The Driver’s Seat of Innovation · Hughes’ resume: KIO Networks data centers in Mexico, Central and South America (the largest provider of cloud services in Latin America), the

Vol 2. issue 1 Winter 2013

Beyond the Textbook By Robert L. Lindstrom

Profile: OTech Director Ron Hughes

The Driver’s Seat of Innovation

InsIde

By Mike Montgomery

ContentsTechwire Winter 2013

California Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Today: Information Technology Leadership Academy Special Report by Christine Lally, California Technology Agency 7

Cloud of Hope By Melanie Glover 10

Beyond the TextbookBy Robert L. Lindstrom 14

Regulators Should Put Consumers in the Driver’s Seat of InnovationBy Mike Montgomery 17

Technology Will Continue to Sustain California’s Economic VitalityBy Gary Page 25

A Look Back...Fall 2012 26

4 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

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Melanie Glover

Amy Stewart

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Rob Lindstrom

Mike Montgomery

Gary Page

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2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 5

Maps, data and innovation...

State Geographic Information Officer Scott Gregory is leading the effort to launch California’s geoportal where government and consumers will be able to find innovative ways of using geograpnic data which is expected to spur app development and drive economic stimulus. Expected to go live in early 2013, the portal will include more than 3,700 sets of GIS data.

Last August, the Office of Technology Services (OTech) launched a new geocoding services that allows agencies to convert location-based data to include latitude and longitude coordinates which greatly enhances its use. By creating new map-based applications, officials can look at the information in a different context, allowing them to make better decisions. Examples include making correlations such as crime data with other location-based information to enhance benefits fraud detection.

Three components of the new service include a web-based client that allows users to upload data, an API service that can be integrated into programming and a web tool aimed at GIS professionals to enhance their work flow. OTech is able to code 2.5 million locations per hour. The office is already working with several state and local agencies to develop applications.

— Elise Armitage

Scott Gregory, State Geographic Information Officer

Photo: Bill Foster, Techwire.net

6 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

cgi.com/california

As a record majority of state workers become eligible to retire, the

California Technology Agency has taken steps to soften the impact

and capture the institutional knowledge and experience of current

IT leaders preparing to walk out the door.

Kari Gutierrez, Assistant Secretary of Office of Professional Development, welcomed the 20th Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) class. “Training programs such as ITLA are essential to the State’s future to ensure that the next generation of IT leaders is prepared to meet the technological challenges ahead, as well as meet the business needs of California’s departments and citizens,” said Secretary Ramos.

The California Information Technology Leadership Academy is an intensive, year-long leadership training program Continued on page 8

for State information technology managers focused on developing the skills and knowledge state IT managers need for success. In order to apply, managers must be nominated by their department’s Chief Information Officer. Individuals with a vision for enterprise-wide thinking, strong potential for career advancement and experience carrying out their organization’s mission and vision are ideal candidates for acceptance into this program.

This year, ITLA received 60

applications, of which 30 students

were selected representing

numerous departments across

the state, including: California Highway Patrol California Lottery Commission on Peace Officer

Recruiting, developing and retaining a dynamic workforce to support the increasing and ever changing demands of California’s information technology was a key objective of California’s 2012 Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan. The Agency further emphasized the importance of developing future IT leaders and its commitment to programs and policies that support these goals with the launch of the Agency’s Office of Professional Development in Spring of 2012.

In September 2012, California Technology Agency Secretary Carlos Ramos and

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 7

California Training Tomorrow’s Leaders Today: Information Technology Leadership Academy Special Report by Christine Lally, California Technology Agency

8 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

Standards and Training Department of Child Support Services Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Department of General Services Department of Health Care Services Department of Motor Vehicles Department of Public Health Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery Department of Transportation Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Water Resources Employment Development Department Financial Information System for California (FISCal) Franchise Tax Board High Speed Rail Office of Systems Integration Public Employee’s Retirement System State Controller’s Office California Technology Agency

Although the ITLA program has been in place for twenty years, the curriculum has evolved to focus on leadership skills rather than management. The academic delivery model includes traditional classroom sessions, group discussions, expert speakers and real life scenarios in which managers address problems with realistic solutions. Classes are taught by current IT managers and executives, prior ITLA graduates and private instructors. Each class develops a class project unique to that academy. ITLA provides opportunities for recruitment, development and succession planning by creating a strong network of leaders.

