Patriot Scientific Corporation has announced that Baroni Management Company LLC of Potomac, Maryland has been hired by the Audit Committee of Patriot’s Board of Directors to prepare a strategic assessment of Patriot’s wholly owned subsidiary Patriot Data Solutions Group, Inc’s operations.

Greg Baroni

Rumor has it though that Éclat Consulting, LLC, founded by Greg Baroni, is closing a deal to obtain the remaining legacy contract assets of Bearing Point’s Public Services. An anonymous source has confirmed that Éclat could be closing on this transaction as early as the end of the month.

In March, it was announced that Deloitte would buy $350 million worth of BearingPoint’s Public Services assets, last month GovConWire reported that Keane had purchased an undisclosed amount of the remainder, and CSC has purchased BearingPoint’s Brazillian business unit. Now it looks like Eclat will purchase what is left.

Previously, Mr. Baroni was a Senior VP at Unisys, and before that a Senior VP at KPMG Consulting’s Public Services unit. He most recently served president of Federal Systems, providing a wide range of services to companies in the highly competitive federal marketplace.

GovCon held its annual event last night and named Booz Allen Contractor of the Year.

October 7th, McLean Virginia, the 6th annual GovCon awards were held at the Tyson’s Corner Ritz Carlton before a fully packed 5th floor audience of government contracting executives. Of note, Booz Allen was named Contractor of the Year along with other winners you can find here. To get an idea on how executives may be thinking over at Booz, you might want to read our blog on Mark Gerencser, Senior Vice President of Global Government Business and his new book Megacommunities

Top Area GovCon Exec Greg Baroni Departs Unisys

Greg Baroni, the well known and respected President, Unisys Federal Systems, has left the company. Baroni, who spearheaded Unisys’ Federal government business efforts since 2001, helped guide the company during a critical period when it sought to reposition government efforts and more aggressively pursue larger prime contracts. Read story here

Top Area Lawyer, Author and Teacher Pens His 18th Book

Andrew Sherman, after years of dispensing sound business advice as a high priced attorney, University of Maryland Professor and author of 17 business books, has decided to sum it all up in his latest work. Sherman’s newly released book, Road Rules: Be the Truck, Not the Squirrel. Among the many pieces of sage advice, Sherman tells ExecutiveBiz “One of the final road rules is called ‘Happiness is a Clear Windshield.’  The importance of clarity and vision in your life and your business is critical! ”

Do you know Paul Bates of Verizon Business?

As the vice president of Global Enterprise Solutions, Paul Bates oversees an organization of about 1,400 employees who provide professional services to the government.  “We provide a full array of services including everything from engineering to hands and feet on the street. Read More

Congress Puts DHS Contracts on Hold

In a surprise move, Congress put hundreds of millions of DHS contracts on hold. Read more here

Today Unisys announced that Greg Baroni, the well known and respected President, Federal Systems, has left the company. Baroni, who spearheaded Unisys’ Federal government business efforts since 2001, helped guide the company during a critical period when it sought to reposition government efforts and more aggressively pursue larger prime contracts.

Baroni, an ExecutiveBiz 2008 Beltway Game Changer, is succeeded by Edward Davies, who had been serving as vice president of the civilian agencies business for five years. The company cited Davies’ role in securing key new contracts with the U.S. Dept. of Justice, HHS, and Dept. of Agriculture.

According to the Unisys press release, Baroni is leaving to ‘pursue other interests’ that were not specified, thought based on his experience and track record, it would not be surprising to see him turn up soon in another key executive position inside the beltway

Unisys Federal Systems President Greg Baroni may not be on Republican Presidential candidate John McCain’s VP shortlist, but Baroni – and his staff – will be on a short list of people playing a critical role at the upcoming Republican National Convention.

While GOP leaders will be focused on communicating a strong and united message during the Convention in St. Paul, MN next month, Unisys will be focused on a different type of message – the thousands of emails and other IT communications that will be exchanged and executed.

Today the Republican National Convention announced that Unisys will serve as the Official IT Managed Services Provider – providing the convention with project management and oversight of computer operations that includes the monitoring and maintenance of servers and equipment.

In the release, 2008 Republican National Convention, President & CEO Maria Cino remarked on the increasingly role technology plays in executing the convention program and communications efforts.

“Nearly every aspect of the convention relies upon state-of-the-art computer technology and we are thankful to have Unisys on board. From monitoring the convention servers to manning the IT help desk, Unisys will be an important partner in the convention’s success.”

