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News of Nashville Technology. Founded July 8,
2003. |
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CONTENTS
SCHEDULED: A
slew of Tech events for the 4th Quarter, in
Nashville and statewide, right
here...
CONNECTIONS:
BellSouth merger vote today, TRA complaint, XO
draws Memphis schools' ire, E-911, ITC Deltacom,
Broadband, Telco acquisition, Comelli role,
VoIP...and More...
HEALTHCARE:
Healthways eyes Axia technology, Evolved
Digital, BioWorks, e-Health, Emdeon, Acacia,
HealthStream, Spheris, Caremark, Shared Health
and More...
VENTURES:
Major ClientLogic acquisition announced,
BioMimetic, Comdata's total rebranding,
ImagiTales, Zoe Creative, Passalong, MB Ventures,
Goldleaft, Sequoia...and
More....
TECH
FINANCE: Capital Confirmation's Chris
Schellhorn is raising $5 million...read
about it here.
PARTNERS:
Ex-Asurion exec lands in
Seattle, Digital Reasoning, NTC's Carter, Duthie,
BRS, WiTT, PureSafety, Auto2Auto,
and More...
GOVERNMENT:
RFP for disaster recovery, FTC
consent decree, Frist on Internet gambling,
Voting, Schools, Icann, and More...
INNOVATIONS:
New
Middle Tennessee Tech initiative, Bredesen pushes
math-science and workforce, Zycron's Freeman,
campus
innovation...and More...
CONNECTIONS
FCC scheduled to convene at 10 a.m.
CT for vote today (Oct. 13) on the
BellSouth merger, Tennessean, Oct. 12. Broadband
industry practices are also on the agenda for
today's meeting. Earlier, U.S. Justice
Department okayed BellSouth buyout, Tennessean, Oct 12. DOJ statement, Oct. 11. Editorial prays
AT&T-BellSouth deal will be blocked, or Net
Neutrality restrictions appended, Tennessean, Oct. 13. Separately, an AP story
reports FCC approval would allow AT&T to
"extend its dominance" as largest provider of
phone, wireless and broadband Internet services.
Aeneas Communications, a Jackson
telephone provider, announced yesterday it filed
objections with the Tennessee Regulatory
Authority, protesting the Electric Power Board of
Chattanooga's request to begin selling telephone
services outside EPB's service area, throughout
the state. The matter is on the agenda for
the TRA meeting, Monday, Oct. 16.
Tennessee Emergency Communications
Board will vote Oct. 31 on proposal to let E-911
operations in the state share in $14
million, Knox. News Sentinel, Oct. 12. Earlier, The Tennessee
Emergency Communications Board (TECB) voted
unanimously to initiate a statewide "Next
Generation 911" project the board says will
modernize the infrastructure that transports the
state's 911 calls. Oct. 8, Chattanoogan.
XO
Communications criticized by Memphis Board of
Education members who want out of
contract, citing service issues, Comm.
Appeal, Oct. 13. XO corporate news
releases Oct. 9 explain network upgrades and organizational changes.
State Broadband Task Force:
a November meeting is the next likely, date
TBA. Earlier coverage, here.
Metro
Nashville Telecommunication Innovation Task Force:
report urging private-sector leadership
was delivered in August. No strategy for
advancing the issue has been announced by leaders
of the task force, the Metro Council charter for
which expired Aug. 31. Earlier coverage, here.
ITC
Deltacom (Huntsville) launches pro-services
division for communications, release Oct.
9.
Rural areas routlinely left
in the slow lane of high-speed data
highway, New York Times, Sept.
28.
Tennessee Regulatory
Authority raised some phone rates,
release Sept. 26.
Franklin-based Telco Solutions III
Group (TSIII), LLC bought Micropaq
Corporation, a Houston-based EMS
provider. Release Oct. 3.
Comolli, CEO of Asurion Inc., has
begun a second term as member of the board of The
Wireless Association (Cellular
Telecommunications and Internet Association).
Tennessean, Oct. 8.
American
Fiber Systems names Yount COO, bringing Cable
& Wireless, XO and other experience,
release Sept.
29.
VOIP: The Georgia
Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) today
announced it is creating a partnership
with BellSouth (NYSE: BLS) and Internet Security
Systems (NASDAQ: ISSX) to explore security
surrounding the emerging Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) technology. Release Sept. 27.
BellSouth will pay $35 million in
settlement of class action suit alleging
overstating of financial performance, AP
via Comm. Appeal, Oct. 1.
Voice
over IP (VoIP) telecom may be more reliable after
natural disasters, where Internet service
stays up, acc. Lattimore of Southeastern Telecom,
Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct.
6.
New CEO appointed at Evolved
Digital: Greer follows Eskind, Hoyt,
Southcott and Lehman, NashvillePost.com,
Sept. 27.
