Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2004 (No. 47)
Editor & Publisher 
Milt Capps
For previous issues or date of next issue, visit the news archive.



 
NTC Tech Underwriter
NTC Sponsors


Jay Ress
President
TMA Seminars
In the Spotlight

 


 

 

 





Upfront

Spotlight

Venture Innovation Enterprise

Partnership & Recognition

Healthcare

Government

East/West Tenn.& Region

Research & Education

Resources

Scheduled Events

 
Reader Survey ends tomorrow, Dec. 15: Please cast your votes now, right here. (Thanks!)

Gov. Bredesen, HP execs, Small Bus. Admin. and NFIB will announce business matchmaking initiative, Thursday, Dec. 16, release here (12/14).

Harry Jacobson of Vanderbilt Medical Center says doctors' innate 'computers' must be augmented by 'just-in-time information' from electronic systems, to ensure high-quality, Tennessean, Dec. 12.

Tennessee lands federal funding for Homeland Security as Tom Ridge departs, NashvillePost.com, Dec. 6. Related item: Nashville Public Television (NPT), Dept. of Health, and Sullivan County proposals for Homeland Security-linked ITEP grants via the program were not approved, according to Jill Tokarsky of TEMA. ITEP winners announced
here.

Cheerful: Goodwill Mid-Tenn has increased online retail revenues from $60K to $150K per year in the 18 months since shifting its e-sales effort from eBay to the national ShopGoodwill.com, according to David Jenkins, director of local
retail operations.

DigiScript expands with London office, Tennessean,
Dec. 7.

Dalcon Founder and NTC President David Condra adds Praemunio duties as Chairman,
NashvillePost.com, Dec. 7.

PayMaxx partners with Transactional Web, Nash. Bus. Journal,
Dec. 7.

Nashville's Provisio iTrials inks alliance with Fleishman-Hillard Clinical Trials Division,
release Dec. 8.

Avondale Partners achieves profitability, may help enable Nashville to regain financial prominence,
Tennessean, Dec. 12.

Nashville Technology Council Board of Directors formed Board-led committees and their chairpersons: Events and Programs - Beth Chase,
InfoWorks; Workforce-Education - Damien Creavin, WebMD Bus. Sols.; Membership-Sponsorship - John Doss, Healthcare Management Systems; Special Interest Groups - Prior Manning, EDS.

Nashville Technology Council Technology Census of tech firms ends Dec. 20 (
participate HERE).

Need a Management Skills tune-up for 2005 tech enterprise? Here's a great one, details 
right here.

Gov. Bredesen's new foundation website offers wealth of online resources, complements Dolly's Imagination Library program; related story, Knox. News Sentinel,
Dec. 14. Google will announce today it will fund effort to put major libraries' holdings on Internet, to create searchable library, NY Times, Dec. 14. Washington Post, Dec. 14.
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NTC partners with Jay Ress to enable executives to attain highest leadership goals

IT leadership isn't for the reluctant, the hesitant, the faltering. It's also not for control freaks, according to Jay Ress, founder and principal consultant of Technology Management Associates and sister company TMA Seminars. Ress says that the leadership and project-management training he has designed for Nashville Technology Council reflects his belief that "projects in a real sense 'respond' to certain leadership traits, and among those 'assertiveness' is the core trait for success -- not to be confused with 'dominance' or 'coerciveness'," he quickly adds. "In fact," he explains, "the most dramatically successful leaders succeed by recognizing that virtually all their followers come to their assignments intent on 'doing the right thing', and to succeed they need both affirmation of their freedom of individual action and the critical value of their accountability to their team."

The energetic 51-year-old veteran of project management and human-development initiatives displays a quiet confidence, and enthusiasm tempered by his belief that his job is to "enable professionals to lead in a complex low-authority, high-responsibility environments, in which projects cut across organizational boundaries, in which the success of the enterprise and the viability of careers are often, perhaps too often at stake."

While still an IT and project-management consultant, himself, Ress clearly feels called to serve through his widely praised seminars, because, as he explains it, "It doesn't take long in the trenches to see how hard people are really working out there, and you quickly realize the obligation of management to support the people they are accountable for."

"In this context, accountability is revealed as a two-way process," he says. Asked to recall how he came to hold such values, he tells of learning to paint a barn, and picking up carpentry and other yeoman skills under the tutelage of his immigrant Czech grandfather. He tells of human-development work he performed under contract in Latin America. He tells of his own IT consulting and sales experiences with TRW, Siemens, and others. He explains how deeply his 24 years' involvement in aikido martial arts training and teaching has convinced him of the power of resolving conflicts through respect, assertiveness and forethought, rather than through blunt aggressiveness.

