By Tino Mantella
TLG President & CEO
I am honored to have been selected as a finalist for the Atlanta Technology Professional’s Connector Award. This inaugural award is being given to honor the legacy of Dan Webber posthumously. The award will be presented at the ATP Awards Gala 2022.
Dan was the quintessential connector and so much more. He was the guy who was always reaching out to see how he could introduce a new member of the community to others. He was the one who when spotting a person standing alone at an event, found a way to bring that person into the fold. If someone needed to change jobs, Dan would be the first in line to provide support. If a friend or acquaintance was seeking a connection to a buyer or a seller of technology, they could count on Dan. And if anyone within his reach had a problem, challenge, or opportunity of any kind, they could count on Dan to jump in with both feet. As I said, he was much more than a connector, but a connector of the first kind.
The Givers, the Takers, and the Matchmakers
In 2013, renowned speaker and author Adam Grant wrote “Give and Take.” One major premise of the book was his view on “givers, takers, and matchmakers”. My takeaway from this segment is that givers rule. Through my many years of being out in this community and others, I have run into my share of takers and matchmakers. Givers are in that rarified air that reach high to help people solely because it’s the right thing to do. We only go around once in life, so why not reach out and help as many people as we can? Now, this isn’t to say that givers don’t get rewarded beyond feeling good about the act of giving, but that’s totally okay. You can help and support your fellow man without looking for a quick ROI, but as I am sure Dan would agree, that ROI will likely come your way.
Becoming a Connector
I am one of the lucky ones. My career and the opportunity to be a giver have intersected. I am certain that all the awesome people up for this award would agree that the purpose of the recognition is not about them, but about Dan’s legacy and the deeper message that we can all do more to support one another. It’s not how Dan died but how he lived. Something we can all strive to emulate.
Tino
Contact Info:
Cell: 678-984-8528