LIT Dinner to Honor Top Technologists and Policymakers Instrumental in Advancing Technology Innovation

Arlington, Va., November 18, 2013 - Bre Pettis, CEO and co-founder of MakerBot, a leader in desktop 3D printing, will deliver a keynote address at the 2014 International CES® Leaders in Technology (LIT) Dinner. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the 2014 International CES, the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The LIT Dinner will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 8, in the Lafite Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas. The invitation-only event gathers and honors the top technologists, entrepreneurs and policymakers instrumental in furthering technology innovation.

"Bre Pettis' leadership and passion for innovation have played a critical role in the success of 3D printing for both professionals and consumers - the consumer category didn't even exist a few years ago and is now one of the biggest stories to come out of the International CES," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. "We are thrilled to have Bre keynote the 2014 CES LIT dinner and look forward to hearing his vision for how 3D printing will transform entrepreneurship, business and consumer opportunities in the year ahead."

Pettis has led MakerBot as CEO since its beginning in 2009. Prior to co-founding MakerBot, he co-founded the Brooklyn hacker collective NYC Resistor, where Makerbot technology was first created, tested and proven. Pettis was instrumental in building the first prototypes of MaterBot's 3D printers, and has become known worldwide as a leading evangelist for personal manufacturing. In 2012, Pettis was honored with the Disruptive Innovation Award from the Tribeca Film Festival, for "creating an entire ecosystem for desktop 3D printing." He is passionate about providing tools for individuals and organizations to create the world around them.

New to the 2014 CES show floor, the 3D printing TechZone will showcase the latest advancements in 3D printing technology from top companies in the category. Following its initial launch, the 3D Printing TechZone sold out more than 3,000 net square feet of exhibit space and has since expanded to 6,900 square feet to meet exhibitor demand.

Former LIT Dinner speakers include Skype CEO Josh Silverman; Huffington Post Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief Arianna Huffington; Netflix Co-Founder and CEO Reed Hastings; eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahue; and Pandora Chief Strategy Officer and Founder Tim Westergren.

The Leaders in Technology Program at CES allows high-level public policymakers and technologists to learn from more than 3,200 exhibitors and thousands of new products that contribute to a dynamic industry that supports an expected $1 trillion in retail sales worldwide. The program also provides information and insight to assist officials in evaluating federal policies that affect the consumer technology industry. For more information on the Leaders in Technology Program, please contact Laura Hudson at lhudson@CE.org or 703-907-7604. For more information on the 2014 CES, visit CESweb.org.