ARMA International Wraps 2005 Conference And Expo
ARMA International, a not-for-profit professional association and the authority on managing records and information, presented its 50th Annual Conference and Expo. The excitement and energy were running high at Chicago's Navy Pier Festival Hall, where more than 4,300 professionals from around the world gathered for ARMA '05:Chicago, Sept. 18-21. The Expo floor was populated by 225 exhibitors in more than 150,000 square feet of space, making the 2005 expo the largest to date for ARMA.
This year's educational program — comprised of about 80 sessions — was robust and diverse. The four pre-conference programs focused specifically on managing electronic records, Records and Information Management (RIM) in the legal environment, e-records in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and the fundamentals of RIM. During the full conference, attendees were introduced to the latest thinking on some of the hottest issues in managing records and information today, including e-mail management, e-discovery, challenges of electronic records and technology, standards and best practices, managing and promoting records and information management programs, and international retention. They also had opportunities for hands-on training via the special full-day training lab. In addition, expanded poster sessions provided one-on-one time for participants to connect with the presenters on issues ranging from standards to global records management.
Attendees were also exposed to the cutting-edge technologies, products, and services for managing records and information on the Expo floor. A record-breaking 225 exhibitors were available, many of which participated in the Technology Application Briefings and Industry Intelligence Pavilion.
New this year to the Expo was the "Exclusively IT: The Realities of IT" sessions. These sessions were facilitated by IDC's John McArthur, group vice president and general manager of Information Infrastructure and Enabling Technologies, and included panel discussions and case studies on the latest technologies for managing records and information enterprise-wide.
The reach and importance of information management grows every day. New stakeholders in the compliance picture are seeking the resources provided by ARMA International as they work to manage information and records as a strategic corporate asset. Conference attendees were drawn from the fields of records management, information technology (IT), law firms and corporate counsel, health care, and business administration.
Conference highlights include a keynote speech by recognized futurist Daniel Burrus who presented "Futureview: A Look Ahead," presenting evidence that change is opportunity as we learn to strategically position businesses and organizations to thrive in a constantly changing technological and economic climate. Also presenting a keynote address was Brian O'Malley. O'Malley's presentation, "Everest: The Challenge in All of Us," inspired attendees' professional potential by revealing the relationship between the challenge of climbing Mount Everest and the challenges we all face in the business world today.
Plans are already underway for ARMA International's 2006 Conference and Expo in San Antonio, October 22-25.
About ARMA International
ARMA International (www.arma.org) is a not-for-profit professional association and the authority on managing records and information. Formed in 1955, ARMA International is the oldest and largest association for the records and information management profession with a current international membership of more than 10,000. It provides education, publications, and information on the efficient maintenance, retrieval, and preservation of vital information created in public and private organizations in all sectors of the economy. It also publishes the award-winning Information Management Journal.