13-09-2009, 12:17 PM
Ptech Inc. was a Quincy, Massachusetts-based provider of business process modelling software that was closed down in the wake of a December 5, 2002 raid by federal authorities under the auspices of Operation Green Quest.
Business domain
Describing itself as a "provider of enterprise architecture, business modeling, analysis and integration software solutions,"[1] the privately-held corporation was founded in 1994, and known for its technology, which was based on a unique implementation of neural net and semantic technologies. Ptech was recognized as one New England Technology's "Fast 50" by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in 2001.[2] For four years in row (from 2000 to 2003), Ptech was also recognized, for their velocity of innovation in the knowledge economy, as one of the hundred companies that matters in the world of IT and Business [3] with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM, HP and Oracle Corporation.[4][5].
The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines. [6]. The company was once part of UML Partners, the consortium that was convened to develop standards for UML, the Unified Modeling Language.
Federal investigation
Ptech was brought to the front of the spotlight following the visit of law enforcement officials to its Headquarters in the middle of the night of December 5th 2002, under the operation of Operation Green Quest, a U.S. Customs Services unit charged with the investigation of alleged terrorist funding networks. The December raid brought a rush of media sources to Ptech's Boston headquarters[7] amid allegations of Ptech's involvement in terrorist financing. The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company who encouraged diversity in the workplace and the sharing of individual cultures and traditions, with a culture of socially responsibility and environment protection support and attributed the media frenzy to the charged atmosphere after 9/11 terrorist attack.[8]
On July 15, 2009, the FBI unsealed indictments against former PTech CEO Oussama Ziade and former PTech CFO Buford George Peterson. Peterson was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned to the U.S. Ziade remains at large overseas. The indictments charge Ziade and Peterson with concealing PTech's relationship with and dealing in the assets of the Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Yasin al-Qadi.[9]
Notable clientele
Ptech's roster of clients included several governmental agencies, including the United States Armed Forces, NATO, Congress, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs, the FAA, the IRS, the Secret Service, and the White House. Despite the eventual 2009 indictment of PTech's CEO and CFO on terrorism-related charges, as late as May 2004 they were still contracted by several federal agencies, including the White House.
Ptech had a security clearance to work on sensitive military projects dating to 1997.
Notable personnel
References
External links
Business domain
Describing itself as a "provider of enterprise architecture, business modeling, analysis and integration software solutions,"[1] the privately-held corporation was founded in 1994, and known for its technology, which was based on a unique implementation of neural net and semantic technologies. Ptech was recognized as one New England Technology's "Fast 50" by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in 2001.[2] For four years in row (from 2000 to 2003), Ptech was also recognized, for their velocity of innovation in the knowledge economy, as one of the hundred companies that matters in the world of IT and Business [3] with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM, HP and Oracle Corporation.[4][5].
The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines. [6]. The company was once part of UML Partners, the consortium that was convened to develop standards for UML, the Unified Modeling Language.
Federal investigation
Ptech was brought to the front of the spotlight following the visit of law enforcement officials to its Headquarters in the middle of the night of December 5th 2002, under the operation of Operation Green Quest, a U.S. Customs Services unit charged with the investigation of alleged terrorist funding networks. The December raid brought a rush of media sources to Ptech's Boston headquarters[7] amid allegations of Ptech's involvement in terrorist financing. The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company who encouraged diversity in the workplace and the sharing of individual cultures and traditions, with a culture of socially responsibility and environment protection support and attributed the media frenzy to the charged atmosphere after 9/11 terrorist attack.[8]
On July 15, 2009, the FBI unsealed indictments against former PTech CEO Oussama Ziade and former PTech CFO Buford George Peterson. Peterson was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned to the U.S. Ziade remains at large overseas. The indictments charge Ziade and Peterson with concealing PTech's relationship with and dealing in the assets of the Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Yasin al-Qadi.[9]
Notable clientele
Ptech's roster of clients included several governmental agencies, including the United States Armed Forces, NATO, Congress, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs, the FAA, the IRS, the Secret Service, and the White House. Despite the eventual 2009 indictment of PTech's CEO and CFO on terrorism-related charges, as late as May 2004 they were still contracted by several federal agencies, including the White House.
Ptech had a security clearance to work on sensitive military projects dating to 1997.
Notable personnel
- Yaqub Mirza, angel investor, board member.
References
- ^ KMWorld: Breaking the knowledge barrier
- ^ Deloitte & Touche Fast 500: Technology Fast 50
- ^ Goliath: Business Knowledge on demand, Ptech Inc. named among 100 companies that matter for second year in a Row
- ^ Ptech Inc. Named Among 100 Companies That Matter for Second Year in a Row
- ^ Dossier on Content & Knowledge Management Systems, September 2003
- ^ Mass Impact: an official report on the aftermath of 9/11 on the state of Massachusetts, page 10
- ^ Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology - August 22, 2003: Wrongly Suspected Ptech ...
- ^ Computerworld: Ptech workers tell the story behind the search, January 17, 2003
- ^ DOJ Press Release on PTech Indictments
External links
- Ware-Withal: Wrongly suspected Ptech, CEO bounce back slowly from Mass High Tech
- KM Profile
tech brief description of company
- BusinessWeek Software, Security, and Ethnicity
- RCFP news article from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
- Computerworld.com story on Ptech's collapse
- Federal Indictment of PTech CEO Oussama Ziade
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
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"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.