By Byron Martin and Ty Mulholland

When asking people for a

word to describe the Tri-Cities, some of the answers that you hear might be

wine, water sports, Hanford, agriculture or tumbleweeds. The last thing you

would expect to hear is “technology.” What most people don’t realize is that

the Tri-Cities has a long and storied past linked to technology. And today,

there are some very innovative companies that are either using technology as

their product or as a catalyst to better grow their business.

The history of technology

in the Tri-Cities has been here since the beginning of the Manhattan Project 75

years ago. Since that time, we’ve had some amazing technology originate from

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: vitrification, acoustic holography,

portable blood irradiators, the compact disc and personal screening equipment

used in airports.

But there is no monopoly on

bringing new technologies to market, and there are many companies in our region

doing just that. Organizations like Isoray, Cadwell Industries, Lampson

International, Carbitex and SIGN Fracture Care International are just a few of

the businesses that have enriched our community and have been built with

technology as their starting point.

But we’re in a new age now.

Sometimes technology isn’t the product, but rather the backbone on which work

is done. And many businesses are using that technology to start and expand

beyond what they could have done without it. Because of the internet, apps and

social media, you no longer need a large capital investment or extensive team

to develop a national or even global reach. In short, technology is allowing

unprecedented growth. 

This equalizer of

technology is one of the reasons we created the Tri-Cities Tech Summit: to

create a forum of like-minded individuals who can network and talk to each

other about using technology in new ways to grow their business more than ever

before.

Now in its second year, our

theme for this year is Origins. Every technology, company and entrepreneur has

a unique start. Tri-Cities Tech Summit 2019: Origins will give people the opportunity

to highlight those stories, allowing individuals to share their own origins as

they educate and inspire others to learn, do and invest in themselves, their

ideas and their businesses.

Our theme also coincides

with the anniversary of the Manhattan Project, a massive undertaking that

helped a tiny community become globally recognized. Part of this year’s tech

summit will highlight the technology that came about because of the Manhattan

Project and its greater impact on the Tri-Cities.  

Whether you’re interested

in the past, present or future of technology in our region, the event is a

great place for you to be on Sept. 12 to learn and be inspired. Join us and

let’s continue to evolve the story of technology in the Tri-Cities!

For more information, go to tctechsummit.com.

Byron Martin is the chief executive officer and owner of Kennewick’s Teknologize, an information technology consulting firm and IT service provider founded in 2011.

Ty Mulholland is the president of Richland’s Wildland, a custom software developer, and has more than 11 years of experience leading teams through large scale projects.