My Mothership Has Landed Once Again

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I have a moment of silence as my mothership has landed once again in the great state of Colorado - NORDSTROM opens at Cherry Creek Mall today!!!
So the question is whether or not I attended the Grand Opening and although I was invited, I did not go. I do not like to shop with crowds, yes, this includes the holidays. I like to experience the serenity that is Nordstrom at my own pace and without frenzy. This is why I do not like the Half Yearly Sales - Yes, I really said that!

So as exciting as this is, can Colorado support another Nordstrom? I ask because I do not see the economy picking up, but rather slowing down. There are 12 Fortune 500 companies in this town and only a handful of them have any interest in community advancement. Then you take a look at the sales industry and Colorado is considered a soft territory, which is amazing. I am even considering 1)getting out of technology and/or 2)getting out of sales. Of course, this bodes the never ending question - what will I do when I grow up?

Is This An Acceptance Speech?

Ok, if you have not read Brad Feld's blog - you should! (www.feld.com) I like his thoughts regarding Colorado Innovation Council. He does not mention that our own beloved Su Hawk (CSIA) is a member of the Executive Committee, but he is after all, Brad Feld, and so all is forgiven.

So I love the madKast widget and want to congratulate the guys on their participation at DEMO gala. Doug Ludlow was great and really held his own on the panel I put him in (From Napkin To Market). I was a little nervous, but he really showed his chops when it came to NDA's. The idea of this panel was to gain perspective from a newly formed, newly funded company (madKast), from a self funded and thriving company (EffectiveUI), and gain insight into the "Ah-Ha" moments that companies have moving forward from one of my favorite law firms, Fairfield & Woods. Thought I was desperate to have John Leonard on this panel, he sent his associate, who did well and provided food for thought. I really hope that the panelists and attendees were able to grab hold of at least one take-away.

MocaPay (www.mocapay.com) is another DEMO showcase company and one that I am going to watch closely. In true form, was so excited by their technology that I announced to the CEO that because of this I could stop carrying my credit cards in my bra. Yes indeed folks, I get loony over technology that will - well, allow me to stop carrying my credit cards in my bra when I run into the store for something quick and do not want to carry my entire purse!

Last, but never least, I want to say thank you to GoFast/Jet Pack. Troy Widgery has a really cool story and is quiet and modest personality. The Jet Pack actually flies and is flown by an ex-stuntman (quite frankly, I think he still qualifies as a stuntmen). It is funded by the Go Fast Energy Drink, which kicks Red Bull's ass. It is yummy - and the light is the best!

Can you tell I am getting my second wind about this event? Just in time for the debrief tomorrow and brain storming soon to come. Did I mention that a couple of us want to do a golf tournament next year too? Yes, I am crazy-why do you ask?

Who Is This Silly Girl?

I saw Ellen Degeneres cry on TV today over a dog that was taken from her friends because she adopted it and then gave it to the family after she realized that the puppy would not integrate with her cats. I thought that was an interesting thing to be devastated over, until I started to get choked up. Don't get me wrong, I do not necessarily care about the dog - I mean, I love animals, but do not get emotional over pets I have never seen. The dog is still living and will most likely go to another family or be guilted into giving it back to Ellen's friends. The thing that effects and affects me is seeing other people sad, unhappy, and crying. I am starting to really feel the effects of other people and their emotions. I genuinely want people to be happy, including my husband and myself.

I have the same strong reaction to weak people who present themselves as sheep, but are truly wolves in sheep's clothing. These are the people who use others and present themselves as good to gain a self-serving advantage. They always have their own agenda and will manipulate any situation to resolve their own expectations. The problem is that they can smell like roses only for so long before the water in the vase becomes rotted.

My point is that I am starting to feel sympathy/empathy as much as I am feel annoyed. I am not a stranger to annoyance, but this whole sappy personality is one to which I have not been introduced!

Take a Weekend Off???

So here is the email the DEMOgala Steering Committee Received from the Executive Chair of CSIA regarding DEMOgala:

I cannot tell you how many e-mails and phone calls I have received today about how successful the event was. Amazingly I can feel the Intensity, Innovation and Inspiration in each one of them. You, Kirby and the entire team are amazing. There are not enough words to describe how great you and the team are. I am truly humbled and honored to be associated with such a phenomenal team. CSIA has demonstrated that we are the leader for the entire state and industry. And as of this morning, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind. You and the team have not only set the foundation for the next generation of CSIA, but you have executed the tasks to get us there.
Thank you, thank you, thank you cannot be said enough!!!
Now you and the team take a deep breath, have a great weekend and we’ll be ready to go, go, go next week.

