One small step for IT

In some years, the Federal 100 Awards were defined by major events — terrorist attacks on the United States, a destructive Gulf Coast hurricane, massive reprogramming efforts and systems upgrades the government was forced to undertake because of a millennium date change.But the challenges of the past year were different, thank goodness. The United States is involved in two wars, but we did not have another terrorist attack, major natural disaster or other defining event on our soil last year. Instead, the government information technology community had to deal with many day-to-day issues to prepare for whatever challenges the country might face in the future.  We live in a complex world, and if we aren’t constantly moving forward, we lose opportunities to accomplish the important work of government more efficiently and effectively.Our world is a flat, Web 2.0 world that does not allow us take a step back and ponder our options. But the Federal 100 Awards program is an opportunity to look back and honor people who have risen to the occasion. The 100 winners are the people who faced a variety of challenges and decided they could make About 18 years ago, Federal Computer Week realized that individuals can make a difference — even in an organization the size of the federal government. Some of those differences might be small, but they create long-lasting effects. The 100 people whose names and photographs you see in this issue were determined to take a step forward and have a positive effect on people’s lives. As you flip through the next 20 pages, consider the work done by these 100 remarkable individuals. It’s an opportunity for each of us to ponder how we, too, might make a difference.Unfortunately, we can expect disruptive events in the years ahead. But through their work, the 2007 Federal 100 winners have built a foundation for the rest of us as we prepare to meet future challenges.We congratulate the winners and thank them for their accomplishments.