Ress also believes in sharpening his tools: At Brandeis University, he earned two undergraduate degrees -- in Sociology and Politics, as well as a Master's in international relations. He is a frequent presenter during major Project Management Institute events nationally, regionally and locally, and has earned PMI's coveted Project Management Professional (PMP) and Registered Education Provider designations.

NTC's Ress-designed Management Skills series begins January 11, offering through four monthly sessions compelling lessons and experiences in "how to organize and lead in the uniquely demanding project environment." The series covers in succession "Proactive Communication Skills and Methods," "Assertive Management," "Project Leadership," and "Conflict Management." Registration for the limited-seating class is available now, right here.

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"Determining the Valuation of Your Technology Business" will be the topic of the Jan. 13, 2005, NTC Tech Roundtable, with lead presenter Owen GSM's Bruce Lynskey, and panel to be announced, including Laura Campbell as moderator. 4 p.m., Wildhorse Saloon, 2d Ave. Cosponsors: NTC, Nashville Capital Network and Owen Entrepreneurship Center.
 
Celerity Systems seeks business development, acquires Equity Position in ei3 for online technical and engineering
solutions, release Dec. 13.

Bryson discusses how stress led him to sell his Esper ISP in Knoxville to Xxpansion Networks, Knox.News Sentinel,
Dec. 13

CFED report says Tennessee has general economic 'vitality', but weaker on key ingredients for high-growth companies,
The
City Paper, Times Free Press, Dec. 8. Commercial Appeal, Dec. 8.

EmergeMemphis taps UVision entrepreneur to lead technology incubator, modeled after Georgia tech initiative, Commercial Appeal,
Dec. 3.

Knoxville to get Tennessee Valley Venture Forum, Oct. 6-7, 2005; event has been in Chattanooga and Nashville past four years, Tennessean,
Dec. 4. Knox. News Sentinel, Dec. 6.

iPayment responds to lawsuit press release,
Dec. 3, BW. iPayment forced to retain new counsel, Nash. Bus. Journal, Dec. 3. NashvillePost.com, Dec. 3.

Private Business announces 500K shares will be repurchased, Tennessean,
Dec. 2. Nash. Bus. Journal, Dec. 2. 

Trinsic enters mid-TN market for VoIP, NashvillePost.com,
Dec. 1. 

Vought, after announcing plant closure in Davidson County, announces major investment at Charleston, SC, Tennessean,
Dec. 2.
 

States lose access to Federal and State Technology Partnerships, may lose edge in competing with VCs for Small Business Innovation & Research grants, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 10, Dec. 3, not on web.  
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Good Works: The folks behind Emma – the Nashville-centered, web-based e-mail marketing and communications tool announced 26 honorees selected from a field of 82 charitable organizations nominated by Emma customers to receive gratis access to the Emma marketing resource. The news is here.

SCSI named among Top 100 Technology Pacesetters by accounting-industry pub., Tennessean, Dec. 12.

C
lientLogic Corp. was named ''Center of the Year'' and ''Best in Sector – Telemarketing & Outsourcing'' at the UK Call Center Association's Excellence Awards, Tennessean, Dec. 12

Independence Air hires Dialogic Communications Corp.of Franklin for its emergency-response telephone system, Tennessean, Dec. 9, scroll down here

Eddie Barnes, formerly of NuVox, is Director-Recycling Solutions for EnviroSmart, Inc., of Nu-kote International (Franklin). Barnes is charged with increasing EnvironSmart's recycling channels through independent representatives, strategic partnerships.

(
further) ClientLogic wins UK Call Center award, mention p. 11 City paper, Dec. 2.

I
PIX gets contract with Italy's CSG for technology, Knox. News Sentinel,
Dec. 6.

Eastman Chemical adopts Pylon Anywhere™ for wireless access to e-mail and personal information management (PIM) data, anywhere-anytime.
Release here.

Knoxville Utilities Board implements PeopleSoft with Empower Solutions, release
Dec. 13.

Knoxville's VoiCert, the voice-based system used by nearly 250 hospitals for insurance authorization and precertification transactions, has surpassed 50 million covered lives. Release Dec. 9.
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HCA's Doyle among HIT leaders tapped:  National Alliance for Health Information Technology on Dec. 7 announced creation of Technology Leadership Committee, augmenting Policy committee. Technology Leadership Committee members: Jim Adams, Healthlink Inc.; Barry Blumenfeld, MD, Partners Healthcare System; Charles Colander, Northwestern Memorial Hospital; Joseph DeVenuto, Norton Healthcare; Tom Doyle, HCA; Raymond G. Duncan, MD, Cedars-Sinai Health System; John Jenkins, Moses Cone Health System; John R. LaLonde, Guidant Corp.; Patricia E. Monahan, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association; Edward Park, athenahealth Inc.; Craig Richardson, Health Care Connectivity Alliance, Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Systems Inc.

