My organization is having a conference in December and I'm searching for the best speaker on the y2k subject. Help,time is short.

-- Zo (lozo@frontiernet.net), September 28, 1998

Answers

I would suggest Ed Yourdon or Ed Yardeni, but I'm sure they're booked at this late date... Ed Yourdon's calendar is available at this site... Where is your conference?

-- Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), September 28, 1998.

You should try Paloma O'Riley at the Casandra Project. I know she was the manager of y2k project in the UK and she came back specifically to deal with y2k here at home. Also, shoot for the moon, try for some of the Senators that are on the committee. Where are you? What area? I wish I could be the

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), September 28, 1998.

Also:

What kind of message do you want to give? Is your reputation (business or personal) at stake? If so, you will probably want to get very good references or "preview" several of the 'talkers" before you commit to any single presenter. If there is no risk to "you" for recommending "brand x", then there would be less need to make sure you are getting a well-prepared, knowledgeable "expert."

What level of expertise do you need from the speaker? What level of expertise is the audience? Who is the audience? Is it at a specialized conference (where maybe the speaker can get referrals or business) or at a not-for-profit group (church, civic or charitiable group.)

What part of the problem do you want to cover? (Systems integration, testing, general awareness, software (mainframe, PC, telephone switchgear, embedded chips), utilities, general manufacturing, small business, government, government specialities (military, NASA, taxes, medical, social programs, emergency responses), governemnt responses (police, fire, FEMA, Congress, Clinton/Gore, local, municipal), etc.)

Are they "surviviors" or "polyanna's" or "unknown's"? Again, think of your reputation if you get the wrong match to the wrong group, even though the speaker was excellent, you run the risk of alienating the people you want to impress and convince.

If you have options, what is the minmum level of knowledge you want them to get? What medium is recommended? (Slides, movie, straight speech, overheads, powerpoint, etc.) How many are expected? What physical support is available? (Projector, slide screen, computer projector, conference room or open air....) Are they familiar with the topic(s) or need a overview?

Funds: Can you pay travel, per diem, an honorarium? None of these? If not, that may be okay, but it will probably affect people's responses too.

I know these are a lot of deep questions, maybe more than you expected or can answer at this time, but they are the ones I ask before I talk to an audience - whether its before a national engineering society convention or the high school band parent's association.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 28, 1998.

Robert, are you staying dry? At least we know you still have electricity. I know you're pretty far north, but Georges doesn't want to leave! I see Pensacola has already had 11" of rain.

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), September 28, 1998.

Hey Zo,

If your conventions in a nice warm place and you'd like to bring me down, I'll do it!

I do Y2K, Yardenis, Yourdons, Norths, Joanne effects, Time dilation, Senate hearings, EURO conversions, code remediation, 9999's, 090999's, leap years, field expansion, julians and I even do windows - fixed and sliding.

Sure, I'm not as well known as some of the big shots but you could promote me as a foreign diplomat from Canada. I'd even wear a lumberjacks shirt and a beaver skin cap if you like.

A side note: A Y2K song for Uncle Deedah............

That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia..........

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), September 28, 1998.

Well, hello Zo! There is also an excellent Powerpoint presentation suitable for a 2 hr discussion, demonstration, sone by Steve on this site. Can recommend that you look thru the threads here and see the one about the Powerpoint presentation and contact him - he's giving it away as a service.

Love to Kay.

-- Melissa (financed@forbin.com), September 29, 1998.

check out the Westergaard site www.y2ktimebomb.com/ and see if their writers are booked. Most of them are good for the mixed group as they are a bit less strident than most of us! (HI HI)

cr

-- Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 29, 1998.

Gayla,

It's raining, but no damaging winds up here yet and no flooding (yet). Thank you for the concern.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), September 29, 1998.