to have dinner this week with a number of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Mary Furlong and AARP’s new Director of Thought Leadership, Jody Holtzman. It was a lively conversation where Jody and Jeff Makowka presented AARP’s plans to extend their brand to be as much about living well as it is about aging well. Jody is an influential guy with a ton of good ideas. He said that it is a major initiative for AARP to find out how to best support technology entrepreneurs that serve their members plus they expressed strong support for AgeTek itself. It was a great meeting, albeit early in the process,
but I came away truly impressed with what was said. Thanks to Mary Furlong for being sure to include AgeTek in the event.
Here’s wishing you a strong Q4,
Peter Radsliff
Chairman of the Board
Aging Technology Alliance

From the Secretary
Michele Ahlman
EMAIL
To all AgeTek Regular Members:

It’s hard to believe we are well into the 4th quarter of 2010. I’m still working on getting my head around the idea that we are already 10 years into the 21st century!

It’s voting season! Not just for some of our D.C. friends but for AgeTek as well. Attached is a ballot for our 2011 Board. Please take a moment to review and complete right now! Ballots must be completed and postmarked by October 28th. Or, if sending electronically, they must be received by October 29th (see email and fax instructions on the ballot which is appended to this newsletter). The tally will be complete by Nov 5th. Results will be posted on the web site.
We look forward to an exciting 2011!
Thank you for your participation.

Kindest Regards,

Michele Ahlman
Secretary of the Board of Directors
Aging Technology Alliance

From the membership committee chair
EMAIL

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Growth & Membership Committee to personally welcome all the new AgeTek members to the organization. Since the last newsletter you received, the following new members have joined: Halo Monitoring, National Alliance for Caregiving, VRI, Posit Science, BeClose, Happy Elder Corp., At GuardianAngel, Inc., and HB Building and Design, Inc.
The membership committee is not only working hard to enlarge our member base for the benefit of all of our members; we also want you to know that we are here for all of you and welcome your suggestions.

Our goals are simple – we want to increase the number of our members substantially over the next few months as well as ensure we are continuously meeting and exceeding the expectations of both new and old members.

How can you help? Please reach out to any member on our committee (Scott Collins, Joe MacAdams or Karen Routt) and share any thoughts you have regarding your membership. We are currently reaching out to all individuals and companies who have shown interest in joining the Alliance and will soon embark on an e-mail outreach campaign as well.

If you have any non-proprietary lists of companies who might benefit from membership in AgeTek please share them with us. We promise to take good care of your information. If you have any potential members you would like us to contact just let us know and we will take it from there. You can e-mail me directly
Thanks again for being a member of the Aging Technology Alliance.
Warmest Regards,
Shana Duthie
Committee chair, Growth & Membership Committee

From the board: awareness
EMAIL
The Awareness and Promotion committee is responsible for making sure there is real value to members by promoting the value of regular member products and services to the outside world. Examples include procuring discounts and strategic consolidations at tradeshows, creation and promotion of member directories, et al. It is also responsible for creating opportunities for associate members to access the regular members to promote their wares.

With the new website coming, this is a great opportunity to have another vehicle to drive awareness to your company and product. We are looking for committee members and a chairman for this all-important function. Please let me know if you wish to participate and in what capacity. It’s time to step-up and help the Alliance with your talents to provide awareness and promotion for all of our members.

Sincerely,

Laura Mitchell
Board Sponsor, Awareness & Promotion Committee

You are Invited to register for an exciting pre‐CES Workshop:

The Silver Tsunami’ is Coming:  Is Your Company Ready?
Wednesday  Afternoon ‐‐  January 5, 2011, Las Vegas
AgeTek member companies: $99, non‐members $149

If you plan to target one of the largest and fastest‐growing markets;
specifically the Boomer
Consumer and their elder parents, you will have to get ready and get
the inside information.  Learn from companies and thought‐leaders how
to develop a plan for success.

Boomers and their parents continue to be the most powerful consumers in the marketplace, despite an increasingly challenging economy.   In the United States alone, there are more than 108 million people over age 45, a group with more than $2.5 trillion in annual spending power. The 78 million boomers born between 1946 and 1964 make up 28% of the U.S. population and own more than 77% of all financial assets, and the number of Americans age 65 and older is set to double by the year 2030.  Your company cannot afford to miss this market opportunity.