UT and U. Memphis campuses get Army grant for wireless mobile telemedicine development for addressing glaucoma, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 12

U
T Medical Group Selects MPV to Identify Underpayments and Achieve Payor Contract Transparency, release Dec. 13.

CyberKnife technology's real-time imaging and robotics guide cancer surgery, Knox. News Sentinel, Dec. 6.

Memphis groups get $1 Million for  telemedicine development, Memphis Bus. Journal, Dec. 6. 

SimMan, manikin-based patient simulator, is onhand at Baptist Hospital at Memphis, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 5.

RFID, supply-chain technologies ease patient flow at Regional Med Center at Memphis, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 5.

Gambro to pay $350 Million to settle fraud case, AP via NY Times, Dec. 3. AP via Tennessean, Dec. 3. 

Lisa Wayman, a programmer/analyst for North Central Computer Technologies, joined Passport Health Communications as a
software developer, Tennessean, Dec. 5, scroll down here. 

Healthcare IT initiative by Bush Administration is not adequately financed, NY Times, Dec. 3.

Smith Seckman Reid's Johnson says healthcare sector resorting to Technology for healthcare quality and efficiency, staff shortages, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 37, Dec. 3. While in East TN, Brailer of ONCHIT commented on continued importance of healthcare IT, Kingsport Times News, Dec. 5.

Risk Management, as well as Technology are essential in complying with HIPAA, says Boult Cummings attorneys, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 38, Dec. 3.   

Nashville Healthcare Career map to be online, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 9, Dec. 3, not on web.
                      
(further) Caremark and Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN commit to electronic prescription service, Tennessean, Dec. 2.
Release, Dec. 1.
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Link to key in-state government bid-tracking resources, here. Also, see previous issues, here.
 
The State of Tennessee Information Systems Plan, 2004-2005, posted here.

TN Dept. of Personnel issues
RFP 319.02-012 for Development and Hosting of Web-based Training Services, deadline Jan. 7.

TN F&A Capital Projects seeks help through
RFP 317.10-003 for Asset Information
Management System Maintenance and Support Services, due Dec. 23.

TN Dept of Safety seeks electronic Customer Management System (queuing) via
RFP
349.02-401, due Jan. 11.

State Merchant Services
RFP 317.05-029 for e-check acceptance, POS, debit/credit clearance, etc.

State RFP 335.02-535 for review of corporate IS and automated financial-examination systems, by Dept. of Commerce & Insurance.
 
Cricket awarded 3-year, $300K wireless phone contract by Metro Nashville Government, Nash. Bus. Journal, Dec. 2.
 
Metro Nashville Information Technology Services stays in nation's Top 10 ranking by category, City Paper, Dec. 2.

Glitches in Metro Nashville Schools' implementation of Chancery student information system
software foul production of students' transcripts, Tennessean,
Dec. 7.

Federal funds help Tennessee counties improve emergency-communications technologies, Times Free Press, Dec. 13.  

Jackson (Tenn.) law enforcement among units adopting ImageWare booking, ID,investigative software, release Dec. 13.

(further) Editorial urges caution on MLGW's interest in joining Metro Networx broadband venture, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 2 

Annual review of DOEnergy presence at Oak Ridge suggests that Information Technology remains a concern, OakRidger,
Dec. 7.

Shelby County reviews incentives for business, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 12.  

U.S. Cybersecurity still not assured, Editorial, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Dec. 13.

Former Cybersecurity czar sees aggressive assault on Phishing, Washington Post,
Dec. 8.

Tougher U.S. CyberSecurity actions urged by tech executives, Washington Post,
Dec. 8.
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FedEx's Smith urges Memphians to 'capture the imagination of the imaginative' to increase talent and innovation in the region, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 9.

Technology creates virtual inspections of trucks in demo near Knoxville, Commercial Appeal,
Dec. 2. 

Germantown IT manager, mayor journey to Afghanistan to discuss improving that nation,
Commercial Appeal, Dec. 2.

(further) "Innovation Valley" marketing campaign unveiled for East Tenn., Knox. News Sentinel,
Dec. 2. Related editorial, Knoxville News Sentinel, Dec. 12.

Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage endorses Actuate spreadsheet software,
release Dec. 13.

GameZnFlix expanding diztribution sitez as buziness with TN tiez growz by leapz and boundz, Nash. Bus. Journal,
Dec. 10.

E-Spin nanotech company prepares to launch manufacturing in Chattanooga in 2005, Times Free Press,
Dec. 8

Musculoskeletal Research Institute leverages Memphis' dominance in the field, Memphis Bus. Journal,
Dec. 3.

WorldSpice Technologies in Memphis aims to set standard for ISP quality of service, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 7.

Brother expansion brings more than jobs, Commercial Appeal,
Dec. 5.

SEC says Chattanooga's former E-brain owners lied about software capabilities, Times Free Press,
Dec. 2.                     
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Nashville's ThinkLink Learning's software and services enable Memphis students to practice for TCAP, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 10.

Memphian launches digital epistolary novel and Writerware software for fun and educational applications, corporations are taking note for training purposes, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 10.

Tennessee Valley Corridor has played historic role in development of U.S. Space program, Knox. News Sentinel, Ballard column, Dec. 12.

Tennessee groups receive EPSCOR grants, Tennessean, Dec. 11.

VU reports: American High School Internet Mathematics Competition (AHSIMC) was founded by Bradley Metrock, a Vanderbilt Owen GSM student who participated in competitive mathematic events while in high school.

Vanderbilt researcher comments on efforts to create 'expressive speech synthesis' with emotional traits in voice systems, Scotsman.com.

David A. Bassett is inside sales contract specialist for Interactive Solutions Inc., Franklin. Bassett was with the Vanderbilt Virtual School and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. Interactive, of Memphis, supports distance learning, videoconferencing, telemedicine and audiovisual installations. Tennessean, Dec. 12, here. 

Landrum donation to Austin Peay State University follows 30 years in IT and education careers, Tennessean, Dec. 5

Gallatin native, MTSU grad Don Reynolds says he'd like to return from Texas to start a college in Davidson or Shelby Counties to study exclusively Energy, Nash. Bus.Journal, Dec. 10, not on web.

E
lectronic Books are latest front in push to expand libraries online services, NY Times, Dec. 9.

Tennessee History for Kids Inc. launches educational website, Nash. Bus. Journal, Dec. 3.
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Songbank launched by Indieheaven, mention in The City Paper, p. 11 12/2. Christian Indie Alliance (CIA) Summit planned for March 2005.         
            
Resilience can kill enterprise performance? Northpoint, which is expanding Nashville presence, offers seven provocative findings from its ongoing research, click on Research, then under Primary Research click on "7 Rules for Resilience and Business Continuity."
 
Music artists not deeply concerned about file-sharing, according to Pew report, NY Times, Dec. 6.
              
Gartner report project massive consolidation in IT sector, AP via Commercial Appeal, Dec. 4.
 
Internet addicts take high-tech timeout to break hold of compulsion, Commercial Appeal, Dec. 12.

Some of biggest e-commerce sites, including Amazon.com, have crashed during holiday crush, NY Times, Dec. 13.

P2P Patrol Site
goes active to combat child pornography, NY Times, Dec. 13.

Trust is at the center of building communities of customers, voters, others, NY Times, Dec. 10.

Supreme Court to review Grokster file-sharing victory, NY Times, Dec. 11. Washington Post, Dec. 11.

Comcast cable speeds rise to meet consumer demand for video transmission, Times Free Press, Dec. 11
 
Electronic Books are latest front in push to expand libraries online services, NY Times, Dec. 9. 
               
BellSouth reports passing 2 millionth DSL customer milestone,
Memphis. Bus. Journal, Dec. 6.

D
ell Inc. benefits through industrial-recruitment incentives in North Carolina are second-guessed, News & Observer, Dec. 5.
                
Chinese giant Lenovo said to be the prospective buyer of IBM PC business,
NY Times, Dec. 4. 
 

President Bush signs Internet tax ban,
AP via Washington Post, Dec. 3.

MailNet Services' Tom Herrmann provides update on Direct-Mail effectiveness, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 25, Dec. 3, not on web.
                                        
Snocap is Fanning's attempt to find a way for music publishers to profit from file-sharing,
NY Times, Dec. 3.
 
U.S. Supreme Court will review role of Cable companies relative to rivals in broadband market, AP via Commercial Appeal,
Dec. 4. AP via NY Times, Dec. 4. NY Times, Dec. 3.  Washington Post, Dec. 4.

Trust is at the center of building communities of customers, voters, others, NY Times, Dec. 10.

