Sen. Bennett continued, noting that many companies represented in the room were creating products to combat cyber crime.

“Just as important as the data, are the systems holding the data. When it comes to the question of critical technology infrastructure, 90 percent of that is in private hands,” said Sen. Bennett.

Sen. Bennett addressed a number of issues including helping Utah companies receive government funding, what the government is doing to protect business and intellectual property, a national database for the healthcare industry, and education.

“The number one survival issue for the U.S. is education,” said Sen. Bennett. “Everybody knows it, and everybody talks about it. The problem is we have lulled ourselves into a false sense of security because we have the best higher educational system in the world; however, nationwide very few students are going into technology.”

In addition to his position as Chief Deputy Majority Whip and a member of the Senate Republican leadership team, Senator Bennett chairs the influential Subcommittee on Agriculture in the Senate Appropriations Committee, is vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, member of the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a past chairman and current member of the Senate High-Tech Task Force, and has been on the forefront of high-tech issues. Sen. Bennett is working to insure that the nation’s critical technology infrastructure can be protected and U.S. national security bolstered.

“It’s rare to be in such a personal discussion with a United States senator and so many of Utah’s high-profile executives,” said UITA President Richard Nelson. “The information discussed and relationships built are invaluable for the future of Utah’s IT industry.”

UITA Trustee Jerry Oldroyd of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll hosted this UITA CEO Roundtable.

UITA’s next scheduled event is a CEO Peer-to-Peer Forum on Thursday, June 16, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the law firm of Durham Jones & Pinegar. The topic is “CEO Train Wrecks and How to SurviveThem.” Visit www.uita.org to register.

About UITA

As Utah’s premier professional organization for technology companies, the Utah Information Technology Association (UITA) exists to form closer relationships with industry and community leaders, develop superior management talent, sharpen professional skills and help gain access to capital. For more information on UITA, please visit http://www.uita.org.

Agency Contact:
Bret Fitzgerald
T) 801.208.1100
F) 801.208.1108
E) bret.fitzgerald@sng.com

UITA:
Judy Young
T) 801.568.3500
E) jyoung@uita.org