Don’t let the $100 million contracts of Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman fool you. The Washington Nationals are one of those teams. The scouting department and front office of the Washington Nationals turned in this week’s Morgan Franklin Pivotal Play.

One of the big stories entering the first round of Monday night’s amateur draft was which team was going to roll the dice to draft injured high school star Lucas Giolito. One of the best prep prospects in the nation, Giolito is now injured and wasn’t going to be picked as high as he would’ve gone otherwise.

Giolito is a big-bodied high school star who already stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220-pounds. He looks like a major league starting pitcher right now but his workhorse-like frame isn’t the only reason scouts salivate over his potential. An 18-year-old who has been clocked in the triple-digits, Giolito could have been the No. 1 overall pick in Monday’s draft had it not been for an early-season UCL strain in his elbow that ended his final high school baseball season.

Considering that no prep right-handed pitcher has ever been taken first overall, it isn’t a stretch to assume that Giolito is viewed as one of the highest-ceiling high school righties in decades – So why was he available at No. 16? There is some concern about his elbow injury ultimately needing to be surgically repaired, and some curiosity as to whether his ailment is going to be a one-time problem or a lingering issue.

Another reason he fell down draft boards is signability. He’s got a full scholarship offer from UCLA and if he decides to report to college rather than signing, he’s a healthy three seasons of baseball away from potentially pitching his way back to the top of draft boards again in 2015, the next time he’d be eligible to enter the draft.

While the selection was a risk for the Nationals, it could end up resulting in them adding another electrifying pitcher to their minor league system. They’re banking on his elbow recovering and his golden right-arm staying injury-free. They’re also going to be battling a new bonus system that demands that they spend only $4.44 million in signing bonuses this season (They spent $14.5 a year ago).

Can the Nationals use the majority of that allocated money to ink Giolito and still have enough to sign the rest of their top picks? It’s hard to imagine Rizzo and his staff would have drafted Giolito if they didn’t feel pretty good about their chances to sign him.

Fifteen teams passed on Giolito before the Nationals decided to make the most talked about decision of the first round of this week’s MLB Draft. If this week’s pivotal decision ends up working out, the Nationals’ could have just added another No. 1 caliber starter to their organization.

The Nationals were the club willing to gamble on Giolito, and their fascinating selection of the California high-schooler is this weeks’ pivotal play.

In addition, NFTE hands out a number of awards at the gala to outstanding student entrepreneurs who are clearly budding pivotal players in the business world.  We were fortunate enough to spend time with two teachers whose student walked away with awards at the Dare to Dream gala.

Following is an exclusive podcast with Stephanie Harmony, marketing teacher at Annandale High School – whose student was a second place winner – and Erin Cribbs, the Business Education Department Chair at Croom Vocational HS.  Erin had students who won first- and third-place awards.

Both Stephanie and Erin discuss why the right entrepreneurial educational programs are vital in creating the next generation of business leaders and much more.

Listen to the NFTE Dare to Dream Podcast:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pivotalplays/2012/05/31/podcast-nfte-dare-to-dream-teachers

What started as an idea among several federal executives in 2008 has grown into a highly viable organization that promotes meaningful dialogue around ERM.  Although AFERM is a young organization, it currently offers a wide-range of programs and opportunities for federal risk management professionals.  It also sponsors key educational programs, encourages professional development, as well as influences governmental risk management policies.

In addition to hosting bi-monthly presentations with some of most respected leaders in this space, AFERM is also holding its 2012 Federal Enterprise Risk Management Summit on September 17-18, 2012 at the Marriott Gateway in Arlington, VA.   This two-day summit will certainly give government agencies the tools they need to foresee and manage risks associated with emerging developments in the federal sector.

In its inaugural newsletter (April 2012 AFERM Newsletter), AFERM President Douglas Webster tackled one of the biggest issues in this space:  defining “ERM” for the federal arena.   Webster defined ERM as, “the management of all key risks across the enterprise to optimize the opportunity for achieving enterprise goals and objectives.”

In many ways, the most powerful pivotal plays are seemingly the most simple.  By offering a true definition of ERM for government, Webster is providing the strategic foundation for ERM professionals to operate, which will solidify ERM as the key solution for the federal government to manage risk.

With reigning Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III now donning burgundy and gold and listed as the starter on Washington’s depth chart, the Redskins are going to have a chance to make more plays than they did in the past. But the only way to guarantee that the team’s offense produces the exponential spike in yards and points that Griffin III is capable of providing will be for Mike and Kyle Shanahan to further Griffin-proof the team’s offense.

That isn’t to say that the Redskins should alter or change a scheme that has withstood the test of time in the NFL. Mike Shanahan has won two Super Bowls as a head coach and another as an offensive coordinator.

Kyle Shanahan’s passing game led the NFL in aerial yardage in his final season with the Houston Texans. Heck, his offense set records for completions and attempts in his first season in DC, and that was during a campaign where he benched his starting quarterback twice.

I’m not condoning that either of Washington’s top offensive minds stop doing what they’ve been doing throughout their careers. I’m simply suggesting that they add pages and wrinkles to the team’s playbook.

Griffin III’s skillset is unique and he’s capable of doing things that weren’t options for Rex Grossman, John Beck, Donovan McNabb – and every other quarterback with which either Shanahan has worked. You have to allow Griffin to utilize and grow with those skills.

