EMBARK upon your own INFORMATION ODYSSEY ...

• Position: Records management conference

Get ready for ARMA's most exciting conference to date, complete with industry-leading speakers, invigorating sessions, and an international flavor.

This special section features

* a preview of conference: the sessions, speakers, and special events

* what to expect in Montreal: the sights, culture, and comfortable weather

In the classic movie "2001: A Space Odyssey," filmmaker Stanley Kubrick taught us to look at the future as one great adventure -- an odyssey involving not just time and space, but an enlightened way of thinking about our universe. The same will hold true for "ARMA 2001: An Information Odyssey," to be held September 30 - October 3, 2001, at the Palais des Congres de Montreal (Montreal Convention Center) in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Future concepts in information management will be explored during the 46th Annual Conference and Expo, as will current trends and issues affecting the profession.

Register early at www.arma.org for this once-in-a-lifetime event, which will take place in Canada's scenic, European-influenced city and feature renowned futurist Dr. Patrick Dixon, seminars on such topics as electronic information management, and an opportunity to network with other professionals from around the world.

Members of the Local Montreal Planning Committee welcome ARMA members and guests to this exciting conference location. "Montreal is the third city for international conferences in North America," says Jean-Pierre Carriere, CRM, chair of the committee. "With the French flavor of the city, members will find a European-style North America."

Online Registration Now Available

Take advantage of the ARMA Web site by registering online for conference and preconference seminars at www.arma.org,. Receive special discounted rates if you register and pay for the full conference by August 15. Full registration fees include three lunches, a Monday reception, and Tuesday night awards banquet.

FULL REGISTRATION: Paid by August 15 Paid after August 15 Members $645 U.S. $770 U.S. Nonmembers $795 U.S. $920 U.S. ONE-DAY REGISTRATION: Members $345 U.S. Nonmembers $395 U.S. Special Events

Two-day preconference seminars will be held September 28-29 featuring sessions on fundamentals of records management, electronic records management, and legal issues. Preconference fees are $395 for each two-day seminar.

An exciting feature of each ARMA conference is the Expo, and this year's event will be no exception. The ARMA 2001 Expo runs from September 30 - October 2 and is free to the public. More than 150 exhibitors will introduce a wide array of products and services for the information management profession. Conference attendees will receive tickets for lunches and a reception in the exhibit hall during the Expo.

This year's Expo will include several technology application briefings. These free 50-minute educational briefings by exhibitors will demonstrate

* unique approaches to records and information management (RIM)

* inventive uses of new technology

* new ways to use existing technologies

* cost-effective solutions in the RIM field

* unique customer-support strategies

A complete schedule of technology application briefings is included on page 48.

An extensive inventory of information management-related publications will be available through the ARMA Bookstore, which will be open throughout the conference. Book purchases can be made on site to avoid shipping and handling charges as well as customs and brokerage fees.

Housing Information

Various reasonably priced accommodations are located downtown near the Montreal Convention Center, including the conference headquarters hotel, The Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Other conference hotels are the Montreal Marriott, Hotel Wyndham Montreal, Le Centre Sheraton, and Holiday Inn Select. Nightly room rates range from $98 to $117 U.S.(*) ($152-$180 CAN).

Visit www.arma.org to make your housing arrangements. You must make your room reservations through the Montreal Housing Bureau instead of contacting the hotel directly in order to get the special conference rates. Free shuttle service will be available between the conference hotels and the Montreal Convention Center.

Exploring the Information Odyssey

There will be many "odysseys" explored at this year's conference, the future of information management being one of them.

This year's "Information Odyssey" theme captures the spirit of the profession's underlying potential and impact on the business world. How society views the information management industry's future and what opportunities lie ahead are among the points to be examined throughout conference. This will include looking ahead of the curve at business trends and developing strategies for keeping the public aware of the profession.

As in previous years, one of the most exciting parts of this conference will be networking. Throughout the seminars, special events, and during free time, industry professionals from around the world can share insights and expertise about this growing field.

What better venue for this odyssey than Montreal? As conference attendees will discover, this metropolitan city, the second largest in Canada, echoes the cultural diversion and forward-mindedness of information management professionals. With more than 3.3 million residents, Montreal is a bustling business attraction and an ideal setting for an international conference. During free time, conference-goers will have the opportunity to experience Montreal's French influence (it is the largest French-speaking city outside of France) and the 80 other cultural communities located there. (For more on Montreal, see page 46.)

Keynote Speakers to Share in Odyssey

If an information odyssey of the year 2010 and beyond piques your interest, then get ready for this year's conference keynote speakers.

The futurist that The Wall Street Journal calls the "global change guru," Dr. Patrick Dixon, will share his vision for future trends and address how global futurism relates to the information management profession. Often described as Europe's leading futurist, Dixon, a native of the United Kingdom, chairs Global Change Ltd. and advises Fortune 500 companies on global trends and their strategic implications. He is a fellow of the Centre of Management Development at London Business School and has authored 10 books on the future, including Futurewise. CNN, CNBC, ABC News, and the BBC have all featured Dixon and his ideas, and he has written for Time magazine, among other publications.

Keynote speaker Thomas A. Stewart will enlighten the conference on the topic of intellectual capital. An authority on the subject, Stewart has authored the book Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Organizations and has written extensively about it in Fortune magazine, for which he serves on the board of editors and writes the monthly column "The Leading Edge." He will discuss how crucial knowledge is for corporate life and what managers can do to identify and develop their employees' specialized skills. Stewart joined Fortune in 1989 following an 18-year career in book publishing. He was added to The Journal of Financial Reporting's...