Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, September 18, 2001

The revolution of the IT industry, brought on by the rapid change of technologies, changing consumer expectations, and changing business strategies is challenging the tried and true methods of delivering results. How we manage projects in today’s environment has changed dramatically, and must continue to evolve for the IT divisions of companies to remain successful. Even the very measures of success, applied to projects in the past, are changing.

The toolkits used by Project Managers; Methodologies, Project Plans, Communication Plans, Risk Mitigation, Budget Controls, etc. are evolving as well. This discussion will look at what has worked in rapid deployment projects, what changes need to be made in order to be successful, and what the future may hold for Project Management.

Tim Stenerson is the Practice Leader for the Management Consulting Practice of Harbinger Partners, a Twin Cities based, employee owned, consulting firm specializing in Project Management, Enterprise Application Development, Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. Tim has more than 10 years experience in managing projects, both from a Business and IT perspective. This experience includes the industries of Banking, Brokerage, Health Care, Retail and most recently a dot com start-up company. Through these experiences he has learned to adapt formal methodologies into organizations and create successful plans to deliver technical solutions to accomplish business strategies. These experiences have provided the basis for this discussion. Tim has been an active member of the Project Management Institute since 1994 and will be sitting for the PMP exam in 2001.

Post Meeting Follow-up

Review

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, October 16, 2001

"eCommerce and Intrusion Detection"

Are you sure your system isn’t being quietly subverted at this moment by a Hacker?

Todd Hudspeth will provide an in depth look at intrusion detection. This presentation will examine the types of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs), the pros and cons of using them, the risks involved, the support considerations and ways an IDS can be defeated. This presentation acknowledges that IDS is not the be-all end-all in security, but rather, one critical component in a layered security model – and a very intelligent way to know what is going on in your environment.

Todd Hudspeth

Mr. Hudspeth is Principal Security Architect and CISSP for Espiria, a national consulting firm specializing in total security solutions. He has designed, architected, and engineered multi-firewall environments for multiple Fortune 500 corporations.

Prior to moving to the Twin Cities, Mr. Hudspeth was the Manager of Corporate Systems Security for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. in Atlanta, where he was responsible for the development and implementation of the Turner corporate systems security policies and procedures and corporate firewall architecture.

Review

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Joint Meeting of
Minnesota Information Professional Society and ACM & ASM

"A Practitioner Perspective on CyberCrime Fighting"

Bob Burkhart (LCdr USNR-Ret.) will share case studies showing how fast-track deployment methods reinforce ongoing collaborative efforts between public and private sectors to fight CyberCrime. The global mission and vision driving this "Virtual InfraGard Collaborative" efforts rests on Understanding, Coping, Investigating and Resolving crime incidents plus Litigation Strategies.

Mr. Bob Burkhart

Mr. Burkhart is a principal in ACCTTS, LLC, which designs, develops and delivers training products supporting the FBI InfraGard Outreach Program for the National Infrastructure Protection Center (www.nipc.gov) plus other e-Business and e-Commerce marketplace initiatives.

ACCTTS builds on prior "lessons learned" by professional association supporters, concerned multi-national firms, communities of interest and regional program co-sponsors. This session provides "roadmaps" for deploying similar efforts in other regions.

Bob (RJ) Burkhart - LCDR, USNR-Ret. works with Information Resource and Information Security Management (IRM & ISM) emphasizing business system productivity, quality, and protection. His focus is on business disruption avoidance and scenario-based team training. Cdr. Burkhart received his M.S. in Information Science from the University of Hawaii - Manoa and a B.S. in Business degree from the University of Kansas. He completed the Mini-MSDD with Graduate Programs in Software at the University of St. Thomas in 1992. Bob is a long-term member of MnIPS and currently serves as Secretary of the organization.

