May-2006

4 Superintendents Confirmed to Speak at K12 Summit

District Facilities and Technology Pioneers to Unite at National Conference October 8-10, 2006 in Houston, TX

New York, NY — June 20, 2006 — CraigMichaels, Inc., a leading provider of business events for senior-level decision-makers, has announced further details regarding the 2006 K-12 Summit.

The high profile summit, to be held October 8th-10th at the Woodlands Resort & Conference Center in Houston, TX, is expected to attract more than 150 administrators from the nation's largest and most prominent school districts, including superintendents of business and finance, chief operating officers, chief technology officers, and directors of information systems. Additionally, there will also be approximately 50 executives in attendance representing companies that provide business and IT solutions to school districts.

Similar to the 2005 K-12 Business Summit, which was held in Jacksonville, FL, this three-day summit will examine best practices and inventive approaches for overcoming the fiscal, administrative and budgetary obstacles that impact school districts throughout the nation. Topics to be discussed at the summit include such diverse issues as combating substantial budget reductions, dealing with unfunded government mandates, reducing energy costs, and achieving adequacy and equity in public education.

The summit will also address challenges associated with the financing, implementation, and utilization of educational technology. To accommodate the increasing number of school districts that are in the midst of developing ambitious technology plans to improve the delivery of educational and operational services, this year's program will feature several technology-focused sessions. Business officers are encouraged to bring the leaders of their districts' technology initiatives to the summit; so they can attend these IT focused presentations.

In addition, there will also be a series of intimate roundtable discussions designed specifically for IT administrators to discuss solution-oriented approaches to dealing with their current technology related challenges. Ensuring the seamless adoption of new technology, aligning IT funding with district priorities, and developing a district-wide technology masterplan will be among the issues highlighted in these sessions.

The event will open with a keynote address delivered by Tim Magner, the newly appointed head of the federal Office of Educational Technology. Magner will speak about the U.S. Department of Education's latest initiatives to collaborate with school districts to leverage new technology as a means of accelerating student learning and unifying the extended education process.

"The public education sector continues to experience significant budget reductions. In the face of shrinking resources, school officials must discover innovative ways to finance new projects and continue to bolster student achievement," explains Craig Lehmann, President and Chief Operating Officer at CraigMichaels, Inc. "The K-12 Business & Technology Summit provides a unique platform for district administrators to learn first-hand about the latest approaches that leading districts are adopting to enhance operational efficiency and contain costs without compromising the quality of education delivered to students."

Other distinguished keynote speakers and panelists include Michael Hinojosa, Superintendent, Dallas Independent School District (TX); Crawford Lewis, Superintendent, Dekalb County Schools (GA); Clayton Wilcox, Superintendent, Pinellas County Schools (FL); and Jack Dale, Superintendent, Fairfax County School District (VA).

Additional guest panelists include Kathleen Grimm, Deputy Chancellor for Finance & Administration, New York City Department of Education (NY); Lamont D. Satchel, Esq- Chief Operating Officer- Detroit Board of Education (MI); and Reginald Moore- Chief Operating Officer- Houston Independent School District(TX); Laura Palmer- Director, Technology and Information Systems, Houston Independent School District (TX); Sharon Foster- Director, Technology Information Systems, Ysleta Independent School District (TX); and Rick Green, Director of Information Technology, Springfield Public School District (MO).

About CraigMichaels, Inc.

CraigMichaels, Inc. is the leading independent producer of business events for senior level decision makers.  The organization has cultivated the concept of conferences, trade shows, and expos into more effective and rewarding executive summits. CraigMichaels, Inc.'s unique format offers a time-efficient, educational and business development platform combination by enabling attendees to personally develop itineraries that suit their immediate needs.