MAYOR LEE P. BROWN NAMED 2002 PUBLIC TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR National Award Presented by Pubilc Technology, Inc.
March 27, 2003 -- Mayor Lee P. Brown has been named “2002 Public Technologist of the Year” by Public Technology, Inc. (PTI), a national non-profit technology research and development organization based in Washington, DC whose mission is to bring the benefits of technology to local governments.
PTI President Costis Toregas, in making the announcement, said, “The Public Technologist award spotlights public officials who embody the twin spirits of public service and technology use, and your entire career certainly reflects this dual requirement!”
In his letter to Mayor Brown, Toregas also said, “Early in your administration in Houston, you stated that your dream was to bring technology to everyone and “bridge the digital divide” for all Houstonians regardless of the socio-economic status. You introduced 3-1-1, an information and helpline for citizens to call one number for all non-emergency problems and concerns. Your city’s E-government center enables citizens to interact with city departments 24-hours a day on the web. You introduced Houston residents to a web-enabled virtual software package so that now anyone with a library card can access the Internet at a public library and set up a personal SimHouston account.”
Mayor Brown was also lauded for promoting the use of technology as a method to reduce cost, limit the growth of the City’s workforce, and improve the delivery and quality of services for Houston’s citizens and employees. “Your strategic initiatives of collaborative IT management and deploying emerging technologies like the pilot project for Voice Over Internet Protocol have led to Houston’s recognition in several technology award programs,” Toregas’ letter continued. “With the expansion of your city’s online initiatives into Spanish, you are enabling access to City services and information for a even larger segment of your community.”
Toregas’ letter to Mayor Brown concluded, “In your five years as Houston’s mayor you marshaled, time and again, the power of technology to better serve your citizens. PTI salutes your unwavering commitment to public service and your bold efforts to reengineer processes, programs, and services with appropriate technology.”
PTI will formally announce Mayor Brown’s award in Miami at the PTI Technology Leaders of the Year Ceremony on April 11, 2003.
