Longtime Tech Leader Harris Miller Dies At 71

Harris Miller, a technology leader who pushed for greater use of commercial technology by government agencies, died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 71 years old.

Miller was the longtime president of the American Information Technology Association, one of the first trade associations to recognize the government as a primary market and consumer of technology.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July and died at home on September 15. A memorial service was held on Monday and his funeral was private.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah Kahn, and two sons, Derek and Alexis. The other survivors are his five grandchildren and Lee's sister.

As President of ITAA for 11 years, Miller led the association and the technology industry through various stages of the market, including before the crash of 2000.

A potential computer disaster was averted thanks to the work of many people and organizations, including Miller and the ITAA. In 1998, he testified before Congress about efforts to fix the software problem, warning that unless action was taken, disaster was on the horizon. Miller and the ITAA have provided leadership, including global coordination with other technology groups and the United Nations.

It was twice awarded the Federal 100 by our sister publication FCW. Reward employees for actions beyond their job description. He received one award in 1999 and the other in 2005.

Miller was a frequent source for government and technology journalists, providing information on technology trends and related policy and regulatory issues.

He resigned from ITAA in January 2006 to seek the Democratic nomination for the Virginia Senate. Miller lost the nomination to James Webb, who defeated then-Sen. George Allen (R-Virginia) in a close race.

After Miller left ITAA, he merged the Electronics Association of America with Tech America, which later became the Professional Services Council.

Over the past decade, Miller has focused on various personal hobbies, particularly those related to education and the arts. He served as President and CEO of the Association of Career Colleges. He also served on the Association of Public Colleges and Universities. He was a co-founder of the Free University Campaign.

He has served on the boards of the Virginia Opera, the National Philharmonic, the American Heart Association, the George Washington University Heart and Vascular Institute, the Virginia Lottery Board, and the Fairfax County Democratic Committee.

Born in Pittsburgh, Miller is a lifelong Steelers fan.

Her sister Hannah Farber wrote on Facebook about Miller's love for her family. “You were a shepherd, a manager, a family man. They wanted the party to be complete. Moms, dads, sisters, brothers, friends. Everything had to be there."

Stan Soloway, past chair of the Professional Services Council, said in an email that he began working with Miller when Soloway became director of the PSC 25 years ago.

"It really put the association at the forefront of government technology," Soloway said. "When I took over the PSC, we started to work more closely together."

In addition to professional relationships, they shared family ties between Miller's relatives and Soloway's parents, as well as what Soloway called "poor golf and a sometimes irreverent sense of humor". just a real person."

In lieu of flowers, Miller's family is asking for donations towards the European Study Abroad Awards, which he created at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. The award supports international travel for deserving students. Click here to donate.

The family also volunteered, as Miller did many times in his life, to support Democratic political campaigns.

Miller's daughter, Alexis Miller, not only donated in memory, but also encouraged people to spread the joy.

"Text me or someone in your life and tell them something good is going on," he wrote on Facebook. "There is plenty of room for sadness, help us all make room for joy."

We don't "move" in pain. We keep it up Nora McInerney