Harry
Travis, former COO of the Nova Factor Division of
Accredo Health, has been named executive in
residence for the Memphis Bioworks
Foundation. Comm. Appeal, Oct.
8.
Healthways Inc. CEO Ben Leedle yesterday (Oct.
12) cited Axia Health Management's
sophisticated tech infrastructure among
reasons for acquisition, during an analysts
conference (audio here for 90 days). Release Oct. 11. 4th Quarter
financial results, guidance and related matters
are to be released after market closing, Oct. 17.
Leedle said Healthways and Axia have been in
conversations for more than a year, and Healthways
was prepared to proceed with both Axia and the
now-failed Lifemasters transaction. CFO
Chaput indicated that Axia revenue growth will
probably outpace Healthways' own 25 percent-plus
rate. Leedle stressed in response to
Avondale analyst Brooks O'Neil's question that
Axia had integrated many companies by emphasizing
technology compatibility (Microsoft-only shops,
e.g.). He also stressed importance of
technology-supported data analytics, facilitated
and personalized interactions with consumers, and
reporting. He noted the technology is not new, but
leveraging it is at the heart of the
Healthways/Axia solution.
Bredesen
e-Health leader Agassi discusses EMR and
e-prescribing progress in Tennessee,
Tennessean Q&A, Oct. 1.
Gov.
Phil Bredesen recognized for e-Health leadership
by HHS, Sept. 26. Secretary Leavitt
addresses e-Health, Sept. 26.
Emdeon
Business Services: majority stake taken by General Atlantic
LLC. NashvillePost.com, Sept. 26. Tennessean, Sept. 27.
Acacia Research (Acadia
Technologies) licenses barcode technology to
Emdeon (formerly WebMD). Release, Sept.
27.
Healthstream signs
four-year deal with HCA , release, Oct. 2; Nash. Bus.
Journal, Oct. 2; Tennessean, Oct. 3. City Paper, Oct. 3. HealthStream to
provide enterprise learning system for
Resurrection Health Care, release Oct. 11.
Caremark call center recognized
for outstanding customer experience by J.D.
Power, release Sept. 26.
Franklin-based Spheris Inc.
introduced Oct. 9 its ClarityTM clinical
documentation technology platform.
National Alliance for Health
Information Technology adds executive staff for
public policy and sets sites on Capitol
Hill influence, release Oct.
3.
American Society of
Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) convenes in
Nashville , Sunday. During conference, AHA Solutions, a subsidiary of
the American Hospital Association (AHA), will unveil a platform of
AHA-endorsed products and services for HR
departments within hospitals.
Consumer payments:
HealthLeaders-Interstudy says industry is
mobilizing to offer a debit card, release
Oct. 11.
Nashville Metro-area production of
new healthcare grads lept 46 percent in 2005 over
'00 , according to report from
KentuckianaWorks, Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
Shared Health reaches 2
million enrollees with electronic health record,
making it largest in nation, Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 11.
Update on Shared Health and Capstone collaboration
on physicians' use of Personal Health Records,
Nashville Medical News, Oct. 2006.
Blount Memorial selects AllScripts
Emergency Dept. IS, release Sept. 20.
VENTURES
Earlier this morning, West End
denizen ClientLogic and SITEL (NYSE:SWW), both global
business-process outsourcing providers, announced
they have entered into a definitive
merger agreement that has been approved
by both boards. Citigroup Global Capital Markets
is acting as financial advisor to SITEL. Davis
Polk & Wardwell and Faegre & Benson are
SITEL legal counsel. Goldman, Sachs & Co. is
financial advisor to ClientLogic. Mayer, Brown,
Rowe & Maw LLP and Oppenheimer Wolff &
Donnelly LLP are acting as legal counsel to
ClientLogic. ClientLogic
recently announced its partnership with Helio for
mobile-customer care via mobile virtual
network, Oct.
4. release.
BioMimetic: A BusinessTN report suggests that
FDA approval and IPO have made BioMimetic
Therapeutics Inc. a veritable
poster-child for middle Tennessee life-sciences. A
BioMimetic SEC filing Tuesday suggested more news
to come from the company in early November.
Earlier report: BioMimetic shuffles board of
directors, NashvillePost.com, Sept. 27.
Tennessean, Sept. 27. In a release
this morning, BioMimetic announced FDA approval of
a manufacturing facility for a previously
announced product.
Brentwood's
Comdata today announced the company's total
rebranding, new website, release Oct.
13.
ImagiTales Inc., a new
children's e-book business founded by three
Williamson County entrepreneurs, lets
children and parents create personalized
children's e-books. Tennessean, Oct. 4.