In addition to the classes, group discussions, guest speakers and a class project, one of the most important components of the ITLA program is the “Walk like a Leader”. Each student is partnered with a current state leader to spend a day “walking in their shoes”. Students not only benefit from the

Blake Cook System Software Specialist III, California Franchise Tax Board 21 years State Service

Why did you apply for ITLA? The networking opportunities attracted me. I also wanted a high-level view of management from the State level, versus from one single department.

What are your long term

career aspirations? To become the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Technology Services Division or CIO of another state department or agency.

What do you wish you would have

known about ITLA before you joined? I wish I would have known the extent of exposure. This is an opportunity to have face-to-face discussions with the very people that are running State departments/agencies. This program is unique and incredibly powerful.

What advice would you give to

someone considering applying

to ITLA? Be prepared to invest in this program. Set aside time and do your homework. Soak up all that you can from this unique experience and the exposure it provides. Be prepared to meet people from different agencies and maintain these relationships.

opportunity to see how a day in the life of a leader is spent, but also from the one-on-one mentoring, gaining insight on the leader’s greatest career challenges and accomplishments.

The ITLA curriculum is continuously evaluated to ensure the program delivers relevant and valuable content, important to developing California’s IT leaders. This year the ITLA students are participating in the planning and development of the CIO Academy in Sacramento in February, providing an opportunity to work with CIOs and vendor partners. This experience will enhance their leadership skills and provide additional networking opportunities.

Let’s hear what current ITLA students have to say:

Andrea Hoffman

Data Processing Manager III, Department of Water Resources 17 years State Service

Why did you apply for ITLA? I reached a point in my career where I realized I needed to gain greater insight on how executives think and make decisions and ITLA has a great reputation for developing state executive leaders. I also wanted to enhance my career opportunities and was welcoming a new challenge.

What are your long term

career aspirations? I hope to achieve a leadership position as a CEA level where I can influence meaningful change to improve the health, welfare and environment of my community and State.

What do you wish you would have

known about ITLA before you joined? The program is a lot of work and requires a dedicated and consistent commitment to the class session and class project.

The application process for the 2013 ITLA class will open in June 2013. Please visit the California Technology Agency’s web site for more information or contact Caroline Short at (916) 431-5452.

Information Technology Leadership AcademyContinued from page 7

10 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

OTech Director Ron Hughes in the Federated Data Center

Photo: Bill Foster, Techwire.netCloud of Hope By Melanie Glover

A recent study by mobile solutions company Citrix found that more than 50 percent of Americans believe weather can affect cloud computing. Meanwhile, California Technology Agency (CTA) officials say this service Americans find so foggy will fundamentally change the way the state operates—in a good way.

And, no, rain does not affect “the cloud.” The cloud is simply an approach to the way service providers—in this case, the California Office of Technology Services (OTech)—provide computing services and resources to their constituents.

OTech will pool resources—hardware, software, network connectivity—to offer to state agencies and departments in

a shared environment, i.e. a “cloud,” meaning individual customers formerly housing their own rack of servers, storage and access will be able to share these computing resources and pay only for their utilization.

At the helms of this new operation is OTech Director Ron Hughes, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown in April 2012. Prior to joining OTech, Hughes was the president of the California Data Center Design Group (CDCDG) for ten years where he designed over 3 million square feet of data center space in the US, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Among the impressive list of projects on

California’s new cloud service offering will change the way the state delivers IT services. // OTech Director Ron Hughes

Hughes’ resume: KIO Networks data centers in Mexico, Central and South America (the largest provider of cloud services in Latin America), the SCIF data center in Vacaville, and The National Center for Atmospheric Research supercomputer center in Cheyenne Wyoming.

Hughes previously worked for the state at the Stephen P. Teale Data Center from 1990 to 1999 and was the project manager for the new data center at Gold Camp, later leading the Y2K testing for California.

There are currently approximately 800 staff at OTech, which has a budget of roughly $300 million annually. OTech

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 11

does not receive any support from the general fund; rather, funding is based on fees paid by state agencies and departments.

When Hughes met with these customers to see what they needed as he began his job at OTech, cloud services topped the list—not surprising, according to Hughes.

