Google VP Vinton Cerf Will Open Oregon Telecommunications Conference

Annual conference highlights developments in Oregon telecommunications.

Vinton Cerf of Google

(SALEM, Ore.) - "Oregon Telecom: Bridging the next divide," is the theme of the 13th annual Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 16th and 17th, at the Best Western Agate Beach Inn and Conference Center in Newport.

The Keynote Speaker will be Vinton Cerf, vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google, who is widely regarded as one of the "Fathers of the Internet." Planned sessions will include speakers from industry, government, education and healthcare on the topics of telecommunications technology, applications, regulation and broadband public policy.

Also speaking at the event will be Judy Peppler, Oregon President of Qwest; Rich Bader, CEO of EasyStreet Online Services; Craig Watson, VP of Charter Communications; Mary Beth Henry, President of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA); and Oregon Public Utility Commissioner Ray Baum.

The 2008 Conference will honor individuals and organizations that have positively impacted telecommunications development in Oregon. Conference registration and award nominations can be submitted on-line at oregonconnections.info.

Dr. Cerf is the co-designer of the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and the architecture of the Internet. In December 1997, President Clinton presented the U.S. National Medal of Technology to Dr. Cerf and his colleague, Robert E. Kahn, for founding and developing the Internet. Kahn and Cerf were named the recipients of the Association for Computing Machinery Alan M. Turing award in 2004 for their work on the Internet protocols. The Turing award is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize of Computer Science."

In November 2005, President Bush awarded Cerf and Kahn the Presidential Medal of Freedom for their work. The medal is the highest civilian award given by the United States to its citizens. In April 2008, Cerf and Kahn received the prestigious Japan Prize.

In this role at Google, he is responsible for identifying new enabling technologies to support the development of advanced, Internet-based products and services.

Conference sponsors include CoastCom Inc., Embarq, LS Networks, Comspan Communications, the City of Eugene, Central Coast Economic Development Alliance, MINET and the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department. There is an early bird registration rate of just $65 for those registered by September 10th 2008.

Oregon Economic and Community Development Department The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department provides economic, community and cultural enhancement throughout the state. The Department administers programs that assist businesses, communities and people.

Oregon's economic development system is designed to meet the state's changing economy, provide flexibility in funding statewide and regional needs, and focus on funding economic and community development services for rural and distressed communities. Visit www.oregon4biz.com for more information on doing business in Oregon.