On Saturday, May 10, after the gray clouds had cleared and rain disappeared, Capital Partners for Education, local business leaders and students from the mentoring program gathered for an intimate, private fundraising dinner featuring the culinary cuisine of an award-winning chef, Michel Richard of Citronelle. The event, dubbed “Visions for the Future,” celebrated Capital Partners for Education’s 15th anniversary.

Capital Partners for Education is a local non-profit foundation which provides educational opportunities for local students living in a high needs communities. The foundation, unlike any other in the area, focuses not only on the education component, but also funds projects that provide mentorship, peer activities, and empowerment opportunities. This uniquely crafted event took place poolside at the home of local business leaders and CPE supporters Ken and Kavelle Bajaj. Ken Bajaj is one of the nation’s most successful information technology entrepreneurs.

More than 200 guests and 25 students were in for a treat. The event included the charming and comical Washington Wizards announcer Steve Buckhantz — the dinner’s master of ceremonies —as well as live musical entertainment, cocktails, and a three-course meal prepared by Richard. There was also a silent auction. Auctioned items included an original signed version of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, an exquiste hancrafted 18 karat white gold with diamond and black pendant worth $4,500, and tickets for a Washington National home game.

But the most coveted item wasn’t for bids. At the start of the live auction, the auctioneer gave guests a chance to take a picture with famed chef Richard and walk away with a signed copy of his new cookbook, “Happy in the Kitchen,” for only $100. The line quickly formed on the dance floor, creating a pool of eager guests. With attendees unified by the belief that success in America is possible through hard work and quality education, more than $300,000 was raised. All in all, this event for a great cause was a success!

Earlier this month ExecutiveBiz highlighted ten area executives in relatively new roles who we expect to be firmly placed in the 2008 spotlight. Perhaps these executives can take their cue from another set of leaders who have grown quite accustomed to being in the middle of the action. ExecutiveBiz’s “Beltway Game Changers” recognizes 10 prominent names who are not only well-known commodities within the DC government contractor community, but heavy hitters who lead some of their organizations’ largest and most critical business units.

The ten executives listed below have lofty goals to achieve and tens of thousands of employees to lead and motivate. Not surprisingly however, they are ten leaders with the track record and pedigree to hit all of their marks.

Jim O’Neill – President, Northrop Grumman IT
Staff meetings were probably a little easier to arrange decades ago when O’Neill entered the government technology space as a contract negotiator for Sanders Associates (now BAE Systems). Today, as President for the largest employer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, communicating and motivating 18,500 employees requires a little more strategic coordination. But, as he said when interviewed by ExecutiveBiz in early 2007, the company’s product is the employee which means that every single person is critical to the firm’s success.

As one of 30 companies awarded part of the Alliant ID/IQ Contract, O’Neill – and all NG employees – are in store for a busy 2008. Despite the commitments required with his day job, O’Neill served as the 2007 chairman of the Professional Services Council; recently joined the Board of Directors of Lee Technologies; and is a board member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Security Affairs Support Association.

Bill Hoover – President & Chief Executive Officer, American Systems
Some executives – perhaps concerned about failing to meet lofty expectations – keep their corporate growth plans buried deep within the bowels of the C-Suite. Hoover however, has never been one to shy away for aiming big and hitting the mark, and he put a definitive stake in the ground by securing a $75 million expandable line of credit to have on hand for his aggressive acquisition plans.

Hoover has not even hit the three-year mark at American Systems, but he’s made a quick mark at the company with a plan to hit tier one status sooner rather than later as part of corporate vision/2012.

Linda Gooden – Executive VP, Lockheed Martin Information and Technology Services
After transforming a small division at Lockheed into a 14,000-employee operation it surprised few when Gooden was promoted to her current role January of last year. The U.S. Black Engineer and IT Magazine 2006 Black Engineer of the Year is now engineering a 52,000-employee Lockheed business area that embodies a concerted realignment from traditional defense contractor to fast-growing IT services.

Dan Johnson – Executive VP, General Dynamics Information Technology
Johnson’s bio indicates he is responsible for the day to day operations of GD’s 16,000 person Information Technology unit – which no doubt makes for some long days balancing short-term operational needs with long term objectives. The IT unit – formed after the December 2005 Anteon acquisition – is chugging along under Johnson’s stewardship as he aligns the two firms’ expertise (networking and mission-based services) together.