“When you look at the advantages of cloud services—speed to provision, flexibility, the ability to scale up or down depending on need, cost savings, having a usage-based billing model—these are all things that will make the state’s information technology more efficient and cost-effective,” Hughes said.

OTech’s customers will only pay for their scaled utilization—and even have access to virtualized desktops, which will help the state manage things like tablet mobile devices.

The two service offerings OTech will have up and running by the end of Summer 2013: a private cloud to be located on the data center’s raised floor in Sacramento and Vacaville; and a public cloud (shared data) to be located on the vendor’s raised floor. Both services will be vendor-supplied and vendor-supported, but managed by OTech, who will release the Request For Proposal (RFP) in February.

CTA Secretary Carlos Ramos and other government officials are quick to point out the great access to choices customers will have with the cloud offering.

Once the cloud services are in place, customers can choose where to locate their systems: OTech-provided and managed services, Tenant Managed Services (Colocation), private cloud, or public cloud.

“What systems they choose to run in each service offering or where they choose to locate their data will be the customers’

decision, but we would anticipate that systems with significant security or privacy sensitivity would likely be run by OTech-provided private cloud service offerings,” Hughes said.

Security vulnerabilities are the biggest concern by government employees. However, a private cloud, located on OTech’s raised floor mitigates most of these concerns, Hughes said.

Intel executive Gregg Descheemaeker furthered Hughes’ point at a recent Techwire In Studio interview alongside Hughes: “If we take lessons learned from public cloud environments that have been in place now for a number of years and what they’ve had to do to ensure the security and privacy of people’s information, whether it be Amazon with transactional-based data or your banking environment, I think there’s a great opportunity in the public sector to improve on security posture based on the inherent capabilities the cloud offers,” he said.

Cloud-based services are new to state government, although the federal government has had a cloud first initiative for the last several years. According to Hughes, a number of large states, including Utah and Michigan, are looking to use the same cloud model as California.

Some California city and county governments have already begun taking advantage of the cloud’s speed

to deliver public Geo Spatial (GIS) data and more. City of Fresno CIO Carolyn Hogg recently talked with Techwire about Fresno’s creation of a hybrid cloud (public and private) with the City of Clovis and Clovis School District to share GIS data and data for public safety, while also sharing infrastructure for their comprehensive fiber plan.

“We no longer need to have our own individual systems, because there is so much sharing that needs to take place outside of that individual city,” she said.

Hughes reiterated Hogg’s comments: “Cities and counties are experiencing similar budgetary challenges as the state,” he said. “Having access to cloud services will allow them to significantly reduce their operating costs.” He cited cloud-based email as a way to reduce costs through a reliable, secure service.

Government employees can learn more about OTech’s new cloud service offerings, how to implement cloud services, contract and procure the cloud, and how to manage IT services in a cloud environment at “Defining the Cloud for Government – Conference and Educational Forum” on Jan. 30 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel. (www.pspinfo.us/Cloud2013)

And for normal Californians who still feel a little hazy when it comes to cloud comprehension? CTA Secretary Carlos Ramos says not to worry.

“In reality, it should be invisible and seamless,” he said. “But from the taxpayers perspective, it should be cheaper. Governments should be more responsive and flexible in leveraging technology and by doing that, better able to deliver services to constituents.”

“Cities and counties

are experiencing similar

budgetary challenges

as the state,” -Ron Huges

14 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

Techwire | Feature

Textbooks have been part of the education process and informal bodybuilding for centuries. They are the academic starch in every student’s diet. They are also a costly burden on students and K-12 schools. And they are a cash cow for

textbook publishers.

The textbook industry has built itself into an inescapable juggernaut by turning countless numbers of trees into hulking volumes that wind up as educational must-haves. It also has adopted a sly strategy of regularly changing its major sellers just enough to force K-12 schools and college students to buy new editions on a regular basis. Many students pay as much as $1,000 per year or more for their cellulose-based tomes.

Enter digital textbooks. Already accounting for as much as 10-11% of the textbook market, digital textbooks are projected to reach 50%

market penetration within five years. The reason is both economic and technological: shrinking education funding, ballooning tuitions, rising costs for printing and distribution, increasing use of laptops and tablets for studying.

