Fed 100 showcases IT success stories

As 1998 draws swiftly to a close, we not only look ahead to the challenges the new year will bring, but we also look back and marvel at the accomplishments of the federal information technology community in the year just past.

The Federal 100 awards program is Federal Computer Week's way of acknowledging those individuals who have made a difference in the world of federal IT.

Whether it be for promoting federal/state partnerships to attack the Year 2000 computer problem or reinventing the Defense Department's medical logistics processes, Federal 100 winners have made a definable contribution to the community. This is not a popularity contest. Some of the winners have never been written about in the pages of FCW. Nonetheless, they are the men and women who are redefining how the government will conduct business in the future.

The press, in particular, is often criticized for reporting the government's penchant for wresting defeat from the jaws of victory. The Federal 100 is an opportunity to showcase just the opposite. It is an opportunity to recognize those people who make change happen— no matter what their title or rank.

FCW depends upon you, the readers, to tell us who deserves this recognition. We challenge you to nominate co-workers from government, industry and academia who have dared to think outside the box and by doing so have made a difference. The nomination form is in this issue and is on our World Wide Web site. The deadline is Jan. 5. We will honor their achievements and celebrate with the 1999 Federal 100 at a gala event on the evening of June 15.