GSA Technology Council

GREENVILLE — Under a certain set of achievable circumstances, a full-scale wind tunnel catering to the motorsports industry remains a financially viable and highly relevant option for the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), but it is not essential to the successful development of the motorsports component of the 250-acre research campus in Greenville.

That’s what Chris Przirembel, vice president for research and economic development at Clemson, said at a meeting of Advantage Greenville today (Oct. 27). Przirembel said that was the conclusion of a comprehensive feasibility study completed recently.

“The study confirms that under the right conditions and circumstances, specifically the commitment of a significant private sector investor, it is feasible and financially plausible for Clemson to move forward with a wind tunnel,” said Przirembel.

The idea of a wind tunnel to support aerodynamic research and innovation in motorsports was part of the original concept that evolved into CU-ICAR. Since its groundbreaking in 2003, CU-ICAR has generated more than $215 million in public and private support, including commitments by major automotive partners, such as BMW, Michelin and Timken. But, the wind tunnel project was moved to the back burner because of the facility’s high price tag – estimated by the study to be as much as $41.5 million – and the fact that development of academic programs and facilities were Clemson’s priorities.

The study, conducted by SK Strategies, LLC of Greenville, was commissioned to determine if Clemson should continue to pursue development of a wind tunnel, especially in light of interest expressed by racing team owner Gene Haas and automotive giant Toyota in building similar facilities in the region. The Haas tunnel has been announced formally for Concord, N.C.

“Financial plausibility and feasibility for a wind tunnel will be directly impacted by tunnel utilization – which will certainly be affected by competition,” Przirembel said. “Therefore, without a significant investment partner, it would be unnecessarily risky for the university to proceed at this time.”

But, Przirembel said the Clemson wind tunnel would have the distinct advantage of being part of a unique “total vehicle handling package” that includes access to academic programs, Michelin’s Laurens Proving Ground for road testing, and a Computational Center for Mobility Systems, planned for CU-ICAR, that will offer virtual aerodynamic testing.

“One significant finding of the study is that we can be successful in a highly competitive market because we can differentiate our research university-driven product by combining access to the wind tunnel with other academic, research and testing facilities,” Przirembel said.

Clemson officials and consultants will spend the next 12 months exploring partnership and funding opportunities for a wind tunnel, while work continues to complete the first of five Technology Neighborhoods at CU-ICAR.

via Clemson
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Infor has announced Aberdeen Group has established the company as a leader for delivering low total cost of ownership for enterprise resource planning software used by manufacturers worldwide.

The report, ERP in Manufacturing Benchmark, surveyed more than 1,100 companies of all sizes on the total amount spent on software and external services. The report showed that Infor customers spend an average of 44 percent less on services than the nearest competitor.

“Infor is filling a hole in the market that is not being addressed by the larger enterprise software providers. Businesses want proven solutions that deliver the lowest total cost of ownership. That’s what Infor delivers and why more than 1,000 businesses chose Infor over the competition last year,” said Infor Chairman and CEO Jim Schaper. “We don’t deliver one size fits all. Our solutions are business specific with experience built in.”

According to the Aberdeen report, most companies only use 27 percent of the features and functions available to them. However, Aberdeen Group confirmed that Infor customers were more likely to take fuller advantage of the functionality in the modules they deployed, meaning Infor solutions have inherent capabilities for the specific industries for which they are developed.

“We evaluated companies on a combination of cost of software and the total cost of implementation of that software,” said Cindy Jutras, Aberdeen Group’s vice president and service director of manufacturing. “Clearly, lowest total cost of ownership is a critical factor in the purchasing decision manufacturers make when evaluating a software vendor. Infor has demonstrated the right function and fit for manufacturers seeking to maximize their IT investment.”
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The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) has selected BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina as the winner of its annual Leadership in Technology award.

WEDI is a broad-based, healthcare industry association headquartered in Reston, Va. that advises the federal government on healthcare technology issues. BlueCross will be given the award at the WEDI Fall Conference scheduled for November 6-9 in Phoenix, Ariz. The company is one of two organizations that will receive the award.

In addition to the company being honored, BlueCross BlueShield Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) program director, Jim Daley, will be given one of the WEDI Awards of Merit.