The future of digital textbooks is guaranteed. Even now, the main reason students say they buy textbooks in print when the same material is available digitally is because they can resell their books and recover some of their investment. Roughly a quarter of students who buy ink-and-paper textbooks say they do so because they want to keep them for future reference – and to flatten photographs.

Breaching the Textbook FortressMost of the buzz about digital textbooks centers on the promise of lower cost, easier revision, online delivery and lumbar relief. However, most of the evolving business models for digital content do little to ease

the iron grip large publishers have on educational content. Digital textbooks, like their print cousins, are proprietary. Copy protection prevents them from being resold or repurposed. Rented digital textbooks cannot be kept for future reference. And then there is the money. The cost of digital textbooks will remain a considerable load for students as long as the majority of textbook creators, publishers and distributors are for-profit entities.

Enter the California State Legislature. In January, two bills authored by Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) became law. Together, the bills mandate the creation and distribution of 50 core textbooks in digital form to be made available at no cost to students in lower-division courses offered by the University of California, California State University and California Community College systems.

Beyond the Textbook Two recent developments in California portend a sea-change in the way educational content is created, delivered and paid for.

By Robert L. Lindstrom,

an award winning

journalist, author and

editor. He is the publisher

of Literacy 2.0.

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 15

SB 1052 provides for the development of digital textbooks and creates the California Open Education Resources Council, made up of faculty members, to develop the list of targeted courses and create and oversee the approval process.

SB 1053 creates the California Digital Open Source Library to house the digital open source textbooks and related materials.

The California Open Education Resources Council will solicit bids to produce the textbooks. The first digital volumes are expected to be available for the 2013-2014 school year. For students who still want to work on their biceps, hardcopy versions will be available for $20.

Barbecuing the Cash CowWhile traditional publishers and new educational content ventures have been ramping up the digital textbook market, state governments and educational institutions have been glacially slow to leverage the efficiencies of digital publishing. The technology has been available for years, but educators and lawmakers have generally held to their tradition of leaving the textbook business to the established publishing industry.

The California bills rewrite the equation. The digital textbooks created by the California Open Education Resources Council are not only required to be free for students, they are required to be

published under a Creative Commons license. That means colleges and universities in other states will have access to the books. In addition, the digital textbooks will be encoded in a non-proprietary format, such as XML, allowing them to be easily distributed and repurposed.

Of course, due to changing priorities and fickle budgets, government will never bear the entire load for digital textbooks and likely will remain a minor player. Breaking the headlock of the publishing industry will require other sources of underwriting.

Enter crowdfunding. In December, a project that aims to produce and distribute education apps for the California Education and Environment Initiative Curriculum (EEI) reached and exceeded its goal of raising $20,000 from individual donors through Kickstarter, the online crowdfunding site. If the design, coding and distribution process goes as planned, 6th grade students, their teachers and their parents will soon have access to a pair of apps entirely bought and paid for by the digitally literate public-at-large.

The group behind the effort is a social media network called EcoDads. Its effort to adapt the State Board of Education-approved curriculum into flexible, interactive lessons for use in classrooms provides another tantalizing model for producing and distributing

“The California bills rewrite the equation. The digital textbooks

created by the California Open Education Resources Council

are not only required to be free for students, they are required

to be published under a Creative Commons license.”educational content. Imagine thousands of digital citizens using the creative power of their wallets to guide education in fertile and affordable new directions.

Shedding Pounds, Shifting StrategiesState-funded, crowd-funded and freely distributed digital textbooks will not obsolete the textbook publishing industry any more than online education will replace physical campuses, but they represent an encouraging glimmer of digital literacy enlightenment that holds the promise of shaking up the market by adding unconventional, non-profit sources to the competitive mix. Though it would be naive to overestimate the commitment of government or underestimate the clout of the publishing industry, the California bills and the EcoDads crowdfunding venture point the way toward new models for creating, accessing and sharing educational content.

The digital writing is on the wall: The print textbook is destined to go the way of the inkwell. Eventually, except in an historical context, the terms text and book will part company. In their place new terms will emerge to describe new forms of educational content as well as yet-to-be-invented methods of distribution and funding. And when that day finally comes, a great weight will have been lifted off the shoulders of students everywhere.

