Virginia Delegate Kenneth Plum, D-Reston, got a plum assignment Wednesday — to pick up two technology awards. At a Technology Business Breakfast in his honor, Plum was awarded with the Northern Virginia Technology Council's "Tech Tenure" award and the U.S. Internet Council's Internet Leadership Award. Both honors were decreed upon the legislator earlier this year, but the breakfast allowed Plum the opportunity to actually receive the engraved plaques. After laudatory remarks by NVTC's Vice President of Public Affairs Doug Koelemay, USIC's Ted Karle and fellow legislator Sen. Janet Howell, Plum modestly accepted his awards. "Good thing my wife Jane is not here, because if Jane were here she'd say 'Now, that's a bit much,'" he joked. "But you're looking at a happy guy, because I'm alive at this point in our time. I love what's happening in the technology arena." Also on hand to honor Plum was Rep. Rick Boucher, D-VA, who used the forum to outline the comprehensive tech-policy package he is sponsoring with fellow Virginia representative Bob Goodlatte, R. "If you like this, help us out," Boucher said to the audience of Virginian tech executives. "We could use the co-sponsorship of all three Northern Virginia representatives, Davis, Moran and Wolfe."

     The Wall Street Journal's Technology Summit '99 on "The Internet Economy" pulled out all of the stops featuring an all star line-up of the tech community's heavy hitters. The two-day event covered a range of issues from online securities markets to the digital divide. Chairman and CEO of ExciteAtHome Thomas Jermoluk took part in a one-on-one with Journal reporter Kara Swisher during the segment titled "The Battle Over Who Gets To Rule The Digital Future." When asked if he felt AOL was the key competitor, Jermoluk answered, "They're our key competitor in or to the press. The stuff in the press has done a lot of damage… Everyone wants to be where we are — the leader in broadband." Matthew Andresen, president of Island ECN, Alfred Berkeley III, NASDAQ stock market president, and Commissioner Laura Unger of the Securities Exchange Commission, among others engaged in an animated discussion on ECNs, IPOs and the ABCs of the online securities markets. Ending the first day of the summit was BET Chairman and CEO Robert Johnson, whose main point was best articulated when he said, "The consumer is used to being portrayed as being left out. There are many divides — the housing divide, health care divide, investment and savings divide. But part of overcoming the divides is information and education."

     Never one to be caught sitting on the sidelines, president of AOL Interactive Properties Group Ted Leonsis has gone from the computer arena to the hockey arena and seems to have scored the winning goal on all accounts. Speaking to nearly 500 people at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce's Fame lecture series, Leonsis imparted words of wisdom on the business strategy that enabled him to work successfully at Apple, AOL, Redgate Communications — a new-media marketing company he founded — and now as owner of the Washington Capitals hockey team. Leonsis also discussed the state of the Internet, past, present and future, in terms of his experience at AOL. "The Internet is underhyped. The Internet is making things possible, reenergizing so many different types of companies," he said. "It's a business revolution, as AOL starts to grow you will see spinout businesses, venture capital firms." Commenting on the fact that people always ask why he went from technology to sports Leonsis said, "I always wanted to say this...because I can," to which the attendees erupted in laughter. But Leonsis was not able to work the crowd completely. When he asked how many felt that Internet stock was the best stock to purchase, few hands were raised. When he asked how may believed AOL offered the best Internet service, even fewer hands surfaced. But he maintained his sense of humor and composure when fielding questions. When asked how AOL was going to deal with Microsoft in the future, he replied, "Is anyone from the Justice Department here? Microsoft is like oxygen so you better get used to it."

     The leading attorney for the Justice Department in the Microsoft antitrust trial, David Boies, is taking on another sticky situation — suing health maintenance organizations (HMOs) for a number of offenses. Meanwhile, the other top lawyer on the case, Stephen Houck, has resigned unexpectedly from the New York attorney general's office, subsequently quitting the case.

     Last Thursday was a big day for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, with the approval of several nominations. Among those were Thomas Leary as Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission and Gregory Rohde, replacing Larry Irving as assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information. The Senate Judiciary committee also held a hearing for the nomination of Q. Todd Dickinson as commissioner of patents and trademarks, and a vote is expected soon.

     After leading the firm Ernst & Young for the past eight years, Roger Nelson is retiring as the company's chief executive, making way for Terry Ozan. The 53-year-old Ozan, who has spent 29 of those years with the company, most recently worked with the international consulting organization on the Global Management Consulting Executive Committee, among other posts. Now, Ozan will be responsible for 19,000 people that make up the global consulting organization.

     What do you do when your first choice turns you down? You find the next best thing. When Stephen Grabiner quit his job as CEO of ONdigital to be CEO of the high-tech venture capital company eVentures — formed by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and Japan's Softbank — everyone thought that was the end of the story. But in a change of heart, Grabiner turned down the offer and joined a British venture capital firm. Diana Noble, a former partner at Schroder Ventures, has been named CEO of eVentures UK.

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