[1st-mile-nm] Colorado (Broadband) Innovation Initiative

[Richard Lowenberg]

Here's recent news on broadband and related 'innovation' initiatives in
our neighboring state of Colorado.
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www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=GovRitter/GOVRLayout&cid=1192091651316&p=1192091651316&pagename=GOVRWrapper

OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, OCT. 11, 2007

CONTACT:  Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370

GOV. RITTER CONSOLIDATES, REFORMS IT OPERATIONS AND 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.


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Richard Lowenberg
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110,  505-603-5200 cell

1st-Mile Institute
New Mexico Broadband Initiative
www.1st-mile.com
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