On CEOs minds: .... oh my!

Date: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 9:23 AM

H-1B and JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER

www.ZaZona.com

These CEOs use a classical argument for maintaining H-1B at it's
current high levels. The argument is always a variant of, "let us
import cheap labor by using H-1B visas, or we will outsource everything
overseas." What they don't tell people is that they are using H-1B and
L-1 to accelerate outsourcing. American workers, before losing their
job, are forced to train the H-1Bs. Once trained the H-1Bs displace the
American, and then the job is eventually moved overseas.

Corporate blackmail of this type can be stopped by imposing penalties
on companies that outsource to foreign countries and by abolishing
H-1B. CEOs are not above the law because the right to be a corporation
is granted by the government. The American public must demand that
their government represent the public and not a few rich scofflaws that
think they rule the world.

http://www.masshightech.com/displayarticledetail.asp?art_id=61735&cat_id=97

On CEOs minds: Spending, and visas and spam, oh my!
02/03/2003 08:28 AM
By Patricia Resende

Some of the states most successful high tech executives came
together last week to tell an audience what keeps them up at night and
how their company will fare in 2003.

Hot topics included capital spending, regulatory issues, security and
economic indicators, to name a few.

Panelists in the roundtable discussion, hosted by the Massachusetts
Electronic Commerce Association, or Mass eComm, included Robert Weiler,
president and chief executive at Phase Forward Inc., Brian Keane, CEO
of Keane Inc., and Debbie Miller, president of Egenera.

Weiler, whose company, Phase Forward, is a successful provider of
online clinical trials, told the audience that his economic indicators
have nothing to do with the stock market or the federal government.
Instead, Weiler relies on an acquaintance in the cardboard box
industry.

I can tell whats happening in the economy by the number of boxes
hes making, Weiler said of his friend.

Another unusual in-
dicator for Weiler is a friend who makes boat sails.

He says, Ive never been busier, Weiler said. Its the
busiest winter hes ever had.

Keane admitted to the audience that the company looks at every possible
indicator known to man to figure out whats happening in the economy.

Still, Keane said his biggest indicator is the correlation of the
economy with capital expenditures.

If following the economic indicators wasnt enough to make an
executive in todays economy sweat, the regulatory environment since
the Enron, WorldCom and Tyco scandals sure have.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has created additional burdens on us, CFOs and
auditors, Keane said. Everyone is walking around on pins and its
difficult. Its creating an environment where you cant disagree
with you auditor. We need to be more careful with what we say and how
we say it.

Other panel members agreed, adding that hiring and recruiting a great
management team, advisory board, or board members has also become
difficult with the new regulations.

My dad started the company in 1964 and built it into a billion-dollar
company, Keane said. Hes chairman, but cant sit on any
committees.

Weiler couldnt agree more.

The fact that a CEO and CFO can go to jail longer than a second-degree
murderer is a nightmare, Weiler said.

Other regulatory issues eating away at executives include H-1B visas,
spam, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or
HIPAA.

There is tremendous regulatory pressure to make (spam) illegal, said
Gail Goodman, chief executive at Roving Software, a provider of e-mail
marketing services.

The government in its usual way is not educated in depth about these
issues, she said. This is not a pragmatic solution to any problem,
its only putting pressure on folks who were already doing everything
right.

Goodman hopes that a national anti-spam law will be put in place,
rather than state-by-state laws.

The granting or withholding of H-1B visas also fueled discussion among
panelists, who said a stricter hold on visas for highly trained tech
workers could mean more companies moving business offshore.

Ron Shevlin, a research director with Forrester Research, made that
assumption a greater concern by saying that within the next 10 to 12
years the U.S. economy will lose 3 million jobs to offshore positions.

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