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 17

By Mike Montgomery

Executive Director of CALinnovates, an association focused on public policy affecting technology.

There is no question that Internet Protocol (IP) enabled devices have

revolutionized our lives. Whether it’s the family using the Hipmunk agony

index to weigh a low fare against the frustration of a long layover at

O’Hare or the nomad hipster using one finger to find vacation crash pad

on Airbnb, imaginative users and app developers have enabled greater

convenience and fostered community in ways we never imagined.

contributor Tim Wu aptly pointed out in his recent column on this topic, “cities think they’re protecting consumers…[but] banning Airbnb helps hotels more than homeowners; and banning Uber helps taxi companies more than passengers.” Wu continues that, “regulators can do their job and protect consumers against harm without being so heavy-handed.”

While users have embraced a reality that is mobile, digital and always changing, government policies have remained decidedly 20th century. “Modern” telecommunications law was born in the 1930s and put regulators in charge of a single, national copper-wire telephone network. The system was designed to protect consumers against a monopoly and to guarantee universal access to a basic voice connection at a time when instant phone service was a luxury not an expectation. Today, mobile devices now outnumber people.

Consumers have thousands of choices for devices, services and products, and a phone application is just one of many icons on their smartphone.

Just as the Checker Taxi has given way to Uber towncars, it is time for copper era regulations to get out of the way of newer, faster IP networks. Policymakers can work to bring communications policy into the 21st century and ensure outdated regulations do not hinder the growth of digital infrastructure and the development and functionality of new technologies.

The FCC acknowledged this need in December announcing it is forming a task force that will work on creating a “forward-looking regulatory framework” to accelerate the IP transition and encourage technological advancement.

These are encouraging first steps, but old systems are resistant and slow to change. Until policymakers sit down together with network providers and app developers, regulations are likely to slow progress rather than help pave the way to our technology future.

Regulators Should Put Consumers in the Driver’s Seat of Innovation

Some apps have even gone beyond tackling the inconvenient to doing the impossible, like helping a tardy business traveler get a ride in Manhattan at 5pm. The mobile app Uber has spared many from madly waving one’s arms on a random street corner, hoping a cab with a lit up rooftop will drive by. Instead, we are able to hail a car with one click. Sidecar delivers the same convenience and encourages sustainability by facilitating shared rides among those nearby hoping to get to the same area.

These tech-startups innovate to meet changing demands of parents, PBR drinkers and taxicab procrastinators. However, the service providers that enable these applications have to fight to break through a system of regulations not equipped to evolve at the same speed as user driven innovations. The result is a series of so-called consumer protections that do little to help consumers. As New York Times

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 19

DEPARTMEnT DATE AMounT ConTRACToR SERVICES

Finance (Fi$CAL) 6/14/2012 $198,288,434.00 Accenture System Integrator

Social Services 7/31/2012 $156,474,373.00 Calif State Office of Systems Integration

Project Management Services

Social Services 7/17/2012 $135,642,204.00 Calif State Office of Systems Integration

Project Management Services

Social Services 6/14/2012 $108,577,488.00 California Technology Agency CWS/CMS IT

Employment Development Department

7/1/2012 $40,500,000.00 Central California Technology Services

IT Tech Support Services

Social Services 7/1/2012 $23,667,747.00 Calif State Office of Systems Integration

IT Project Management Services For Sfis

Social Services 7/17/2012 $22,762,614.00 Calif State Office of Systems Integration

Program Management Services

Water Resources 3/13/2012 $21,243,380.19 Lightriver Technologies, Inc. Telecommunications Goods and Services Per Rfp Dwr-08-001

State Hospitals 11/28/12 $20,567,885.26 AT&T Personal Duress Alarm System for Metropolitan

& Patton State Hospitals

California Highway Patrol 1/4/2012 $17,072,875.05 Insight Public Sector, Inc. Microsoft Enterprise License Agreement (Year 1)

Employment Development Department

4/1/2012 $16,097,890.00 Fast Enterprises Llc IT Services

Forestry And Fire Protection 7/23/2012 $15,821,134.87 Northrop/Grumman CAD Maintenance And Support Contract

Finance (Fi$CAL) 6/14/2012 $13,786,564.00 Accenture Maintenance And Operations

Employment Development Department

6/25/2012 $12,416,125.65 Compucom Software Renewal

Social Services 7/1/2012 $12,279,000.00 California Technology Agency System Support Services

