Security takes on a new significance at FOSE
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Like everything else in the United States, FOSE looks different after Sept. 11.
Like everything else in the United States, FOSE looks different after Sept. 11.The government IT trade show, now in its 21st year, will be held March 19 to March 21 at the Washington Convention Center. It will include sessions on security topics and show off security products from dozens of vendors.'There's no doubt the government has shifted its focus to security in a much more serious way,' said Bill Howell, senior vice president of the trade show group at Post Newsweek Tech Media, which runs FOSE and is GCN's owner. 'It certainly reflects different concerns after Sept. 11.'Visitors will see the impact of Sept. 11 on FOSE in other ways as well. Howell said the lineup of keynote speakers at the show includes more corporate chief executive officers than ever, a reflection of industry's interest in the government market.The roster of March 19 keynote speakers includes Pat Gelsinger, vice president and chief technology officer for Intel Corp.'s technology group; Vance Coffman, chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corp.; and John K. Condon, president of the federal services division of GDSS Inc. of Washington.The second day's keynotes will be delivered by Dan Burnham, chairman and CEO of Raytheon Co., and a representative from the federal CIO Council. Ralph Shrader, chairman and CEO of Booz, Allen and Hamilton Inc. of McLean, Va., will lead off the keynote addresses March 21, followed by Bruce Chizen, president and CEO of Adobe Systems Inc. Web surfers can check out the full FOSE schedule of keynote addresses, educational seminars and exposition features at .Howell said the trade show has seen a significant increase in the number of vendors setting up displays of products for data storage, disaster recovery and business continuity.'The big change is that things like security and disaster recovery aren't just getting lip service,' he said. 'They're also getting funding.'A new wrinkle at FOSE will be a venue for management-level government visitors to explore enterprise solutions. FOSE ES will take the first floor of the convention center and will focus on agencies' missions.Rather than show off the latest in high-tech gadgetry, the FOSE ES area will address federal IT and program managers' interests, such as R&D efforts, Howell said.FOSE ES will include the E-Gov Showcase of Excellence, a collection of projects selected by the CIO, Chief Financial Officers, Procurement Executives and Human Resources Management councils that illustrate the advancement of e-government.E-government also will get a close-up look in the main FOSE IT venue at E-Town, a display offering hands-on access to services offered by state and local governments across the country.Although last year's terrorist attacks influenced FOSE, the show also has a lighter side. It will host the introduction of a new character to the 'Beetle Bailey' comic strip. Mort Walker, the strip's creator, will unveil a new Army character who specializes in IT. Visitors to the 'Beetle Bailey' booth will be invited to suggest a name for him.Walker 'thought this was the place to unveil his new character,' Howell said. 'We're really excited. We think it's going to be a lot of fun.'
Keynote speakers
www.fose.com
Visitors to FOSE will be invited to suggest a name for a new character, an Army IT specialist, in the 'Beetle Bailey' comic strip.
Keynote speakers
www.fose.com