Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004 (No. 41)
Editor Milt Capps
For previous issues or for the date of our next issue, visit the news archive.



 
Miller & Martin LLP
NTC Tech Underwriter

 

 

Marc Guthrie
President and CEO
In the Spotlight

 






Upfront

Spotlight

Venture Innovation Enterprise

Partnership & Recognition

Healthcare

Government

East/West Tenn.& Region

Research & Education

Resources

Scheduled Events

 
HCA Chairman Jack Bovender among most influential in shaping healthcare information technology, per Modern Healthcare, Aug. 23. Related NAHIT release.
 
FedEx Institute's Jim Phillips says TN universities are producing intellectual property, but more legal effort needed to ensure that the State benefits, Times Free Press, Sept. 15.
 
New York investors acquire Nashville's EdgeNet, NashvillePost.com, Sept. 2. Tennessean, Sept. 3.

Murfreesboro's Capital City Micro is in Hewlett Packard's crosshairs: HP reportedly litigating to reclaim pricing discounts from Micro, CRN, Sept. 3. San Jose Mercury News, Sept. 3. HP release, Sept. 2.

Local Shane Messer's "Weapons of Mass Destruction" interactive challenge was solved in seven months, gaining international exposure, e.g., Sept. 7 AP report via Jackson (TN) Sun.

Franklin's Dialogic Communications' emergency-response revenues up since 9/11, now surge again with hurricanes. Other local players include CNA, Allstate, Infrastructure Corp., Tennessean, Sept. 4.
 
iPayment announces acquisition of Penna. merchant card firm, NashvillePost.com, Sept. 15 (sub).
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ComFrame CEO Guthrie says Nashville office is gathering momentum

ComFrame Software Corporation's President and CEO Marc Guthrie greenlighted ComFrame's entry into the Nashville market less than two years ago.

Today, Guthrie, 43, says ComFrame's Nashville clientele is growing at a faster rate than ComFrame's Birmingham or Huntsville offices. He believes this growth stems from the fact that "There's enormous opportunity for companies that will just do what they say they will and who will actually deliver the kind of value they offer to create for their clients."

It is, no doubt, also helpful in healthcare-oriented Nashville that in 1997 ComFrame's first clients were health-sector enterprises -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, among others -- that commissioned software applications for payor, provider, clinical and administrative operations. ComFrame's Nashville effort is led by Software Architect and Area Director Steve Kukulka and Business Development Manager Jerry Prosise.
 
The originally Java-centric company evolved to embrace Microsoft .Net and other technologies essential to design, development and implementation of "highly capable, scalable, multitiered, robust technologies" required by a diverse client base.

ComFrame's custom-software solutions work is currently weighted toward .Net, Java, data warehousing, portal development and related assignments that fall into application development, enterprise integrationand business intelligence categories.

ComFrame executives also stress that a key element in their success -- in addition to talented employees and strong references from current clients -- is building "the ComFrame exit strategy" into every client engagement. This provides clients "peace of mind" regarding ComFrame's commitment to the kind of knowledge transfer and mentoring of in-house staff that will enable a client to operate post-project without ComFrame, and even build upon ComFrame-authored software, using enriched inhouse skills.

Guthrie says that with the company approaching 60 employees and ontrack for $7.5 million in annualized revenues, ComFrame intends to internally fund its continued growth. Two years ago, ComFrame's advancement was boosted by a venture-capital infusion from the Southeastern Technology Fund, Huntsville.

A decade in software development and implementation for AT&T, BellSouth and Bell Labs in Atlanta and New Jersey primed Guthrie's entrepreneurial charge, leading him first to join telecom-oriented startup Bearcreek Technologies, and later to help found claims management-oriented Knowledgable Heathcare Solutions (KHS, later sold to Per Se Technologies). He subsequently founded ComFrame. Under the leadership of Tuscaloosa-born Guthrie, ComFrame has earned numerous awards and recognition, including ranking amid Inc. Magazine's 500 Fastest-growing private businesses (2003 and likely for 2004). Among numerous civic and philanthropic activities, Guthrie is chairman-elect of TechBirmingham. He earned his undergraduate degree in computer sciences at the University of Alabama.

ComFrame recently became a Tech Titan sponsor of Nashville Technology Council.

ComFrame resources: Management team. Technology Services hereValues and Beliefs. ComFrame presentationEmployment with ComFrame.

