February, 2011

Tech nerds assemble! The concentration of technology geeks is usually heavy here in Boston with NERD and our Northeast offices. This week, however, we may be outnumbered. The Redmond campus is hosting the largest customer event of the year, Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Global Summit . This nerd mecca attracts approximately 1,500 of the most elite in technology, including more than 25 from right here in Mass. They descend upon Redmond to meet with Microsoft executives and product groups to provide valuable feedback, engage in hundreds of technical sessions, and deepen existing relationships...

Texas native Craig Hodges has committed to braving the New England winter as the new General Manager for Microsoft’s Northeast District. In his new role, Craig is responsible for sales and marketing to the company’s largest enterprise customers in the Northeast District. He will also lead Microsoft’s engagement with the broader New England community on issues including economic development, innovation and STEM education. While new to the Northeast, Craig comes to his new position with more than five years tenure at Microsoft. Most recently, Craig was the general manager...

Back in 2006, college student Cy Khormaee found himself participating in a Microsoft competition. Little did he know he’d find himself in the same competition five years later, competing again as a Harvard MBA student with a project that could change the future of diagnosing malaria. Each year, thousands of college students like Cy participate in Microsoft’s Imagine Cup , the world’s premier student technology competition. The goal of the contest is to demonstrate how technology can help solve the world’s toughest problems, such as poverty and hunger, widespread disease...

In attempts to level the playing field for underserved communities and provide essential technology skills for job seekers, Microsoft today announced that it is awarding more than $5 million in cash and up to $10 million in software over the next two years to 12 non-profits, including the YMCA of Greater Boston Education and Training Branch , or YMCA Training, Inc., which offers technology training to the local Boston community. YMCA Training, Inc. provides access to employment that offers family-supporting wages and benefits to unemployed and underemployed adults. Since 1984, YMCA Training...