Zoe Creative Services, full
service content acquisition, creative, and
production services for high-definition
video and film projects, has undergone
soft launch in recent weeks, site here. Ken
Russell, a cofounder of Isdn-Net, is Zoe's CEO.
Zoe is closely aligned with ConduIT Corporation.
Russell's interview Sept. 29 on "Let's Talk
Computers," streaming here.
Passalong Networks' OnTour Widget lets' music fans
track changes in concert schedules via
Macs, release Sept. 27.
This
VC suggests investors look beyond 'Bay Area
Approved' sectors, and scoffs at those who
seek next
'mobilesocialnetworkphototaggingRSSRubyonRailsP2Padserverplatform'
opportunity. VentureBeat, Oct.
12.
Tennessee Valley Venture
Forum: entrepreneurs pitches
reported, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 28.
MB
Ventures closes second fund at $54
million , Memphis Bus. Journal, Oct. 6. MB Ventures execs
Sherman and Stevenson discuss patents,
commercialization risks, Comm. Appeal, Sept. 27.
Two-dozen musculoskeletal startups
meet with investors in Memphis, Comm.
Appeal, Oct. 10.
Petra
Capital selss InPulse call-center operator for $45
million, Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
Goldleaf
prices common stock offering, release Oct. 5. SEC filing prospectus, Oct. 6.
Goldleaf Financial Solutions names Mary Nixon
director corporate marketing, release Oct. 9. Nash. Bus.
Journal, Oct. 9. Goldleaf prices common
stock offering, release Oct. 5. Goldleaf
completes secondary offering of stock, release Oct. 11.
Nashville's NovaCopy acquires
local competitor, Imaging Services, Inc.,
Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 29.
Sequoia
Capital is sole winner among VCs in Google's
purchase of YouTube.com for $1.6 billion,
NY Times, Oct. 10. Background on the deal,
NY Times, Oct. 10. Wash. Post, Oct. 10. Yahoo's growth
being eroded by new rivals, NY Times, Oct. 11.
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TECH
FINANCE
Capital
Confirmation set to raise more
capital Brentwood
firm says $5 million will bring
profitability
Six years
after a 27-year-old student at the Owen Graduate
School of Management conceived and
founded the company, Brentwood-based Capital
Confirmation Inc. (CCI) -- still confident, still
profitless -- is poised to ask current and
prospective investors for a $5 million vote of
confidence.
Later this month, CCI
Chairman and CEO Chris Schellhorn
(photo, left) and
investor-entrepreneur Crom Carmichael
will begin explaining the CCI story to prospective
investors in a new round of financing.
They'll reprise the story of how
CCI's Confirm technology and Web-driven
services help banks and accountants corroborate
the existence of cash balances and other assets
during financial audits. They'll explain
that a secure communications network enables CCI
to complete a single confirmation in hours -- with
the identity of those responding with vital
information electronically authenticated -- versus
the four to six weeks required via manual
processes that are often more susceptible to
fraud. And, they'll estimate they'll save clients
about $92 per confirmation.
Both
Schellhorn and Carmichael recently told
Nashville Post they're confident
they'll recruit most, if not all the capital they
seek by New Year's, given that many of the
company's current 100 or so investors have
expressed interest in participating in another
offering. In addition, Nashville Capital Network
(NCN) Executive Director Sid Chambless confirmed
he plans to invite CCI to present its story, once
again, to NCN-affiliated angel investors, some of
whom participated in an earlier CCI round.
Schellhorn, 55, is also confident
that a further infusion of capital will
enable CCI both to achieve profitability, and to
seize a now-vacant role in the financial
confirmation process -- a role he says influential
players in the sector want CCI to inhabit, and
soon. He would not divulge the names of those
players for the record, insisting instead that CCI
is genuinely "on the verge" of closing service
agreements with "three of the top 15 financial
institutions," while CCI offerings are under
due-diligence review by another eight, scattered
among the industry's top three tiers. He said
current contracts have an annualized value of
under $1 million.
Schellhorn and
others note that in a world that has been rocked
by such confirmation frauds as the
Parmalot and HealthSouth scandals -- and with
business facing the glare of Sarbanes-Oxley
scrutiny -- financial institutions are looking for
a trusted clearinghouse for e-confirmations.
Schellhorn argues the industry has little interest
in multiple confirmation platforms, given the
additional training and recruitment challenges
that would attend market
fragmentation.
The sector is
familiar terrain to Schellhorn: Prior to
taking the helm of CCI in 2001, he was managing
director of Integrion Financial Network, the
online banking platform owned by eighteen of the
world's largest banks. Earlier, he was was
president and CEO of VISA Interactive, VISA
International's wholly-owned online banking and
bill payment subsidiary.
