Simplified Technology Solutions, Inc (STS) is an IBM Business Partner specializing in Intel servers and Lotus collaboration products.  In addition to our technical skills, we also provide consulting on leveraging cloud solutions and social networking concepts in businesses.  Contact us at 678 638 6688 or http://www.simplified-tech.com

The Georgia CIO Leadership Association welcomes your participation in the 12^th annual CIO of the Year Awards. You may nominate any deserving CIO for consideration. Click here to nominate

It would not come as a surprise to you to hear me say that in recent conversations with CIOs and senior staff members, the most popular topics have been clouds, business intelligence and collaboration. Sliding more of the fundamental pieces out to be managed by others has become more common. This then allows IT staff members to be embedded within the functional business departments.  IT professionals are becoming more involved with the operational aspects of the business and reputedly that is working out well. It’s a practice that has long been discussed, but today there seems to be a commitment and more resulting value – by all parties.

 CIO of the Year Awards – don’t forget the nomination process is in full swing now and it only takes a couple of minutes to make a nomination. So come on and do the right thing. Go here to complete and submit the brief form.

Bill Wilkins is a busy fellow these days and when he pauses for a discussion about IT shop projects coming up in his future, his response is clear. “Unified communications is big with us right now. We are walking out near the edge with some of this, and it is going to turn out real good,” he said with a smile in his voice.

“My number one priority this year will be to manage my responsibilities to a very tight EBITDA budget. We will do this with a lot of continued emphasis on process improvements and efficiencies that make sense,” remarked Rob Ewing during the first minutes of our conversation.

When asked about the upcoming priorities this year at the Georgia Aquarium, Beach Clark was quick on the draw. “The Dolphin exhibit expansion is going to be big for us. It will be the biggest project for our facility this year and it will drive a lot of opportunities for us. This project will increase our IT network by 30-50 people and it will be the object of new online social media marketing campaigns.”

Our first couple of minutes of conversation were devoted to the sincere emphasis that Bradley Dick gives to obtaining referrals and recommendations for other CIOs and IT department executives. “Of all the various sources for product or service validation and comparison ratings, nothing is valued more than the word of a trusted friend. I place far more value on the word of peers than on graphs, charts, and quadrants developed by research and consulting groups. So you bet I understand why TechLINKS is providing this service, and I truly do think it delivers value.”

The Midmarket CIO Forum kicks off Sunday in Orlando and I look forward to seeing people from organizations all around the region. If you need for me to make contact with anyone for you then let me know. More about the conference: http://tinyurl.com/ygejqsr

In an effective community, people share and assist each other. Nowhere is information sharing and collaboration more valued than in the IT industry. Today we salute those who have stepped up to walk that talk. Most of these 27 senior IT leaders have shared one or two of their key upcoming projects. A few trends are beginning to emerge.

Participants include Bob Arnett (Cobb Energy), Delores Kimes Barton (Spelman College), John Bartz, Dan Brown (Consumer Credit Counseling Services), Pankaj (PC) Chawla (Beazer Homes), Fred Christian (Navicure, Inc.), Mark Conde (Emory-Rollins School of Public Health), Nancy D’Amico (LeasePlan), Hank Edwards (Innovative Management Technologies, Inc.),Ryan Fernandes (Fulton County Government), Jay Ferro (Chartis Insurance), Senad Hadzic (KaMin Performance Minerals), Linwood Hayes (Travel Incorporated), Sandy Hofmann (Advanced Technology Development Center), Linda Hughes (Great Ridge Company), Paul Judge (Barracuda Networks), Bob Keefe (Mueller Water Products), Patty Lavely (Memorial Health University Medical Center), Lance Lyttle (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport), John McGuthry (Armstrong Atlantic State University), Joe Oesterling (Cbeyond), Ken Rabun (Manhattan Associates), Venki Rao (GE Energy), Mark Sohl (Chestatee River Group), Jim Strickland (Community Loans of America, Inc.), Larry White (MACTEC, Inc.), and Kathy Wooten (Caraustar).

I had not been in contact Patty Lavely since she proudly walked off the stage with the CIO of the Year Award for her category last year. She is a clearly a very sharp person and I had been looking forward to this conversation.