He’s got blazing Olympian-liked speed and a rocket-arm, a combination rarely seen before in the NFL. Mike Shanahan, while at a kickoff event for the Redskins’ 80^th anniversary celebrations this summer, said that he thinks Griffin will do things no other quarterback has.

That’s high-praise and I’m not willing to make that projection.  However, if the Redskins are going to allow him to have the type of impact on their program that he did at Baylor University, they have to allow him to be the dual-threat, special performer that he was in college.

That may mean adding some read-option tweaks to their offense, the same way the Carolina Panthers utilized some of the Auburn concepts that Cam Newton had mastered, particularly in the red zone.

Newton rushed 10 times for 59 yards and scored a touchdown against Washington. That isn’t to say that Griffin needs to carry the ball to be successful. With his frame, 6-foot-2 and 223-pounds, he’ll be more durable if he’s a throw-first passer, and he will be.

Giving defenses a little something extra to think about with Griffin’s ability is all Mike and Kyle Shanahan have to do. Last season against the Redskins, Newton made defenders stay at home and in the box, allowing him to keep the ball after a play-action give and rush off tackle – only to then throw the ball to an open tight end in the flat.

The pivotal play for Washington won’t be to make major alterations but to heed the advice of Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, who coached Newton last year, when he said at the NFL combine in February, “You don’t change, you add.”

Washington drafted Griffin III because he’s different, unique and a rare talent. Let him utilize those skills and be different to help transform the franchise that has been seeking answers since its last Super Bowl win 20 years ago.

With one week left in May, the Nationals have scored 162 runs, the lowest total of any team in their division and the fourth lowest total in the league. But thanks to tremendous starting pitching and the best team ERA in baseball, Washington’s a front-runner.

This week’s pivotal play was delivered by team manager Davey Johnson, who is in his first full season on the bench in the nation’s capital. The 69-year-old skipper recently tweaked his lineup, moving shortstop Ian Desmond out of the leadoff position and down four slots to the No. 5 spot in his batting order.

When Desmond was originally dropped in the batting order it was seen as a minimal adjustment. The assumption was that it was a quick change, and that Desmond would be moved back up to the top of the order sooner than not – but that may not be the case.

Desmond has taken very well to the alteration, hitting .375 (6-for-17) in four games in this new role. Sure, his current pace is unsustainable and the sample size is miniscule, but the point is – Johnson’s lineup change has worked. It provided a spark to a team that was ravenous for one and it has given the Nationals a chance to score more frequently.

The way baseball lineups are constructed; the leadoff batter and second hitter are generally viewed as being able to set the table and help manufacture runs. They normally get on base at a decent clip and possess enough speed to create scoring chances with their legs. The heart of the order is then expected to drive in those top-of-the-order bats.

Moving Desmond down to the five-spot after he led off in the first 38 games played this season was a risky move by Johnson, but it was a pivotal play that has worked out spectacularly. The hits he was consistently getting earlier in the season are now accounting for runs.

The five-hitter in a lineup generally possesses more power than they do a hit-for-average tool.  In the first quarter of the season, Desmond fits that description. The 26-year-old shortstop has needed just 188 at-bats to belt eight home runs this season. A year ago he hit eight homers for the entire campaign and those round-trippers came in 584 at-bats and 154 games.

In four games since being moved to the No. 5 spot in the lineup, Desmond has gone deep twice and driven in five runs. He likely would not have had the chance to drive in those runs or impact the game to the same degree had Johnson kept him at the leadoff position. Desmond has now accounted for an RBI in each of the Nationals’ last three games, and in four of the team’s last five contests.

Johnson’s pivotal play – altering his lineup – is a big reason for the Nationals’ continued offensive improvement, and for Desmond’s emergence as an impact bat.

As such, we are excited to be highlighting the CE 2012 Hall of Fame Inductees.  As true leaders who have shaped and advanced innovation, the inductees this year include company founders and inventors, those who fervently promote technology, gifted marketers, and the retailers that educate and deliver products to consumers.

Here are the pivotal players:

• Willard Boyle and George Smith – inventors of the charge-coupled device (CCD) at Bell Labs
• Robert Briskman – inventor of satellite radio
• Richard Citta – creator of the VSB digital TV transmission standard
• Bjorn Dybdahl – founder of consumer electronics retailer Bjorn’s
• Douglas Engelbart – inventor of the computer mouse and HTML
• Charlie Ergen – founder of satellite companies Echostar and Dish Network
• Larry Finley – founder of the International Tape Association (now the International Recording Media Association)
• Fansy and Henry Harold Gregg – founders of consumer electronics retailer HH Gregg
• In Hwoi Koo – founder of LG Corp.
• Byung-Chull Lee – founder of Samsung Electronics

All of these pivotal players will be inducted into CE Hall of Fame on during CEA’s Industry Forum to be held in San Francisco on October 14-17, 2012.

While the advancement of consumer technologies is laudable, we would like point out that many of these innovators have a heritage in government.  For example, Robert Briskman, the inventor of satellite radio, was the Chief of Program Support for the Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition at NASA in 1959.  He also directed the development of the mobile terminals used on land, sea, and airborne vehicles when he was with Geostar Corporation in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Douglas Engelbart, the inventor of HTML and the computer mouse, paved the way for military and government efficiencies with his work with ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, in 1969.  Today’s most innovative web and mobile applications for the military have a direct lineage back to Engelbart’s pioneering work.