(##)

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Technology 2020: Tenn. Valley Venture Forum, Sept. 23-24, Chattanooga. Register asap, via www.tvvf.biz.
 
PureSafety Introduces Health & Wellness Course Suite to Help Companies Combat Increasing Employee Healthcare Costs, release Sept. 1.
 
Nashville Capital Network supports Tricycle deal, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 3. Tennessean, Sept. 4. NashvillePost.com, Sept. 3. Tricycle-NCN release, Sept. 3, here. Chattanoogan.com, Sept. 3.
 
Southern Appalachian Fund issues summary of investments in NuMarkets, Tricycle, SmartFurniture, Sept. 7.
  
Nashville's Perle Systems unveils Software-Configurable Multi-Interface Multi-Port Serial PCI Cards, release Sept. 9.
  
Mountain Group Capital LLC buys stake in JIT Services Inc. of Huntsville, Tennessean, Sept. 2.
 
Resurgence of venture capital, NY Times, Sept. 2.
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Corrections to Aug. 31 edition: Paul Cleckner, who moved from Deloitte to Investment Scorecard, is President and COO. Meanwhile, at BBX, the correct spelling of the President/Founder is Bob Terry.
 
Centresource signed DreamCatcher Entertainment, for security consulting; Better Bus. Bureau for network consulting; and Trevecca Univ. Center for Instructional Technology for site design. 

Nashville's First Data is among users of CSR View from Payment Data Systems, Sept. 8.
 
Marlow of Smart Data Strategies is profiled by NBJ Bizwomen.com, here.
 
Inflow will undergo SAS-70 Type II Audit of its Internet Data Center (IDC) facility by LBMC, in order to meet compliancy requirements of several Inflow customers, release Sept. 14. Inflow touts disaster-recovery services for enterprises in path of hurricanes, Sept. 7.
 
Austin-based Nashville player Perficient is among Texas Fast 50 tech firms designated by Deloitte, release Sept.  8.
 
Equinox IS signs XO for fraud-management software, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 13.
 
Eddie Pearson of DigiScript Inc. answers the Business Journal's Q&A, says merging empact Health with Medibuy was his "worst" career decision, p. 17, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 10.
 
Ciber wins NES contract in partnership with Zycron, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 9. NashvillePost.com, Sept. 8. Tennesean, Sept. 13. Ciber board approves share buyback, Memphis Bus. Journal, Sept. 13
 
ClientLogic chief gets CRM leadership award, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 7. Release, Sept. 7.
 
Former EDS manager Karen Thomas joins Pinnacle Financial Partners as IS project manager and business analyst, Tennessean, Sept. 12. 
  
LBMC's Leisa Gill named 2004 Marketer of the Year by CPA Marketing Report, Tennessean, Sept. 12.
 
Jason Grant joins North Highland as IT principal, after stint with Infinis office, Tennessean, Sept. 12.

(Sept. 28) Music City Future 50 includes technology entries, Tennessean, Aug. 8. Event background here.
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Vanderbilt Med. Center KnowledgeMap database makes medical searches more productive, VUMC Reporter, Sept. 3.
 
Patel brings physician perspective to IT implementation at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville Medical News, Sept. 04.
 
Patient EDU's Nashville office is making headway with widely variable digital patient-education offerings, Nash. Medical News, Sept. 04.
 
Healthcare Management Systems profiled in Nashville Medical News, Sept. 04. HMS signs Associated Healthcare, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 8.

HealthTrio signs Colorado Access, state's largest Medicaid plan, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 14. Release here.
 
Mountain States Health Alliance installs wireless infrastructure from Johnson Controls , Sept. 13.
 
Ardent pix Zix Corp. for e-messaging security, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 8. Ardent appointments, Tennessean, Sept. 12: Bill Henry to IT/System controller; Thomas Holland to crystal reporting app specialist; Brad Jennings to manager-IT/continuous audit; Roseann Scully, senior Lawson app specialist; Bill Timmis as Lawson specialist; and, Robert Towson, formerly of Pomeroy Computer Resources, as director-technical services.

Smart design for hospitals goes beyond technology; Nashville's Centennial Medical Center mentioned among healing-design leaders, NY Times, Sept. 7.
 
Changes continue at CTI Molecular Imaging, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 13.
 
Memphis Baptist Memorial Health Care's Mississippi hospitals offer E-patient Registration, release Aug. 30.
 
