Tuesday, March 30, 2004 (No. 31)
Editor Milt Capps
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Just 9 Days!
April 8, 2004
Register here!

Technology! Nashville 2004 IT Leadership & Innovation Conference convenes in 9 days! More than 200 executives are already registered for this flagship event featuring twenty executive speakers and panelists, at Hilton Suites Nashville, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday, April 8th. Event details and online registration, here.

CAT Financial President James Beard discusses knowledge management, CRM, responsiveness to customers in Q&A, Tennessean, 1E, March 28.

Shmerling's Kroll Background America's growth fueled by anonymity of more transient society, some post-9/11 motivation and internal growth, including international expansion, Tennessean, 1E, March 22.

With funding inadequate for traditional public TV programming in the digital era, Nashville Public Television outlines "NPTcast" datacasting venture with SpectraRep, and pitches secure data pipeline and bandwidth for government agencies' education, homeland security, public service initiatives. Tennessean, 1E, March 30, here. NPT statement March 10, here.

Nashville Technology Council membership surpasses 300 milestone, Nash. Bus. Journal, March 24. Release here. March 30 NTC New-member update. Jan. 28 member update.

Noel Williams is Senior Vice President and CIO of HCA Inc., which was founded in 1968 as Hospital Corporation of America, and which today operates approximately 191 hospitals and 82 outpatient surgery centers in 23 U.S. states, England and Switzerland. Revenues: $21.8 billion (12/31/03).

She also serves as President of HCA Information Technology & Services,Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HCA. The IT&S sub was chartered in the mid-Eighties to serve the HCA system; such former HCA units as HealthTrust, LifePoint and Triad; and, others aligned with HCA through group-purchasing arrangements. Williams leads strategy, development and operations for all HCA information systems and services. Her roughly 1,100-person technology staff now supports more than 300 healthcare facilities.

She joined HCA in 1979 as a systems analyst, and worked her way through systems development and support, hardware support, documentation, customer support and other roles, before taking a two-year "sabbatical" to serve as CIO for America Service Group in Brentwood.

Williams told NTC yesterday that HCA's information priorities begin with patient safety, and include strategic initiatives related to integrated clinical strategy, outpatient strategy, information security, and enterprise reporting strategy. Major current projects underway include implementation of Lawson HR/Payroll modules and replacing HCA's internally developed collection system. All this work means HCA is looking for project-management, security, development and infrastructure talent, as reflected on the HCA website.

Most vendors know how to find HCA, notes Williams. For others, she advises that a query via Executive Assistant Kitty Hopkins will help ensure the vendor is referred to the most appropriate HCA information executive. Among key vendors are IBM, Dell and Cisco.

Williams' bulging portfolio also includes key internal roles with HCA working groups focused on Sarbanes-Oxley, Ethics & Compliance, Outpatient Strategy and, of course, IT governance. Her external roles include representing HCA within such groups as the United Way of Middle Tennessee Board of Trustees; the HCA Foundation Board of Directors; and, most recently, the Nashville Alliance for Public Education.

Williams holds a bachelor's in computer science and mathematics from Vanderbilt University and a master's in business administration from the University of South Carolina. She is a native of Nashville and lives here with her family.

Capital Confirmation uses internet to help identify fraud, confirm bank balances and debts, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 17, March 26, not on web.

Former Transcender president and CTO Ed Acerno reportedly alleges wrongful discharge in the course of Kaplan SelfTest's acquisition of Nashville category leader, NashvillePost.com, March 29. SelfTest President Chip Schuneman declined comment in conversation with NTC this morning regarding rumored sharp drawdown of Nashville staffing, and relocation of most functions to Georgia. NTC's Jan. 7th coverage here.

Stuart McWhorter on Clayton Associates' venture-capital work, Tennessean, March 21.

Ingram's global bookmark (global business series), Tennessean, March 21.

Susan Marlow of Smart Data Strategies in Franklin says $6 million company is now targeting churches for GIS mapping of congregations, Nash. Bus. Journal supp. 7A, March 26, not on web.

iMUSIC announces short-run CD/DVD and collateral production runs complement Replay on-site repro technologies, Feb. 18, details here.