State Controller 2/22/2012 $12,140,730.00 IBM Deployment And Transition Liaisons

Office of Systems Integration 5/14/2012 $12,125,936.00 5X Technology Llc Business Objects Software Renewal

Social Services 5/21/2012 $8,621,673.00 California Technology Agency Statewide Automated Welfare System

Motor Vehicles 4/20/2012 $7,498,546.40 Compucom Systems Inc. Microsoft Enterprise Licensing Agreement

Board of Equalization 6/19/2012 $6,454,106.65 Insight Public Sector, Inc. Microsoft Enterprise Licensing Agreement

Health Care Services 8/28/2012 $6,451,200.00 Visionary Integration Professionals

Project Management Services

California Technology Agency 11/29/12 $6,387,616.75 IBM IBM Mainframe CPU Upgrade

2012 Industry Data Points Major Contracts

Source: California Department of General Services

20 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

Department of Finance and has been with the state for 21 years.

The Government Mobility 2012 conference was held on Feb. 8 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The day-long event included education and training opportunities, panel discussions and a solution center in which public and private industry met to share current and upcoming applications and vote on the best government solutions presented that day.

On Feb. 13, Amy Cox-O’Farrell started as the new CIO for the Department of Consumer Affairs. She has been in state service since 1977, beginning her career at the Department of Health Services. Cox-O’Farrell has worked in various positions at DCA, including serving as division chief in the Office of Information Services, enforcement chief in the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education and as chief of the Information Technology Division at the Contractors State License Board.

MarchOn March 1, it was confirmed that Accenture would be awarded a

$213 million contract as the system integrator for the FI$Cal project.

Attorney General Kamala Harris appointed former OTech Director Adrian Farley as CIO of the California Department of Justice, according to a report on March 5.

On March 7, the Senate Rules Committee voted 5 to 0 to approve the confirmation of Technology Agency Secretary Carlos Ramos.

Former Department of Fish and Game CIO Jeff Funk was appointed as chief information officer for the Department of General Services, reported Techwire.net on March 8.

On March 15, it was reported that FI$Cal project deputy director Maida Black was appointed chief information officer of the Victims Compensation and Government Claims Board.

On March 20, Ron Hughes, then president of the California Data Center Design Group and former manager of California’s Y2K testing efforts, was appointed director of OTech, California’s state data center. “Ron brings an extraordinary combination of private sector experience, with a deep understanding of California government and our technology environment. He has literally designed, built and operated data centers from the ground up, all over the world,” said Technology Agency Secretary Carlos Ramos in the announcement.

In 2012, nearly 500 articles were published on Techwire.net. They

focused on the public sector technology community in California,

keeping up with newly appointed CIOs, major state IT projects, new

technology-related policies and the progress to increase access to

broadband and information throughout the state. Here’s a look back

at some of the highlights:

JanuaryA special Jan. 12 meeting of the California Broadband Council with an unprecedented visit from high-ranking FCC official Zachary Katz encouraged California leaders to work together to increase broadband adoption in the Golden State. Katz, chief of staff and chief counsel to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, outlined the federal government’s $4.5 billion effort known as the Connect America Fund (CAF) announced last year. The goal is to reach 18 million disconnected Americans by expanding access to high-speed Internet and voice services throughout the nation with more modern networks. Broadband Council Vice-Chair Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) said reform on the federal level could open new possibilities and help bridge the broadband gap in California.

FebruaryOn Feb. 1, David Chase started as CIO of the Department of Housing and Community Development. Chase previously served as manager of the Technology Agency’s Policy Office. Before working in the agency, he was with the Office of Technology Review, Oversight and Security (OTROS) in the

22 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

and opportunities in these areas.”

On June 29, it was reported that Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration had struck an agreement with the state workers’ union to create the Budget Solutions Task Force to begin reviewing state contracts, including IT vendor contracts, and make recommendations about which contracts should be eliminated. The Budget Solutions Task Force consists of union members and various department staff, led by CalHR. Service Employees International Union Local 1000 negotiated terms for a side letter agreement that include a 4.62% pay cut and one required personal leave day per month.