Agenda:
1:00 – 2:00pm   Branding Your Products to the Boomer/Senior Consumer –
Create the Plan. Learn how to create a brand and message that
resonates for the boomer/senior market. What is the most powerful media vehicle to reach this audience?  Plus,
how do you create advertising on a shoestring budget that creates response?  We
want you to walk away from this session with a plan you can implement when you get back
to the office.
2:00 – 3:00pm  Channel Roulette:  View from inside the Retail, Catalog
or VAR Channels

Learn from the channel‐side when a new vendor shows up to pitch their
wares, what is the magic formula that will get them to want you on the shelf or in
the catalog or offer your services.   The panelist will discuss what motivates them to
chose a brand or product, how they test new product concepts, what defines successful
sell‐through and how does pricing play a role.

3:00 – 4:00PM   You know Social Media is Hot… But How do you Make it Pay off?
If you plan a social media marketing strategy it is essential that it
includes mechanisms to assess business value.  It might be a value placed on increased
product awareness, or solid sales leads or cost savings in reduction of print advertizing
cost.   ROI is easier to obtain if there is a goal set for the social media campaign.
Regardless of how value is determined, social media needs to be validated as a profitable
marketing channel. Learn from companies that have leveraged social media to their benefit.

3:00 – 4:00PM   Creating Partnerships and Strategic Alliances
The marketplace is rich with potential partners for strategic
alliances. Potential partners can be competitors, more often they are other businesses that provide
complementary goods and services.  Sometimes powerful partnerships can be created between
companies that have seemingly little in common. .  Hear from companies
that looked both inside and outside this market for alliance partners.   Learn
what to look for in a potential alliance and how to make this happen.

5:30 ‐8:30pm – 1st AgeTek Industry Alliance Annual Meeting and Networking Event
For more Information:  suminfo@silverssummit.com

Your Invitation to Thursday’s AGETEK informational webinar

Do you want to learn more about the new Aging and Technology Alliance: AGETEK???
Consider this your invitation to a conference call & online meeting where we will discuss Aging Technology Alliance membership:
Day:        Thursday
Date:       April 22, 2010
Time:       11:00 A.M. Pacific (2:00 P.M. Eastern)
Duration: 1 hour
_____
Phone (to listen and speak):
dial-in &  password will be listed on the top of the webinar  *(to mute/unmute:  *6)
Online (to view slides, access to public chat and to listen through computer speakers only): http://my.dimdim.com/grandcare
_____
Agenda:
The Aging Technology Alliance ad hoc board of directors has been busy getting the organization started: i.e. listening to feedback on membership structure, fielding membership requests from over 100 organizations, incorporating AgeTek, writing by-laws, etc. At this meeting, we will discuss…
– The benefits of membership in the Aging Technology Alliance
– Requirements of Members and Associate Members
– Cost to become a Member or Associate Member
– Creation of an AgeTek Advisory Board
*****HERE’S WHERE WE NEED YOUR RESPONSE!!!!
– Introductions – we would like to provide an opportunity for members to introduce themselves and their companies. Anyone who wishes to be allotted one minute to state who they are, what their company does, and what they hope to accomplish through the AgeTek membership may sign-up for a one-minute speaking slot by sending an email to agetek@me.com. Slots are limited and available on a first come-first served basis. Please put “AgeTek” in your email subject line.
Bring your questions, bring your comments, and bring your checkbook because we will be telling you where to send your first year dues, and the next steps for participation and committee formation to start the work of the alliance.

Thank you!

The AgeTek Board of Directors

4-22-10 Virtual AGETEK meeting during the weekly aging & technology webinar

THIS Thursday – AgeTek – the NEW aging & technology consortium (born on one of our thursday calls) will be taking the floor.

when: Thurs Apr 22, 2010 (2p EDT)

http://my.dimdim.com/grandcare (DIAL IN LISTED ON THE WEBINAR)

This webinar will review what AgeTek is, goals and visions, how YOU can join and reap member benefits & discounts.

AgeTek wants to hear from our future members!!!  Every participant is invited to speak during the call.  We will take reservations to speak (first come – first served). To ensure a slot, please email: agetek@me.com or info@grandcare.com.   Prepare to speak for one minute and answer the following questions

1. name/organization

2. What you can bring to AgeTek members

3. What you hope to gain from AgeTek

You must be dialed in to the conference number.  All are welcome to simply join and listen in!!!

JOIN US!

ASA/ Boomer Summit wrap-up

Got back late Friday night from the ASA and Boomer Summit In Chicago! It was an exciting, exhausting and fun-filled, action-packed 3 days.

Thursday morning was an AgeTek board meeting – getting ready for the big launch later that day. Thursday afternoon was when the boomer summit boot camp sessions began.

I spoke on a panel about social media and how to best use it for business. It was a 3 hour panel. After that, I rushed to the AgeTek launch down the hall.