Post Meeting Follow-up

Presentation Materials     Review

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, January 15, 2002

"E-Commerce Gone Bad: What To Do When You Get Bit"

The age of the great Internet E-Commerce roll-out is past. Executive management and sales groups no longer give developers "blank checks" in pursuit of 'the ultimate web experience' to convince customers and business partners to cozy up. Management and other players now expect that web sites will pay their own way by advertising returns and market value, or by cost savings processing interactions with business partners. Even with the benefit of hindsight over the past Internet boom period and evermore sophisticated 'cool tools' to help, big questions remain for webmasters and IT management.

This session is about those web sites that were "not as successful as planned." As technology professionals what do we say and do when our own organization's web site, or that of a friend, "doesn't work"? Is there a conspiracy in embarrassed silence? What is to be done? Where do you restart when the e-commerce site doesn't?

The session will start with a brief overview of the types of failures and likely causes, and then move on to the action plans that can be proposed to keep sites moving forward. Particular attention is paid to those process and technology elements that are understood to cost more, deliver less, and that cause the most lost sleep.

The session will be focused to the pragmatic efforts:

1. What must be done?
2. How can costs to both maintain and enhance the web site be controlled?
3. How are the conditions that can cause continuing failures or losses be avoided?

Bring your questions and war stories for discussion and debate!

Arnold W. Kwong, Extratelligence

Arnold W. Kwong is a former TCACM Chapter Chair who now works with both technical and management issues. He brings more than 20 years of experience, including a stint at the Gartner Group, to distill the realities of organizational life down to getting the technical work done.

Post Meeting Follow-up

Photo of Meeting    Review

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, February 19, 2002

"Protecting Your Organization's e-Commerce Web Site"

If you build it, they will come. Most commercial websites experience several potentially malicious probes every day. Everyone in e-Business (that's most of us in IT, in one way or another) needs to understand how to survive in the Internet jungle. This presentation will describe:

• At least 15 different ways your site can be attacked and the general steps to protect it.

• How to keep your site doing business and avoid the costs of rebuilding it.

• What resources are reasonable and appropriate to guard your site.

Bruce Healton

Bruce Healton has been researching and presenting on threats to e-Business sites and network infrastructure since 1995. He has presented on this and other topics at IEEE COMPSAC and Aerospace international conferences. He works with financial service, telecommunications, non-profit, and governmental organization to solve management, business and technological problems. Bruce has been a member of MnIPS since its beginning and has served in a number of capacities both MnIPS and, before it, the local ACM chapter.

Post Meeting Follow-up

Presentation Handout    Review

Networking and Dinner
Tuesday, March 12, 2002

"Earl C. Joseph, Sr. Global Future Thought Leadership
Awards Program Launch"

Joint event with Minnesota Futurists

Post Meeting Follow-up

Earl Joseph website   Photo of event

Pre-Dinner Session
Tuesday, March 19, 2002

"Networking for IT Professionals"

If you’ve ever lost your job, you know about the stress that comes with it. This meeting is intended to ease some of that stress during their transition while helping people make valuable career contacts.

Already restructured, downsized, right-sized IT Professionals, as well as those concerned about their future, can learn how to improve their networking skills by attending the Networking for IT Professionals seminar. Hosted by the Minnesota Information Professional Society (MnIPS), this event will showcase IT staffing professionals and networking experts that will share their tips and techniques on how to network to find a job or stay current with events and technology.

Featured guest speakers include:

• Matt Noah of NetSuds – Networking in Groups
• Michael Simons of Smilin’ & Dialin’ – Making the most of Personal Contacts
• Bill McTeer of McTeer Systems – Networking 1 on 1 with other IT professionals
• Jeanine Phillips of RHI Consulting – Preparing for an Interview
• Joe Perzel of eNRGi – the Best Places to Network and meeting moderator

For more information on this event, view flyer in HTML (PDF version)

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, March 19, 2002

"Planning for E-Business Success"

Implementing e-business successfully is unlike any technology we have been faced with in the past. This session will get you off to a great start by providing you with a methodology in developing your business plan and information systems strategic plan for your e-business.

