SIIA Says CIO Vivek Kundra Will Play Important Role in Driving Government into 21st Century
Actions Today Recognize Key Role of Technology in Government Services and Promoting Economic Growth
WASHINGTON, March 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following today's announcement of Vivek Kundra as the federal Chief Information Officer, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association of the software and digital information industries, issued the following statement:
"President Obama has appointed a Chief Information Officer who represents the best from our nation's technology sector," said Ken Wasch, President of SIIA. "Vivek is a great choice who will carry out the incoming administration's plan to use cutting-edge technologies in our public
sector to bring government into the 21st Century."
"Today's announcement recognizes the vital role that technology plays in our nation's economy and job creation, and its influence on open and transparent government," noted Mark Bohannon, SIIA's Senior Vice President for Public Policy and General Counsel. "Separating the roles of CIO - who will direct the policy and strategic planning of federal information technology investments and be responsible for oversight of federal technology spending - from the role of Chief Technology Officer makes a lot of sense."
"For more than a decade, the tech industry has been at the forefront of creating high quality, higher wage positions for our nation's workforce," Bohannon continued. "As we work to get the economy back on track, it is even more critical that we have a healthy tech sector that drives
innovation and grows jobs. As CIO, Vivek is well-positioned to work with the CTO to advocate within government that investment and innovation in technology are essential to our nation's future."
"As the CIO carries out the Administration's comprehensive agenda," continued Wasch, "SIIA looks forward to engaging in the public-private partnership that is critical to its success and future development. Among the key ingredients to such success is recognizing the need for government not to compete with or displace private sector products and services, but rather to draw on the best that our nation's innovation system has to offer."
About SIIA
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries. SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, corporate education and intellectual property protection for more than 500 leading software and information companies. As a leader in the Government Affairs arena, SIIA works to promote a legal, regulatory and policy environment that promotes the digital economy. For further information, visit www.siia.net.