Schellhorn said CCI has since its
inception recruited about $7 million in
friends and family money, seed capital and debt
financing, including a $3 million round of equity
capital in 2005 and $750,000 in debt financing in
2003. The company currently has about 100
investors, including all ten of CCI's full-time
employees.
He estimated about a
tenth of the projected $5 million raise will be
spent on scaling-up technology, data
storage and recovery capacity and other
priorities, with about $4.5 million tagged for
operations, sales and marketing, tech-related
services and new customer-support capacity of the
caliber demanded by the largest institutions. CCI
also plans to broaden the application of Confirm
to address accounts-receivable, investments and
commercial credit
variables.
Schellhorn says he and
other managers in company went without
salaries during most of 2001-2004. They
then spent more than a year developing and
pressure-testing a fresh business plan, calling on
the largest potential customers and bringing
in-house a technology team, which has now been led
for more than a year by Jim Hamilton, a former
technology executive with MyTravel North America,
and a former Schellhorn colleague during their
years with Visa Interactive and Visa International
Electronic Banking.
Brian Fox, the
now 33-year-old former Owen student credited with
germinating CCI, explains he hit on the
idea behind CCI after recognizing the inefficiency
and vulnerability of paper-based confirmation
processes, while working in auditing for Ernst
& Young LLP, and in mergers and acquisitions
for PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP. Fox is now
CCI's vice president for business
development.
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SPOTLIGHT
Sandy Cole: former United
Airlines exec leads Metro ITS
Metro
Government Chief Information Officer Sandy Cole
and her husband arrived Nashville seven
years ago, and she spent the final four years of
her 28-year United Airlines career shuttling
between Nashville and Chicago -- until 9/11
happened. In the aftermath of the terrorist
attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., the
intensity of Cole's work made it impractical to
split her time between
cities.
She was soon hired by
former Metro Government Information
Technology Services Director and CIO Richard
McKinney as an advisor for business continuity and
disaster recovery. She subsequently became
assistant director for IT services and strategic
planning. When McKinney departed Metro for
Microsoft in 2005, Mayor Bill Purcell, to whom the
CIO reports, named Cole interim IS director.
On July 1 this year, she assumed
full command as director and CIO.
Today, she oversees 135 full-time staff, and
operating and capital budgets of $24 million and
$9.5 million, respectively. Metro ITS
supports more than 7,000 desktop computers,
scattered across perhaps 50 Metro units with a
total 239 sites, with roughly 18,000 "supported
customers."
Major current projects
include implementation of Metro's land-information
management system, with support by Accela (now
including the former Kiva Systems, with which
Accela merged in 2001). Cole says that Metro Codes
went live on the Accela system in September, and
by the end of December businesses, citizens and
government officials will be able to apply and pay
for permits, check inspections statuses and
more.
Cole says, "one of
the things I'm most excited about" is Metro's
impending implementation of ITIL (information technology
infrastructure library), through which IS will
develop a roadmap for improved incident
management, tech change management, standards for
configuring databases, improving customer service
and other priorities. She explained that with the
integration or consolidation of governance of all
Metro agencies IT operations now more than three
years old, it's time to look at such performance
targets. [Note: Local IT execs
recently created the IT Services Management Forum, to
advocate for adoption of ITIL best
practices.]
Among other
challenges, Cole said that she and other Metro
department heads are moving to develop
budget proposals for FY2007-08 about two months
earlier than usual, due to the possibility of
passage of a proposed Metro Charter revision that
would require the incumbent Mayor to present
budgets to Metro Council each March, rather than
in May.
Also underway:
Updating Metro IS's strategic plan, which is now
nearly six years old. Refreshing Metro
network infrastructure, with emphases including
retrofiting unsupported hardware, security and
HIPAA compliance. And, the temporary
relocation of Metro IS from the antequated Howard
School Building to MetroCenter, while portions of
the Howard campus are demolished and rebuilt, a
process that will take at least 18 months.
Metro IS had relocated from the basement of the
Howard Building to the second floor 13 months ago,
when raw sewage flooded much of the
building. "We won't be going back to the
basement," Cole said.
Cole's work
for United Airlines included lead roles as program
manager, system operations workload
manager, special projects manager and division
planning and scheduling manager. Her diverse
duties included improving on-time reliability,
improving profits through asset utilization,
reducing maintenance cycle times, and controlling
hundreds of millions in annual
budget.
Cole, 53, earned her M.A.
in Management from Redlands University in
California, and earlier earned her B.S. in
Aeronautics with major in administration from St.
Louis University's Parks College of Aeronautical
Technology. She has a wide range of certifications
in ITIL, SAS, CompTIA Network+, project management
and leadership.♦ |
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PARTNERS &
RECOGNITION
Former Asurion VP-IT John Jones
reports he is now EVP-CIO for Windermere Services, in
Seattle. Prior to joining Asurion, Jones
was in Spokane, as CIO for Metropolitan Financial
Group. Jones' former VP-IT role at Asurion is now
held by Tom Gwydir as CIO, as part of a larger technology-management
team announced a year
ago.
