Here’s what they said:

“What sticks with me is that there is information and tools that are free or inexpensive online.  Do not be afraid/reluctant to use them.  Another piece was that if your employee needs a chair to make them productive, get them one!  It is a small price to pay to make them comfortable and happy.”
     ~ Margie Wolfe, Victim Outreach Intervention Center

“I always knew Google provided free information, but Ami taught me that it can also save your office a lot of money!”
     ~ Greg Jena, Family Hospice and Palliative Care

“Free!  No way.  Free!  How can Google offer Non-Profits free (Did I mention that part yet?) email, and applications?  Is it really possible that Non-Profits can have access to the same products as For Profit Businesses?  Oh, and I need to invest in showing employees how valuable these systems are instead of telling them.” 
     ~ Signe Henkel, Outside In School of Experimental Education

“I LOVED when Ami said that if you are hiring a carpenter to work for you, you need to buy her a really good hammer!  His trust for his employees really stuck with me—that he believed and trusted that if they were provided with the right tools, that they would do their best for the organization. Nonprofit staff need the freedom and support to soar!”
     ~ Mindy Knappenberger, Armstrong County Community Foundation

“The part of Ami’s speech that stuck with me the most was Ami himself. Hearing him speak, it was easy to understand why his organization has the mindset and success that it does. Hearing the love and passion he has for his organization was inspiring. Being the head of an organization of that magnitude could easily overwhelm a person and cause them to get mired down in the “business” of it. But it was obvious that Ami trusts his staff to do what he brought them onboard to do allowing him to still enjoy the mission. His speech was humorous, insightful, and motivating!!”
     ~ Bob Ellsworth, United Jewish Federation

"These kids coming out of school don't know to go to the IT specialist to get their computer fixed. It's theirs and they deal with what's working or not working or get a new one."
     ~ Sandy Sturgulewski, Family Resources

“To me the funniest part of a very entertaining presentation was when Ami was telling the story about how he and his girlfriend would argue back and forth via [email] “Subject:” lines until he finally broke down and tried instant messaging.  His description was dead on and was a hilarious example of the difficulty of teaching us old dogs new tricks.”
     ~ Mary R. Seljak, North Hills Community Outreach

“One must think outside the box and be willing to consider all options. Change is hard, and to deviate from what we know is uncomfortable. However, when it comes to technology, one must always be considering what’s new and be willing to consider suggestions on how technology can improve our performance, efficiency and communication.”
     ~ Dianne Buirge, North Hills Community Outreach

“What stayed with me the most about Ami’s speech was his willingness to not be in control of every aspect of his employees’ work lives. Allowing employees to make decisions that help them work better, and therefore make his company better, is an amazing perspective that is also very courageous. It was an excellent lesson in listening, adapting and succeeding.”
     ~ Dana M. Sheehan, Allegheny County Dept. of Human Services

“Don’t tell them, Show them…. When Ami and his girlfriend would communicate through the subject line of the email she got frustrated and asked him to join AIM. He refused and then his girlfriend showed him AIM instead of explaining it to him----this helped! Because it worked for him, he didn’t know something was BETTER!”
     ~ Alice Sande Spataro, Horovitz, Rudoy & Roteman

For more information about TechNow, including session materials, visit http://technow2009.wordpress.com.