2001 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition

HIMSS Annual Conference Speaker Line Up

General Wesley K. Clark to Kick Off 2001 Meeting in New Orleans

CHICAGO, IL – To survive and thrive professionally and personally through courage, determination, insight, and leadership, will be a key theme of presentations by session speakers at the 2001 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition, February 4-8 in New Orleans.

Keynote speaker will be Wesley K. Clark, four-star general, United States Army (Ret.), and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. General session speakers will be best-selling author and futurist Tom Peters, and amateur mountain climber and accomplished pathologist Seaborn Beck Weathers, MD.

"In keeping with the Society’s commitment to present the highest-caliber keynote and general session speakers, the exciting experiences and insights discussed by these three will certainly inspire and encourage anyone who hears them," says HIMSS Chair Walter R. Menning, Vice Chair, Information Services, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN.

Strategic Leadership in the Information Age

Opening the Conference on February 5 (8-9:30 a.m.), Gen. Clark, the nation’s most highly decorated military officer since former President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, will discuss "Strategic Leadership in the Information Age."

As NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, Gen. Clark was the first man to lead NATO forces in an international campaign; he successfully lead Allied troops during the Kosovo conflict without a single casualty.

In his various commands, Gen. Clark has been on the front lines of the world’s emerging markets and is extremely knowledgeable about the political strategy and psychology dictating corporate bottom lines. During his keynote speech, Gen. Clark will stress the importance of a corporation’s core principal and discuss how to utilize technology resources, employee training, and management techniques to make strides toward future goals.

Gen. Clark, a leader in developing international military and security strategy, was also one of the technology pioneers who helped guide the Army into digital technology.

Gen. Clark graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also holds a Master’s degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Among his many military decorations are four Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, four Legion of Merit Awards, two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, two Meritorious Service Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals. And, he was recently knighted by the Queen of England.

Importance of Work and Innovation

Called "the guru of management gurus" by Fortune, and "business’ best friend and worst nightmare" by Business Week, Tom Peters will put forth his unconventional approach to the importance of work and innovation on February 7 (1-2:30 p.m.).

Author of In Search of Excellence, the first business book to top bestseller lists and recently named one of the "Top Three Business Books of the Century," Peters believes that in an era when technology is driving a business revolution, those who survive are those who can adapt and quickly reinvent themselves. Peters will share his reinvention of the working world with passion, dedication, and branding as the unifying forces.

His other books include A Passion for Excellence, Thriving on Chaos, Liberation Management, and The Circle of Innovation: You Can’t Shrink Your Way to Greatness.

Peters is a graduate of Cornell University with BCE and MCE degrees, and Stanford University, where he holds an MBA and Ph.D. He also holds honorary doctorates from the University of San Francisco and Rhodes College.

Triumph of the Human Spirit

Pathologist and amateur mountain climber Dr. Seaborn Beck Weathers will bring an inspiring presentation to the close of HIMSS 2001 on February 8 (1-2:30 p.m.).

Descending from the summit of Mt. Everest in May of 1996, Dr. Weathers, and 30 other climbers were caught in a violent storm. Dr. Weathers was left for dead some three hundred feet from his camp; eight of the group died. After being rescued from the mountain several days later, Dr. Weathers subsequently lost his right hand and part of his left hand to frostbite.

Through this all, he never lost hope. Dr. Weathers will share his adventures and struggle against the forces of nature. And, he will discuss how he surmounted and triumphed over great physical and psychological challenges by harnessing the power of the human spirit.

More than 17,000 healthcare IT professionals and 725 exhibitors are expected to attend the five-day conference co-sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association, the Center for Healthcare Information Management, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, the Computer-Based Patient Record Institute, the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System, and the Society for Health Systems of the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Additional details about the 2001 Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition can be found at the HIMSS Web site, www.himss.org.

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society provides leadership in healthcare for the management of technology, information, and change through publications, educational opportunities, and member services. HIMSS has more than 41 chapters and more than 12,000 members working in healthcare organizations throughout the world. Members include healthcare professionals in hospitals, corporate healthcare systems, clinical practice groups, vendor organizations, healthcare consulting firms, and government settings in professional levels ranging from senior staff to CIOs and CEOs.