Digital Reasoning Systems
(Brentwood) says successive task orders under its
existing contract with National Ground
Intelligence Center continue to flow, Tennessean,
Oct. 4. Release here. Digital Reasoning
Systems of Brentwood announced hiring Harry
Schultz as VP-product development and solutions.
NashvillePost.com, Oct. 9. Tennessean, Oct. 12. DRS technology
helps in search for terrorists, release Oct. 4. Related: Natural
language-processing software being developed for
Homeland Security to monitor evolving opinion
toward U.S. in foreign media and other sources, NY Times, Oct. 4.
Waylon Envik named VP-software
development for inBusiness Services, Inc.,
provider of 360 View CRM for financial
institutions, Tennessean, Oct.
1.
Business Resource Solutions
cited as source in update on adoption of RFID by
Wal-Mart, Ozburn-Hessey, Nash. Bus.
Journal, Oct.
6.
Nashville Technology Council
appointed Sara Carter to post of manager
of member services. She previously
worked in the Office of the Putnam County Juvenile
and General Sessions Judges. Carter earned a B.S.
in communications from Tennessee Technological
University.
Kelly Michael Stewart
joined e-learning company Duthie Associates,
Inc., as program manager, with chief
duty the development and maintenance of DAI's
award-winning regulatory compliance courses for
HCA and other corporations. Release Oct. 4.
Women in Technology of Tennessee
(WiTT) have announced they are underwriting a
scholarship for the ATHENA 2007
Scholarship program, and will nominate Vanessa
Hickman, CIO of Metro Nashville Airport Authority,
for "Celebrating Women Leaders" recognition.
Hasselbacher joins Lattimore, Black Morgan &
Cain PC as senior technician in
internal-technology department, from systems
engineer slot with Arden Health Systems.
Tennessean, Oct. 8.
Local
EDS executive Gabriel helps Independence High
School athletic performance by creating and
maintaining database on team stats,
Tennessean, Sept.
27.
Pennsylvania-based Fortna
Inc., which has software-development, sales and
other workers in Brentwood, announced on Monday its plans to
merge with Orange, Calif.-based Q4, to strengthen
their offerings for suppy-chain technology,
process improvement and
logistics.
PureSafety adds Jacobi
as safety/risk specialist for support of
courseware development, release Sept. 26.
Harmon Group ad-marketing agency
named Steve St. Clair Web
designer/developer, Tennessean, Oct.
1.
Thomas Conner, president and CFO
of Sitemason Inc. was named vice chairman of
Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee,
Tennessean, Oct. 8.
McCaughey
named asst. imaging manager for Civitas
BankGroup, Tennessean, Oct. 8.
AccuImage
document, content-management and business-process
management services, named three to sales
and marketing, Tennessean, Oct. 8.
CEO
Freeland of Auto2Auto, having recently relocated
corporate headquarters to Nashville, says
he doesn't think online marketing of used cars
will cut into onsite dealer sales, Nash. Bus.
Journal, Oct. 6.
Nashville's Paramore/Redd Online
Marketing snares numerous clients, Nash.
Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
Jackie
Smith-Cashion, an alumna of Tennessee Tech, is director of software
engineering, Arxceo Corporation.
Prior to joining Arxceo, she was a senior
software engineer at Red Hat where she was
responsible for device driver development for
various systems including embedded O.S. platforms.
Before Red Hat, she held supervisory and software
development positions with Intergraph, Digital
Equipment, Taylor Publishing, Texas Instruments,
and Union Carbide.
EAST-WEST
Gateway opens
assembly plant in La Vergne, release Sept. 28. Earlier
NashvillePost.com coverage, May 17.
Nu
Horizons, a major international distributor of
electronics and advanced technologies
creates new facility in Memphis area, Memphis Bus.
Journal, Oct. 6.
Vought
names Tharp GM for Nashville operations,
Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 9. Tennessean, Oct. 10. Release, Oct. 9.
First
Horizon National Corp. has been recognized as an
industry leader by InformationWeek and
Bank Systems and Technology. The financial holding
company's chief information officer, Patrick
Ruckh, was highlighted. Memphis Bus Journal,
Oct. 2.
Sumner
County father launches website to combat deadbeat
parents, tndeadbeats.com, Tennessean, Oct. 11.
TechBirmingham leading
investor and tech-exec trip to India,
Birm. Bus. News, Sept. 29. TechBirmingham talks
of its startup
ecosystem.
Knoxville-Oak Ridge
Innovation Valley selects Atlanta-based Boyette
Levy for 5-year economic development
strategy, OakRidger.com, Sept. 26.