Brad Antle – President and CEO, SI International
In an ExecutiveBiz blog posting back in October, I cited Antle’s published commentary in the Washington Post about scrutiny directed at government contractors. Because Antle is held in such high esteem inside and outside the government contractor community, he was the ideal thought leader to remind readers in that piece how the overwhelming majority of contractors are playing a critical role in aiding government and military operations.

Antle assumed his current role over three years ago, and the company’s mantra of Rapid Response • Rapid Deployment® seems to be paying off as SI brought in $450 million in Federal Contracts (if all options are exercised) during September of last year alone. Beyond the revenues however, Antle has the company on a path that has earned the respect of peers. SI was named 2007 Contractor of the Year at the 5th Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards.

Greg Baroni – President, Federal Systems, Unisys
While Presidential election uncertainty can be good news for lobbyists – who typically thrive when clients need to cover all bases – election years can be challenging for Government Contractors that will see ambitious new and lucrative Agency initiatives fade as November approaches.

As Baroni cited when interviewed for a recent Washington Technology story, Unisys’ Federal Systems Unit must certainly contend with that reality. But, Baroni adds, he is leading an aggressive charge to secure the most strategic and significant opportunities out there for 2008 – first and foremost holding on to the DHS Information Technology and Managed Services contract (the next iteration of which could be worth up to $1 billion) it has been fulfilling since 2002.

Baroni has helped to transform Federal Systems into a true leader in providing solutions to secure the government enterprise, and while the election year will invite the unknown for contractors, he is focused on making growth and new wins a certainty.

Donna Morea – President, U.S. operations and India, CGI
CGI-AMS might be one of the more acronym-loaded post-merger names inside the Beltway, but Donna Morea is one name that has always rolled off the tongue frequently – and favorably – within the Federal IT community.

Morea jointed AMS in 1980, and has gradually extended her leadership and involvement with area business and technology organizations – including her current role as Vice Chair of the NVTC. All of this while not only successfully integrating CGI and AMS, but growing it as well through what she described to ExecutiveBiz back in May as a “evolutionary rather than revolutionary” approach to winning business.

Morea’s interests are as diverse as her background – which focused as much on the arts as it did on business pursuits. Known throughout the community for her role as Chair of the 2007 Kidney Ball, and perhaps by pasta fans for her Internet-based Italian oil business. The good news for CGI is that while Morea’s oil might be saturated (the good kind, right), the market opportunities for her company to grow in 2008 aren’t.

Mike Bradshaw

Mike Bradshaw – Head of Federal Enterprise, Google
I’ve always wondered what happens when a Google employee Google’s himself. Perhaps the entire system implodes or banishes the employee to the 5th dimension. Regardless, if Mike Bradshaw, head of Google’s Federal Enterprise Unit, conducts a search these days it is likely that far more content will come up as the ever-expanding behemoth continues to make Federal IT inroads.

The Federal team has roughly quadrupled over the past year and extended its focus from search to Google Maps, Google Earth and security product offerings resonating within the Federal enterprise. Bradshaw’s predictions made to ExecutiveBiz about where the Federal space is headed in 2008 offers a window into the pain point Google hopes to address with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tools that Government organizations can use for collaboration, security and efficiency.

Mark Johnson – Senior VP, Oracle Public Sector
While enigmatic chief Larry Ellison is always the one associated with Oracle, the name Mark Johnson is becoming increasingly recognized within Federal IT circles as Oracle extends its plug-and-play methodology to the public sector.

The company’s recent acquisition of BEA Systems will aid Johnson’s Public Sector operation when pitching Agencies on how to improve efficiencies via SOA. Johnson is a long-term fixture at the company, and has been a tremendous part of the Public Sector unit’s ability to penetrate the market – 100 US federal government agencies – and 1,500 public sector organizations – now run Oracle applications to improve efficiency and accountability.

Rick Marcotte – President and CEO, DLT Solutions, Inc.
Before Marcotte was leading the charge to drum up Federal business for DLT Solutions, he was a drummer (don’t worry Rick, the hyperlink doesn’t take readers to an old photo) in a rock band during high school. While the long hair might be gone – thankfully not all of it – Marcotte’s growth plan has DLT’s vendor-centric model rocking and rolling along just fine.

In the hyper-competitive VAR market, Marcotte continues to help DLT achieve aggressive growth – evidenced by its recognition as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest growing private companies; Federal Times top 100 contractors and a top government integrator and GSA vendor.

Brian Lustig is co-founder of Lustig Communications, a Rockville, MD-based communications firm that works with growing technology and government IT firms. Lustig is also a contributor to local business and industry publications.