About CECI - Definition of Electronic Commerce: Any use of electronic networks and technology for commerce and other economic activity including: the use of electronic communication as the medium through which goods and services of economic value are designed, produced, advertised, promoted, catalogued, inventoried, purchased, delivered and accounts settled. (Global Information Infrastructure Commission Position Paper on Electronic Commerce, Final -- September 8, 1997/v1.5). Mission: To promote the growth of electronic commerce through education and to facilitate the adoption of standards that are open, optimal and effectively use public, private, hybrid and virtual private networks. Vision: CECI is an organization that provides a forum for information sharing among its members specifically targeted to the field of telecommunications, electronic commerce and the Internet. An additional function would be to provide an unbiased, third-party certification board for electronic commerce technology and applications. Values: CECI is an organization that embraces the open architecture and decentralized control of the Internet. CECI is, however, an organization that acts as a resource for its members as they seek to implement effective strategies for electronic commerce. Meetings/Mailing list: See, Meetings

Description

The Chicagoland Electronic Commerce Initiative (CECI) is the organization with whom to stay in touch, to learn about Chicago's global role in the advancement of data infrastructure and modern commerce. Many CECI participants advocate the position that effective electronic commerce can only be achieved through open, standards-based software protocols and the intelligent use of advanced public and private network infrastructures. CECI's role in the business community will increase as more enterprises become interested in business-to-business commerce and security systems using hybrid private/public networks and the Internet.

CECI was created in late 1995. CECI has not had significant involvement with business to consumer (B2C) commerce systems since 1997, partially as a result of a change in participant interest in infrastructure and security.

CECI continued the "Riverwalk" through 2000 on the topic of business to business commerce and weathered the devastation of many B2B companies. While several CECI participants and presenters may have been involved in B2B, CECI neither became caught up in the "irrational exuberance" nor the subsequent downturn in B2B. We are of the position that business to business commerce requires the development of solid fundamentals of infrastructure, security, interoperability, logistics and other requirements that need to be present for robust B2B commerce to exist.

CECI directly has been referenced in Crain's on more than one occasion. A November 1997 Crain's article about the Automotive Network eXchange (ANX) was based on both the November CECI meeting presentations and the business activities of some of the participants at the meeting. CECI is also the source for other Crain's articles about technology and telecommunications.

Meetings

CECI's Meetings were scheduled on the second Wednesday of the month. We now allow for more flexibility. In months where there is a lot of administrative activity (usually January and over the summer) CECI does not have a direct meeting, but refers "participants" to selected non CECI events. 

CECI is an ad hoc organization that follows the rules of a 501(c)(6) organization.  Presently, there is no charge to attend. Participation in meetings, the web site and e-mails is voluntary. Communication with participants is often conducted via e-mail.

CECI does not furnish its participant lists to presenters or make the list available to third parties. E-mail notification and announcements to participants is generally via blind copy. Presenters sometimes collect information via RSVP, especially when they host an event.

As an ad hoc organization, CECI offers neither rights of membership nor guarantee of e-mail notification (nor an up to date website). CECI participants are sometimes invited to join NON CECI events subject to the restriction of the person or company making the invitation. We encourage the hosts of such events to be inclusive of all participants.

Suggesting that CECI or its participants must purchase items or services, as a precondition to a meeting, is grounds for immediate removal from the CECI participant lists.

We understand that presenters and subject matter experts are sometimes required to sell items or services by their employers. CECI presentations are not commercials and should be both "vendor neutral" and remain free of advertising. This rule was created to protect the vendors from our vocal and learned membership. The "vendor neutral" rule was relaxed during the "Riverwalk," but is more strict for working groups.

Do not be surprised to be sharing the dias with a competitor at a working group meeting. We have often found that perceived competitors often realize some common ground in meetings. CECI was founded by participants, that in other circumstances, may have been considered direct competitors.

1995 - 2002 Meetings

CECI's Riverwalk

Riverwalk 2000

Organization

CECI was created in 1995 as an ad hoc group of interested persons created for the purpose of learning how to make intelligent use of advanced public and private networks to accomplish business objectives. Many of the early members came from a previous Commerce, Internet and Telecommunications group that ceased meetings in late 1995. If incorporated, CECI will most likely pursue certification as a 501(c)(6) organization. A large amount of this work has begun, but additional resources are needed.

Businesses and organizations that wish to further commerce initiatives and infrastructure testbeds should be interested in CECI's certification as a 501(c)(6) organization. Recent changes in the structure of global telecommunications afford participants an opportunity to develop far reaching networks for voice, image, video, and data (VIViD) communications.

CECI encourages cross membership in other area interest groups. However, inappropriate use of member list information, materials and contacts is discouraged. A code of ethics has been suggested as part of the 501(c)(6) organizational materials.

All materials created for CECI presentations remain the intellectual property (and the responsibility) of the presenter.