IDG's InfoWorld Announces Richard Burk as Keynote Speaker for SOA for Government Executive Forum on September 14; Chief Architect within Office of E-Government and Information Technology to Share Insights on Service-Oriented Architecture

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 29, 2005--InfoWorld, the leading provider of comprehensive technology information, announced Richard "Dick" Burk as the keynote speaker at the SOA for Government Executive Forum, a one-day conference for senior technology and executive decision makers. The event takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. Burk is chief architect within the office of E-Government and Information Technology and is responsible for the Federal Enterprise Architecture Program Management Office (FEA PMO). During his address, "The Government's SOA Roadmap," Burk will provide insight on SOA implementation strategies in federal, state and local government. He will discuss the importance of SOA to government, what agencies need to know, and how SOA will ultimately bolster and drive the enterprise architecture process. Additional information is available at www.soaexecutiveforum.com/gov.

Dick Burk is an expert in enterprise architecture. In his role at the office of E-Government and Information Technology, Burk leads the FEA PMO support team in developing and evolving a business and technology framework for the president's E-Government initiatives and the alignment of federal IT investments to the President's management agenda. Previously, Burk was the chief architect for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. During his tenure, he was responsible for the development and delivery of HUD's Enterprise Architecture Practice, Data Management Practice, and Strategic Planning Process. Burk's 30-year career at HUD headquarters spanned the research, demonstration, and management of most federal activities in the fields of community development and housing rehabilitation. Burk earned a Masters degree in Public Administration from Ohio State University. He worked for the City of Columbus finance department before going to HUD in Washington, D.C. Prior to graduate school, he served for two years as a Peace Corps Health Volunteer in Uganda, East Africa.

“Dick Burk's insights will significantly add to an already stellar group of SOA visionaries.”

"Service-oriented architecture presents a tremendous opportunity for government organizations to maximize the value of their technology investments and for vendors to provide vital information on how to build, deploy, and evaluate these scalable systems," said Steve Fox, InfoWorld's editor in chief. "Dick Burk's insights will significantly add to an already stellar group of SOA visionaries."

About InfoWorld's SOA for Government Executive Forum

InfoWorld's SOA for Government Executive Forum is the definitive event exclusively focused on service-oriented architecture for federal, state and local government organizations. As the leading third-party advocate for service-oriented architecture, this InfoWorld event focuses on the needs of senior technologists at government organizations dealing with complex multi-vendor environments. InfoWorld's SOA for Government event provides an arena for peers and industry experts to come together and understand the benefits --and steps to building -- an SOA. Service-oriented architecture represents the biggest change in enterprise IT since the Internet. With SOA, applications are treated as services requiring a transformation in the technical approach, IT workflow, and business planning processes.

InfoWorld's SOA for Government Executive Forum is one of several ways that InfoWorld shows IT buyers how the right technologies in the context of an SOA strategy can impact business process at their organizations. InfoWorld covers SOA daily via InfoWorld.com, weekly through the print edition of InfoWorld, and face-to-face through the successful SOA Executive Forum series. As a result, InfoWorld takes these buyers through all stages of the purchase process, from first helping determine need to the evaluation/selection process and ultimate purchase.

About InfoWorld Media Group

For 25 years, InfoWorld Media Group has provided cutting-edge coverage and evaluation of IT products and services for technology experts in senior management. Through integrated channels including print, online, events, and demand generation, InfoWorld reaches the most influential senior-level information technologists -- those who drive their enterprises' strategies and technology purchases. Powered by a continued investment in an independent Test Center, InfoWorld analysts and editors provide both hands-on analysis and evaluation, as well as expert commentary on issues surrounding emerging technologies and products. Visit InfoWorld at www.InfoWorld.com.

About IDG

InfoWorld Media Group is a division of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and event company. IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers and offers online users the largest network of technology-specific sites around the world through IDG.net (www.idg.net), which comprises more than 300 targeted Web sites in 70 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168 computer-related expositions worldwide, and provides IT market analysis through 51 offices in 43 countries worldwide. Company information is available at www.idg.com.