See what I mean about the drive and passion and leadership of this organization? The best part about this organization is that the leadership consists of people that inspire each of us to do more, better, faster. It is an honor to a part of this - the 2007 DEMO steering Committee is one that will go down in history and the best part - we are all still in love with one another!

DEMO Recap

The 2007 CSIA DEMOgala was an enormous success and the largest event in CSIA history, as well as the largest technology event in Colorado in 2007. We are the people that dream big and then drive ourselves to the ends of the Earth to accomplish every one of our crazy ideas. This year it was: a breakfast led by THE Brad Feld with comments and an important industry specific announcement by Gov. Bill Ritter. Congratulations to Su Hawk on her new and IT significant Board position! Next up, the conference that Doug Prom and I CO-Chaired. My biggest fear was that no one would come -0 boy was I wrong. In between the morning and the afternoon sessions, we had a CXO Luncheon that was set up like the Tonight Show with Jon Nordmark, CEO & Founder of eBags, as Jay Leno. He was funny and clever and sincere and did a great job. He interviewed: Kirby Slunaker of MDC Holdings (2007 CSIA DEMOgala Chair & my HERO), Bob Ogdon the CEO of SwiftPage (who was funny and not someone I thought was overly funny before that day - I say this because I am pretty sure the man is not all to fond of me, which is ok), Micki Nelson, CIO of MWH Global (the mother of someone I adore and a powerful, self-confident, authentic woman I admire), Leroy Williams the CIO of Ball Corporation (a good man with high self-esteem), and there are two more, but I am brain dead.

The night was totally amazing. Tim Armstrong was incredibly engaging, entertaining, and without arrogance of any kind. He stuck around to shake hands after the dinner, including mine.

It was a great day!! I am not wearing shoes tomorrow!!

2007 DEMOgala Breakfast Announcement

GOV. RITTER CONSOLIDATES, REFORMS IT OPERATIONSAND LAUNCHES NEW INNOVATION COUNCIL

Gov. Bill Ritter today launched a comprehensive high-tech initiative that will consolidate and reform state government's fractured Information Technology operations and establish the state's first Innovation Council to spur advances in Colorado's technology sector.

"In state government and in the private sector, the Digital Age of the 21st Century means Colorado must be ambitious, innovative and effective when it comes to maximizing the use of technology," Gov. Ritter announced Thursday. He unveiled the new high-tech package to hundreds of technology industry professionals at the third annual Colorado Software and Internet Association (CSIA) DEMOgala in Denver.

"We can vault Colorado into the nation's technology elite," Gov. Ritter declared, "and we'll do it by using technology to save taxpayers millions of dollars and more effectively deliver services to people all across Colorado. We also will utilize the Innovation Council to expand and grow opportunities for the 3,800 high-tech businesses and 175,000 IT/software employees in this state."

Gov. Ritter issued an "Improving State Information Technology Management" executive order in May, elevating the state's Chief Information Officer to a Cabinet-level position as the first phase in the reform plan.

The second-phase initiatives announced today call for a multi-year IT consolidation that folds state government's decentralized operations into the Governor's Office of Information Technology. This will allow for centralized technology purchasing, spending, planning and asset management. It also will create a statewide enterprise structure, compared with today's ineffective department-by-department model.

An "IT Consolidation Bill" will be introduced in the 2008 legislative session by sponsors Reps. Andy Kerr, Bernie Buescher and Bill Cadman and Sens. Ron May and John Morse to enact the reforms.

"Because of a decentralized information technology structure, Colorado state government uses information technology systems inefficiently," Gov. Ritter said. "This approach has led to redundant purchases, failed or under-performing IT applications, and an inefficient operating environment. Not only does the failure to pool purchases of IT goods and services create significant inefficiencies and unnecessary costs, it leads to greater risks related to security and reliable project performance."

Among the IT redundancies: state government has 38 data centers, while many states have just two or three, the Governor noted.

"Currently within the state's many information technology groups we have a wealth of talented employees who are ready to rise to the challenge," Chief Information Officer Michael Locatis said. "As we undergo a significant change from a highly decentralized and fractured IT environment to a consolidated enterprise model, our goal is to restore and improve basic operations and project performance. I look forward to carrying out Gov. Ritter's vision of transforming state IT into to a highly agile and innovative delivery organization."

Gov. Ritter today also established the state's first Innovation Council, bringing together 34 leaders from around Colorado. The Council is composed of experts from large, small, urban and rural technology businesses, as well as leaders in the venture capital, government, academic and nonprofit sectors. The council will have three primary subcommittees that will:

Assist the state as it reforms and improve its use of information technology;
Develop a strategy for spurring broadband deployment throughout the state, and;
Support state government's economic development efforts for the technology sector.

