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IT nonprofit under new ownership

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Last edited 2:54 p.m., Nov. 8, 2016

The Association of Information Technology Professionals, a nonprofit with a large southwest Missouri chapter, has a new owner, and the acquiring company has aggressive growth plans.

Downers Grove, Illinois-based certification provider Computing Technology Industry Association took control of Appleton, Wisconsin-based AITP on Nov. 1, said Jason Klein, the local chapter president for AITP. With 275 members, the southwest Missouri chapter is the largest among more than 60 local AITP groups and some 290 student chapters.

Klein said no money changed hands in the deal. AITP’s assets and liabilities were transferred to and assumed by CompTIA, he said.

“We’re expecting to receive additional funds from the national association to help us with our marketing campaigns,” Klein said. “Mostly, CompTIA wants to see the local chapters grow.”

Given the southwest Missouri chapter is the largest, Klein expects it to be a model for other chapters as CompTIA seeks to grow membership from 3,600 to 10,000 in 2017 and 40,000 in five years.

“I’d imagine we’ll have discussions with them on what’s worked well for us,” said Klein, who’s also president of local company Logic Forte.

Locally, AITP has a roughly $150,000 budget, the majority of which is spent on networking events, Klein said. Last month, the organization’s techITout Technology Showcase set an attendance record with more than 800 coming to the Oct. 26 event at the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Oasis Convention Center.

The southwest Missouri chapter’s dues range from $130-$275 per year, and Klein said those fees would not be changing with the acquisition by CompTIA. Also, local AITP chapters will maintain control over their area boards of directors, assets and events, as well as bank accounts, scholarship funds and monthly meetings.

Of the local chapter’s budget, nearly $25,000 goes to the national AITP organization. Those funds now will be paid to CompTIA, Klein said.

In an email sent to members and obtained by Springfield Business Journal, AITP Board of Directors President Julian Wade said the CompTIA brand will now appear adjacent to the AITP logo and the current AITP board will become an executive council. AITP is now a subsidiary of CompTIA.

CompTIA provides some 2 million people with certifications in the computer, network and security industries, according to the email.


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