The digital revolution is just beginning to impact the way governments operate and serve, and Temple University, The City of New York and the New York Stock Exchange have teamed up to present a national conference for mayors on the power of information technology to improve constituent services and reduce the cost of government.
"Seizing the Opportunity of E-Government" takes place Tuesday and Wednesday, June 26-27, in New York City. This bipartisan conference features presentations by mayors of cities who have managed or are undertaking major projects involving technological innovation and by executives of technology companies pioneering innovations relevant to local government. Participants include prominent public and private sector officials, including mayors from 25 cities across the nation.
Municipal government leaders speaking at the conference include mayors Rudolph W. Giuliani (NYC), Skip Rimsza (Phoenix, AZ), Patrick McCrory (Charlotte, NC), Paul Coble (Raleigh, NC), and Nicholas Tennyson (Durham, NC). Also representing municipal government are Steve Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis, IN, and Richard J. Sheirer, director of the NYC Mayor's Office of Emergency Management. Private sector executive speakers include: Dick Grasso, chairman and CEO, New York Stock Exchange; John Morgridge, chairman, Cisco Corporation; Richard Parsons, co-COO, AOL-Time Warner; Henry Fiallo, president, Enterasys; John Wren, CEO, Omnicom; and Ken Fitzpatrick, general manager of global marketing, Computer Associates International.
"Technology is revolutionizing the way people everywhere interact with government," Giuliani said. "Government is now available and accessible 24 hours a day - not just for emergency services, but for information services and traditional business transactions. Online services are no longer an optional feature for government, and the public expects us to provide the same high-quality service and efficiency as the private sector. This conference provides an opportunity for public and private sector leaders to share their knowledge about improving the way government uses technology."
"Mayors can learn much from one another, as well as from private sector leaders, about utilizing technology to manage municipalities more effectively and efficiently," explains Paul J. Andrisani, professor of management at Temple University's Fox School of Business and Management.
"The conference provides a forum for private and public sector leaders to share ideas that are reshaping municipal governments." Andrisani co-directs with economics professor Simon Hakim the Fox School's Center for Competitive Government.
"Governmental efficiency is crucial to competitiveness, regionally and nationally," notes M. Moshe Porat, dean of Temple's Fox School, who co-chaired Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street's transition team on the New Economy. "Nationwide, government provides 15.4 percent of total U.S. employment--about the same as the entire manufacturing industry--and consumes nearly 25 percent of GDP. Moreover, all citizens and businesses are perennial clients of local, state and federal government. To sustain economic growth, government at all levels must become more competitive in attracting and retaining jobs and businesses."
"Seizing the Opportunity of E-Government" is co-presented by Temple's Center for Competitive Government, the City of New York, and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Giuliani and Grasso are hosting the conference, which will be held in New York City's new Emergency Operations Center in the World Trade Center and in the NYSE Boardroom. In addition, Mayor Giuliani will host a welcoming reception and dinner at his residence, Gracie Mansion, the evening of June 26.
"The Exchange is privileged to host the Conference of Mayors and Temple University," says NYSE Chairman and CEO Dick Grasso. "Like the American cities this fine group represents, the Exchange continues to work to bring Wall Street and Main Street together. We look forward to a lively and beneficial dialogue with the mayors."
The Center for Sustainable Communities at Temple University Ambler, established to promote the development and management of sustainable communities through effective land use planning, ecological restoration, and community revitalization, is the principal underwriter of the conference. The Center plans to develop an internet-accessible database providing technical and public policy information, research data, and model ordinances to serve as a resource for municipal officials.
Additional underwriters include Computer Associates International, Enterasys, PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government, and Eastern States Group. Additional support for the conference is provided by AOL Time-Warner, Cisco and Omnicom.
Further information about "Seizing the Opportunity of E-Government," including a complete list of participants and detailed agenda, is available on the Web at http://www.sbm.temple.edu/com/ or by contacting Jerry Lazzaro, director of public relations, Fox School of Business, Temple University, 215.204.4478, [email protected]
Cheryl Afonso Temple University Office of News and Media Relations 215.204.7476 [email protected]
RSS