As we end this year and look forward to our 45th anniversary of GMIS International next year, it is both an honor and privilege to lead GMIS forward as we continue expand our reach and increase our impact upon public sector information technology. GMIS International is blessed with a new board of officers for 2015-2016 full of GMIS passion and zeal to press on with the new initiatives launched last year and new projects and endeavors for 2016.

Please join us in thanking the members of the 2015-2015 GMIS International Board.

On Monday, August 24, at the Annual Awards Luncheon at the Newport Conference, GMIS International presented 2015 Awards. GMIS International congratulates all of the award winners for 2015! We encourage all agencies to start thinking of potential nominees for the upcoming membership year. Being recognized is a big plus for the individual, their department and their agency.

The GA GMIS Fall Conference, September 28-October 1 at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront, will give you the opportunity to learn how the concepts and practices of IT project management can be used in state and local government environments by strategic business and technical operations IT leaders.

Like a good college road trip, we kicked off our Chapter Spotlight tour in Alabama, where Bear Bryant and houndstooth attire are either loved, or loathed if you’re an Auburn fan. This month, we’ve hopped on our GMIS Chapter Spotlight tour bus and are heading down Interstate 20 to Georgia, home of CNN, Coca-Cola and the Bulldog Nation – The University of Georgia.

Mounting threats, new technology and the Wild West mentality of the Web spur discussion on whether the government should assume more of a leadership role. (GovTech.com)

The recent emergence of body-worn cameras has already had an impact on policing, and this
impact will only increase as more agencies adopt this technology.

In Washington, D.C., city officials are considering the nation’s most publicly accessible police-body-cam policy. (The Atlantic)

CIOs need to develop better ways to measure the impact of technology. (GovTech.com)

Try these tips to recruit younger workers to your ranks. (State Tech)

Everyone seems to think that there’s a lack of qualified security professionals, and that the reason is that there aren’t enough people entering the field with the required skills. (CIO)

Recently, I received an article from GCN about changing the trust method on a network to trusting no one, including PCs on the private network. It reminded me of an idea I have been toying with for years: firewalling our datacenter off from everyone, including our users. In a similar fashion to the article, it makes perfect sense when you break it into simplest form. Treat everyone as if they are the enemy and your defenses will be better.

New operating systems are always a cause for concern among government users, especially because with most agencies, fancy new features and usability improvements take a back seat to simply getting the job done. (TechInsider)

Law enforcement agencies and first responders would do well to acclimate themselves to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media sites as additional tools in the emergency management toolbox. (American City & County)