IT Summit II to Focus on Solutions

Last year’s Information Technology Summit on the University of Arkansas campus produced a gigabyte of questions for the state’s high-tech community. This year’s IT Summit II: A Focus on Solutions, being held Nov. 8 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, is aimed at providing answers.

The event is being co-sponsored by the UA and the Arkansas State Department of Information Systems. Registration will begin at 8 a.m., and the conference will last from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tim Kizer, the managing director of the UA Information Technology Research Center in the Walton College of Business Administration, said many of the state’s political leaders are expected to participate.

“Gov. Mike Huckabee will have a presentation on tech matters in Arkansas at lunch,” Kizer said. “And to make sure we keep the UA students involved, we’ll either uplink his remarks or show them tape-delayed on the campus TV station.

“There will be time blocked off to discuss government initiatives, and we are inviting every member of both of the state legislature’s IT task forces.”

Sen. Kevin Smith, D-Stuttgart, and Rep. Jim Magnus, R-Little Rock, chair their respective IT task forces. Barbara Pardue, director of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, is also expected to attend.

Kizer said IT Summit II will explore ways to extend Arkansas’ technology base and meet the needs of the workforce. He said the event’s planners are looking at what other states have done in their legislatures to fund IT research and development for universities, grammar and high schools.

Last year’s event drew 280 people and more are expected this year.