We would like to congratulate all of the CE 2012 Hall of Fame inductees.  Without your pioneering pivotal plays, we would not have the technological advances that continue to propel and evolve business and government every day.

Tim Hightower

We’ve seen it a million times, in sports and in business. A decision perceived as being minor when it is made actually ends up having a major impact on an organization. The Washington Redskins made one of those decisions this week by re-signing veteran running back Tim Hightower to a low-risk, one-year contract. Hightower is 25 years old and is coming off of a knee injury that ended his season last October.

With second-year running backs Roy Helu and Evan Royster already under contract and another respected prospect, sixth round pick Alfred Morris just being drafted, Washington’s backfield was crowded before Hightower was brought back.

Many Redskins fans feel that Hightower should not have been re-signed.  They worry about whether or not he’s going to minimize the opportunities the Redskins’ younger players get and what his re-insertion into Washington’s offensive huddle will mean for the development of Helu and Royster, who the team invested in a season ago.

However, there’s a case to be made that bringing Hightower back wasn’t just a good idea, but was absolutely necessary.  This was a pivotal decision for the Redskins’ front office, and it was unequivocally the right play.

The trio is complete

It is fair to say that because the Redskins have three viable starting running back options on their roster, they don’t have one “feature” back. They don’t have a rusher who is going to be the focal point of their offense, but that’s okay. Those all-down, workhorse, 25-carry-a-game tailbacks are becoming less important in the NFL.

Instead, teams are going to more of a running back by committee philosophy. They’re utilizing the skills of two – and sometimes three tailbacks – to garner the results that one dominating MVP-caliber player would have provided in the past. In Washington’s case Hightower, Helu and Royster all do different things.

Hightower is Washington’s most complete back. He is a better pass-protector than both Helu and Royster, and he’s thrived in goal-line and short-yardage situations in his career. In fact, his 23 touchdowns in his first three seasons in the league ranked 10^th entire NFL from 2008-2010.

He provides a skillset that Helu and Royster don’t, and in the same way that they provide something he doesn’t, his running style is a change of pace from Helu’s speedy, elusive style and Royster’s pin-balling form.

Individually, each of them would probably be evaluated as a No. 2 NFL tailback. But together, when all three are utilized and asked to contribute in roles where their strengths can be accentuated, Washington now has a complete and formidable group.

Forget about feeding one guy for an entire game

Another reason why I deem re-signing Hightower as a pivotal play is because the Redskins are going to need to divvy up the workload to keep their rushers healthy.

Days of Stephen Davis getting 356 carries in Marty Schottenheimer’s run-first offense are over. Joe Gibbs asking Clinton Portis to run into the brick wall of an NFL defense 352 times in 2005 have come and gone. How’d that work out for Portis? His production fell off in his 20’s and he’s out of the league already.

Ask LaDanian Tomlinson (who rushed over 300 times in each of his first seven seasons in the league) or Shaun Alexander (who once accumulate 370 attempts in a season) about how quickly you hit a wall when you’re over-worked. You can’t have your offense solely run through a single ball-carrier anymore. Defenders are too fast, collisions are too violent and the physical toll is too detrimental.

Take a look at the recent Super Bowl winners. The New York Giants didn’t have a No. 1 running back last season. Ahmad Bradshaw averaged under 15 carries a game in 2011. The New England Patriots? Not quite. The year before that the Green Bay Packers won their Super Bowl while starting a young, unknown late-round running back

The last team that won a Super Bowl with a dominant, MVP-caliber, workhorse running back serving as an offense’s most pivotal player? The 2001 Baltimore Ravens. The game has changed and Washington’s philosophy is the one that winning teams are using.

Hightower will likely start

While Helu and Royster should both be expected to contribute, Hightower’s versatility and completeness will likely result in him being listed atop the depth chart entering training camp. Remember, he was on the field for 212 of Washington’s 343 offensive snaps during his five starts. That’s 61 percent of the plays the team ran.

And while 21 of his 84 rushes (25%) went for no gain or lost yardage, I’d point out that the team’s running game improved as the year went along, and that he would have had more success running through improved holes later on in the campaign.

The Redskins averaged a season-best 4.4 yards per carry in December. Compare that to the 3.7 yards they averaged in September and the 4.0 yards they averaged in October when Hightower was healthy.

They even averaged 133.5 yards a game on the ground in the season’s final full month, 29 more yards than they averaged in September, 44 yards more than they averaged in October, and a spike of more than 60 yards from their November totals. That’s not just because Helu and Royster were playing.

To say that the running game got better based solely on the kids running the ball and Hightower being out is to say that Willie Smith was a better run-blocker than Trent Williams. Newsflash: That isn’t the case.

Expect to see Hightower get the first chance at nailing down a starting spot in Washington. Not bad for a guy who’s addition this week was viewed as a minor move.

You see, pivotal plays aren’t always immediately apparent. 

Landover, Maryland-based 2tor recently raised an additional $26 million in its fourth round of funding, bringing the total to $96 million, which makes it one of the highest-funded education startups in the nation. Forbes magazine recently named the company number two behind Instagram in its list of 10 startups changing the world. 2tor is enjoying great name recognition alongside hot startups like Pinterest who was also included in Forbes’ top ten.

With universities like Georgetown, UNC, USC and Washington University in St. Louis signing on to this venture, 2tor is changing the way that online education is perceived. The company’s goal is to bring these graduate programs into your living room without sacrificing the quality education, student experience, and job placement that you would receive if you attended on campus. Paul Maiden, Vice Dean and Professor of Academic and Student Affairs at USC, stated in an interview with the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare on the topic of working with 2tor to bring USC’s programs online, “What [students] want is the quality education – and if they can get it in a virtual environment, they’re going to get it. And I think that it is opening up the campus. It’s taking the education to them.”

Further enhancing 2tor’s position, the company recently brought aboard Catherine Graham as its new CFO, a 20-year veteran of the banking and technology industries. Graham was an executive vice president and CFO of Online Resources and CFO of DavCo prior to joining the ranks of 2tor. In a recent news release by the company, Chip Paucek, Co-Founder and CEO stated, “Catherine’s experience with fast-growth companies, deep expertise in leading a wide breadth of corporate financial events and remarkable attitude makes her a perfect functional and cultural fit for the company. 2tor is growing at a rapid rate and we’re working towards our mission to deliver groundbreaking online graduate education while creating a great place to work for our employees.”

With top-notch universities joining 2tor’s mission, another round of funding secured and talented individuals in control, the company is making a pivotal play with innovative solutions to change the education sector.

The Sammie finalists were chosen as a part of Public Service Recognition Week, which showcases the contributions made for achievements related to the health, safety, and well-being of all Americans.

Out of 33 finalists, nine Service to America medals will be awarded this fall, including the prestigious honor of federal employee of the year.  Stier went on to say, “The Service to America Medal finalists epitomize the true spirit and value of public service. Their stories showcase the good that our public servants do each and every day behind-the-scenes on behalf of the American public.”

Among the many great finalists across various agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had the honor of receiving three nominations.  Patricia Hayes, Chief Consultant, Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group, is up for a Career Achievement Award for her barrier breaking contributions to advancing the healthcare needs of women in a traditionally male-dominated veterans health-care system.  Susan Angell, Executive Director, Veterans Homeless Initiative, nominated for the Citizen Services Medal, helped lead an interdepartmental program that reduced veterans homelessness by 12 percent in one year as a part of a goal designed to find shelter for all veterans by 2015.  Finally, Alice Muellerweiss, the Dean of VA Learning University, a nominee for the Management Excellence Medal, established a new unified approach aimed at the training and career development of our nation’s veterans.

The Department of Defense was also included as a finalist for the Citizen Services Medal.  DoD Director of the Patient Safety Solutions Center, Heidi King created and implemented a health-care professional team training program that helped eliminate thousands of preventable deaths each year due to medical errors.

These pivotal players often do their work behind the scenes.  Being nominated as finalists for the Sammie awards shows the hard work and dedication of our nation’s civil servants that aren’t afraid to perform clutch pivotal plays when the moment arises.  We thank you for your service – it does not go unnoticed.

For any government agency, working effectively with contractors and suppliers is paramount to success. The relationship between government and industry, in many ways, is the foundation for government effectiveness. And, when this relationship is nurtured through effective communications, there really is no limit to what government can achieve.

When agency and industry relationships are strained, it is very challenging to confront the issues that are thwarting effectiveness. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) recently pulled off a pivotal play by undertaking a bold campaign to improve its supplier relationships through a comprehensive research effort to gauge industry perceptions and attitudes.

Three years ago, Maurice C. Stewart, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs, lead an initiative called the Supplier Relationship Transformation (SRT) program.  This effort involved surveying vendors, as well as hosting supplier forums throughout the country to obtain the critical feedback the VA needed to improve its supplier relations.

In response to negative feedback from suppliers, the VA set on a course to correct any lingering issues plaguing its relationships. Some of the issues that vendors had with the VA were inadequate communications, poor customer service, unclear roles of contracting officers, and its closed contracting process.

In a series of benchmark and follow up research efforts, the VA was able to improve how vendors perceive the agency. For example, the VA conducted its first survey in 2010 and scored a 3.5 or higher in only two areas. However, during its semi-annual follow up surveys, the VA scored 3.5 or higher in four areas.

Though the true pivotal play was the VA’s ability to act upon this research to course-correct its efforts.  As such, the VA acquisition office formed an industry advisory group of 24 companies that meets quarterly to share best practices and provide insights for helping relationships with vendors. The agency also came up with governance council of acquisition leaders, as well as had the VA’s Technology Acquisition Center lead efforts to smooth out the procurement process.

In addition, Stewart made the Fed 100 list by Federal Computer Week for leading this effort and transforming the way the VA does business.

The combination of extensive research followed by taking direct action is clearly a pivotal play by the VA. This case study shows that any government agency can take the right steps in addressing any issue and improve performance.

Bubba Watson has never been one to shy away from a difficult shot. Known for his unconventional, scramble-heavy style of play referred to as “Bubba Golf”, Watson’s independent practice and preparation allowed him to stay aggressive despite being pinned behind trees with the game’s most prestigious title at stake.

“I attack. I always attack,” Watson said. “I don’t like to go to the center of the greens. I want to hit the incredible shot. Who doesn’t? That’s why we play the game of golf, to pull off the amazing shot.”