SyMed software signs eight more physicians groups, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 10
 
Natural-language processing is big issue in mining medical notes, Healthcare Informatics, Sept. 2004. Related, HealthcareIT-World, July 04, the concept of problem-oriented medical reporting.
 

National Alliance for Health Information Technology appoints Policy Committee, Aug. 17.

VCs favor IT over healthcare, for now, Boston Business Journal, Aug. 30 .

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Link to key in-state government bid-tracking resources, here.
 
Congressional delegation touts U.S. Dept. of Commerce grants to Tennessee cities and institutions, including East TN State Univ., Nashville, others. Chattanoogan.com, Sept. 9. John City Press, Sept. 9.
 
State RFP 349-03.404 seeks support of computer-aided dispatch system (CAD); proposals were recently submitted by InterAct Public Safety Systems (Asheville); Public Safety Intergraph Corporation (Huntsville); Public Safety Systems Inc. (Lanham, Md.); Motorola (Boulder); SmartCOP (Pensacola); VisionAIR (Castle Hayne, NC).
 
Zero bidders responded to the State's RFP Ref: 321.15-01 for technical upgrade and support services for the POST Asset Management Application (Walker). The client is General Services and incumbent vendor is SSA Global (Chicago). RFP Coordinator Terry Hill told NTC yesterday that the RFP has been cancelled, and there's no contract in force with SSA. General Services contact Tony Earp did not respond to queries about all this. 
 
State vital records document ordering system would be supported via RFP 343.20-002, proposals due Oct. 13.
 
State RFP 331.01-002 for teacher recruitment includes subordinate requirements for database and web applications, proposals due Oct. 11.
 
Professor questions medical effects of TASER stun guns, City Paper, Sept. 7.

CIBER and ZYCRON team to win $12 million NES contract, City Paper, Sept. 2. Related release, Sept. 8. Commercial Appeal, Sept. 9. CIBER announces share-purchase program, release Sept. 13.

Court ruling quashes tax incentives for corporate expansions, Nashvillepost.com, Sept. 2.

 
City of Brentwood uses Internet to tell voters about road, greenway proposals, Tennessean, 3B, Sept. 2, not on web.
 

 
State issues for enhanced Case Management and Activity Tracking System, 337.01-025. Final deadline Sept. 23. See full timeline in RFP.
 
State project management GIS RFP 317.30-108, Sept. 16 deadline. For creation of digital statewide basemap suitable for use in GIS. 20 firms signed in for preproposal conference.
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Memphis' Remote Backup Systems Inc. readied infrastructure for series of hurricanes, release Sept. 10.

Knoxville's one-button consumer Procon satellite/GPS products gain national distribution, as offshore manufacturing of technology expands, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 13.

 
Publix groceries will receive more than 16,000 HP rp5000 point-of-sale devices and 2,000 HP ProLiant servers, release Sept. 3.
 
DeltaComm merges with two Florida telecom firms, Knox News Sentinel, Sept. 9.
 
King Technologies (Trenton, TN) is now national, international distributor for Comdial, release Sept. 9.
 
NewRoads fulfillment center plans Chattanooga expansion, release Sept. 10.
 
Chattanooga couple video-documents political protests and disseminates via Web, aided by independent media center in NYC, Times Free Press, Sept. 11.
 
Erlanger and FedEx Institute of Technology are among Nortel virtualization adopters, release Sept. 13.
 
In Smyrna, GM announces Toyota's Doug Betts is Product Quality VP, release Sept. 13. Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 13.
 
Memphis-based AMDS begins boarding new merchant portfolio, release Sept. 13.
 
UT CIO endorses SSPS statistical package, release Sept. 14.
 
Memphis' Rothman Company illustrates how IT consultants support smaller businesses, Commercial Appeal, Sept. 13.
 
Nucsafe radiation detection: right product, right time, Column by Lee Martin, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 6.
 
Intellithought picks up where New Horizons left off in Tri-Cities area, with Tom Deaderick, president of Kingsport facility, release Aug. 30.
Harrah's recognized for IT excellence by CIO Magazine, Commercial Appeal, Sept. 4.
 
Memphis Tech job shifts: National Commercial Financial merger with SunTrust could create more technology jobs in Nashville, Commercial Appeal, Sept. 2.
 
