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| NC Homeland
Security Task Force Named |
| By Allan
Maurer, LocalTechWire |
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RALEIGH--North Carolina technology leaders met with top
federal officials to discuss involving NC companies in federal
homeland security efforts at a special North Carolina Electronics
and Information Technologies Association (NCEITA) meeting
Wednesday
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole, and U.S. Reps. Richard Burr
(R-05) Bob Etheridge (D-02), and David Price (D-04) and
staff from U.S. Senator John Edwards and U.S. Rep. Howard
Coble (R-06) and Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-07) and other officials
attended.
At a press conference following the meeting, Representative
Etheridge said, "This is an opportunity for North Carolina
to create jobs and a partnership with the federal government."
Rep. Etheridge, the NC delegation's only member of the select
committee on homeland security, said, "What we've done today
is a big step. This is the beginning of bringing jobs back
home to North Carolina."
Spending is Inadequate
Rep. Burr said North Carolina has not received its share
of homeland security spending "commensurate with what we
have to offer."
When asked how much the federal government is spending on
homeland security, Rep. Etheridge replied, "Whatever it
is it's not enough. It is inadequate."
NC Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety, Bryan Beatty
quoted a PLO terrorist who said, "Why go after the lions
when there are so many sheep?" He added, Let's make sure
North Carolina is a lion."
NCEITA said it has created a statewide homeland security
task force co-chaired by Randy Fraser of Time Warner Cable
and Janet Wylie of Engineous Software. The task force will
work with the state's congressional delegation and other
state leaders to provide a bridge between federal officials
and technology companies in North Carolina.
Task Force Members
Memebers of the task force are: Steve Parrott, Sprint; Marye
Anne Fox, president of North Carolina State University;
Joe Fredoso, Cisco Systems; Betsy Justus, ACS; Alan Ying,
Mercury MD; Dave Rizzo, MCNC; Doug Miskew, Capital Strategies;
Lee Bryan, Knowledge Vector; Mark Stephens, Madison Communications;
Matt Carbone, Ideations; Mary Musacchia, SAS; Olin Broadway,
UNC-Charlotte; Debra Bryant, The Ferguson Group; Ed Turlington
and Charles Marshall, Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey
& Lenoard; and Joan Myers and Candice Ward of NCEITA.
The meeting resulted from a suggestion by Rep. Burr. “Last
fall, Rep. Burr recommended that NCEITA bring members of
the Congressional delegation together with technology companies
to discuss ways to bring more money for homeland security
back to North Carolina,” said Randy Fraser.
“Often times Washington leaders first look to Silicon
Valley or Northern Virginia for technology solutions when
some of the most awesome technological capabilities are
right here in North Carolina,” said Janet Wylie. “We
wanted to make sure our congressional team was fully up
to speed on the cutting-edge first responder technologies
our N.C. companies have and the capabilities of entities
like MCNC in playing a role in homeland security.”
“This new war will not be won on the battlefield alone,
but it will require a partnership of researchers, business
people and government. North Carolina’s
technology industry can play a leading role in this effort,
and I appreciate the opportunity to get an in-depth look
at the capabilities of NCEITA’s member companies,”
said Rep. Etheridge.
Companies Present
North Carolina is home to over 2,300 Information Technology
companies. Several presented examples of technology relevant
to homeland security at the meeting. The companies represented
were: Knowledge Vector,Ideations, Mercury MD, ACS, and IBM,
SAS and Cisco.
“We want to help share information and work with our
congressional delegation to open up opportunities for our
member companies,” said Rusine Mitchell-Sinclair,
chairperson for NCEITA.
“North Carolina has some of the best and brightest
technologists in the world that want to help in the critical
mission of protecting the United States.”
Other high-ranking federal officials at the meeting included
Steven Cooper, chief information officer of the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security; General William F. Kernan (retired);
John Gilligan, vice chancellor for Research and Development
at North Carolina State University; secretary of crime control
and public safety, Bryan Beatty; John Reingruber (retired
U.S. Department of Defense); Chris Swecker, special agent
in charge, FBI; and Don McArthur, special agent FBI.
NCEITA hosted the event at MCNC whose mission is to enhance
economic growth and the quality of life in North Carolina
through technology-driven entrepreneurship and research. NCEITA
highlighted MCNC’s ability to incubate and identify
technologies that have security applications.
www.nceita.org
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| Posted: 08/06/2003 03:35 PM |
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