Watson’s jaw dropping gap wedge that he hooked through a narrow opening out of the woods, around the trees, and onto an elevated green will surely go down in Master’s lore. The apparent nonchalance of Augusta’s champion, as he later described the shot as “pretty easy,” suggests a degree of self-assurance that Watson developed along his path to his first green jacket.

Going through his career practicing on his own, and never having a swing coach surely solidified Watson’s faith in his ability to deliver with the contest on the line.

“I think people are going to realize everybody has a chance to do this,” Watson said. “You don’t need expensive golf coaches. You don’t need expensive golf courses. You can just learn to play in your backyard and go to the municipal courses and learn how to play.”

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with one true pivotal player, Rosetta Lai, the organization’s Executive Director.  Rosetta brings a deep passion for helping Asian American youth not become only assimilated into American culture, but also become future leaders who go onto to achieve many successes in life.

Following is our exclusive podcast with Rosetta and if you are interested in donating to this special organization, please click here.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pivotalplays/2012/04/11/podcast-rosetta-lai-executive-director-aalead

Washington Capitals

Everything changed during the second-to-last game of the regular season, when the Caps delivered a clutch performance, beating division rivals Florida Panthers for the eighth and final seed [double checked and it’s seed] in the playoffs.

“It doesn’t matter which position you are, it doesn’t matter what’s the standings right now,” said Ovechkin.  “It’s most important thing to win. Next game most important thing right now for us—it’s [getting] ready for the playoffs.”

Now that Washington’s hockey team has secured the final playoff spot, they will not rest on their laurels.  Despite the team’s fifth consecutive playoff appearance, a deep playoff run has been elusive.

“It was not pretty,” said Washington Post columnist Mike Wise.  “It certainly was not perfect. But they got there.”

Getting there is half the battle— now it’s time for the Capitals to show their true mettle and make this season’s playoff run really shine.  The team has grown up together over the past five years, so their experience should pay dividends.

Even with an up-and-down season, the Caps were an early favorite to make a serious run at the Stanley Cup finals.  With Alex Ovechkin finally heating up and Nicholas Backstrom back from a long time injury, the team is positioned to shake the ‘potential’ label and turn their experience into a ‘pivotal play’ by taking home the Stanley Cup.

To address this challenge, DISA is combining two separate offices that have dealt with varying areas of enterprise IT:  the Computing Services Directorate and the Program Executive Office for Global Information Grid Enterprise Services (PEO-GES).

By combining these offices, DISA is bringing together the following solutions for the Department of Defense:

• Centralized data centers
• Enterprise-wide e-mail
• Enterprise-wide Sharepoint Site
• Faster content delivery
• DISA’s net-centric suite
• Defense Connect Online

This move will provide a convergence in terms of knowledge and engineering that will help avoid duplicative engineering services and IT implementation efforts.  Part of this plan will involve moving 300,000 users to a single enterprise email solution—no small feat unto itself.

DISA is also running a pilot version of DoD-wide Sharepoint site that has already been fielded to 14,000 users at the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command. Sharepoint has become a critical communications and logistics tool for the armed services.

By creating more efficiencies through consolidated enterprise-wide IT efforts, DISA is clearly pulling off a major ‘pivotal play.’  Not only will this help with cost savings for the DoD and the federal government, but it will also play a role in overall cybersecurity efforts.

Though there is also a dark side of social media for sports franchises. Some of the most avid sports fans can become so fanatical about their favorite teams that they are not afraid to attack competing teams online, especially in open forums like Twitter and Facebook.

The Phoenix Suns have even experienced cyber attacks on their networks by fans from competing teams trying to hijack their emails system and even the basketball stars’ Twitter accounts. They also have experienced a flood of emails around game time that focus on phishing and even identity theft.

To combat the vicious social media attacks, as well as broader cyber attacks, the Phoenix Suns use a cadre of tools including security solutions from Check Point, McAfee, SonicWall and LogRhythm. It also has a dedicated team of IT support staff who stave off attacks by creating custom anti-malware signatures or temporarily block access to certain Microsoft servers.

This is not the first time that we have heard about the need for major sports franchises to better manage their online footprints. Last November, MorganFranklin hosted its “Pivotal Plays Series: Government Meets Sports” event that featured Bruce Allen, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Washington Redskins. Mr. Allen discussed with the other panelists how social media can be both good and bad for sports franchises. Be sure to check out the video recap of this panel here: http://www.pivotalplays.com/es/executive_main2.html

In the meantime, many other sports franchises could learn plenty from the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Redskins when it comes to managing their social media properties and how to prevent vicious malware attacks.

The team’s manager, Davey Johnson, is no stranger to grooming young talent.  He shocked the baseball world by winning 108 games and the 1986 World Series with the New York Mets lead by Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry—a young pitching phenomenon and slugger in their own right.

Harper has always been under the microscope.  At the age of 16 he made the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline, “Baseball’s Chosen One:  Bryce Harper is the Most Exciting Prodigy Since LeBron [James].”  He finished High School early, at the age of 16, and entered Junior College to excel the timeframe in which he could be drafted by Major League Baseball.  When the Nationals made him the number one overall pick in the 2011 draft, his plan appeared to be working.

Harper faced maturity issues in his first season in professional baseball but his flashes on the field have turned heads.  Now he’s saying all the right things, “There are so many things [on which] I have to improve,” Harper said. “I want to make it as hard on them [Nationals] as I can.”  Will the hard offseason work and signs of maturity be enough to get called up to the Major’s this season?