Details of NuMarkets eBay venture investment by Appalachian Fund kept secret through exemption from Freedom of Information disclosure, Knox. News Sentinel, March 22.

IPIX Security announces completion of 360-degree surveillance test at Cumberland Tunnel, release March 29 here. Track response to investor interest, on news. IPIX renamed here. IPIX teams with AdPlus from PBS here. NashvillePost.com story March 29 here.

Protomet, MK Techologies and DCS Electronics make Knoxville a hub of rapid prototyping for tech sector, manufacturers, Knox. News Sentinel, March 29.

PeopleTech is the new identity of Audio Visual Resources, NashvillePost.com, March 18.

North Highland Co. closed on minority investment in Merge Agency, communications and interactive design firm after 5-year partnership, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 25, March 26, not on web. Release March 5 here.

Web MD co-founder Jeffrey Arnold now a player in entertainment, with LidRock, NY Times, March 29.

CGI proposes buying American Management Systems to crack government market, Washington Post, March 22.

Former PalmGear's Wuerch now weilding Power by Hand as chairman/CEO, as company agglomerates wireless content, technology, distribution resources, Tennessean, 1E, March 22. Merges with Pinpoint Networks, March 22 statement. Acquires PalmGear.com and Smartphone.com, release March 22. City Paper, March 23.

Kim Caffey, former J.C. Bradford exec, tomorrow leaves SunTrust Robinson Humphrey's Atlanta office for unspecified entrepreneurial role, Tennessean, 3E, March 30.

Tammy W. Hawes, former Paradigm Health CTO, has been named president of Axis Accounting Systems; Dallas Wilt remains chairman and CEO. Tennessean, 1E, March 25. Nash. Bus. Journal, March 22, here.

NASA has selected Nashville's Jay Ress, PMP, principal consultant for Technology Management Associates, to present during "NASA: Meeting the Project Management Challenge" conference, now underway at College Park, Md. Ress is addressing proactive communications for project managers. NTC is again partnering with Ress to offer Management Skills for IT Professionals, May 19-21, here in Nashville, details here.

MAPCO Express chooses PerformanceRetail software, services, release March 22.

Nashville's Capital Confirmation says First Tenn. Bank has opted for Confirmation service, Tennessean, March 24, scroll down here.

Essex Technology Group, Web-auction resellers, opts to remain in Nashville, City Paper, p. 11, March 25.

PayMaxx provides payroll services to First Farmers & Merchants Bank, March 23.

Infospace Mobile and Universal Music Group in ringtone deal, March 23 release.

Ztango, EMI CMG announce ringtone music-licensing, release, March 22.

Vision3 Interactive President Tracy Rode puts "listening" ahead of tech, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 19, March 26, not on web. Fuller profile of Rode on 9A of March 26 supplement, not on web.

Women in Technology of Tennessee (WiTT) founder Tracy Evers was spurred by lack of networking opportunities, Nash. Bus. Journal Supp. 12A, March 26.

Clark Liddell was March 1 named vice president of professional services at EdgeNet, according to CIO Tim Stafford. Liddell relocated from Charlotte, N.C., where previous positions included managing director and founding partner of FractionalGroup, a management consulting firm.

In Birmingham-based ComFrame's 10th Avenue Nashville office, Kenneth Fisher joins as project manager, while Debra Hays is promoted to regional director for consulting management and sales, City Paper, p. 12, March 30, not on web.

Stacy Horabeck is named account director for SmartDM, Tennessean, March 28.

Cumberland Emerging Technologies Inc. announced new board members, including Christopher McKinney, director of Vanderbilt Office of Technology Transfer and Technology Development; Dan Marcum, chair, TN Technology Development Corp. and managing partner Marcum Capital. Tennessean, March 28.

Esworthy is new BMI CFO, Tennessean, March 27.

Nashville Health Care Council's international trade missions paid-off for CFP Group, now the Council plans another such mission for fall. Fall 2004 mission to Budapest, Hungary and Prague, and Czech Republic here. Earlier Tennessean story, March 22, here.

Mick Stadler, managing partner, Seges Capital of Nashville, will address BioMed Expo 2004 at Ann Arbor, April 29.

