CIA Executive, Red Hat Chief to Keynote InfoTech 2003; CIA Executive Director Krongard and Red Hat CEO Szulik to Keynote; Demo Participants Also Selected for Annual IT Conference.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CED InfoTech 2003

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 13, 2003

The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) today announced two keynote speakers and 19 demo participants for InfoTech 2003, which will be held Oct. 27 at the RTP's Sheraton Imperial Hotel. A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and Matthew Szulik, Chairman, CEO and President of Durham-based Red Hat, will keynote the conference. In addition, CED has selected 19 demo participants to showcase cutting-edge technologies at the event.

Presented by CED in partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School, MCNC and TiE-Carolinas, the 13th annual InfoTech conference (www.cednc.org/infotech) will highlight North Carolina's multi-billion dollar IT industry and explore the latest industry trends and new business opportunities.

Appointed the CIA's Executive Director in March 2001, Krongard manages the organization on a day-to-day basis, working directly with CIA Director George Tenet. Krongard served as counselor to Tenet before becoming Executive Director. Before joining the CIA, Krongard worked in various executive capacities at Alex. Brown Incorporated, the nation's oldest investment banking firm. In 1991 he was elected as Chief Executive Officer and assumed the additional duties of Chairman of the Board in 1994. Upon the merger of Alex. Brown with Bankers Trust Corporation in September 1997, Krongard became Vice Chairman of the Board of Bankers Trust and served in such capacity until joining CIA.

Szulik is a spokesman to industry, government and education leaders on open source computing. Since 1998, Szulik has been chairman and CEO of Red Hat, a leading open source provider. He is currently making headlines in his fight to ensure the legal rights of open source users.

Conference Co-Chair Jeff Barber, managing partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Raleigh office, said Krongard and Szulik will add unique perspectives on IT trends, thereby enhancing the conference's already strong program.

"The willingness of Krongard to share his experiences at InfoTech 2003 speaks volumes to the growing strength of the Research Triangle and North Carolina as one of the foremost players in information technology, specifically in the ever-expanding security solutions niche," Barber said. "Also, the conference presents a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from Szulik and gain insight into the recent news in the world of Linux and open source."

Beyond offering leading speakers like Krongard and Szulik, Barber said InfoTech 2003 will also connect North Carolina's entrepreneurial talent, technology infrastructure, and research and academic wealth through panel sessions, networking and tech savvy demo participants.

In addition to announcing keynote speakers, CED has also selected 19 demo participants to display their innovative technologies at the conference:

-- Chorus Systems Inc., RTP, NC

-- Croquet, Cary, NC

-- Diet Download (North Carolina State University), Raleigh, NC

-- Elixar, Inc., RTP, NC

-- Futures for Kids, Raleigh, NC

-- Hatteras Networks/Access Class Ethernet, RTP, NC

-- iAdvantage Software,Inc., Cary, NC

-- IBM Pervasive Computing Division, RTP, NC

-- Interactive Multimedia Solutions, Inc., Apex, NC

-- InnerOptic Technology Inc., Hillsborough, NC

-- Mobile Data Tools, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC

-- MCNC, RTP, NC

-- Polyglot Systems, Inc., Durham, NC

-- Research Triangle Software, Cary, NC

-- RolloverSystems, Inc., Charlotte, NC

-- StrikeIron,Inc., Durham, NC

-- To The Point Innovations, Chapel Hill, NC

-- Trebax, Inc., Morrisville, NC

-- TrialCard Inc., Cary, NC

Chaired by Donna Peek of SAS and Kevin Flynn, a patent attorney with Daniels Daniels & Verdonik, the InfoTech 2003 Demo Selection Committee chose demo participants based on their level of innovation, current/potential market application and "demo-ability." CED sought demo applications from area universities, research institutions, major IT corporations, individual entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial companies at any stage or size.

"As a committee, our focus was our customer - the InfoTech attendee. It was our mission to find a range of demos that could convey, in only a few minutes, either an innovative technical solution or a novel IT approach to solve a longstanding need," Flynn said. "I am pleased with the total lineup of demos because there will be something for everyone."

In addition to technology demos and keynote addresses, InfoTech 2003 will feature panel discussions on key issues such as open source software, alternative financing, government relations and Wi-Fi technology. Visit www.cednc.org/infotech for more details on InfoTech 2003's keynote speakers and demo presenters.

About CED: The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to stimulate the creation and growth of high-impact companies in the greater Research Triangle region. CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, seminars, workshops and monthly programs on entrepreneurial management and finance. CED is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation with more than 4,000 members representing 1,100 entrepreneurial companies, financiers and professional firms. www.cednc.org