Despite his recent demotion to the Nationals AAA affiliate in Syracuse, Natsinsider beat reporter Mark Kilgore stated, “His every at-bat to open the season in Syracuse will be scrutinized, and his offensive stats will be noted after every game as, team officials, fans and media alike wonder when he’ll be ready for his promotion.”

He has the perfect fit in manager Davey Johnson and a core group of teammates that will grow up together.  The future is looking bright for Harper and his call up to the Majors could be the pivotal play that finally propels Washington into contention.

Ben Iannotta

C4ISR Journal is a monthly publication covering emerging issues and trends in global military transformation and network centric warfare technologies, products, and services for leaders in government, defense, and industry.

C4ISR Journal’s editorial staff are also known for being ‘pivotal players’ in the sector because of their expertise, knowledge, and insights into the defense arena – especially during a time of great change, which we are experiencing now.

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Ben Iannotta, Editor of C4ISR Journal, who shares the following insights on current topics that are highly relevant to the Intelligence Community (IC):

• Why we are at a ‘pivotal point’ in our military history
• Challenges in providing real-time UAV intelligence to the warfighter
• Key mobile innovations coming from the National Security Agency (NSA)
• Why intelligence integration will be critical in the future
• How the intelligence budgets will remain flat
• How the cloud will impact the IC

Be sure to check out the full podcast here.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pivotalplays/2012/03/21/podcast-c4isr-journal-editor-ben-iannotta

In business, government and sports, opportunity is the name of the game. Amid a sea of challenges, chances for success are not always readily available. When presented with an avenue for achievement, an effective organization is able to convert such chances at a high rate.

In soccer at the highest level, true opportunities are few and far between. Last week, American forward Clint Dempsey capitalized on a rare scoring chance, and turned it into a game-winning goal of historic proportion. Dempsey’s goal in the 55th minute propelled the visiting Americans to a 1-0 victory over four-time World Cup champion Italy for its first win in 11 matches over 78 years against the perennial soccer power.

The U.S. knew there wouldn’t be many scoring chances as has been the trend in Italy—the Americans have visited the Azzurri three times before, losing each game by a combined score of 9-1. An efficient, well-defended game would have to be played if they were to have a chance.

The Americans were outshot by a staggering 19-4 margin, but didn’t have any offside penalties, whereas the Italians were flagged nine times.

“It’s important to come to places like this and play big teams on their own soil and get results,” Dempsey said. “At times it wasn’t pretty, but we grounded out the result tonight.”

The shining moment for the Americans was the scoring sequence. After the cross came in from Fabian Johnson, Jozy Altidore calmly collected the ball, and laid it off beautifully to the American forward. Dempsey turned his hips, and hit a rocket off his right foot just past the outstretched hand of Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon for what would be the deciding goal.

“It’s historic for us beating a team of Italy’s level,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “If you beat Italy on their own soil, it means a lot. For our players this was big. I think they’ve done an awesome job.”

Dempsey’s goal and the subsequent American victory bring to mind the words of another American sports figure, Herb Brooks: “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

U.S. Forward Clint Dempsey's Goal Versus Italy

When I was asked to be a contributor to the MorganFranklin Pivotal Plays blog, I immediately thought of leaders in the Intelligence Community (IC) who are moving the ball forward when it comes to our nation’s security.

The challenge in coming up with one “pivotal player” leader in the IC to showcase was actually choosing one person from the deep reservoir of leaders.  The strength of our overall IC leadership is absolutely astounding and it is difficult to shine a light on just one person.

Though, one IC leader did quickly come to mind: Caryn A. Wagner, Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).   Through her innovative efforts, DHS is making major strides in becoming a full-fledged member of the IC and is adopting new tools for enhanced information sharing that will further bolster our national security.

Under Secretary Wagner is making DHS the nexus for all information sharing by building bridges between disparate communities among domestic and foreign intelligence, as well as domestic law enforcement.  From coordinating the sharing of information by Fusion Centers throughout the nation to ensuring interoperability amongst many agencies, this is no small task.

As Under Secretary Wagner has noted that intelligence is a key factor in supporting almost all DHS activities, she is also putting into place the pilot program for H-Space. Modeled after the IC’s A-Space— an online collaboration tool that operates much like Facebook, where analysts can create trusted contacts with other analysts and post profiles that contain updated contact information and details of their areas of expertise.

Under Secretary Wagner also chairs the Homeland Security Intelligence Council.  Comprised of the chiefs of intelligence of DHS’ component agencies, the Council finds synergies between all of the DHS organizations on a wide variety of mission-related topics, include standardizing formats for reporting information to the nation’s intelligence community.

Providing actionable intelligence in real-time to those who need it is no small challenge for the IC.  Under Secretary Wagner is a true leader who is bringing new approaches to information sharing that will ensure that another 9/11 does not happen again on our soil.

Under Secretary Wagner is truly a “pivotal player” who we are proud to showcase on the Pivotal Plays Blog.  Stay tuned for future posts where we showcase IC leaders and programs that truly solve our national security challenges.

Scott Wieler, CEO of Signal Hill

MorganFranklin is a proud sponsor of the M&A section of CityBizlist DC, a key destination news site for any and all business news happening in the Washington DC region.  Much like the Pivotal Plays blog, the DC Citybizlist often profiles key executives who are bringing a pioneering spirit to their respective businesses.