Chattanooga State Technical
Community College buys WTCI TV 45 (PBS) station's
building for use by new
media-technologies degree program,
Chattanoogan.com, Sept. 28. Times Free Press,
Sept. 28.
Eastman Chemical's Eastman.com
website relaunched with support of
Infosys, release Sept.
27.
Chattanooga's America
Internet & Communications serves churches with
streaming, Times Free Press, Oct. 3. Churches step-up use of
Internet in outreach and ministry, Comm. Appeal, Oct.
1.
Memphis' Electronic Vaulting
Services (EVS), with alliance with Time Warner
Telecom, carves out niche in data storage
and recovery, Memphis Daily News, Sept. 27.
Mark
Pryor has been named vice president of information
technology for The Seam, an
Internet-based marketplace for buying and selling
cotton and other commodities. Comm. Appeal, Oct. 1.
Memphis'
State Systems Inc. absorbs CriticalPath (formerly
Point2Point), Memphis Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
ServiceU
Corp. (Memphis) meets Visa standards for security
certification, Memphis Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
Dan
Weddle has been promoted to president for ProTech
Systems Group. Comm. Appeal, Oct. 8.
GOVERNMENT
Two days ago, the
State of Tennessee OIR posted RFP 317.03-150 for Disaster
Recovery Services, with proposals due
Nov. 29 and a bidders conference on Oct. 25.
Other open OIR RFPs, here. Other latest state
government RFPs, here.
Letters of
interest regarding bidding on further consulting
and inspection services for Metro's
Intelligent Transportation System are due Tuesday,
Oct. 17. Details here.
In
'landmark' consent decree, FTC rules that online
real-estate MLS listings must be open to discount
brokers, AP via Knox. News Sentinel, Oct. 13. FTC release, Oct. 12.
Sen.
Frist issues statement on Internet gambling
"shadow industry," promising to monitor
financial institutions, Chattanoogan.com, Sept.
29. Congress outlawed using credit cards and
online payment for Internet gambling, sending
quakes through industry, NY Times, Oct. 3. British online
gambling shares plummet, AP via Wash. Post, Oct. 3.
Metro
Government recently awarded a contract for an
Online Auction System for the Dept. of
General Services, to Truition, Inc. based in Toronto.
State Election Commission
loaded into e-voting machines an incomplete
version of a constitutional amendment to
freeze property taxes for the elderly, sending
officials and advocacy groups scrambling to ensure
proper notice to voters, or to abort the vote,
Tennessean, Oct. 12.
Metro Schools aims to spend $85
million for tech upgrades, City Paper, Sept. 27. Lott
presented plan to board during Sept. 26
meeting.
Handheld computer
thermal-imaging device enables Nashville
firefighters to find victims amid smoke,
Tennessean, Sept. 30.
Metro
Council interest in adding surveillance cameras in
Metro may be growing, Tennessean, Oct. 13.
Dickson
County Mayor Stone names Payne first director-IS
for county, Tennessean, Oct. 11.
Donelson
Christian Academy launches first online
course, Tennessean, Oct. 13.
"Tech
coaches" in Williamson County schools help
teachers know more than students about
their computers, Tennessean, Oct. 13.
Veteran
Dickson County teacher comments on role of
technology in K-12 education, Tennessean,
Sept.
29.
Crosswind Elementary
(Memphis) goes high-tech, Comm. Appeal,
Sept.
27.
Williamson County K-12
Planet and Franklin's Star Student portals for
parents launched, Tennessean, Oct.
1.
More on Shelby County Pearson
PowerSchool troubled implementation,
school board meeting Oct. 3 for complaints, Comm.
Appeal, Oct. 4. Shelby
County schools tech department and Pearson Schools
Systems are trying to fix reporting glitches in
Apple's PowerSchool, which had been chosen over
Chancery, Comm. Appeal, Sept. 30.
Pennington Elementary School's
computer lab inspires students,
Tennessean, Oct. 6.
Gallatin
Police crime-scene investigators increasing using
forensic technologies, Tennessean, Oct. 6.
Traffic
control: City attorneys rely on Tennessee
Attorney General opinion in allowing
municipalities to move ahead with contracts with
red-light cameras, Knox. News Sentinel, Oct. 12.
U.S.
Commerce further loosens control of Icann for
Internet DNS, NY Times, Sept. 30.
White
House signing: Federal contracting database
advances notion of transparency in
spending federal dollars, release, Sept.
26.