Anita Cassidy

Anita Cassidy is the founder of Strategic Computing Directions, Inc (SCDI). SCDI offers a wide range of seminars and speeches based on IS systems, technology, process, strategic planning and e-business. Anita Cassidy has over 25 years of experience in Information Systems, with positions such as CIO/Vice President, Director and Manager at worldwide Fortune 100 companies. She has authored three books on information systems, strategic planning and IS process improvements.

For more info, view Anita's website at http://www.strategiccomputing.com/seminars.htm

Post Meeting Follow-up

Photo of Meeting     Photo of Meeting

Pre-Dinner Session
Tuesday, April 16, 2002

"Networking for IT Professionals"

If you’ve ever lost your job, you know about the stress that comes with it. This meeting is intended to ease some of that stress during their transition while helping people make valuable career contacts.

Already restructured, downsized, right-sized IT Professionals, as well as those concerned about their future, can learn how to improve their networking skills by attending the Networking for IT Professionals seminar. Hosted by the Minnesota Information Professional Society (MnIPS), this event will showcase IT staffing professionals and networking experts that will share their tips and techniques on how to network to find a job or stay current with events and technology.

• Welcome and Introduction
• Mn Workforce Center - Where to go for outside services & help
• Kurt Linberg, Capella U - Educational Opportunities and Hot IT Skills
• Kathy McLaaughlin – How to prepare for the interview
• Jennifer Tome, MorganStanley – Dealing with Financial issues from a lay-off
• Joe Perzel – Other Networking Opportunities in the Twin Cities
• Group Panel Q & A

For more information on this event, view flyer in HTML (PDF version)

Post Meeting Follow-up

Sample Commercials     Networking skills      Metro Area Job Groups

Dinner Meeting
Tuesday, April 16, 2002

"Transforming the Mature IT Organization: Re-energizing and Motivating People"

This presentation will provide helpful advice for IT leaders to manage change, reduce stress, and motivate their people during periods of extreme turbulence and cost management.

Dr. Bob Zawacki

Dr. Robert A. Zawacki (Ph.D. University of Washington) is Emeritus Professor of Management & International Business at the University of Colorado and President of Zawacki & Assoc. He is on the Board of Directors for numerous hi-tech firms. He is the former Dean of the College of Business, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and prior to that he was on the faculty of the Air Force Academy as Leadership Course Director where he supervised 26 professors who taught leadership courses to the cadet wing. He is the author of 16 books and more than 200 articles and keynotes. His book Transforming the Mature IT Organization: Re-energizing and Motivating People and another book Motivating and Managing Computer Personnel are considered the definitive statements on the human side of IT. Also, his book Organization Development and Transformation: Implementing Effective Change (5th. ed.,2000) is used by over 400 universities world wide. Dr. Bob Zawacki received the University of Colorado Chancellor's Award, Outstanding Faculty Award and is listed in Who's Who in the West.

Overview of Strengths and Current Interests: During the last 30 years Dr. Zawacki did research on hi-tech firms and then translated that research into operational designs for transforming organizations and teams to be competitive in the 21st century. He has a network of 100+ world class IT firms that attend a Symposium that he co-sponsors and they share an e-mail discussion group. From the 70+ firms he works with 5 personally to make the firms more competitive. During the last ten years he worked with some of the major firms of the world to coach them as they progressed through mergers and acquisitions. At the present, he is on a two-year service agreement with one of the world's largest telecom companies to help them merge their networks, strategy, culture, teams and projects.