The online business news site recently featured a Q&A with Signal Hill CEO Scott Wieler on a variety of topics related to the current mergers and acquisitions environment. We are featuring an excerpt of that interview below.

Signal Hill closed 26 transactions in 2011 across a variety of sectors including information technology, media & technology, education & business services and healthcare services. In which sectors do you see growth in 2012?

We expect to see growth in all of our sectors this year. We believe that all of our sectors will be impacted by technology, such as the internet and cloud computing as well as technology adoption, and Washington and the impact of its regulations. Our practice areas are markets that are constantly changing, which is partially why we choose to do business in those areas. This year, we have already announced two transactions that exemplify this – the acquisition of Compliance 360, a provider of governance, risk and compliance solutions in the cloud, by SAI Global; and an equity investment in EXZAC, a provider of risk management solutions to the financial industry, by Matrix IT. Beyond that, not only do we have a very full pipeline of deals across all of our sectors, we have launched a new venture – Signal Hill India: a team of talented, experienced bankers that will be working on M&A in Bangalore, India and taking advantage of the opportunities in the country for two of our flagship sectors: technology and for-profit education.

 Last year, there was an increase in merger and acquisition activity among private equity buyers. This was cited as a reason for predictions that M&A deals will increase by 22 per cent next year. Do you see private equity playing an important role? Can you give examples of recent deals and the major players?

Private equity is always an important part of the M&A environment. Signal Hill has close relationships with dozens of firms – last year at least 50% of our deals directly involved a financial sponsor, and probably about 75% of our deals involved a financial sponsor indirectly (i.e. we sold a business that was 50-60% owned by a sponsor, or sold to a business that was 50-60% owned by a sponsor). Signal Hill worked with PE firm TA Associates last year in the acquisition of our client CoSentry.net. PE and VC are our friends – they are our clients for advisory services and they are also who we reach out to when we’re executing deals. These are firms that want to deploy capital in industries where there is the potential to create leading market positions or enter new markets and work with talented management teams. That said, the other 50% of our business is strategic, both private and publically-owned companies (and publically traded companies) that are trying to do the same thing.

Read the full interview on DC Citybizlist here.

Pivotal Plays happen in sports on a daily basis both in team and individual competition. Recently, the nation’s eye has been on the NFL as the road to the Super Bowl has been as highly contested as ever. We would like to take a moment to recognize game-changing plays along the way, as well as reflect on a solid effort from one of tennis’ most accomplished individuals.

As always, we’d love to hear your take on recent Pivotal Plays in sports. Give us a shout and let us know!

Nadal Ousts Federer, Advances to 15th Grand Slam Final

One of the most storied rivalries in men’s tennis added yet another epic chapter in the 2012 Australian Open semifinal this week. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the only pair of men to have finished six consecutive calendar years as the top two ranked players on the ATP Tour (2005-2010).  Each time they face off, both players are pushed to their limits—over time, Nadal’s limits have proven a tad greater than Federer’s.  Understanding the challenge and preparing adequately has been the key to this familiar rivalry.

“He [Nadal] has a clear plan and he follows that one very well,” said Federer.

The 27^th meeting between the pair proved to be another classic clash of Federer’s mesmerizing finesse against Nadal’s overpowering brute force. Nadal stepped up and won a pivotal service break in the ninth game of the fourth set, hitting a powerful cross-court forehand winner from behind the baseline, causing Federer return it wide, and give Nadal a 5-4 lead.

The 25 year old Spaniard went on to win the match in the next game, and moves on to face Novak Djokovic in the final today as he vies for his 11^th grand slam title.

Read more

Defense Wins Championships: Patriots CB Makes Timely Play in AFC Title Game

Much had been made this NFL season of the high powered passing offenses around the league. Brees, Rodgers, Brady and E. Manning all led offensive attacks that at times, looked unstoppable. This past weekend however, with the AFC title game on the line, the oldest adage in sports held true: defense wins championships.

Following the game, fans, analysts, and pundits alike wanted to place the blame on Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff for missing a short field goal that would have sent the game into overtime. However, the biggest play came two plays earlier from an unlikely source.

Before Cundiff missed, the Ravens had a chance to go ahead, but backup Patriots cornerback, Sterling Moore, knocked what looked like the game-winning touchdown out of veteran wide receiver Lee Evans’ hands. The savvy play was a demonstration of Moores’ unwavering focus and determination as he was able to overcome adversity after being beat for a touchdown that gave the Ravens a 17-16 lead. The Patriots went on to win the game 23-20, and face the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, February 5^th, 2012.

Read more

Tim Tebow Throws Game Winning Touchdown on First Play in OT

On the first play of overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the NFL playoffs, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow threw an 80 yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas. The play lasted eleven seconds and made for the quickest overtime in NFL history.  Tebow, as he has done all season, came through for the Broncos when the stakes were high, and changed the game with one big play.

“I think it’s just a mentality, being aggressive,” Tebow said. “Whether it’s in the pocket, when I was stepping up and I start to scramble … or whether it’s when I’m stepping up and giving a receiver an opportunity on a deep ball.”