JulyThe California State Legislature allowed Gov. Jerry Brown’s Reorganization Plan No. 2 to pass into law on July 2, with the plan slated to be implemented no later than July 1, 2013. The Reorg Plan, designed to reduce government waste and increase efficiency, will reduce the number of state agencies from 12 to 10. Five existing state agencies will be replaced by new agencies, including the Government Operations Agency, the Business and Consumer Services Agency, and the Transportation Agency. The California Technology Agency is among the agencies targeted for changes and will become the Department of Technology under the new Government Operations Agency.

On July 17, Gov. Brown announced the appointment of Liane Morgan as chief information officer for the California Housing Finance Agency (CHFA). Morgan had served as acting chief information officer and acting information security officer since 2010 and has been with the California Housing Finance Agency since 1987.

importance of recognizing success in government IT.

On May 31, the California Health Benefit Exchange announced its intent to award a $183 million contract to Accenture LLC for initial development and implementation of the CalHEERS project. Accenture was also awarded a $176 million contract for the project’s continued development and initial operating costs over the next three and a half years.

June

On June 4, Subbarao Mupparaju, former IBM and HP IT professional, took over as the new State Chief Enterprise Architect. Mupparaju began his career with a consultancy services company in India in 1992, and continued with IBM after moving to the United States in 1996. Mupparaju said he worked on the Child Welfare Services / Case Management System for the Office of System Integration as a chief architect for IBM.

Adelina Zendejas was appointed assistant secretary of broadband and digital literacy, the California Technology Agency announced on June 25. “Digital literacy is one of the cornerstones of keeping California on the leading edge of innovation and competition in the global economy. We must ensure that residents in any part of the state have broadband access,” Technology Agency Carlos Ramos said in a press release. “Zendejas brings a keen understanding of the challenges

On March 22, Jeff Uyeda was named chief deputy director of OTech. “With over 30 years of state government and private-sector technology experience, Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that make him uniquely qualified for this important position,” said Ramos said in a statement. Uyeda previously served as chief of Administrative Services for the California Highway Patrol.

AprilOn April 5, Techwire.net reported that Chris Maio had been appointed as chief information officer for California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office. Maio replaced former CIO Mary Winkley who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown as assistant secretary of program and portfolio management for the California Technology Agency in November 2011.

On April 16, Kari Gutierrez began serving in newly created position of Assistant Secretary for Professional Development within the California Technology Agency. The position was created to address a technology workforce that’s been hit by hiring freezes, reductions in staffing and budget cuts on training.

MayOn May 29, leaders in state government technology met to celebrate successful government IT projects at the Best of California awards ceremony, part of the Government Technology Conference West 2012. The event drew hundreds of IT workers from throughout California to a venue in downtown Sacramento. Awards ceremony emcee Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital Government, said government is often credited for failed IT projects and highlighted the

2 0 1 3 W i n t e r Te c h w i r e 23

state child support system and the FI$Cal project after it is launched. The task force was created in June with the goal to save taxpayer money by reviewing and potentially cancelling alleged unauthorized contracts.

NovemberSince being launched in August of 2011, the Franchise Tax Board’s Enterprise Data to Revenue (EDR) project has collected more than $128 million for the state budget, according to a Nov. 29 report. As a performance-based project that pays the IT consulting firm, CGI, a percentage of the increased state revenue. EDR was launched to modernize the tax collection system to improve compliance, enhance tax return automation and go after billions of dollars in otherwise uncollected money. FTB expects the program to level off at $1 billion in increased revenue annually.

December

Director Fred Klass announced that his department is expanding the use of negotiations under Public Contract Code Section 6611 as a tool to procure IT goods and services, among other things. “DGS is proposing a new procurement process, an expanded use of 6611 that will streamline the processes for departments in negotiations, add flexibility to the circumstances under which negotiations can be used and clarify the negotiation process,” said Klass who noted that the traditional sealed bid process sometimes does not work well with major IT projects.

On Sept. 10, representatives from major technology companies spent the day on the golf course raising $87,000 for three Sacramento-area charities. The annual Fall Classic golf tournament, which took place at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex, was hosted by Deloitte Consulting and attended by the area’s highest ranking technology executives. Sponsors included CGI, Oracle, Technosoft, M Corp, Adobe, IBM, McAfee, Xerox and CA Technologies, among others. Proceeds from the golf tournament and auction went to Foster Youth Education Fund (FYEF), Latino Sports Outreach (LSO) and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA). CASA and LSO both received $15,000 each, while FYEF received $57,000.

