Cygnus Expositions Announces 2003 Strictly Business Solutions Expo Presentation and Keynote Speaker Schedule.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

2003 Strictly Business Solutions Expo

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 2003

Following is the presentation and keynote speaker schedule for the 21st annual Strictly Business Technology Solutions exposition. Produced by Cygnus Expositions, the event takes place May 14-15, 2003 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Registration is free online or $20 at the door. Event ticket holders can attend both events.

Strictly Business will feature more than 400 booths representing leading national and local technology businesses, as well as daily keynote presentations by high-profile national executives. The event enables executives, IT managers and planners, business owners and managers, and corporate communicators to learn about the latest in networking, security, accounting, IP telephony, storage, wireless, supply chain, digital media and all of the products necessary to build an effective IT infrastructure.

For more information visit www.strictlybusinessexpo.com, or call 800-827-8009 or 952-894-8007.

PRESENTATION AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER SCHEDULE

Wednesday, May 14

-- 9:30 a.m.: "Make the Most of What You've Got: Making Your ERP 

System Effective Through Continuous Improvement Efforts."

Moderated by Dr. Scott Hamilton, author of "Maximizing Your

ERP System." Panel members: Mike Frichol, Microsoft Business

Solutions general manager, manufacturing solutions; Rick

Pitts, SAP America, Inc., mySAP All-in-One vice president,

channel sales; Sanjeev Jyoti, IBM Global Services principal;

Terry Peterson, Fourth Shift vice president of support. The

panelists will be available for informal discussions with

attendees from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and Dr. Hamilton will be

available to sign books afterward.

-- 10 a.m.: "A Turning Point for Print: Emerge from the Trenches

of Price Warfare with New Value-Added Services." Tom Wetjen,

vice president and general manager, Xerox Graphic Arts 

Industry Business, will discuss the turning point that is

underway in the graphic arts industry and new revenue streams

that are available through value-added services. Free

admission.

-- 11:30 a.m.: "Strategies to Grow Your Business in Challenging

Times" presented by Larissa Herda, Time Warner Telecom 

chairman, president and chief executive officer. Herda will

discuss how her company is successfully navigating the

turbulent storm in today's telecom industry. Attendees will

learn how sound business practices, stringent financial

discipline, and innovative product strategies have propelled

Time Warner Telecom to the forefront of today's competitive

telecom industry.

-- 12:30 p.m.: "Computer to Plate (CTP): Options for Small and

Mid-sized Shops." Moderated by Quick Printing magazine

executive editor, Bob Hall, a panel of vendors and customers

will discuss CTP options. Panelists include: Charles Stein,

pre press sales manager, Heidelberg USA; David Furman senior

marketing manager of CTP systems, AGFA; Gordon Pritchard,

Print Industry Specialist, Creo

-- 1 p.m.: "Supply Chain Challenge, Opportunity and Mandate"

presented by Jim Tompkins, president and founder of Tompkins

Associates. Tompkins will address how to do Supply Chain

Synthesis and the application tools needed to make it happen.

-- 2:30 p.m.: "Process Driven Sales Teams - A Unique Competitive

Advantage" presented by Chris Hoffman, Zamba Solutions chief

knowledge officer. In this working session, Hoffman will

discuss benefit-oriented sales strategies and provide ideas

for optimizing sales and marketing resources.

Thursday, May 15

-- 9:30 a.m.: "Print Market Demand Chain: Who Decides if Print is

Still a Big Player? Who Will Specify it or Why They Won't."

Moderated by Barbara Pellow, Gannett Publishing professor,

Rochester (New York) Institute of Technology, will moderate a

panel of local marketing, purchasing and printing executives

who will discuss the role of print within the marketing

"ecosystem." Panelists include: Roger Siminoff, Apple Computer

senior marketing manager; Todd Bentley, Beacon Direct

Marketing senior partner; Jennifer Panning, Best Buy Co.

commodity sourcing and procurement manager; Virginia Flo,

Thomson West Group manager of creative services, production,

technology and procurement; Michael Scanlan, Hennepin County

Purchasing senior buyer; and Chris Birt, Andrews/Birt Agency

partner/executive creative director. Free admission.

-- 11 a.m.: "Leveraging Existing Systems to Create a Secure

e-Business Platform." Brendan McLaughlin, Novell vice

president, portals, access and security, will discuss emerging

trends in Secure Identity Management and Web Services, the

growing convergence of these technologies, and examples of

their power to enable companies to extend their existing

technology investments to create new business solutions. Free

admission.

-- 1:30 p.m.: "The Art of Deception: Are You in Danger of Being

Conned?" Presented by Kevin D. Mitnick, co-founder and

president of Defensive Thinking and the world's most famous

former hacker, will share his perspective on "social

engineering," a type of security attack that exploits the

human element of corporate security. Free admission.