(Source: Business Wire)The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) and Microsoft Corp. announced today that three keynote speakers will present at the PASS Community Summit 2008. The speakers include: Ted Kummert, Corporate Vice President of the Data and Storage Platform Division at Microsoft; Tom Casey, General Manager for Business Intelligence of the Data and Storage Platform Division at Microsoft; and David J. DeWitt, Technical Fellow of the Data and Storage Platform Division at Microsoft, whose reputation is expected to draw a large audience. The annual summit will be held in Seattle, Washington at the Washington State Trade & Convention Center on Tuesday, November 18, through Friday, November 21, with pre-conference sessions beginning Monday, November 17.

"PASS is honored to have three top industry professionals present keynotes at this year's Community Summit. Ted, Tom and David can provide unmatched insight into where SQL Server is and where it's going. We are especially excited to hear David discuss longer range trends in database technology," said Bill Graziano, SQL Server MVP and PASS VP of marketing.

As the summit's first keynote speaker, Ted Kummert will provide a sneak peek at the future of SQL Server and Microsoft's data platform at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 19. Kummert will discuss the latest release of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and new technologies debuting in the short-term, as well as reveal plans for long-term technology developments that will change the data platform landscape.

Tom Casey will present the second keynote at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 20. Casey will discuss the overall strategy, design, development and delivery of the Microsoft business intelligence platform with SQL Server 2008 and beyond.

The final keynote of the summit will feature David J. DeWitt at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 21. DeWitt is the creator and leader of Microsoft's Jim Gray Systems Lab, a new advanced development center in Madison, Wisconsin for Microsoft, in association with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Computer Sciences Department. He is expected to discuss his vision for the evolution of the database and Microsoft's role in changing the face of data management.

For more information on PASS Community Summit 2008 topics and to qualify for an early registration rate of $1,595USD, please visit http://summit2008.sqlpass.org/. Early registration rate ends October 14, 2008.

About Ted Kummert

As corporate vice president of the Data Storage and Platform Division at Microsoft Corp., Ted Kummert leads an integrated product team that delivers application platform products as part of the Microsoft Server and Tools Business.