Vanderbilt Center for Better Health and Accenture seek ways to use healthcare information technologies more effectively, Healthcare IT News, March 04, p. 11. Center's Clinical IT Bootcamp for Non-IT Execs, here.

Healthcare IT national conferences Calendar (HiMSS), here.

Homeland Security report due out in April expected to cite states' homeland chiefs as bottlenecks in security spending, March 14, Federal Computer Week. GAO issues report on technologies available to secure federal information systems, March 2004.

Tennessee's Digital Government Summit convenes May 25 in Nashville; latest details here. A GovTech event in collaboration with State of TN OIR and in consultation with tech groups, including Nashville Technology Council.

Tennessee needs $21.6 billion in infrastructure improvements for transportation, economic development, education, etc., report released by Tennessee Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations, March 29, here.

Knox County latest government to opt for Lawson Software for financials, HR and procurement, March 29, here.

Nashville Electric Service seeks proposals (RFP 93681) for IT staffing services. Obtain RFP by sending letter to Procurement Manager Deborah Corbitt, (615) 747-3821, to arrive not later than 2 p.m. CT, April 2, citing RFP number, on bidder's letterhead. (NES: 1214 Church Street, Room 305, Zip 37246) Prebid conference is 2 p.m., April 29 at NES. For further information, (615) 747-3821. Related: See Spotlight, March 17, scroll down here.

RIAA sues seven Vanderbilt users of illegal downloading, Vanderbilt Hustler, March 26; Tennessean, March 24.

ATWEC President Alex Wiley presses KiddeVoice in Tenn. General Assembly presentation, Knox. News Sentinel, March 29. Earlier report, Feb. 18, scroll down here. ATWEC contract March 24.

Tennessee counties gain wireless revenues, Times Free Press, March 19.

Knoxville-based Direct I.S. gets $10 million-plus federal GSA IT procurement contract, Knox. News Sentinel, March 29.

Lawmakers consider new cable regulations, Commercial Appeal, March 26.

Franklin resident says she's guilty of scamming via federal contracts awarded tech employer, Tennessean, March 23.

Jackson is first Tennessee city to get VOIP over FTTP, says Metaswitch, release March 30.

Cathy Ross is new CFO for FedEx Express, Commercial Appeal, March 25.

Cathy Elliott leaves Memphis Technology Council for Aetos, March 26, Commercial Appeal.

Private venture funding will flow from Oak Ridge National Lab, with commercialization a focal-point, Knox. News Sentinel, March 28. Columnist extols Oak Ridge National Lab's role as 'science lab of the future', Knox. News Sentinel, March 28. Oak Ridge National Lab still vulnerable, Tennessean, March 28.

HSN moves fulfillment center to Tennessee from Florida, March 23.

East TN State Univ. alum Robinette to Galey & Lord CIO job, March 23.

Pilot Travel Centers Knoxville selects TelaPoint supply-chain solutions, release March 30.

UT's Tom Ballard will run Battelle's economic development programs in East Tenn., Knox. News Sentinel, March 23.

NuMarkets appoints Amos and Vanderhoofven to board, Knox. News Sentinel, March 25.

Chattanooga police believe new technologies will produce results, Times Free Press, March 26.

East Tenn. Technology Council speakers address CAN-SPAM, Knox. News Sentinel, March 29.

Downtown Knoxville launches new website and logo, March 25, Knox. News Sentinel.

Clayton Homes website competition opened to high-school class, News Sentinel, March 18.

Laptops to be required of Franklin Road Academy students, reflecting trend away from "labs" to one-on-one laptop access, The City Paper, p. 1, March 30.

Posting grades of TN Lottery scholarship winners raises fears of identity theft, Tennessean, March 29.

University of Phoenix offers online campus with live classes in Franklin, Tennessean, March 26.

Vanderbilt faculty study effects of space travel on human beings, Tennessean, March 28.

Report: Adverse health effects of synthetic nanotechnologies in the body, NY Times, March 29.

Vanderbilt Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences spring lectures continue April 1 and 15 with presentations on scalable sensor network infrastructure; and, control of network embedded systems. Details here.

