Ptech

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," [ [http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=12684 KMWorld: Breaking the knowledge barrier] ] 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. [ [http://www.public.deloitte.com/fast500/fast_50/search/50searchresults.asp?type=f50&subnav=1 Deloitte & Touche Fast 500: Technology Fast 50] ] 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 [ [http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1329906/Ptech-Inc-Named-Among-100.html Goliath: Business Knowledge on demand, Ptech Inc. named among 100 companies that matter for second year in a Row] ] with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM, HP and Oracle Corporation. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Jan_28/ai_82248039 Ptech Inc. Named Among 100 Companies That Matter for Second Year in a Row] ] [ [http://ep2010.salzburgresearch.at/dossiers/ep2010_dossier_ckms.pdf Dossier on Content & Knowledge Management Systems, September 2003] ] .

The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines. [ [http://www.aclu-mass.org/pdf/mass_impact.pdf Mass Impact: an official report on the aftermath of 9/11 on the state of Massachusetts, page 10] ] . 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 [ [http://masshightech.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2003/08/25/newscolumn2.html Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology - August 22, 2003: Wrongly Suspected Ptech ...] ] amid allegations of Ptech's involvement in terrorist financing, which the White House and the Federal Attorney General of Massachusetts later rebuffed. [ [http://www.borrull.org/e/noticia.php?id=13320&id2=110 News Center for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence] ] No one has been arrested of Ptech, and no indictment has been issued against Ptech or any of its officials. The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company who 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. [ [http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,77682,00.html Computerworld: Ptech workers tell the story behind the search, January 17, 2003] ]

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 media allegation that the company's was connected to terrorism, an allegation that both the US government and the company's official denied, as of 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.
* Hussein Ibrahim, VP, Chief Scientist.

References

External links

* [http://masshightech.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2003/08/25/newscolumn2.html Ware-Withal: Wrongly suspected Ptech, CEO bounce back slowly] from Mass High Tech
* [http://www.kmconnection.com/pguide/KSP2000296.htm KM Profile:Ptech] brief description of company
* [http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2002/tc20021217_3779.htm BusinessWeek Software, Security, and Ethnicity]
* [http://www.rcfp.org/news/2002/1213wbztvh.html RCFP news article] from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
* [http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2003/0,4814,77680,00.html Computerworld.com story on Ptech's collapse]