Information technology will be an important focus for the state of Georgia and a leading driver of its economic recovery, said Governor Nathan Deal on Monday.

Deal made the announcement in a special presentation to leadership from Georgia's technology community and employees at the Alpharetta headquarters of McKesson Technology Solutions, a division of America's largest healthcare services and information technology company.

Deal was joined by David Henriksen, senior vice president and general manager of McKesson's Physician Practice Solutions group, and Tino Mantella, president and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). Governor Deal spoke about Georgia's leadership in health IT, logistics, financial technology, information security and IT communication, as well as efforts to better promote the state's technology footprint through the "Where Georgia Leads" campaign.

"Georgia is home to more than 13,000 technology companies employing more than 250,000 Georgians," said Deal. "From the companies developing cutting-edge technology, to the men and women who use it every day across a variety of industries, our state is on the forefront of progress."

A series of initiatives are currently under way to bolster the growth of technology in Georgia. As a result of the passage of Senate Resolution 68, leadership in Georgia's technology community will participate in a series of meetings around the state over the next six months to discuss elements needed for a strategic plan for science and technology – the first in Georgia's history. Simultaneously, the Technology Association of Georgia and its partners will rally the technology community through the "Where Georgia Leads" campaign to promote the businesses, talent and innovation that the state has to offer.

"The technology industry in Georgia has been steadily growing in the past few years, even as many other industries saw declines during the recession," said Mantella. "It has been perhaps one of our best kept secrets. But we are determined, as a community, to keep that secret no more and promote Georgia as a top destination for technology business and jobs. We are pleased that the Governor is helping us make a big step in that direction by helping kick off our 'Where Georgia Leads' campaign."

Georgia is home to a number of strong technology industry clusters, and it is among the top states in the nation for logistics, financial technology, information security and IT communication. Georgia also leads the nation in health IT.

Combined, these clusters bring in more than $80 billion in revenue each year. The strength of the clusters has contributed to attracting and retaining top technology companies from around the globe, including McKesson, NCR, First Data and CoreFire.

"With its impressive infrastructure, culture of innovation and diverse workforce, it's easy to see why Georgia has distinguished itself as a destination of choice for technology companies," said Henriksen. "As the leader in healthcare services and IT, McKesson is proud to represent the growing technology community in Georgia."

"Where Georgia Leads" is a campaign headed by the Technology Association of Georgia, in collaboration with the organizations partners and members, to raise awareness about Georgia's leadership in technology.