In an Event Management class at IUPUI in April, students learned how technology from Qtego has increased silent auction fundraising at Gala’s and other not-for-profit events.

Joe Pence, Co-founder of Qtego, gave the presentation.  He shared how Qtego’s use of guests’ cellular phones for bidding at events has increased overall bidding and giving activity.

With Qtego Auction Technology’s instant updates, participants receive text or phone updates, making the bidding more fun and more frequent—running up the winning price! The bidder-specific messaging also alerts auction start and close times so that last-minute bids aren’t lost.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville Florida creates magic in the lives of more than 1,100 families each year.  The magic may not always be obvious to the casual observer, but to the families we serve the magic is around every corner.  It is in the relief they experience when they are greeted by a smiling volunteer after a long day of treatments, or in the look of understanding they can only get from a another parent of a sick child. The magic is in the way children with wheelchairs, little girls without hair and kids who don’t always feel like they fit in, feel magically at home when they come through these doors. Thanks to the support of donors, volunteers and attendees RMHC Jacksonville will continue to make magical memories for thousands of families.

Qtego would like to thank the Ronald McDonald House Charities for including us in their magical night May 5th. Qtego provided the silent auction technology and Fund-A-Need by cellular phone.

What is the PCI security standards council?

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council is an institution set up by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International with the aim of enhancing payment account security. It aims to achieve this goal through the mandatory adoption of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) by all businesses that store, process and/or transmit credit/debit card data.

What is PCI DSS?

PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This standard (commonly known as ‘PCI’) represents a common set of security due diligence practices that help ensure the safe handling of payment card data. Created by the five major card companies (American Express, JCB, MasterCard and Visa), this standard comprises 12 distinct requirements that are designed to:

• Build and maintain a secure network
• Protect (cardholder) data in transit or at rest
• Maintain a vulnerability management program
• Implement strong access control measures
• Regularly monitor and test your IT infrastructure
• Maintain an information security policy.

What are the benefits of implementing PCI DSS?

PCI DSS is a binding collection of rules that promote IT security processes. PCI DSS aims to reduce financial fraud through heightened network security capabilities of whoever processes payment card information. There are many benefits of PCI DSS compliance. The most fundamental ones for an organization are:

• Protection of customers’ personal data
• Increased customer confidence through a higher level of data security
• Increased protection against financial losses and remediation costs that arise from security breaches
• Maintain customer trust, and safeguard reputation
• Benchmark and assess the security mechanisms of systems that store, process and/or transmit payment cardholder data.

Hi Joe,

On behalf of our entire SLDM community, we cannot thank you enough for all that you and your Qtego team did for our event! We recently met with our accounting team, and are excited to announce to our parish that we raised $15,000 over our previous year on our silent auction! We achieved this with having 100 less items than last year! Our “GIVE” raised $41,500, which was also a $10,000 increase!  In the past, we have had around 40 to 60 items that went un-sold.  This year, we had nothing to take home with us!  Our work load decreased, but our profit increased!  Our accounting department has never had a more relaxing evening.  We were nervous about how our parishioners would adapt to this big change after doing “paper bidding” for 10 years, but it was wildly successful! We had over 75% bidding participation from our attendees. We have received nothing but positive feedback!

You and your team made this such a seamless transition for us, and we can’t thank you enough! You truly helped us “step it up” and take our event to the next level.  We can’t wait to see how we can all top it together again next year!

If there is ever anything WE can do for YOU…let us know!

Regards,

Christine Utzinger and Lisa Finn
Mardi de Montfort Advisors

AFCEA Bethesda

14th Annual Celebration Benefiting The
Children’s Inn at NIH
“A Night for the Children”

Saturday, April 14, 2012
6:30 PM – Midnight

Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
1700 Tysons Boulevard · McLean, VA 22102

For the past 14 years, AFCEA Bethesda has proudly sponsored an annual gala supporting The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Together with organizations and individuals representing all areas of the federal IT community who have generously contributed their time and financial support, we have been able to donate over $4.1 million to the Children’s Inn at NIH.

The Children’s Inn at NIH is a residential “place like home” for sick children and their families. Children come from across the country and around the world to stay together with their families in The Inn’s healing environment while receiving groundbreaking medical treatments at NIH, the nation’s leading biomedical research center. While NIH takes care of the child’s medical needs, The Children’s Inn tends to the heart, soul and spirit.

The gala has grown to become one of the most important fundraising events of the year for The Children’s Inn. We invite your organization to participate and give back to the community. Your support will have a tremendous impact on the quality of life for children and their families. We welcome individuals and companies alike to become further involved through the AFCEA Bethesda Chapter.

General Dynamics Information Technology is graciously sponsoring Qtego’s Auction Technology for the event. Guest will be able to make their silent auction bids by texting or calling on their cellular phones.