Listen to the Pivotal Play of the Game recap from the Sports Junkies on 106.7 FM The Fan.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pivotalplays/2012/01/13/tim-tebow-throws-game-winning-touchdown-on-first-play-in-ot

Game-changing moves (or lack thereof) win Alabama the title in first shutout in BCS Championship history

Everyone thought that the BCS Championship game between LSU and Alabama would be one for the ages. But during Monday night’s game it was total domination by Alabama that won them their second BCS title in three years. With no clear pivotal play of the game, some say it was boring but we say the game was a memorable one, due to key players that helped Alabama walk over LSU to victory – Marquis Maze, Jeremy Shelley, and C.J. Mosely among others.

Suggs Spurs Ravens to Division Crown with Timely Forced Fumble

With their 24-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend, the Baltimore Ravens won their first AFC North Division title since 2006.

With the Ravens clinging to a 17-13 lead and less than eight minutes left in the game, the Bengals offense had the ball in Raven’s territory. On second down, Bengal tight end, Jermaine Gresham, caught a short pass. Gresham was then stripped by Ravens’ outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, and Baltimore recovered the fumble. The turnover came during a pivotal moment in the game as the Bengals were driving to take the lead. Three plays later, Baltimore running back, Ray Rice, capitalized on the turnover with a 51- yard touchdown run stretching the lead to 24-13—wrapping up the Ravens win.

The forced fumble was Suggs’ seventh of the season – a new Raven’s record.  It is thought around the league that the play gave Suggs the edge to win the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.

In addition, with lofty performance goals, broad scopes of work, tight schedules, and highly detailed budget requirements, most IT projects need to stick to a set of best practices to ensure success.  And, with government IT spending rising to $81 billion in fiscal year 2012, the federal government wants to ensure maximum return-on-investment (ROI) when it comes to information technology.

As such, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently pulled together a report (GAO_Report) that highlights nine factors that are critical to the success of any IT investment.   The GAO interviewed CIOs and other department officials, across several government agencies, involved in seven projects that it identified as being successful.  Here are the seven “pivotal” projects according to the GAO:

1. Census Bureau’s Decennial Response Integration System
2. Defense Information Systems Agency’s Global Combat Support System
3. National Nuclear Security Administration’s Manufacturing Operations Management Project
4. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
5. Federal Aviation Administration’s Integrated Terminal Weather System
6. Internal Revenue Service’s Customer Account Data Engine
7. Veterans Health Administration’s Occupational Health Record-keeping System.

Based on these interviews, the GAO gleaned what it considers to be the secrets to IT success for any government agency.

1. Program officials were actively engaged with stakeholders
2. Program staff had the necessary knowledge and skills
3. Senior department and agency executives supported the programs
4. End users and stakeholders were involved in the development of requirements
5. End users participated in testing of system functionality prior to formal end user acceptance testing
6. Government and contractor staff were stable and consistent
7. Program staff prioritized requirements
8. Program officials maintained regular communication with the prime contractor
9. Programs received sufficient funding.

From effective communications amongst all stakeholders to end-user participation in system testing, the GAO covered a wide range of secrets for pulling off a government IT “Pivotal Play.”  The GAO also developed a system of best practices that will allow agencies to enhance overall performance through the most effective use of IT, which is a “Pivotal Play” unto itself!

Samuel T. Mok accepts the 2011 Robert W. King Memorial Award at the AGA's 60th Annual Professional Development Conference & Exposition. Photo courtesy of the AGA.

In recognition of his notable accomplishments, Mok was presented with the 2011 Robert W. King Memorial Award at the AGA’s 60th Annual Professional Development Conference & Exposition – clearly a pivotal play.  Following is an exclusive Pivotal Plays podcast with Sam Mok who discusses this award and what he considers to be the secret of his success.

Listen to Pivotal Plays on Blog Talk Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pivotalplays/2011/12/09/podcast-former-aga-national-president-samuel-t-mok-receive

When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its former leader became the symbol for everything that was wrong with how our government responds to natural disasters.   At the time, FEMA carried the negative perception of being a slow-moving agency that did not fulfill its core mission of keeping U.S. citizens safe during times of extreme disaster.

Fast-forward nearly six years, during an era of unprecedented natural disasters and FEMA has transformed into a cutting-edge agency that utilizes data from social networks, as well as geospatial and mobile technologies to nimbly and effectively respond to natural disasters.

FEMA Administrator, William Craig Fugate, has played a key role in changing how FEMA responds to natural disasters.  Many find his vision of a more open government that taps into the latest technologies and innovations in order to keep citizens safe to be forward-thinking and refreshing.

Fugate recently spoke at the GEOINT 2011 Symposium about his vision and you can watch his entire keynote address here to see first-hand why FEMA is capable of many more Pivotal Plays.

Why is FEMA a Pivotal Player?

As we highlighted on PivotalPlays.com, during Hurricane Irene, FEMA moved very quickly and communicated with state officials to help prepare for the storm’s impact.  Thanks to the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, the agency also had the authority to establish communications centers and put officials in place before the storm hit and before receiving a state-issued request for help.  In addition, prior to the flooding in Vermont, FEMA had already established a joint field office that accommodated FEMA staff members to help prepare for the flooding.

To aid in their relief efforts, FEMA tapped into data from online social networks to gain a situational understanding of the damage from Irene, and developed mobile solutions for citizens and first responders.   In addition, FEMA and DHS led an inter-agency effort to modernize the dissemination of alerts and warnings in order to reach the maximum number of people via mobile devices and social media like Twitter and Facebook.