Knoxville's MediaPulse wins web-design award in D.C. for Washington Post site, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 6.
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Vanderbilt University rose to 25th in nation in federally funded R&D, according to NSF ranking, VU release Sept. 2.
 
ISSA Middle Tennessee donated a $2,300 scholarship for award to a fulltime computer-networking student at Nashville State Community College, release here, Sept. 1. Related NSCC Foundation site

California-born, Memphis-bound CRAM101 artificial-intelligence software gives students shortcuts, Memphis Bus. Journal, Sept. 10.
 
TN Board of Regents executive St. Clair endorsed Web CT certified trainer program, release Sept. 7.
 
High-Tech Institute prepares to move campus closer to airport, Nash. Bus. Journal, p. 3, Sept. 10.
 
Knox County students win national Technology Student Association Awards, Knox. News Sentinel, Sept. 1.
 
Tablet PCs take their place in the classroom, NY Times, Sept. 9. 
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BusinessTN magazine invites nominees for fastest-growing, privately held TN firms by Sept. 30, details here.
 
UT Prof. Glenn Reynold's Instapundit having huge political impact, MetroPulse Knoxville.
 
Among Tennessee workers, software engineers have brighter prospects, Tennessean, Sept. 6. As elsewhere, Memphis jobs and purchasing power are hard to gain, Commercial Appeal, Sept. 5.
 
CIO Magazine staffing trends at mid-year, CIO, Sept. 1.
 
IT sector's job loss dramatic, AP via Wash. Post, Sept. 14, here. Recovery slight for the IT job market, ITAA Sept. 8. Economist Samuelson says globalization is not the unalloyed good some crack it up to be, NY Times, Sept. 9. Offshoring America's IT projects may encourage further IT initiatives in U.S. organizations, InformationWeek, Sept. 6.
 
Unskilled workers, (Greenspan), Washington Post, Sept. 6. The plight of middle managers, Washington Post, Sept. 5. Washington's limited influence on jobs-creation, NY Times, Sept. 5.

Lower Intel forecast perturbs investors fearing erosion in IT sector, WashingtonPost, Sept. 3. VCs see bright prospects in IT, over healthcare, Boston Bus. Journal via Nash. Bus. Jrnl., Sept. 3.

Belmont's Cornwall comments on outsourcing, Nash. Bus. Journal, Sept. 10.

Microsoft Homeland Security exec Tom Richey interviewed by Cindy Webb, transcript (8/31/04), Washington Post, details here.
 
'Unsexy' BellSouth may be rewarded for its perseverance as it targets TV services, possibly takes fresh look at AT&T, NY Times, Sept. 13.
 
Single-vendor (in this case, Dell) sourcing streamlines planning and procurement for healthcare. HealthLeaders, Sept. 2004.
 
India software sector will see rampant growth, on top of business-process outsourcing business, CNN, Sept. 13.  
 
Hyperactive Bob technology inplace in Memphis could change fast-food operations, Commercial Appeal, Sept. 14.  
 
Xerox repositions, lets brand 'speak for itself', NY Times, Sept. 13.
 
Siebel Systems consolidating vendors, taking other steps to restore business, NY Times, Sept. 13.
 
Casino buyouts reshaping industry's IT strategy, Information Week, here.

Wikipedia, Washington Post, Sept. 9.
 
DCML language to be spread via Oasisrelease Aug. 30.
 
RFID and Privacy, InformationWeek, Sept. 6.
 
Microsoft acknowledges Linux is growing threat to current business, Washington Post, Sept. 7. Related, eWeek, Sept. 5. Australian IT, Sept. 7.
 
Craigslist founder sticks to customer-service values, NY Times, Sept. 6.

VOIP Skype, NY Times, Sept. 5.

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For frequent updates, check the NTC home page and the NTC "Tech Links" page, found here. Check business calendars of The Tennessean; The City Paper ; and Nashville Business Journal. And, visit Tennessee's technology councils' sites:
CALENDAR ( * indicates new or revised item)
 
(Sept. 15) Chattanooga Tech Council luncheon re: TN Valley Venture Forum.  Details here.
 
(Ends Sept. 16) Conference: Detector/Sensor Research and Technology for Homeland and National Security: Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiological Weapons, and Toxic Industrial Chemicals, River Terrace Resort, Gatlinburg. Hosted by Chemical Sciences Division and National Security Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Details here.
 
