ITAA names Laurence as interim president

Bob Laurence has been named the interim president of the Information Technology Association of America. He replaces Harris Miller, who has decided to run as a Democratic candidate for the Senate against incumbent Sen. George Allen (R-Va.).

Laurence, who has been associated with the trade group for more than 15 years, said in an interview that he would continue to pursue ITAA’s nonpartisan policies.

He dismissed the recent move by “our friends at Oracle” who decided to quit the organization in part because Miller is challenging Allen and vowed to “focus on the future in the nonpartisan way that we always have.”

Laurence is vice president and general manager of the public sector at Sybase, a software producer and information management company.

Robert Hoffman, vice president of government relations at Oracle, said in an interview with Federal Computer Week that the company had been reviewing its membership in a variety of trade organizations. He said the software company decided to end its affiliation with ITAA for several reasons, including Miller’s decision to challenge Allen. Hoffman described Allen as a friend of the technology community.

In a letter to ITAA members, Miller said that “no one knows the organization and the industry any better than Bob, and I know you will support him as he takes ITAA to even greater heights. I leave the organization in excellent hands.”