Jitze Couperus is a Senior Technology Consultant in the E-Business Group of Control Data Systems, Inc. He has been with Control Data for over 25 years, during which time he has been involved in both software research and design (primarily database and computer-language related) as well as consulting, design and implementation of complex information systems for Control Data clients. His current focus is the design and use of web-related technology in the integration of electronic business solutions—particularly with regard to the increasing role played by electronic directories in enabling the integration of business processes, both internally within the enterprise as well as externally with business partners.

Stan Foster is a Consultant responsible for technical design and systems integration for the mail, collaboration and directory services at Digital Equipment Corporation (now Compaq Computer Corporation). Prior to the Compaq acquisition, he spent 17 years designing, building and deploying several generations of mail and directory products for Digital, including one of the world largest implementations of Microsoft Exchange.

Russ Cohn is the Chief Executive Officer of Brigade Solutions, Inc., a company that is providing Internet customer service outsourcing for organizations with large daily volumes of incoming electronic communications. Prior to founding Brigade, he was a management consultant with Paris-based Gemini Consulting, where he helped global telecommunications firms launch and improve customer service operations. He has completed major client engagements in Australia, South Africa, Europe, and the U.S. Prior to Gemini, he served on the research staff of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) in Japan. Cohn holds BS and MS degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Steve Kille is the Founder and CEO of Isode, one of the leading developers of standards based messaging and directory server software. He has eighteen years of experience with messaging, directory, security, OSI and Internet technology, and has been responsible for a range of widely deployed products and standards, working with the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), ISO/ITU and EMA. He played a central role in the design of MIXER and is the author of the core RFC specifications.

Malcom Smith is Managing Director of 5th Generation Messaging and Chairman of the G5 Messaging Forum. He has extensive product development and management experience in IT as the Managing Director of an electronic publishing company, the IT subsidiary of a consulting engineering practice and a specialist computer support organization. Smith’s background includes telecommunications, IT management, document management and new IT applications. He is a trained and experienced market researcher and consultant.