The Austin Technology Council (ATC) - the preeminent voice of Central Texas' diverse and thriving technology industry, representing more than 60 percent of Austin's technology workforce - today announces that Amber Gunst has been appointed CEO after serving as the interim CEO since May of 2018.

"Austin has a rare opportunity to be one of the top three cities in the entire country that leads in technology. There are many great organizations and incubators that support startups in Austin, but the Austin Technology Council is one of the most instrumental organizations in the entire region for established companies that are earning at least one million per year in revenue. Through our expanded membership, we are well on track to meet our goal of growing many more Austin-based tech companies to their first billion in valuation and another 100 companies to $100 million in revenue," said Gunst.

"For the past 27 years, the Austin Technology Council has played an important role in the engagement, development and growth of the technology community and our members in the Central Texas region. Amber's broad experience in the business community through her past roles at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce in membership development and services and in the interim CEO role at ATC driving member engagement, business development and value-add events have prepared her to be successful as the permanent CEO of the organization," said ATC Board member David Altounian, Ph.D., interim dean and MBA program director for The Bill Munday School of Business at St. Edward's University.

Gunst first joined ATC as head of sales and membership services with 20 years of experience in business development and member association sales, including four years at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. She was the top sales and retention leader of all chambers of commerce in the state of Texas, ranking in the top 10 nationally in sales for chambers with revenue over $1.5 million. She also worked for a global staffing firm where she was responsible for client development and consulting staff management.

Since her time working at ATC, she has more than doubled membership and increased retention by over 18 percent.

"We are thrilled that Amber will continue to lead ATC into its next chapter. With a front-row seat for Austin's explosive growth as a tech ecosystem, ATC will continue to serve the tech community with programs and content that help founders and CEOs build the next generation of technology industry leaders here in central Texas. Our goal is to connect today's leaders with tomorrow's so that we can learn and grow together as we build some of the best tech companies in the world," said ATC Board Chairman Mark McClain, founder and CEO of SailPoint.

Press Contact: Jennifer Gooding | Narwhal Media Group jrgooding@narwhalmediagroup.com 310.927.1829

About Austin Technology Council (ATC)

The Austin Technology Council (ATC) is the voice of Central Texas' diverse and thriving technology industry, representing more than 60 percent of Austin's technology workforce. The Austin technology sector contributes $22.3 billion annually to the regional economy and supports more than one-third of local jobs. By convening Austin's top technology leaders, ATC is leading the effort to meet the future needs of the industry through increased access to capital, new and diverse technical talent in the region, mentorship for emerging companies and connectivity across the industry and with key stakeholders in Texas and around the world. For more information, please visit www.austintechnologycouncil.org.