ASPEC 2000 Gets a High Five for Visionaries; Conference Taps Three for Advisory Board, Adds Florida State Duo as Consultants.

Business/Technology Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 2000

ASPEC 2000, the first technology-to-business tradeshow and conference for the Application Service Provider (ASP) industry, broadened the spectrum of expertise behind its conference tracks five-fold today, announcing the appointment of three key advisors to the conference team and the addition of two foremost experts in professional development to serve as consultants for the December 7-9 event in Atlanta.

Joining the conference team is Richard T. Brock, president and CEO, Firstwave Technologies; Louis Feuer, president, Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, Inc.; and Steven D. Stark, Ph.D., director, Secondary Education Programs, Center for Professional Development, Florida State University. Together, they will translate the application of technology to the business and academic environments, illustrating how ASPEC 2000 conference attendees can use ASPs to speed their time to market and overcome issues relating to the shortage of the IT labor market.

Joining ASPEC 2000 in a consulting role are William H. Lindner and James A. Bax, Ph.D., who have helped revolutionize the integration of technology into the government, business and educational arenas through their work at the Center for Professional Development at Florida State University (FSU).

"We have hand-picked five gentlemen who are leaders in applying technology to their respective fields," said Frank Sheridan, vice president of ASPEC 2000. "Under their direction, ASPEC 2000 has broken down the seeming complexities of the ASP into manageable chunks. When attendees leave ASPEC 2000, the takeaway will be immediate--useful information for evaluating their technology needs against the merits of the ASP."

Named one of the10 Most Influential People in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) by Sales and Marketing Automation magazine, Brock has also served as the chairman of the Technology Association of Georgia and brings vast experience in the application of ASPs for the CRM concept, which transcends all vertical markets. Feuer, a nationally recognized author, lecturer, and healthcare management consultant will bring an in-depth understanding of how ASPs can help smaller HMOs and hospitals compete with larger organizations by leveling the technology playing field.

Stark, a 17-year veteran of public education, approached the Florida department of Education with a proposal in 1996 to deliver educational programs over the Internet. In 2000, the now famous model for online education at the secondary level, Florida Online High School, will serve more than 5,000 students throughout the state. At FSU, Stark, a former Teacher of the Year in Florida, has extended online educational programs to their next logical step - teachers.

"The time is ripe for the wholesale integration of the ASP model into the field of education. Once school policy makers know what ASPs are and what they can do for their organizations, they need to know what is available," said Stark. "That's what ASPEC 2000 is all about--bringing ASPs solutions providers and potential users to Atlanta to work together to find applicable technology solutions to solve today's business and educational needs."

Lindner is a former Secretary of the Department of Management Services for the state of Florida who has won numerous awards for his visionary "Florida Government Services Direct" Web site, which launched in 1994 at the cusp of the Internet explosion. Bax, meanwhile, recently turned his attention to the academic world after a 30-year career in business and government that saw him serve under two Florida governors, chair numerous boards and task forces created by the state legislature and guide the fortunes of several large companies as their founder and CEO. Bax also took part in several White House initiatives spanning every administration from President Nixon to Bush as a representative for human resources.

To be held December 7-9, 2000 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, ASPEC 2000 will attract the decision makers and key personnel of small to medium-sized as well as Global 2000 businesses in more than 10 vertical markets. Many attendees may not use servers, employ full-time IT staff, or be computer savvy, but will come to ASPEC 2000 to eliminate their technology problems and purchase the cutting-edge ASP solutions offered by exhibitors.

ASPEC 2000 has been endorsed by the ASP Industry Consortium (ASPIC), a non-profit organization of more than 500 ASP members worldwide. Vertical markets represented at ASPEC 2000 will include accounting and financial services; education; healthcare; human resources; government and procurement; legal services; manufacturing; and sales and marketing. Additionally, customer relationship management (CRM) and its applications to all industries will be a key focus of ASPEC 2000.

About Semco Productions, Producers of ASPEC 2000

Atlanta, Georgia-based Semco Productions has produced more than 250 events, spanning the past 40 years, in the business-to-business and consumer environments. In addition to the nationally acclaimed Atlanta Home Show and a series of successful Atlanta-based consumer events, Semco Productions was the founder and producer of Medtrade, a global healthcare trade show that has become one of the largest events in the healthcare industry drawing attendance from all 50 states and 130 countries. Semco Productions is long recognized as an industry innovator and leader in attracting qualified buyers. Semco Productions, LLC is located at 1130 Hightower Trail, Atlanta, GA 30350-6202 and can be reached at 770/998-9800. Visit the ASPEC 2000 web site at www.ASPEC2000.com.