OctoberThe 11th annual IT Security Awareness Fair was held on Oct. 2 in Sacramento.

The Budget Solutions Task Force increased the frequency of its monthly meetings to take a closer look at SEIU Local 1000’s top five priorities, according to a report on Oct. 25. State IT contracts under review include maintenance and operations for the

August

On Aug. 6, longtime state IT executive Gail Overhouse started as the new chief information officer at the Employment Development Department. With more than 25 years in IT management, Overhouse joined EDD as deputy director of the Information Technology Branch after leaving her position as project director for the California Child Support Automated System at the Department of Child Support Services.

Almost three quarters of California households have access to broadband Internet, a 33 percent increase since 2008, according to a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The survey also found that 87 percent of Californians use the Internet, a 17 percent increase since 2008, Techwire.net reported on Aug. 30. “More Californians are getting connected at home as they learn the benefits of broadband to gain educational and employment opportunities, stay healthy, and improve their quality of life,” said Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO of CETF in a press statement. “I’m especially pleased that groups targeted because of low-adoption rates are showing substantial growth.”

SeptemberAt a TechAmerica conference on Sept. 5, Department of General Services

On Dec. 24, Amy Tong started a new position as CIO for the California State Lottery. Tong, who previously served as chief technology officer at the Board of Equalization, replaced Ellen Ishimoto. Tong brings with her more than 19 years of experience in business, technology and management. Prior to her position at BOE, she served as the assistant division chief of technology and support division as well as chief of the data center at CalPERS.

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for the ICT sector. The National Science Foundation supports the Mid-Pacific ICT project hosted by San Francisco City College, the Exploring Computer Science project hosted by the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of California at Davis C-STEM Center. Non-profit organizations that have greatly assisted ICT teachers include the Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education program founded in 1985 through the vision of David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard (HP); and, ICT sector advocacy provided by the World Organization of Webmasters (WOW) through its WhyITNow.Org website and advocacy initiatives.

It is important for California to continue and increase support for teachers and schools who teach ICT subjects because the instructional content in this subject is constantly evolving. A regular challenge for teachers in the ICT career sector is to “refresh” instruction to make sure the knowledge and skills students learn will help them be successful in their careers and college. This coming year, Bill Cullifer, Executive Director of the WOW organization is launching an advocacy program to increase ICT support. Support for the ICT sector is important because there is high demand and high wages for employees that have ICT skills and because ICT is the driving force of innovation behind the efficiency initiatives of all career clusters.

Gary Page is an Information Technology

Consultant the with the California Department

of Education. He is also the publisher of

Ed Synergy, a blog that exists to provide

information and support to classroom teachers

and administrators in California who teach

primarily in subjects related to information

technology and computer science.

Technology Will Continue to Sustain California’s Economic VitalityTwo of California’s greatest strengths: our diversity and our capacity

for innovation will continue to grow a strong economy. California has

excellent schools, universities and global technology leaders such as

Cisco, Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google and Oracle. The California

K-16 education system is responding to the need to produce career

and college ready students through the adoption of new model

Career Technical Education (CTE) standards. This is an interesting

and rewarding time to be involved with technology!

By Gary Page

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector stands out as one of the top opportunities for students with jobs projected to increase by 27% making the ICT sector the fastest growing career cluster through 2018. Essential skills for careers in the ICT sector include understanding systems that support the management and flow of data, the ability to work well and communicate clearly with people, and the ability to manage projects efficiently.

California is also fortunate to have education “champions” that support our schools and teachers through innovative programs including Cisco and Adobe staff who participated in the development of the new CTE standards

26 Te c h w i r e W i n t e r 2 0 1 3

Looking Back Fall 2012

Photos by Bill Foster: IT Security Awareness Fair - Technology Agency Secretary Carlos Ramos, Techwire Host Christina Gagnier,

Accenture Senior Manager John Kronick and Patrick McGuire, CISSP

Christina Gagnier talks with Mike Montgomery prior to taping Techwire In Studio, a new interview series.