List of Major Clients: Dr. Bob Zawacki consults/ed with over 100 global organizations, including: MCIWorldCom, Sprint PCS, Weyerhaeuser, Bank of Montreal, Sears, Huntington Bank, Alcoa, AT&T, SBC, TeleDenmark, TDS, IBM, Ford, Hamilton Standard, GE, GTE, DuPont,TI, Philips LMS, Unisys, SIAC, ACI, Tribune Co., ITT, Mitsui, Digital, H-P, British Airways, WorldSpan, NorthWest Airlines, Grand Metropolitan, Kemira Engineering, Brown Engineering, NCR, Nabisco, Volvo, Ericsson, Amdahl, Data Logic, Cap Gemini Bra, Cap Gemini America, ESG, Deltanet, Dial, American Express, Hartford Insurance, Travelers, AEtna, Prudential, UNUM, John Hancock, Kemper, Employer's Health, Fireman's Fund, IDS, Bank of Ireland, Citibank, Norwest Banks, Standard Chartered Banks, Leeds Building Society, First Wisconsin Banks, Australia-New Zealand Banks, AIB Group, Harris Banks, Shell U.K., ARCO, Texaco, Amoco, KN Energy, Honeywell Bull, IRS, Finland Labor Dept., Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Penrose-St.Francis Hospital, Shepards-McGraw Hill, UTMC, 3M, Cincom,Pacific Telephone, StorageTek, UT Carrier, Time-Warner, Maersk Data, CSC Index, and the European Economic Community. He is the developer of the commercial IT metrics package Job Diagnostic Survey - Information Technology.

Post Meeting Follow-up

Photo of Meeting     Photo of Meeting

Dinner Meeting
Thursday, May 2, 2002

Joint meeting with Northwest Chapter of
the Association of Information Technology Professionals

"Panel: Wide Area Wireless:
Is it for you…and what you should consider!"

The panel will explore the core enablers and barriers of wireless application deployment starting with 3G, (more bandwidth for wireless apps), and what we can expect in the way of expanded wireless coverage in outlying areas. We will learn what business processes can be benefited by wireless and how to determine the ROI. We will look at some of the security issues as well as enabling technologies behind the scenes such as J2ME and some specific tools available to the field services industry. Then, once we understand the value of wireless to our business, we will consider where to house the wireless application; in-house versus through an ASP with wireless expertise. We will also look at the logistics of managing a wireless network. The last 15 minutes will be reserved for questions from the floor.

After the formal meeting, a short demo of a field service application will be shown to those interested in staying longer.

Hosted by NWAITP.  For more info, visit www.nwaitp.org

MnIPS Booth #344
at Strictly Business Solutions Expo
Wednesday May 8 to
Thursday May 9, 2002

MnIPS will have a booth at the Strictly Business Solutions Expo Wednesday, May 8th and Thursday, May 9th. MnIPS needs volunteer help at the booth to meet attendees, explain they should become a member of MnIPS, and invite them to join.  Please volunteer for two-hour time periods starting at 9:30AM and going to 5:30PM. Volunteer for a two-hour time period starting at 9:30, 11:30, 1:30, or 3:30 on either day by contacting:

Mike Reed  Tel: 612-927-4751 or E-mail: mdreed3939@msn.com.

If you can't volunteer, stop by and chat while you are touring the show.

Strictly Business is the premier IT technology show in the upper midwest.   Over 800 exhibits including industry leaders such as IBM, Novell, Apple Computer, EDS and more will be featuring the latest in technology. Various sections on the expo floor will include network security, telephony, digital media, e-business, and more.   For more information on the Strictly Business Solutions Expo, view their website at http://www.strictlyebusiness.net/strictlyebusiness/index.po

Session
Tuesday, May 21, 2002

"Networking for IT Professionals"

Already restructured, downsized, right-sized IT Professionals, as well as those concerned about their future, can learn how to improve their networking skills by attending the Networking for IT Professionals seminar. Hosted by the Minnesota Information Professional Society (MnIPS), this event will showcase IT staffing professionals and networking experts that will share their tips and techniques on how to survive while searching for that next opportunity. In addition, we will hear success stories from individuals who have found jobs recently.

• Terry Bonertz, Involve IT – Resume Writing Tips and Techniques
• Stacy Steffen – Success Story
• Sylvia Wiebe – Success Story and MnIPS Volunteer Opportunities
• Joe Perzel – Formally launch the Networking Seminar Special Interest Group to focus on the long term goals and activities of these seminars.
• Group Panel Q & A

MnIPS dinner meeting will not follow this seminar. The next dinner meeting will be September 17^th, 2002

For more information on this event, view flyer in HTML