Both awards are given to recognize exemplary efforts to advance electronic data interchange and e-commerce technology in healthcare.

“BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is applying technology in real day scenarios and demonstrates actual value in the technology they’ve developed,” said James A. Schuping, WEDI executive vice president and CEO. “We are pleased to recognize the company for its efforts and Jim Daley for his many contributions made in support of WEDI’s mission and overall activities.”

Daley has served on the WEDI board of directors for several terms, is past vice chair of planning and operations and has led industry advisory groups on topics such as ICD-10 and HIPAA.

WEDI is recognizing BlueCross for development of self-service on its Web site, healthcare swipe card technology used in doctor’s offices, and real-time claims processing. Besides providing health insurance to South Carolinians, BlueCross provides business process outsourcing and application service provider services to other insurance companies and serves Medicare and TRICARE health plans.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueCross Blue Shield of South Carolina (www.SouthCarolinaBlues.com) is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

via BCBS
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Deloitte & Touche USA LLP announces that Irvin H. Bisnov has been named Office Managing Partner (OMP) for Deloitte’s Carolinas practice. The Carolinas includes offices in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, as well as Greenville and Columbia, SC.

Bisnov is a twenty year veteran of Deloitte, where he has been a leader in the financial services industry with an emphasis in depository institutions. He most recently served as the Assurance & Enterprise Risk Services (AERS) leader in the financial services sector for the entire Southeast Region. Bisnov succeeds Michael Baker, who will take on a new role in the firm.

“Irv’s leadership skills and his reputation as a financial services professional are well known in the Firm, making him a strategic choice for our practice in the Carolinas,” said Maritza Gomez Montiel, Deloitte’s regional managing partner for the Southeast United States. “We look forward to adding value to our clients’ enterprises and continuing our strategic growth plans in the region under his leadership.”

Bisnov has also served clients engaged in the investment banking, investment management and broker/dealer sectors of the industry. He has instructed at Federal Financial Institution Examination Council training sessions and at national and regional depository institution training seminars.

“I’m pleased to lead the Carolinas practice, maintaining its strong emphasis on growth,” said Bisnov. “I anticipate continuing Deloitte’s client- focused commitment in this sophisticated business community, as well as the furthering our reputation as a supporter of important community efforts.”

Deloitte is a leader in community involvement among local Carolinas corporations. Among its many ties, the firm heads the Minorities Initiative Committee for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and provides leadership and guidance to the North Carolina A&T State University Queen City Alumni and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

Bisnov completed a two-year Management Development Program assignment in the Deloitte depository institution regulatory practice, and has dealt with significant emerging technical issues, including financial instruments, valuation, governance, and risk management issues.

Bisnov is in the process of moving from the Washington, D.C. area to Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife Dana and children Benji and Ali.

via Deloitte
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NuVox Communications has announced the launch of VoxNET, its comprehensive suite of Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based networking solutions. VoxNET, designed exclusively for small and medium-sized business customers, is now available in all of NuVox’s markets in the Southeast and Midwest.

“Easy, cost-effective networking solutions are extremely important to any multi-location business,” commented Jim Akerhielm, Chief Executive Officer of NuVox Communications. “At NuVox, our business is keeping our customers connected, and VoxNET offers significant advantages over other products in the marketplace. Plus, since NuVox has focused solely on the needs of business customers since our inception, we know what business customers need.”

VoxNET utilizes NuVox’s Cisco-powered MPLS core private network, and allows customers to communicate seamlessly across multiple business locations. This service offers NuVox customers a more advanced networking solution with greater business benefits and capabilities, including:

o SCALABILITY. VoxNET’s fully meshed network provides the ability to
quickly add, move, or change sites without having to reconfigure
customer premise equipment (CPE). By using NuVox’s MPLS-based
technology, all complex routing configurations are handled within the
NuVox network.

o FLEXIBILITY. Fewer outages and less downtime occur because no single
business location is dependent on a single “hub” or host. If one route
is unavailable for any reason, traffic is rerouted dynamically with no
negative impact.

o QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS). VoxNET supports quality of service
requirements for real-time applications such as voice and video, and
also improves efficiencies by integrating voice, video, data, and
Internet applications.

o SECURITY. VoxNET is designed with security in mind, providing multiple
layers of defense that are superior to that of a frame relay or ATM
network.

o PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE. VoxNET performance is backed by NuVox’s Service
Level Agreement (SLA) which offers industry-leading SLAs for latency,
packet loss, and jitter. In addition, an online management portal
allows customers to monitor real-time network performance and
individual site statistics.

