FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Friday, February 20, 2009                                                                                              

Public Information Office     Aracely Lazcano I PIO   
County of El Paso, Texas     500 E. San Antonio I  Suite 301
                                             (P) 915.546.2098  I Ext 4106 I
                                             I http://www.epcounty.com/ I 

(El Paso, TX) Friday, February 20, 2009 - The El Paso County Chief Technology Officer, Peter Cooper, has been selected as one of the 16 members of the 2009 Advisory Committee for the State Plan for Information Resources Management (State Strategic Plan).

The State Strategic Plan (SSP) will set the direction for management of information resources across the Texas government for the next five years. Texas state agencies also use the State Strategic Plan to develop the sections on information resources of their own strategic plans. The plan is developed in odd-numbered years and is due to state leadership (Governor and Legislative Budget Board) on November 1st of the same year.

The official confirmation of El Paso County CTO was made unanimously by the Texas Department of Information Resources Board of Directors during its February 11, 2009 meeting.

"As a representative of local government on this planning committee my goal is to promote additional collaboration and cooperation between state agencies, the cities and counties of Texas," said Peter Cooper.

During the last eight years as the county's CTO, Peter Cooper has built pivotal collaborative relationships with other layers of government and the public sector that has resulted in the optimization and access to services offered to area residents.

"We can all benefit greatly by sharing resources and expertise. In addition, the state could lead the way in establishing a broadband policy to insure that fiber is included in public works projects throughout the state," he added.

Mr. Cooper is serving his third year as chairman of the Texas Urbanized Counties Information Technology Directors Organization and is a member of the editorial advisory board of Texas Technology magazine. 

He has served as chair of the advisory board for the University of Texas Information and Decision Sciences Department and received the 2006 El Paso Hispanic Chamber Information Technology Hall of Fame award. 

Additionally, the county's CTO is currently serving as chair of "Digital El Paso," an organization that implemented public wireless throughout downtown El Paso and which is working on regional collaborative projects.  This group includes representatives from El Paso County, City of El Paso, El Paso Housing Authority, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso Community College, area school districts and other local entities who are cooperating in this initiative.

For interview bookings please contact Aracely Lazcano at 546-2000 ext. 4106.