It was our official AgeTek Industry Alliance meeting! Standing room only – it was an enormous success! Everyone was enthusiastic and ready to work together – a truly historic step for our industry! We all left with tshirts and directly after this had to head to the speaker reception put on by Mary Furlong & Associates.

After a full day and evening of networking, great conversations and new friends, we turned in.

Friday was the Boomer Summit – GrandCare had an exhibit table, but we also had to work the speaker rooms, helping moderators get started and set up in the beginning of each session.
Lunch with the experts was wonderful & after the last sessions ended at 5p, we all headed to the summit wrap and networking session.

All in all, very glad to have gone! We caught up with industry folks like, Laurie Orlov, Donna Cusano, Susan Ayers Walker, Karen Klein – fellow tech colleagues & agetek members: halo, mygait, presto, wellcore, verizon, jnl technologies, home instead…

and of course my fellow AgeTek board members: Peter Radsliffe, Michele Ahlman, Jill Gilbert, Bud Myers

A great ending to a great week! Now on to this week – we will be reporting live from Orlando – the Electronic House Expo will be going on and GrandCare will play a significant role in the home health tech pavilion.

Wednesday, we are hosting 25 new GC dealers for GC dealer training. Authorized dealers may attend as a refresher for a small fee, learn all about our new multi-resident features.
Still have a few seats available, email gcsales@homecontrols.com to sign up.

Many educational presentations by GrandCare, please check ehxweb.com for schedules.

Thanks,
Laura Mitchell
Dir of Business Relations
GrandCare Systems

INTRODUCING NEW AGETEK ALLIANCE!!

Introduction
The following page outlines the vision, mission and name
that was developed by the Ad Hoc Board of Directors for
the special industry group that formed at CES 2010.
Although this vision, mission and name have been voted into
place by the board, we wanted to publish this to the broader
group of companies that would ostensibly fall into the category
of voting members for a comment period.
The ad hoc board will take any comments under advisement
and consider them for inclusion or revision. The board will
then vote again for final adoption.
The final vision, mission and name will be unveiled at a
group meeting in Chicago at the What’s Next Boomer
Summit on March 18.
So, without further ado, please turn the page…
— Peter Radsliff, ad hoc board chairman
March 3, 2010
A note about the ad hoc board of directors:
The ad hoc board of directors were nominated and elected by 13 participants
representing 10 companies on a conference call 1/27/10 (meeting minutes
available at http://bit.ly/dmNctq). The elected ad hoc board of directors are:
Peter Radsliff, ad hoc board chairman (Presto Services) peter.radsliff@presto.com
Jill Gilbert, treasurer
Michele Ahlman, secretary (ClearSounds)
Bud Myers, director (firstSTREET)
Madeline Pantalone, director (Jitterbug)
Laura Mitchell, director (GrandCare Systems)

Page2
Our Vision:
We promote the awareness, benefits and value of products and services for our
aging society while directly benefiting our members by evolving into the
world’s leading aging-focused technology consortium.
Our Mission:
Purpose:
1. To promote the awareness, benefits and value of member products and services
2. To assist in the advancement of member companies and individual members
Methods:
3. By facilitating innovation through professional development, education and standardization
of products and services
4. By creating a vital and expanding aging technology community
Beliefs:
5. That by encouraging cooperation between members the aging technology industry will
advance as a whole
6. That by pursuing development of “best practices” and a program of continual improvement,
members will be more successful
Our Name:
Aging Technology Alliance
www.agetek.org
Aging “Aging” because this term is unambiguous in its meaning and somewhat neutral in its
identification. “Silver” is somewhat ambiguous in its reference when used outside of our
industry. “Elder” is seen as a pejorative term and one that resists self-identification. Like it
or not, we are all aging, and this group believes that the aging experience can be improved
through the application of technology.
Technology “Technology” because the products and services we develop, sell, install and operate have
to do with different applications of technology.
Alliance “Alliance” because it means “a merging of efforts or interests by persons, families, states,
or organizations.” For our products and services to have a positive effect on society and
our businesses, many disparate groups need to be involved; such as developers, installers,
marketers, caregivers, family members and users. Without an alliance of these different
groups, the technology will not reach the user

For more information, please contact Peter Radsliffe from Presto: peter.radsliff@presto.com
AgeTek.org is not live yet, in the meantime, visit: http://smartsilvers.com/sig/

THANKS!

Laura Mitchell
ViceChair
AgeTek Alliance
www.agetek.org (live soon!!)

1st meeting: Thursday March 18th, 2010 430 – 6pm Hong Kong Room, Hyatt – Chicago. During ASA Conference