TVA began live audio streaming
with its Sept. 29th board meeting, here. TOP
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INNOVATIONS:
Research, Commercialization and
Universities
"Middle Tennessee
Technology Corridor" (MTTC) is the "placeholder"
title for a new regional alliance for developing
knowledge-intensive companies and
employment, with early emphasis on life-sciences
and related ventures. The initiative is
currently coordinated by volunteer executive
Andrea Loughry, a volunteer member of the
Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, and vice
chair of the University of Tennessee board of
trustees. MTTC meets again Oct. 17 on the MTSU
campus, and will continue to refine its mission
statement, consider a permanent name, discuss
partnering with other organizations in the region,
and more. One participant, Leslie Wisner-Lynch,
DDS, DMSc, who is director of applied research for
BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc., told NONT
yesterday the alliance has already engaged
executives from Vanderbilt technology transfer,
MTSU, Williamson County, Univ. of Tennessee, Oak
Ridge NL, Cumberland Emerging Technologies,
Innovation Tennessee, Nashville Area Chamber of
Commerce, Tennesee Tech, and Cummings Research
Park (Huntsville). Wisner-Lynch notes that
BioMimetic and other Nashville-area tech
entrepreneurs seek, among other goals, to ensure
that the Cool Springs Life Sciences
Center does not become an an isolated
technology "cluster," but partners with other
organizations. (Officials from Vanderbilt and Oak
Ridge confirmed their involvement,
yesterday.) Rutherford Chamber Economic
Development Director Holly Sears told
NONT yesterday that the impetus for MTTC
was a speech to a Chamber audience by U.S. Rep.
Bart Gordon (D-6) a year ago, in which he
challenged the group to pursue collaboration.
Gov. Bredesen advocates
Math-Science Residential High School and launch of
Jobs and Education Workgroup during TN
Business Roundtable summit on math and science
education at Vanderbilt University, VU release, Oct. 10. High School
will begin at Knoxville-area venue. Governor also
reported on professional cross-training into
teaching for math-science; and, signalled his
desire to create a new business coalition to
advocate for k-12 education. Earlier
statement from Bredesen administration on Math/Sci
education, May 25.
Zycron founder Darrell
Freeman, now chairman of the Nashville Area
Chamber of Commerce, says education is
key to workforce development, Tennessean,
Oct. 8.
Vanderbilt lept from 114 to 53 in
this year's World University Rankings by The Times
of London, Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 10.
A
leading-edge fuel cell project in Chattanooga has
received $1.65 million for the next phase of
testing , Chattanoogan.com, Oct. 6; Times Free Press, Oct. 7.
Oak
Ridge NL hosts Nano Nexus Forum in April
2007, details here. ORNL
release, Oct. 11.
A $2
million addition to the East Tennessee State
University Innovation Lab is near done.
The facility's new section will house six wet labs
with three shared fume hoods, as well as four dry
labs and seven office suites. Companies in the new
wing also will have access to a new conference
room and break room. They hope to have at least
seven resident companies by end of 2007. Johnson
City Press, Oct. 8.
UT
School of Information Sciences has faculty member
top-ranked on basis of published
research, UTK release Oct. 5.
UT wins
$25 million U.S. Air Force contract to help
military acquisitions experts streamline their
work and create more efficient
operations, freeing funds for new Air Force
technologies, Knox. News Sentinel, Oct. 11. UT Master's program for aero
professionals said to be a factor. UT release Oct. 10.
BusinessTN
reports on UT MBA grad's use of supply-chain
education to improve operations at USAF Warner
Robins ALC, p. 12, Oct.
2006.
Anonymous donation supports
Trevecca business school renovation, including
computer lab, Tennessean, Sept.
26.
Prominent scientists are
organizing to support political candidates they
believe would give some weight to
scientific and engineering advice, NY Times, Sept. 29.
Society of Women Engineers will
hold 2007 annual meeting in Nashville, Oct. 25-27.
Nashville BI: The 2007
Nashville Technology Directory will roll-out to NTC membership in
November.
Nashville Technology
Council is one of several Chamber allies
supporting launch Oct. 17 of the FastTrac
Technology Venture initiative, details
here.
Belmont University's Technology
Learning Cooperative recently partnered with
Gatlin Education Services
to provide new online career training
healthcare, business, construction technology,
Internet, design and technical, networking and
CompTIA certification and video game design and
development. Release Oct. 5.
"Women's Voice. Women's Vote."
using text-messaging campaigns to get out the
vote, Tennessean, Oct.
8.
Security risks associated with
donating old cell phones to charity and other ways
of disposing of them, Knox. News
Sentinel, Oct. 4.
Laptops
and software have changed the songwriting world,
MTSU music students are told, Tennessean, Oct.
3.
Internet privacy expert Parry
Aftab and Internet safety expert Carol Weston are
among speakers at Harpeth Hall event on
communicating with girls, Oct. 19, details
here.
Memphis will be host for
2007 National Conference on Media Reform,
Memphis Daily News, Sept. 27.