Supreme Court to review Grokster file-sharing victory, NY Times, Dec. 11. Washington Post, Dec. 11.

Comcast cable speeds rise to meet consumer demand for video transmission, Times Free Press, Dec. 11 
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For frequent updates, check the NTC home page and the NTC "Tech Links" page, found here. Check business calendars of The Tennessean; The City Paper ; and Nashville Business Journal. And, visit Tennessee's technology councils' sites:
CALENDAR ( * indicates new or revised item)
 
* (Dec. 14) MT-JUG and WebSphere User Groups celebrate merger and holidays, Two Doors Down, 1524A Demonbreun Street, Nashville, 5 p.m. Free food and beverage. RSVP: (615) 780-0020
 
(Dec. 14) InfraGard: Maj. Gen. Jerry D. Humble, TN. Office of Homeland Security. 7 p.m., Belmont Univ., details here.

(Dec. 15) Chatta. Tech Council Luncheon: Network Security and Information Security Management, Joseph Dell, Chief Technology Officer for Vigilar, Inc., 11:30 a.m., info here or (423) 755-7481.

(Dec. 15) East TN Technology Council luncheon, Speaker: U.S. Rep. John Duncan, visit here or write RSVP@tech2020.org, call (865) 220-2020.

(Dec. 16) InfraGard chapter meeting, Belmont University. Speaker TBA. Write
here for info.
 
(Dec.  21) PMI Nashville chapter meeting, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Holiday Inn Select. Details here.

 
2005
 
 
(Jan. 11) NTC Management Skills series begins. Presenter Jay Ress. Details here.

(Jan. 13) NTC Tech Roundtable, program on IT corporate valuation.  See Venture section above. 

(Jan. 19-20) Tennessee Cyber-Infrastructure Initiative: Conference on Computational Applications, papers invited. Murfreesboro, TN. For further information, write Penny Morris or George Garrison.

* (Jan. 19) David Williams on Strategic Planning, Chattanooga Technology Council, 11:30 a.m., Trade Center, rsvp
here.

(Jan 25) WiTT monthly meeting, with Alan Tackett and Mary Dietrich, Directors of Vanderbilt University’s ACCRE (Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education) will speak.  Vanderbilt Hill Center, 1231 18th Avenue South, 4:30 p.m. Details
here. 

(Jan. 26) HealthLeaders regional IT leadership conference, Memphis.

(Feb. 15) NTC Technology! Nashville 2005. NTC's annual flagship event. For sponsorship info, write
info1@technologycouncil.com 

(Feb. 16) Nashville Capital Network program on "Organizing Your Business": Moderator Paul Wallace (American Healthways); Stuart Campbell, Stites & Harbison; Paige Davidson, Bass Berry; Carig Buffkin, Buffkin Assocs.; Jon Billington, Ernst & Young; Stuart McWhorter, Clayton Assocs. No charge or advance registration required. 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Averbuch Auditorium, VU Owen Graduate School of Management.

* (Feb. 23) Chattanooga Technology Council luncheon, David McGee, author Ford Tough: Bill Ford and the Battle to Rebuild America's Automaker, 11:30 a.m., Trade Center. Details here.

* (March 16) Chattanooga Technology Council, 11:30 a.m., Venture Capital Panel. Details here.

(March 17) – MTSU Emerging Technology in Manufacturing event. Details here. Contact: Dr. Charles Perry, Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence, Inst. Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies, College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
 
 
* (April 5) Leadership Music Digital Summit, Belmont Curb Center, Nashville, details available in January.

(May 18) – NTC Nashville Technology Innovation Conference will be Wednesday, May 18, 2005, with emphasis on innovations that address current and emerging technology needs of enterprises large and small. The unprecedented NTC event will be at BellSouth Auditorium, downtown Nashville. Speakers currently confirmed include execs from Symantec, IBM, Brooktrout, CapGemini, Tacit Networks, J.P. Morgan. Registration, sponsorship, exhibit and related details are forthcoming. Info, write info1@technologycouncil.com 

(July 12-15) Tenn. Valley Corridor 2005
National Summit, Washington, D.C.

(Aug. 24) – NTC's InfoSec Nashville 2005 information-security conference will be Wednesday August 24, with CSI information-security training Aug. 22, 23, 25, 26. For further information, write info1@technologycouncil.com
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Nashville Technology Council
Editor & Publisher Milt Capps
211 Commerce Street, Suite 100,  Nashville, TN 37201
p: 615-743-3160  |  f: 615-256-0393  |  e:  info1@technologycouncil.com
www.technologycouncil.com