 |
|
|
|
|
|
Magazine Recognizes Alabama for Innovation and Leadership in Government Technology |
|
|
|
April 2, 2008
MONTGOMERY - Governor Bob Riley and
Alabama’s chief information officer are being recognized as two of the
nation’s top 25 individuals who are using technology to improve
government.
The
magazine Government Technology named Governor Riley and CIO Jim Burns
to the top 25 list, in part because of state initiatives that use
technology to improve education, the budgeting process and homeland
security.
“Our rules for choosing the Top 25 are pretty simple:
We look for people who cut through the public sector’s infamous
barriers to innovation - tight budgets, organizational inertia,
politics as usual, etc. - to implement changes that reshaped government
operations for the better,” the magazine states in its Top 25 issue.
“Alabama Gov. Bob Riley is the force driving the state to the forefront
of technology leadership. Widely regarded as a governor committed to
government efficiency and openness, Riley has lent his clout to
initiatives that showcase his state’s technology prowess."
The
Governor received high marks for initiating a budget reform process
called SMART Governing, which makes budgets Specific, Measurable,
Accountable, Responsive and Transparent. The magazine also touted his
efforts to use videoconferencing and Internet technology to expand
distance learning (ACCESS - Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators
and Students Statewide) and Virtual Alabama, which allows state and
local officials to securely share statewide geographic data using
Google Earth.
Government Technology touts Burns’ work on the state’s award-winning Internet portal - Alabama.gov.
“To
take even a brief look at Alabama.gov is to see a model of easy
navigation and user friendliness,” the magazine states. “Alabama.gov
offers dozens of online licensing applications, helping everyone from
nurses to truck drivers save time and money. Burns also helped drive
cross-agency interoperability by centralizing the state’s email and
computer networks - the likes of which many states can only dream of.”
In fact, other states are now using Alabama’s approach as a model for
the right way to do interoperability.
The magazine concludes
that the leadership of Governor Riley and Burns has helped transform
Alabama, “often regarded as a technologically marginal state,” into one
that is now “regarded as an innovator in government IT.”
The full article from Government Technology can be viewed online at http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/268508.
 To return to the listing of Press Releases click here.
To return to the Press Release home page click here.
|
|
|
|
|