New Think Tank Created to Address 21st Century Needs

4/14/2003

From: Allison Bozniak, 202-302-5997, for the Ashland Institute for Strategic Studies, Inc.; E-mail: allison@lincolnparkpr.com

WASHINGTON, April 14 -- James Adams, former managing editor of The London Sunday Times and CEO of United Press International, today announced the creation of the Ashland Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS), a new think tank using 21st century technology and cutting edge research to address the research and analysis needs of the government and Fortune 100 companies.

Based in Ashland, Oregon, AISS was formed in response to two business and political forces: the war against terrorism and the financial scandals on Wall Street. As the nation struggled to respond to new political forces and a discredited research operation for the financial community, Adams was asked to find a new way of delivering impartial, quality research.

"Too much research is based on the 20th century paradigm where it seemed we had all the time in the world to consider anything and everything," said Adams. "Today there is very little stability and our nation's business and political leaders want the best answers in the fastest time possible at an affordable price. That means within 24 hours if necessary."

Upwards of 250 subject matter experts from business, academia and the research community have been brought together to form the basis of AISS's network. As a client poses a question, a virtual network is drawn together in AISS's portal and the group researches the subject and delivers a written report that meets the client's requirements for depth and urgency.

"The intention here is to make AISS reflect the society in which we live," said Adams. "A vast amount of data is publicly available. What matters is that AISS adds value to that information and rapidly delivers wisdom to the client. In today's high speed environment, it's not good enough to spend six months writing a report. We must move at the pace of the world as it is, not as it once was."

The AISS client list is confidential but is drawn from Fortune 100 companies and the government. A highly secure working environment ensures that no client is aware of another and no member of one virtual network is aware of what other networks exist or who is working on them.

The Ashland Institute for Strategic Studies, Inc. specializes in technology and geo-strategic analysis, using a virtual network of experts to leverage the nation's intellectual capital and produce timely, actionable research.

About James Adams - Founder and CEO James Adams is the former Managing Editor for the London Sunday Times, CEO of United Press International and author of 13 books on warfare with a focus on intelligence, terrorism and covert operations. His last book, "The Next World War" (Simon & Schuster) is a complex study of information warfare philosophies and tactics. He was founder of iDEFENSE, the world's first cyber intelligence organization with clients ranging from government agencies to Citigroup. Adams also specialized in globalization, intelligence, cybersecurity and homeland defense for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. For three years he was on the Advisory Board at the NSA and was the founding Chairman of the Signals Intelligence Directorate's Technology Board. He continues to work on various projects for the government.