Speaker Presentations | Technology and Digital Government

Concurrent Sessions

Making the Most of Your Data: Tools for Better Planning and Decision Making

Business intelligence (BI) tools play a key role in the strategic planning process of many organizations. These systems allow an organization to gather and analyze data to assist in the decision-making process. This session will provide an overview of recent trends in business intelligence and discuss how transforming transaction data to a useful medium can produce better short-term and long-term results.

Sunday, June 10, 2007 / 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Moderator:
William G. Sweeney, Finance Director, City of Anaheim, CA
Speakers:
Filomena Domondon, Cost Accounting Manager, State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles, Sacramento, CA
Scott Dulman, Director, Business Objects, McLean, VA
Julie T. Nguyen, Cost Accounting/Forecasting Manager, State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles, Sacramento, CA

Making the Case for Technology Purchases

In an era of tight budgets and an increasing demand for financial accountability, government managers are pressed to demonstrate the value of technology investments. Building a sound business case can help to build support by demonstrating to key stakeholders (e.g., board, citizens) the project's objectives, costs, benefits, and risks. This session will examine the basic components of a sound business case for technology solutions, including a project vision statement and objectives, total cost of ownership (TCO), and expected benefits.

Sunday, June 10, 2007 / 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Moderator: Francisco Gutierrez, Executive Director, City of Santa Ana - Finance & Management Services, Santa Ana, CA
Speaker: Art Holdsworth, Deputy Director of Management & Budget, Oakland County, Pontiac, MI
Spencer Stern, Senior Manager, Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP, Chicago, IL

New Capabilities in ERP Systems

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have become increasingly common in government, but that does not mean that governments have yet realized maximum value from their ERP investments. This session will describe new developments in ERP technology and how they can provide additional value to governmental users and will offer strategies for making sure governments maximize the potential of these systems.

Monday, June 11, 2007 / 10:25 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Moderator:
Christine Simonson, Coordinating Controller, Olmsted County, Rochester, MN 
Speakers:
Louis Boglioli, Assistant Financial Services Director, City of Stuart, FL
Ernest W. Culver, Assistant Auditor-Controller, County of Marin, San Rafael, CA
William Greer, Principal, State and Local Government, SAP, Castle Rock, CO

Highlighting New Technologies

From data warehouses to Web-based software to network bandwidth to service oriented architecture, technology continues to change and offer more functionality.  Understanding what is happening in the technology market is essential for finance officers involved in planning for and financing their governments’ technology needs.   This session will review new technologies and how your government can take advantage of them.

Monday, June 11, 2007 / 1:25 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.

Moderator:
Nancy C. Tracy, Director of Finance, City of Chesapeake, VA
Speaker:
Richard J. Mertz, Chief Technology Officer, City of Evanston, IL
Sandro Viselli, General Manager, New World Systems, Troy, MI

Software as a Service - The Future for Small to Mid-Size Governments?

Enterprise technology solutions are typically very expensive to procure and implement. Upfront costs are often insurmountable obstacles for small or mid-size governments. Software as a Service (SaaS) makes use of Internet technologies to “outsource” many of the most costly aspects of traditional technology ownership. This session will provide an overview of the benefits, caveats, and costs of a hosted enterprise solution, including practical experiences from small and mid-size governments.

Monday, June 11, 2007 / 3:20 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Moderator:
Mike Saunders, Business Manager, City of Newport School Department, Newport, RI
Speakers:
Steve Benoit, MBS Technical Specialist, Microsoft, Irving, TX
Randy Jones, Financial Analyst, Butte County Office of Education, Oroville, CA
Mark Waldschmidt, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, iDC, Chicago, IL

And That’s Not All! Using CRM to Connect with Citizens and Cut Costs, Streamline Services, and Track Performance

Most government officials know that that citizen relationship management (CRM) systems help them connect better with their constituents, but less well known are CRM’s capabilities for streamlining back-office functions, capturing performance data, and cutting administrative and direct service costs. This session will describe the multiple capabilities of CRM and provide practical information on procuring and implementing a CRM system that fits your government’s needs.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 / 10:15 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.

Moderator:
Monique Zmuda, Deputy Controller, City and County of San Francisco, CA
Speakers:
Brian Barnhouse, Project Manager, ICMA, Washington, DC
Scott J. Frendt, National Sales Manager, Oracle Corporation, Duluth, GA
Brian Osterloh, CRM Project Manager, City of Albuquerque, NM

Technology for Performance Measurement

Measurement is critical for helping governments manage and improve performance.  Timely collection of data and presentation of measurement information has proved a substantial barrier. Technology can reduce the barriers to effective use of performance measures by automating data collection, providing real-time access to performance information, and providing analytic capabilities. This session will discuss available technologies and describe their capabilities.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 / 1:55 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.

Moderator:
Deborah K. Ellis, CFO, Long Beach Transit, Long Beach, CA
Speakers:
Marcia S. Maurer, CFO, Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District, Mather, CA
John Nitz, President, JENTech, LLC, Manassas, VA
Kenneth Vallejos, Senior Consultant, CGI, South Jordan, UT

Are You Ready? Identifying and Analyzing the Risks of Major Technology Projects

Before embarking on an expensive technology project, governments should fully identify and understand the risks involved. The chances of a successful implementation are slim if the organization is not prepared for the strain on its resources. This session will focus on the areas that pose the highest risk to success and will provide specific case studies and examples of common risk areas (e.g., political instability).

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 / 8:30 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.

Moderator:
James C. Goins, Finance Director/Treasurer, City of Richmond, CA
Speakers:
Kristin M. Gonzenbach, Director of Process Improvement, County of DeKalb, Decatur, GA
Robert M. Weiss, Partner, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, LLP, Chicago, IL

Breaking the Habit: Preparing the Organization for Change

Resistance to organizational change poses a substantial threat to the implementation of  new technology. This session will identify the common sources of change resistance that result from the introduction of new technology applications and provide recommendations on how to prepare the organization for cultural and business process change.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 / 10:25 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

Moderator: Mary C. Fitzpatrick, Director Financial Systems & Reporting, City and County of San Francisco, CA
Speakers: Scott Eller, IT Consulting Manager, Plante & Moran, PLLC, Southfield, MI
Gary Gordon, Director of Finance and Administration, County of Lake, Waukegan, IL
Alex Kaplan, Practice Director, Government & Education, Lawson Software, Irvine, CA

Discussion Group

Defining Key Outcomes for Enterprise Application Implementation

It is a common misconception that the implementation of a new enterprise system will improve all aspects of an organization’s business processes. Though an enterprise application will dramatically change an organization’s business processes, governments need to define success prior to project implementation by agreeing on key outcomes and measures. Participants will share their experiences in setting expectations and measuring success.  

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 / 3:50 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

Discussion Leader: Phil Bertolini, Deputy County Executive, Oakland County, Pontiac, MI