Flyzik to lead ITAA homeland group

Jim Flyzik, a consultant and former senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, has been named chairman of the Information Technology Association of America's Homeland Security Task Group.

Flyzik, a partner at the consulting firm Guerra, Kiviat & Flyzik, said the task group will become critically important as the new Homeland Security Department develops.

"We need to align ourselves with the priorities of the new department," he said. "It's got to be the goal of all us to make sure the department's a success. The mission is to save lives."

Flyzik's first priorities will be to examine the relationships among industry and different levels of government, he said. "How can we begin to look at industry from the point of view of state, local and federal cooperation? It might require some new models for industry to work with Ridge and his team."

Flyzik served as a senior IT adviser to Ridge for about eight months in 2002. He retired from that position Dec. 17 and made the transition from government to the private sector.

Jerry Agee, vice president for ballistic missile defense at Northrop Grumman IT, founded the task group in 2001. Flyzik will be aided by two vice-chairmen: Guy Copeland, vice president of information infrastructure advisory programs at Computer Sciences Corp.; and Chris Oglesby, client sales executive for EDS' federal government business.

The task group works on issues that pertain to companies with products for homeland security needs. During its two years of existence, the group has tackled risk-sharing and security clearance requirements for homeland security contractors.

ITAA, based in Washington, D.C., is an association dedicated to fostering the growth of IT businesses through public policy initiatives and networking efforts.