Gerry G. Hull, president/CEO of Automated Logic Corporation, honored as Distinguished Alumnus by Vanderbilt School of Engineering. Hull has been active on the School's Committee of Visitors and in fundraising. In 2001 he was named the Ernst & Young Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year in the Technology-Software Division and in 2002 was named CEO of the Year by Frost and Sullivan. ALC develops and manufacturers electronic control systems for buildings.

Kenneth F. Galloway, dean of the Vanderbilt School of Engineering, recently chaired the "Engineering's Role in Defense R&D" session of the 2004 Public Policy Colloquium of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Deans Council.

Owen Graduate School marketing faculty members Hoffman, Novak and Oliver citations rank second in frequency only to MIT among 46 top business schools, Tennessean, March 29, 5E, not on web. Owen release here.

Vandy news archive receives National Endowment for Humanities grant, Nash. Bus. Journal, March 22.

Magnetic Dreams 3-D team creates films for "Sesame Street," Tennessean, March 26; Nash. Bus. Journal, March 26.

Vanderbilt's Law and Owen School students, faculty test Motorola wireless, Tennessean, March 24.

Nashville Technology Council's annual Technology! Nashville IT Leadership & Innovation Conference will be Thursday, April 8, 2004, Hilton Suites Nashville, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Scheduled speakers include Mayor Bill Purcell; Ray Capp, CEO, Conduit Corporation; Michael Fischer, President-Application Services in the Americas, EDS; Ryan Wuerch, President, PalmGear; Dr. William W. Stead, Associate Vice Chancellor for health affairs, Vanderbilt University; Tony Holcombe, President, WebMD; Cliff Duffey, President, Cybera; John Jones, Vice President, Asurion; George Argodale, Vice President-IT, Tractor Supply; Chris Pair, Asst. Vice President-enterprise reporting, HCA; Linda Rebrovick, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, BearingPoint; Jeff Duncan, Vice President-IT, Louisiana Pacific; Jonathan James, Vice President-Marketing, Syntel Inc.; Eric Cromwell, TN ECD Director of Technology; Milt Capps, NTC Advancement Project Director; Tom DePauw, Global Program Director-IT, CAT Financial; David Condra, President, Nashville Technology Council, and others pending confirmation. Sponsors are CGI, CompUSA, XO Communications, BellSouth, Cisco, Mayor's Office of Economic and Community Development, and Novell. Event details and online registration, here.

Nashville Technology Council issues 2004 Nashville Technology Directory, NTC release. Tennessean, March 19.

Outsourcing: It's made an irritated independent of GOP-leaning biznewscaster Lou Dobbs, March 21, NY Times.

Art or Science? Why software still stinks, Salon magazine, March 19 (Free online daypass).

RFID: Smaller enterprises gaining from employment of RFID technologies, Information Week, March 22.

E-commerce: Mainstreaming nearly complete, access demographics normalizing, NY Times, March 29.

Cybersecurity: Liability increases with Sarbanes-Oxley, other pressures, Reuters via Wash. Post, March 28.

Contra Viruses and Worms: The Cisco Self-Defending Network.

In Search Of: Google rolls-out localized engine, March 17, NY Times and AP via NY Times. Web surfers who want a broader selection of parochial information will be encouraged to visit new gateway. Related: New software category: the "search information manager," Washington Post, March 25.

The Executive Development Institute, Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, spring course offerings.

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(April 1) PROJECT PAYCHECK, middle Tennessee's largest job expo, Gaylord Entertainment Center.

(April 6) Northeast TN Tech Council breakfast meeting at New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, Kingsport, 7:30a-8:30a. Pre-register by e-mail vcrymble@netntech.org or call (423) 279-9000. No charge.

(April 8) Technology! Nashville, Nashville Technology Council's annual IT leadership and innovation conference, Hilton Suites, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Details here.

(April 8) AITP Nashville, Titans Football IT operations tour, details here.

(April 13-14) Clinical IT Bootcamp for non-IT Executives & Board Members; Vanderbilt Center for Better Health, 3401 West End Avenue, Suite 290. Details, registration online here.

