Government Computer News Honors Top Government IT Leaders

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Government Computer News (GCN) this week unveiled the winners of the 2006 GCN Government Information Technology Leadership Awards.

The prestigious GCN Government IT Leadership Awards recognize government career professionals whose record of performance and leadership has inspired others to high performance and resulted in extraordinary delivery on mission. This year, GCN is honoring twelve career government information technology managers who have demonstrated sustained and exceptional accomplishment:

-- Sajeel Ahmed, Deputy Director for IT, WHS-DOD -- Debra Bonner, Director of Operations, Defense Medical Logistics, Standard Support -- Patricia Curtis, MIS Director, Leon County, Florida -- Thurman Higginbotham, Deputy Director of Cemetery Operations, Arlington National Cemetery -- Barbara Hoffman, Investment and Performance Management Team Leader, Navy CIO office -- Susan Smoter, Director, Internet Development Services, IRS Electronic Tax Administration -- Avie Snow, Chief of Financial Systems, United States Coast Guard -- David Songo, CIO, Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes for Health -- Teresa Sorrenti, Director, Office of Acquisition Systems, General Services Administration -- Rebecca, Spitzgo, Program Manager Grants.Gov, Health and Human Services -- Michael Clayton Taylor, CIO, Pitt County, N.C. -- Maj. Kevin Watts, Asst. Product Manager, Medical Communications for Combat Casualty Care

"This year's GCN IT Leadership Award winners all have labored long and hard in the government trenches, beginning in modest jobs and emerging as dazzling examples of the sort of leaders who are helping to transform government with their vision," noted GCN's special report in its May 1 issue. "GCN is proud to recognize these exceptional leaders," said Wyatt Kash, Editorial Director for GCN.

The twelve leaders were chosen from a pool of nearly 100 nominations by a panel comprised of GCN senior editorial staff and former career government executives. The selections were based on how effectively the candidates demonstrated:

-- sustained and exceptional leadership in government service involving the use or development of information technology -- the ability to inspire co-workers to higher achievement -- courage on the job to take risks and to innovate

The winners are profiled in GCN's May 1, 2006 issue as well as online at GCN.com. They will also be honored at the GCN IT Leadership Awards Conference scheduled to take place on May 24th in Washington, DC. Award winners will join approximately 200 colleagues at the sold-out conference to listen to educational presentations from a selection of senior government IT leaders.

Government Computer News is the premier news magazine in the government information technology (IT) market. GCN reaches a qualified subscriber base of 100,000* government program managers, technology managers and agency executives. With a planned 34 issues to be published in 2006, GCN issues feature special reports, case studies and analysis, product reviews and buyer's guides. GCN is published by PostNewsweek Tech Media. For more information, visit http://www.gcn.com/.

PostNewsweek Tech Media, a division of The Washington Post Company , is the leading media company in the government technology community. PostNewsweek, with a rich tradition of over 25 years of award winning journalism, offers national publications -- Government Computer News, Washington Technology, Government Leader and Defense Systems -- Web sites, trade shows such as FOSE, and other conferences for the government IT market. For more information, visit http://www.postnewsweektech.com/.

* GCN BPA December 2005 Publisher's Statement.