TRIM Centre of Excellence officially opens

Premier Danny Williams, along with Jan Rosi, President of TOWER Software North America, today participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the TRIM Context Centre of Excellence in St. John�s. The event also commemorates the signing of an Enterprise Agreement with TOWER Software for the purchase of TRIM Context to be deployed across the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

�It is a great pleasure for me to participate in this ribbon cutting ceremony, marking our relationship with TOWER Software that will assist us in managing government information as a corporate asset,� said Premier Williams. �It will further enhance our ability to be transparent and accountable, and improve our decision-making ability as a government. The Enterprise Agreement and the launch of the Centre of Excellence will provide major benefits not only for our government, but for the local IT industry as well.�

In March of this year, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador signed an Enterprise Agreement with TOWER Software North America for its electronic document solution, TRIM Context. The agreement covers the upgrading of existing TRIM line of business implementations and the on-going support and maintenance of TRIM Context across the entire provincial government. Prima Computer Solutions of St. John�s has partnered with TOWER Software to establish the Centre of Excellence and provide TOWER�s TRIM technical support for its Newfoundland and Labrador clients, the largest of which is the provincial government.

Jan Rosi, President of TOWER Software North America, said the TOWER Centre of Excellence will contribute to local employment opportunities in the information technology and information management sectors. �This relationship with TOWER Software will result in the transfer of skills to our TOWER partners in Newfoundland and Labrador, specifically Prima Computer Solutions, and will increase local employment opportunities,� said Ms. Rosi. �We will have three full-time employees at our St. John�s location, ensuring continuity of support and knowledge. The support for this application extends beyond the local support to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as our Centre of Excellence will assist clients in numerous Canadian provinces, including the other Atlantic provinces.�

TRIM Context will enable government to integrate its IT functions with innovative approaches to managing its official records and assist in the planning of information management improvements in the future. It will also help government achieve and maintain standards compliance as its information is managed throughout its complete life cycle.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) will facilitate the deployment of the Enterprise Agreement across the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The first phase of this enterprise-wide project will assist government employees in managing their e-mail and is currently in its planning stage with TOWER Software personnel.

The OCIO was established in 2004, and is responsible for streamlining and enhancing service delivery, reforming IT practices throughout the provincial government and bridging public service delivery with the private sector. It is committed to fostering the growth of a strong information technology and information management industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, and supports companies in building and maintaining this capacity while providing efficient and cost-effective services to government.

TOWER Software serves nearly 1,000 customers in 32 countries worldwide � including the United States Navy and Marine Corps, the White House, the FBI, the Government of Ireland, Mercedes Benz, Toronto Hydro, RBC Insurance, SNC Lavalin, Canadian Tire, and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. TOWER Software is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, providing excellent integration with Microsoft products.

Media contact:
Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3690 or 351-1227, elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca
Krista Curtiss, TOWER Software North America, (703) 547-5920, krista.curtiss@towersoft.com

2006 07 17                                              2:05 p.m.