“With VoxNET, we’re truly optimizing the strengths of NuVox’s network. Our OC-48 data transmission capability with resilient packet ring technology directly strengthens our networking and IP solutions,” added Keith Coker, Chief Technology Officer for NuVox Communications. “Using an MPLS-based network delivers an extremely high level of performance, and optimizes the routing of our customers’ traffic through our network.”

via Nuvox
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Automotive supplier Faurecia is expanding its Fountain Inn complex to add a vehicle seating program according to Laurens County Development Corporation Executive Director Marvin Moss. The company plans to invest $24 million during the next five years and will add approximately 50 new jobs at the facility, Moss said. Faurecia is located in Laurens County’s Woodfield Industrial Park.

Production of the new seats for one of the vehicles assembled at the nearby BMW plant began in early October. The Fountain Inn facility also makes interior products for BMW and Saturn vehicles.

“Faurecia’s investment in expanding its operations again highlights the importance of our work in bettering soil conditions for businesses in our state,” said Governor Mark Sanford. “With over 125,000 more people working in our state than there were at the beginning of 2003, this administration remains committed to continuing that progress in creating more jobs and raising income levels in South Carolina.”

“This is another positive example of a long-time South Carolina company benefiting from the strengths of our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor. “For 12 years Faurecia has been a great economic partner in the Upstate, providing some 600 jobs in Fountain Inn. We thank Kevin Ruff and his Faurecia management team for their commitment to this community and for once again working with Commerce and Laurens County officials to expand their presence in South Carolina.”

Faurecia has 23 locations in North America, including the two plants in Fountain Inn. The North American headquarters is located in Troy, Michigan and employs more than 8,000 people. Worldwide the company has more than 60,000 employees and160 locations in 28 countries.

via Faurecia
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Practical Business Systems of Greenville, SC, has hired Bob Larsen of Greer, SC, as Network Administrator. Larsen, a recent graduate of ECPI will support both Windows and Linux networks. In addition, Larsen will focus on the company’s open-source efforts such as Open-Xchange, OpenVPN, and Samba.

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Thanks to all for a great Job Fair 2006. We had lots more hiring companies and lots more attendees than last year. We’re still tabulating the final results and recovering from the effort, and will offer a fuller report soon, but we thought we’d share a few pictures of the event with you in the meantime.

Photos: Job Fair 2006

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The Greenville Mac User’s Group attracts a devoted group of Mac User’s who meet once a month to share tips, discuss the latest news and enjoy the company of other Macintosh User’s.

Meeting

Sstart with a 30 min Q&A session called
Mac Basics beginning at 6:30 pm on the second Monday evening of the month unless otherwise specified.
The regular Mac Meeting begins at 7:00pm and usually lasts until 9 or 9:30 depending on the depth of the topic that evening.

Location

In the Choir Room at Grace Baptist Church
5020 Old Spartanburg Rd.
Taylors,SC
The best place to park is on the left side of the church.
The entrance to the meeting room can be accessed via a door behind the main sanctuary. Signs should be on the door indicating the location. Some signs may still say “YORMUG”, which is the old name of our group.

Group President

David Kline – davekline@mac.com

Web Site

www.greenvillemug.com
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The GSP Developers Guild will meet on Tuesday October 16th at 6 PM. Doug Turnure, a Microsoft Developer Envangelist will cover the new additions in the upcoming upgrade to the .NET framework. He will specifically talk about the Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), and Windows Cardspaces.

Coming from Atlanta, the group’s speaker has previously spent five years as an instructor and course author with DevelopMentor and Aggelos, Inc in the subects of VB.NET, C#, and ASP.NET. The meeting is free and open to the public. More information and RSVP instructions at www.gspdevelopers.org.

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