“Adversity does not build character. Adversity reveals character.”  - Vince Lombardi
 

It is with great excitement that I send this early welcome to those of you already registered for SCIP’s 2009 International Conference and Exhibition. For those of you not yet registered, I hope you will consider SCIP’s conference for the many different value-added activities you will have access to in Chicago.

Whether you are a SCIP veteran that attends every year, someone on a rotating schedule, or at SCIP for the first time, I think you will be impressed by our program this year, and I invite you to provide feedback directly to me regarding your SCIP09 experience. We have five educational tracks designed to offer you a variety of beginner to advanced exposure to ways in which you can execute on intelligence initiatives, along with several excellent half- and full-day workshops I hope you can leverage.

Our keynote speaker this year is Michael Treacy. He has spent his career advising organizations on what it takes to be a market leader, and I expect he will provide you with insights that will allow you to have an immediate impact on your organization. Outside of an excellent educational program and keynote, there are many other reasons why you come to this conference, from networking with your peers to evaluating the many capable vendors that can act as partners to your initiatives. Enjoy these benefits and the many other intangibles that SCIP Chicago has to offer.

Finally, it is in this economic climate that we are reminded of exactly how quickly things can change. Fortunate for all of us, the ability to adapt to change is one characteristic that makes you a great intelligence professional. In the past few months, I have witnessed a number of announcements that have caused me to take notice – from seeing long-tenured intelligence officers displaced from their jobs, to seeing several Fortune 500 firms receive new mandates to build enhanced intelligence capabilities.

Your peers at this conference will challenge your intellect and your energy level, but the many forms of adversity we encounter as intelligence professionals truly do reveal our character. Let’s make it a memorable SCIP09!

Derek Johnson

SCIP09 Conference Chair

Aurora WDC COO & Director of Research