(April 13-14) 10th Ann'l Tenn. Geographic Information Council (GIS), Cool Sprgs Marriott, here.

(April 13) MidTN Java Users Group, panel: "Success with Java," representatives from McGraw Hill, Manheim, Spheris, Integra, NFIB, 4:30p-6p, location: RHI, 3100 West End Suite 400. RSVP here.

(April 14) Business execs are invited to join Mayor Purcell and Schools Director Pedro Garcia on the Chamber's annual Business Visit to Metro Schools, register here.

(April 16) North Highland sets panel on Program Management Office, with Joe Degati, SVP/CIO, Cendant Corporation/Progeny Marketing Innovations; Edward Scott - EVP/CFO, Caterpillar Financial; Richard Singletary, AVP Strategy & Planning, HCA Information Technology & Services, details here.

(April 16) Technology Explosion career fair and tech expo, Hillsboro High Schools, Nashville, for further information here.

(April 22) InfraGard and FBI: Protecting critical infrastructure, with responses to Infragard threat scenarios from Nashville Electric Service, Nashville Gas, Metro Water, Metro Nashville Airport Authority; and, presentation by Maj. Gen. Jerry Humble, TN Office of Homeland Security. 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Baptist Hospital Amphitheater, Nashville. Register by phone (800) 501-4344. Details here.

(April 27) Wireless LAN security and audit, daylong course, Information Systems Audit and Control Assn., local chapter, details here. CPE credits.

(April 27) "Light Speed," 8 p.m. CDST, NPT Channel 8; PBS series "Innovation" explores the emergence of fiber-optics technologies.

(April 30) 4th annual Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Innovation breakfast, Convention Center; details and registration here.

(May 6) NTC Tech Roundtable dinner - Mike Dunne, President of Quanta US, University Club, Vanderbilt.

(May 7) PayMaxx is subject of Nashville Chamber's "Behind the Business" program, 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m., preceded by networking, details here.

(May 13) AITP Nash., Starting Your IT Business, Bob Chaput -American Tech'y Grp, details here.

(May 18) "NTC Tech After Hours," Marriott Franklin Cool Springs, 4:30 p.m., details here.

(May 19-21) Management skills for IT professionals, with Jay Ress, Tenn. Economic Development Center (BellSouth Tower). Details here.

(May 20) 41st Annual State of Metro Address by Mayor Bill Purcell, Mayor of Nashville, Convention Center, 7 a.m. registration and networking, 7:30 - 9 breakfast and program, info and registration here.

(May 25) GovTech Tennessee Government Technology Summit, details, here.

(May 31-June 2) Knoxville/Oak Ridge Summit, Tennessee Valley Corridor, here.

(June 3) NTC Tech Roundtable - Loren Chumley, Commissioner - Revenue, State of Tennessee - The Streamlined Sales Tax Project, electronic commerce, etc.

(June 4) Chamber Behind the Business, Robert Henry, CEO, American Endoscopy Services, details here.

(July) NTC Tech Roundtable - "Open Source" panel discussion, University Club, Vanderbilt.

(Aug. 2-5) Synergy 2004: IT education-program reform conference in Nashville, led by Center for IT Education at Nashville State Community College, covering improvement of teaching and learning, and alignment of IT education with changing workforce and workplace demands. For more information, write David McNeel, director, CITE.

(Aug. 5) NTC Tech Roundtable, Tim Stafford, CIO, EdgeNet, University Club, Vanderbilt.

(Aug. 24) 3rd Annual Nashville Technology Council - ISSA "Information Security Conference," Nashville Convention Center.

(Sept. 23-24) 8th Ann' Tenn. Venture Forum - hosts: Tech2020, City of Chattanooga. American Venture magazine touts success of Tennessee Venture Forum, page 11, Jan/Feb. 04, not on web.

(Sept. 28-30) 2004 Governor's Conference, Nashville Convention Center.

(Sept. 28) Nashville Area Chamber annual "Future 50" event, Franklin Cool Springs Marriott Hotel. Reception 5 p.m., dinner/presentation, 6 p.m. Details to be announced in May.

(Oct. 5-7) Memphis Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference, Memphis Biotech. Fdn, here.