Technology Council of Northwest PA

The Technology Council of Northwest Pennsylvania brings you the fifth annual Business Intelligence & Technology Summit (BITS) on May 21, 2008. Hosted by the Technology Council of Northwest PA and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

On May 21, 2008, the Technology Council presents an opportunity for IT managers, CEOs,and professionals to gather, to discuss and learn about the forces shaping our regions IT industry. This year’s BITS theme will focus on Emerging Technologies for Business.

This one-day event will be host to a full day of seminars, workshops, product demonstrations, and two dynamic keynotes.

Thank You to all of our sponsors and vendors. 

Click here to view the 2008 BITS Sponsors.

Advanced registration is required.

Before May 9, 2008

$75 Members

$100 Members

$25 Student fee

After May 9, 2008

$150 Non-members

$200 Non-members

$25 Student fee

Click Here to Register

Featured Speakers

Mike S. Zafirovski - President and CEO of Nortel

Presentation: Realizing the Promise of Emerging Technologies

Abstract: The pace of technological change is accelerating. Every day, new insights and inventions are made possible through basic and applied work in technology. Taking these ideas and turning them into real products and services that add business value for customers, however, is a tremendous challenge. Delivering emerging technologies to customers and value to shareholders is the true litmus test of successful innovation. Mr. Zafirovski will explore these questions in the context of Nortel’s innovative impact with customers and its quest to set the agenda for the next generation of communications.

Nortel is a global leader in innovative communications and services that are enabling the transformation of businesses around the world. Since joining Nortel in November, 2005, Zafirovski has drawn on his depth of global business expertise to drive sustainable business improvements that build on the company's innovative strength in new technologies that are bringing unprecedented levels of personalization, security and mobility to communications.

Mark Wood - Director, Data Center Infrastructure Highmark Incorporated.                                                                

Presentation:

Highmark’s Evolution into the Green Revolution

Abstract: This presentation will discuss Highmark's evolution into green computing.  The topics that will be covered include; the constuction of its corporate data center located near Hershey Pennsylvania that has received a Silver LEEDS designation by the U.S. Green Building Council; the Greening of Information Technology, and what plans we are working on for the future.

In this position, Mark and his staff provide infrastructure management for Highmark’s corporate data center. These responsibilities include infrastructure planning and analysis, performance and capacity planning, storage management, Infrastructure monitoring and disaster recovery planning.

Mark has been employed by Highmark since 1998. Prior to joining Highmark, Mark worked for Capital Blue Cross for nine years as the Director of Data Center Operations where he was responsible for day to day computer operations. Mark has been in the IT industry for over thirty years. During this time he has been involved in several Data Center construction and renovation projects including two green field site projects.

Conference Agenda

We will have 16 topic speakers while other BITS presentations include Cisco, Microsoft and Google (yes, Google!).

The event moves to the newly renovated Frank G. Pogue Student Center on the campus of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. “The new facilities provide a wonderful opportunity for the growth of the event and enhances the learning atmosphere and agenda of the day.

There’s not a better place to discuss and demonstrate new emerging technologies than in a state-of-the-art building like the Pogue Center,” said Perry Wood, CEO of the Technology Council of Northwest PA.

The agenda for this year’s seminar is built around the following hot topics in the industry.

The Value Proposition For Emerging Technologies (Total Cost of Operation Issues)

• Transforming Your Business - Karyn Shade, Cisco
• The Reality of VMware Server Virtualization - Mark Morrone, SynergIT
• Head in the "Cloud" - Michael Richwalsky, Allegheny College
• eDiscovery: Creation to Deletion - Michael Krynicki, 4CTechnologies
• Leveraging Current and Future Infrastructure to Deliver Broadband to Organizations in NWPA - Bob Roland, Sting Communications and Matt Wiertel, VNET
• IPv6 - An Inevitable Plumbing Change to the Internet Drianage System? - Robert Lahy, PA State System
• VoIP - Protecting Your Mission Critical Voice Application - Ron Walczak, Walczak Technology Consultants
• How Can Electronic Records Management Help My Business? - John Schaffer, J.H. Bennett Records Management, Inc.
• Energy-Efficient Data Center - Michael Kardules, Donwil Company

Mastering the Emerging Technologies (Managing Tools & Gadgets Issues)

• Chaos on the Cutting Edge - Natanya Tummala, Google
• Mobilizing the Modern Workforce - Ryan Gill, AT&T Mobility
• Unified Messaging and Beyond - Stephen Deming, Microsoft
• Making Videoconferencing Work as a Utility - Robert Simon, TANDBERG
• Wired and Wireless - Where the Industry is: Where the Industry is Heading - Carolyn Newhouse, Super User Technologies
• Black Berry Tips & Tricks - Greg Liberto, KnowledgeAIR, LLC

Directions to BITS

Click on the BITS Logo to enter your starting address to display custom directions to the conference.

View Larger Map

Additional Information:

Edinboro is located off  of I/79 approximately 15 miles south of Erie. The Edinboro  I/79 exit # is 166. At this exit, proceed east on Route 6N about 3 miles to the Edinboro University main entrance. Turn right onto Scotland Road and proceed to the stop sign. Opposite the intersection on the left is the McComb Fieldhouse parking lot. Park in the lot and walk down Scotland Road. The next building on the right past the McComb Fieldhouse is the Frank G.  Pogue Student Center. Proceed to the main entrance. Registration will be located in the lobby. Event signage will be posted.

Campus Map & Directions