* (Sept. 20) NE TN Technology Council, 11:30 a.m., Centre at Millennium Park, Johnson City, "Desktop and Mobile Computing Strategy," with Damon Silvestry, senior engineering manager of Dell's New Product Introduction organization for Client Products. Details, registration, write vcrymble@netntech.org or call (423) 279-9000.
 
* (Sept. 21) PMI Nashville on "Fearless Leadership System," 11:30 a.m., Holiday Inn Select, 2613 West End Ave. , with Dr. John Hoover, Dr. Angelo Valenti, and John Bracewell from ComposiTeam will present "Fearless Leadership
System," related to "ideally balanced Project Management Teams." Details
here
 
* (Sept. 22) UT deans of Engineering and Business discuss joint graduate program leading to MBA/MS, East TN Tech. Council (Tech2020), 11:30 a.m. RSVP  by Sept. 20 via RSVP@tech2020.org or (865) 220-2020.
 
(Sept. 23-24) 8th Annual Tenn. Venture Forum - hosts: Tech2020, City of Chattanooga.

(Sept. 24) Annual Economic Outlook Conference, sponsored by the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee University. Details not yet available.

* (Sept. 28) WiTT Topic: Managing IT in a Fast Changing Environment Speaker: Eddie Gadsey, Director of IT Iasis Healthcare,  4:30 p.m., Iasis Healthcare, 113 Seaboard Lane, Suite A200 Franklin, details amyehancock@comcast.net.
 
* (Sept. 28-30) 2004 Governor's Economic-Development Conference, Nashville Convention Center. Agenda here.
(Sept. 28) Music City Future 50 recognition at Franklin Marriott Cool SpringsRegistration here.
 
(Sept. 29) Healthcare IT: Local chapters of HiMSS and HIMA, in conjunction with Tennessee Hospital Association, convene program with emphasis on emerging technologies. Keynote speaker for the HiMSS/THIMA one-day event will be Pam Arlotto, managing director, Maestro. She's responsible for Maestro strategy and is a former HiMSS national chair. The day will also feature CIOs from Lifepoint Health, Baptist/St. Thomas (Ascension), Maury Regional Hosp., and Community Health Systems. Also, execs from American HIMA, HCA ITS, UT Med Center, RHIA, Sumner Regional MC. Details here.
 
(Sept. 30) Nashville Technology Council Network Managers Roundtable. See NMRT site. For details write kcooksey@technologycouncil.com .

(Sept. 30) Tennessee Valley Conference on the Science and Business of Nanotechnology, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Speakers and panelists will address science/research overview, applications, and business and investment issues. Details forthcoming. This program is a cooperative effort of the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt School of Engineering, Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and Nashville Technology Council. Venue: Caterpillar Financial Center. Related Nanostory, City Paper, Sept. 3.

(Oct. 4) NTC Tech Roundtable - Mike Dunne, President, Quanta Nashville.

(Oct. 5-7) Memphis Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference, Memphis Biotech. Fdn, here and here.
 
(Oct. 14-16) AITP Region 7 STUCON student IT professionals event, details here.
http://www.aitpnashville.org/stucon16.htm
 
(Oct. 19) Nashville Technology Council Software Developers Roundtable meeting. See SDRT site. For details, write kcooksey@technologycouncil.com .

(Oct. 22) NE TN Tech Council TechStar Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., MeadowView Conf. Ctr. Program with Anne Pope, Alex Fischer, Eric Cromwell, others. Info: vcrymble@netntech.org or calling 423.279.9000

* (Oct. 28) Nashville Technology Council, Tech After Hours, details.
 
(Nov. 4) NTC Tech Roundtable, representatives of ConduIT Corporation and Digiscript discuss eDoc4U.

(Nov. 4) Bioimaging conference, Memphis. Details here.
 
(Nov. 4-5) TN Valley Corridor Fall Summit, Somerset, KY. Linking homeland security and homeland prosperity.Related story, Knox News Sentinel,  Sept. 13.
 
* (Nov. 9) Justice Department holds technology-export security town hall meeting at BellSouth Tower. Register here. Related NashvillePost.com story, Sept. 1.
 
(Dec. 1-3) Tennessee Education Technology Conference, link here.
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Nashville Technology Council
211 Commerce Street, Suite 100,  Nashville, TN 37201
p: 615-743-3160  |  f: 615-256-0393  |  e:  info1@technologycouncil.com
www.technologycouncil.com