We are pleased to invite you to the Make-A-Wish Foundation ® of the Hudson Valley 2012 Wish Ball. The 2012 Wish Ball — Friday, April 27th, at DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown — will honor The Friends of Aiden Berges Foundation & Neva and Howard Goldstein for their service and dedication to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

This years silent auction will offer Qtego’s auction by cellular technology. Guests will be able to text or call their bids in from their own cell phones.

A Celebration for Roncalli

Saturday, April 28

Rebelation Riviera: “A Wonderful Rebel Resort” will be held Saturday, April 28, 2012 at Roncalli High School. As Rebelation approaches its 14th year, it has grown into a premier event that brings together our community of parents, benefactors, alumni and friends. This annual dinner, live auction, silent auction, raffle and student performances will raise over $100,000 for needs-based tuition assistance. Doors open: 5:00 PM • Silent auction: 5:00-8:30 PM Dinner: 7:00 PM • Live auction: 8:30 PM

Join Qtego who will be providing the silent auctions by cellular phone to raise money for the China Mission Team on Saturday, March 17th. Ben Davis Christian Church will be providing a Italian Dinner to benefit the children of China at Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village. You
will have a chance to bid on hundreds of items from several sports teams, and local restaurants using your cell phone

You can start your bidding in advance of the event by viewing the items on Qtego on-line Auction web site Click here to view the Catalog,

What comes to mind when you close your eyes and hear the phrase “Fat Tuesday?” Probably visions of bustling streets in New Orleans during Mardi Gras the day before the Lenten season begins in March.

Ask a St. Simon the Apostle parishioner what they see when you mention “Fat Tuesday” and you might get a different answer.

“A band playing and our gymnasium full of local restaurants serving up food and drinks to over 500 Geist locals,” is the picture Angela Duggan sees in her mind.

For the past six years, Duggan has been orchestrating the Taste of St. Simon, renamed this year to “Bites for Bytes,” to benefit the Geist parochial school’s technology department. With the help of parent volunteers and faculty, Duggan goes door-to-door asking every restaurateur who will listen to participate in the annual event. Nearly 20 local restaurants are already on board for this year’s event which be held on Tuesday, March 8 from 6:00-9:30 p.m. at St. Simon the Apostle School.

“We have some new restaurants this year like Scotty’s Lakehouse and Good Fellas, but our event has been built around long-time supporters like Bella Vita, the Grill, Casler’s and Chef Suzanne,” said Duggan.

This year St. Simon has invited Qtego to provide the Silent Auction Technology so their guests can bid on the auction items by using their own cellular phones.

Brad:
I was just going to send you an email thanking you for a such a wonderful event. You and your team were so attentive and helpful throughout the entire evening. We look forward to a long relationship with Qtego!

Now on it’s 10th year, Mardi de Montfort is St. Louis de Montfort’s annual fundraising Dinner and Dance will be held Feb 18. The success of this evening is not solely a measure of funds raised, but also the coming together as a community to celebrate our relationships and blessings. The common goal to grow as a community is an integral part of Mardi de Montfort.

The evening consists of dinner, dancing, and live and silent auctions. Join us for a festive evening, full of fun and fellowship as we celebrate our 10th anniversary – Diamonds Are Forever.

Qtego Auction Technology
New for 2012 is the use of Qtego Auction Technology. This technology will allow silent auction bidding to occur from any cell phone by simply texting in the item number and bid amount. The patron is immediately notified if they are the high bidder and also if they were just outbid. This easy to use and fun bidding process helps raise more money than the traditional paper and pen method because the patron doesn’t have to keep returning to the table to see current bid amounts. Customers can now socialize and enjoy their evening while being apprised of the status of their bid instantly. Qtego also ensures that all bids are recorded and delivers a single patron invoice for easy checkout.

Qtego & McCurry reference letter

Join us for an evening of dining, dancing and silent & live auctions using Qtego’s Bid by Phone Auction Technology. Hosted by the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Lions Eye Institute research program, bringing us one step closer to unlocking the cure for blindness.

Saturday, October 15, 2011
4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Florida
Black Tie Optional

Qtego Authorized Auction Representative Dean McCurry Auctioneer Services from Dallas, TX recently held a successful fundraising event for the Lewisville ISD Foundation.

Dean used Qtego’s new check out process for the event and received the following thank you from Connie Pelphrey Executive Director

Thanks again for your support of Riley.  I really think the technology will help us continue to excel.  I hope that you may have also garnered new business last night.  I heard so many positive comments about Qteqo and how easy it is to use.

Our goal is to raise the most funds possible to help those children that are critically and chronically ill.  It is a mission I take very seriously.  I’ve met hundreds of families and all are counting on Riley Hospital’s expertise to help them make it through the darkest times.  I want all success stories and no other stories.  It is too heart breaking otherwise.  So I will continue to raise funds for ground-breaking research to cure or treat some of those illnesses and diseases than no one else can right now.  Your product will help us do that.

Thank you,
Cara Lathrop