Right
to license RIAA-linked iMesh technology at heart
of Limewire counterclaim against RIAA, NY Times, Sept.
30.
Music sales down, but digital
share growing, along with Country and
Christian, Bloomberg via Tennessean, Oct. 13.
Judge
rules against distributor of Morpheus
file-sharing, AP via TSN, Sept 28. Limewire
counterclaim, Sept. 28, AP via Tennessean.
What recourse when departing
employees steal or destroy critical business
information? Calif.-based attorneys
comment, Nash. Bus. Journal, Oct. 6.
NBJ lists largest
Nashville-area IT employers, p. 27, Nash.
Bus. Journal, Oct. 6. Top 12: HCA, CBRL Group,
Deloitte, Emdeon, Healthways, Saint Thomas
Health, Gallagher Financial, Metro Govt.,
Lifeway Christian Resources, Comdata, Qualifacts,
and (tied for 12th) UPS, LBMC Technologies. Nash.
Bus. Journal, p. 27, Oct. 6, not on web.
Microsoft enlisting thousands of
testers to de-bug Windows/Office 07 by
year's-end, NY Times, Oct.
9. SCHEDULED EVENTS
( TODAY ) Software developers and
other converge for DevLink 2006 at Lipscomb
University, details
here.
*
(Oct. 17) Memphis Technology Council events on
Business intelligence, PMI and more. Details here.
*
(Oct. 18) NE TN Tech Council program on WiMax and
WiFi, supported by Outsource and Cisco.
Details here. Johnson
City.
* (Oct. 18) Chattanooga
Technology Council Chattanooga Technology Council
breakfast meeting with Dr. Alan Gara, on
architecture and design of the BlueGene/Lsystem as
well as the future BlueGene/P project. Dr. Henry
McDonald, UTC 21st Century Chair of Excellence and
director-UT SimCenter, will represent the
viewpoint of HPC related to computational fluid
dynamics and other emerging fields. Mr. Neal Bell
of UnumProvident, will discuss commercial
ramifications. (423) 209-6813
*
(Oct. 19) InfraGard Middle Tennessee meeting,
11:30 a.m., speaker FBI liaison Victor Rodriguez
on new FBI CyberCrime unit in Nashville,
Cisco offices, 700 Executive Center. Details.
* (Oct.
21) BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and
Technology) high-school competition at
Lipscomb University challenges students
to build robots that can hang out the wash, in the
"Laundry Quadary" content. Details here.
*
(Oct. 21) Oak Ridge - Tennessee Inventors
Association hears from Justin Martin,
attorney with Kizer & Black law firm. Details.
* (Oct.
25) E. TN Tech Council, U.S. Rep. Zach
Wamp, 11:30 a.m., details
here.
(Nov. 2) NTC Tech Roundtable: Business
Intelligence / Data Warehousing, details
TBA.
(Nov. 2-3) Business and
Technology Expo and business matchmaking scheduled
in Knoxville, sponsored by Chamber and Greater
Knox. Business Journal
(KNS).
* (Nov. 2) NTC Tech Roundtable,
"Business Intelligence, Data
Warehousing." Venue, details
TBA.
* (Nov. 9) WiTT Data Security
panel discussion, 4:30 p.m., CAT Financial, with
panelists from RSA. ClientLogic, First
Tennessee and Deloitte. Details.
*
(Nov. 9) NE TN. Tech. Council annual awards
program, details here.
Kingsport.* (Nov. 9) AITP Nashville, "Healthcare and
IT Trends at Vanderbilt,"
Nancy Proctor, CIO and director
of information systems, Vanderbilt University
Hospital.
*
(Nov. 15) E. TN Tech Council, presentation by
Jewelry Television, 11:30 a.m., details here.
* (Dec. 7) NTC Holiday party, time and venue to
be announced.
*
(Jan. 4) NTC Tech Roundtable, Search Engine
Optimization for websites, presentation
by Sitening. Details TBA.
* (March
8, 2007) Nashville 3rd Annual Technology
Innovation Conference, Downtown
Hilton, Innovation
conference.
* (Fall 2007 TBA)
NTC Technology Awards
Dinner.
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CHRIS
SCHELLHORN Chairman,
CEO CAPITAL
CONFIRMATION
TECH
FINANCE
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_______
SANDY
COLE
DIRECTOR ITS &
CIO
METRO
NASHVILLE
IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
_______
____________
NTC
Sustaining Sponsors:
CORE
BTS ComFrame
Caterpillar Financial
IBM DELL Inc.
Emdeon HCA
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Published by
NashvillePost.com Industry News Services
Division Milt Capps, INS Editor & Assoc.
Publisher 3401 West End Ave., Suite 685 | Nashville,
TN, 37203 Phone: (615) 250-1540 Email: milt.capps@nashvillepost.com | | |