The council will be co-chaired by venture capitalist Brad Feld, managing director of the Foundry Group; entrepreneur Juan Rodriguez, who founded StorageTek and Exabyte; and national telecommunications policy expert Phil Weiser, who teaches law and telecommunications at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is executive director of the Silicon Flatirons Program.

In addition to Feld, Rodriguez and Weiser, three other tech-industry leaders also will serve on the Council's executive committee: Cathy Fogler of Charter Communications; Su Hawk, president of CSIA; and Lee Kennedy, founder of TriCalyx.

"Our state must develop a robust and ubiquitous broadband infrastructure to support an array of applications that will transform how the people of Colorado work, learn and play," Weiser said. "Deploying broadband to unserved areas of Colorado is a make-or-break issue for the state. We cannot afford to leave Colorado citizens or businesses behind as other states and countries adopt broadband connections and applications that catapult them ahead in the 21st Century economy."

"Technology infrastructure is key for rural Colorado and will affect how we provide education, health care and business opportunities for decades to come," said Council member Audrey Danner, executive director of the Yampa Valley Partners in northwest Colorado. "I am honored Gov. Ritter has invited me to join a group that offers such a broad range of statewide expertise to tackle one of the most important economic-development opportunities facing rural Colorado."

The Innovation Council is expected to hold its first meeting this fall, with periodic recommendations submitted to Gov. Ritter beginning in 2008.

Building a Partnership Beyond Beer

I was invited to the reception at the Canadian Consultate's office. The reason for their trip and the reception is to provide a win/win bridge for Canadian and Colorado organizations. The Canadian Consulate in Denver coordinated a Trade Mission and arranged for their visit during the CSIA DEMOgala. They hosted one heck of a party, which I would have really taken advantage of if not for all the work still to be done before our event. I want to thank David Smith for the invitation and all of his work towards bringing these organizations to our fair city! He was also charged with begging the guys at SXIP to send their CEO down to speak. The fact that it did not happen says nothing about him and everything about the fact that I only came across Dick Hardt's presentation a few weeks ago. In true style, I shot for the moon and decided I wanted him for the Innovation in Technology Trends Track. Yes, I am crazy, but so getting him next year!

Most Significant Gather of Technology Leaders in Colorado's History

What do 1 governor, 1 mayor, 13 CEOs, 4 CIOs, 3 CTOs and 2 Ph.D.s have in common? They are but a few of the more than 50 business, technology and civic leaders speaking at the 3rd Annual CSIA DEMOgala 2007. The DEMOgala 2007 Innovation Conference features 20 dynamic sessions across 4 tracks, covering innovation in education, business and technology, as well as creating and launching new innovation.

A few of the DEMOgala Innovation Conference presenters include Luke Beatty of Associated Content, David Cohen of TechStars, Jim Franklin of Oracle, Dr. William Gail of Microsoft, Christian Dwyer of MapQuest, Andrew Macaulay of Level 3 Communications, Greg Reinacker of NewsGator and Troy Widgery of GoFast Sports.

Along with keynote addresses by Tim Armstrong of Google, Brad Feld of Mobius Ventures and the Luncheon CEO/CIO Roundtable moderated by Jon Nordmark of eBags, DEMOgala 2007 represents the most significant gathering of successful business, technology and civic leaders ever assembled in Colorado’s history.

Come Hear the President of Google North America Speak

Tim Armstrong, President, Advertising and Commerce, North America and Vice President, Google, Inc. will give the evening keynote address at the CSIA DEMOgala on October 11, 2007. Along with Tim Armstrong, CSIA has assembled an unprecedented roster of more than 50 technology, business and civic leaders to present at the DEMOgala Innovation Conference. For example, DEMOgala speakers include Brad Feld of Foundry Group, Dr. William Gail of Microsoft Virtual Earth, Jon Nordmark of eBags, Kevin Survance of MapQuest and JB Holston of NewsGator.

The DEMOgala Innovation Conference is accompanied by the DEMOgala Innovation Showcase where you will be immersed in a first-hand experience of more than 40 of the most innovative Colorado technology companies representing software, aerospace, bioscience, wireless communications, sports technology and more. The innovations these companies showcase are changing the world and DEMOgala provides a unique “early glimpse” into the future.

The concentration of Colorado technology leaders, high-impact knowledge exchange, coupled with the “first look” opportunities for some of the most innovative new technologies and ideas in the market make CSIA DEMOgala 2007 a historic must-attend event. As a proud CSIA Member, I encourage you to attend for the benefit of yourself and your business.

Don't wait! Business happens today and your competition will be there.

For more information and to register for CSIA DEMOgala 2007, go to www.csiaonline.com/2007demogala.htm