The March "Grab a Byte" networking luncheons were so well received that ITCND will be holding another round of luncheons in June!

You are invited to attend one of the June "Grab a Byte" networking luncheons in Bismarck or Fargo.  This is an excellent opportunity to discuss IT issues, provide potential IT solutions and catch up with colleagues.

This month's discussion topic will be telecommuting.  Visit with other IT professionals about the issues surrounding employees working remotely.  Details on each luncheon are below.  For more information and to register, visit here.

Telecommuting - Fargo
Thursday, June 24
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Green Mill, Fargo, ND
3340 13^th Ave. SW
Facilitated by:  Gary Inman, Senior Vice President of Technology, State Bank and Trust
Register by: Tuesday, June 22

Telecommuting - Bismarck
Wednesday, June 30
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Bistro, Bismarck, ND
1103 East Front Avenue
Facilitated by:  Doug Remboldt, Vice President of Technology, NISC
Register by:  Monday, June 28

Who Should Attend
Anyone in your organization interested in the featured topic should join us.  Non-ITCND members are welcome so spread the word and bring a friend!

Registration and Fee
The networking event is free, but registration is required, and you will be responsible for covering your lunch.  Questions regarding the event can be directed to office@itcnd.org.

ITCND is teaming with other North Dakota information technology industry stakeholders to launch an updated 2011 State of the IT Industry Guide.  We want to give you the opportunity to showcase your organization with an' advertisement in this statewide publication.

In 2009, the State of the IT Industry Guide provided a voice for North Dakota's growing information technology industry. The guide was distributed to more than 5,000 people, including legislators, other key policymakers and university officials.  Your partnership is essential for an even more successful 2011 State of the IT Industry Guide.

The full-color publication will provide information about opportunities within the North Dakota information technology industry and demonstrate the industry's impact on the state.  State policymakers will use the guide to develop strategies to overcome barriers and capitalize on opportunities surrounding the industry.  This publication, distributed by ITCND, the North Dakota Department of Commerce and local economic developers, will also be used as a tool for information technology business and employee recruitment.  In addition, it is distributed to students, parents and educators through ITCND's IT Career Awareness Program.

View the commitment form and return to office@itcnd.org by July 31 to guarantee your spot in the 2011 State of the IT Industry Guide.  

To help ensure we are using the most current industry-related information available in the 2011 State of the IT Industry Guide, a survey will be distributed to ITCND members next month.  Your thoughts are very important to us, and we would greatly appreciate your completion of the survey.

For additional information, visit here or contact Alexis Brinkman at 701-355-4458 or office@itcnd.org.

The June edition of Prairie Business featured several ITCND members, including Sundog and Microsoft Fargo. Check out the articles!

Moving to the cloud

Why SaaS may be right for your business

Why SaaS may not be right for your business

Microsoft's Fargo campus opens new user experience lab

The IT Career Awareness Program (ITCAP), cooperative effort between ITCND and the ND Department of Career and Technical Education, has completed its first year.  During this time, more than 600 students, 75 educators and 1,000 parents received information on IT career opportunities in North Dakota. 

IT career information was distributed through school newsletters, classroom presentations and events, such as career fairs, Marketplace for Kids and Microsoft Fargo tours.  Schools participating included grade and middle schools in Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Northwood and Williston and high schools in Beulah, Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, Steele-Dawson, Turtle Lake, Wahpeton and West Fargo.

For more information on the ITCAP, visit here or contact Program Coordinator Wade Kadrmas at 701-328-3178.

Ulteig Engineers, Inc.

Ulteig Engineers, Inc. is an employee-owned company that was founded in 1944 by Melvin Ulteig with the vision of bringing electricity to people in the rural Midwest.  Today, Ulteig is a nationally accredited company, ranked number 223 in the Top 500 Engineering Design Firms in the nation by Engineering News Record, one of the Top 10 Best Multidiscipline A/E Firms to Work For in the Country by management consulting and research firm ZweigWhite and engineering media specialists Stagnito Media, and is considered among the top firms in electrical transmission and distribution services.

Ulteig delivers comprehensive engineering, planning and surveying services to a wide range of public and private clients and is organized into building services, civil, energy, and land services sectors. Ulteig has offices in Bismarck, Fargo, and Grand Forks; Detroit Lakes and Minneapolis, Minn.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Denver, Colo.; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Future opportunities for Ulteig Engineers and the IT industry in the state:  
Given at North Dakota's economy and how the state continues to grow and develop, there are many opportunities in the state for Ulteig.  The company's work spans the state, ranging from federal and local building projects, stimulus package projects, and NDDOT survey work.  Ulteig also remains a leader in energy projects including transmission, distribution, right-of-way, and surveying work for major wind projects. And, as the petroleum industry continues to invest heavily in the state, there will be additional opportunities for Ulteig.

A great technological opportunity for Ulteig exists in North Dakota with the new unmanned Air Force mission at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Ulteig is working directly with the government and third-party companies to bring UAV technology to the private sector. In addition, technology like Ulteig's Global Information Systems (GIS), High Definition Scanning, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) offerings allow us to deliver more detailed data to our clients than ever before.

The downturn in the economy has driven the need for more efficiency. This need has increased the focus and importance of IT within most organizations, thus having a positive impact on salaries, demand, and on the future of IT within the state.

Current challenges facing Ulteig Engineers and the IT industry in the state:
Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Association of General Contractors of America, states that for 90 percent of architectural firms, the availability of credit is a somewhat serious problem and 44 percent say the problem is very serious. AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker said this is even happening to financially sound companies with strong credit ratings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the A/E industry lost roughly 95,000 jobs between December 2008 and December 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is slow to provide funds for infrastructure projects.  Given Ulteig's close connection to the architecture and construction industry, all of these challenges have an impact on the company.

One of the largest technological challenges facing organizations today is doing more with less. Many budgets have been condensed to the point where innovative and discretionary funds no longer exist.  This can make driving efficiency more complicated without proper funds to support the initiative.  The rise in IT demand and salaries will continue to stress already weakened budgets as we come out of the recession. 

Learn more about Ulteig Engineers here or contact Tracy Koenig at 701-451-8311 for more information.

If you are interested in having your business featured in an upcoming "Member Bits & Bytes," email ITCND.  Requests will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis.