Ptech
Encyclopedia
Ptech Inc. was a Quincy, Massachusetts
-based provider of business process modeling
software that was closed down in late 2003 as a consequence to the media frenzy following the consented search on December 5, 2002 by federal authorities under the auspices of Operation Green Quest
. The search was related to the relationship of the company to the Specially Designated Global Terrorist
, Yasin al-Qadi
.
Technology's "Fast 50" by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
in 2001. 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 with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft
, IBM
, HP and Oracle Corporation
..
The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines.. The company was once part of UML Partners
, the consortium
that was convened to develop standards for UML, the Unified Modeling Language
.
, 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 amid allegations of Ptech's involvement in terrorist financing
. The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company which encouraged diversity in the workplace and the sharing of 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.
On July 15, 2009, the FBI unsealed indictments against former Ptech CEO Oussama Ziade and former Ptech CFO Buford George Peterson. Peterson was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned to the U.S. from South Korea
. The indictments charge Ziade and Peterson with concealing PTech's relationship with and dealing in the assets of the Specially Designated Global Terrorist
, Yasin al-Qadi
.. George Peterson was later set free on bail, and allowed to return to South Korea
awaiting his trial. Both Peterson and Ziade denied the allegations and accused the federal authorities of misrepresenting the facts to justify the leak of the consented search on December 5, 2002 that led to the unnecessary dissolvement of the company.
, 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 eventual 2009 indictment of PTech's CEO and CFO, as late as 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.
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
-based provider of business process modeling
Business process modeling
Business Process Modeling in systems engineering is the activity of representing processes of an enterprise, so that the current process may be analyzed and improved. BPM is typically performed by business analysts and managers who are seeking to improve process efficiency and quality...
software that was closed down in late 2003 as a consequence to the media frenzy following the consented search on December 5, 2002 by federal authorities under the auspices of Operation Green Quest
Operation Green Quest
Operation Green Quest was a United States Customs Service-sponsored interagency investigative unit formed in October 2001 after the September 11 attacks, and concerned with the surveillance and interdiction of terrorist financing sources...
. The search was related to the relationship of the company to the Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist is a designation authorized under U.S. Executive Order 13224 , among other executive orders, and Title 31, Parts 595, 596, and 597 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, among other U.S. laws and regulations. SDGT designations are administered and enforced...
, Yasin al-Qadi
Yasin al-Qadi
Yasin al-Qadi is a citizen of Saudi Arabia who was subjected to economic sanctions because he is suspected of ties to terrorism.The United States Treasury classified Al Qadi as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist"....
.
Business domain
Describing itself as a "provider of enterprise architecture, business modeling, analysis and integration software solutions," 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 EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Technology's "Fast 50" by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited , commonly referred to as Deloitte, is one of the Big Four accountancy firms along with PricewaterhouseCoopers , Ernst & Young, and KPMG....
in 2001. 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 with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, HP and Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
..
The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines.. The company was once part of UML Partners
UML Partners
UML Partners was a consortium of system integrators and vendors convened in 1996 to specify the Unified Modeling Language . Initially the consortium was led by Grady Booch, Ivar Jacobson, and James Rumbaugh of Rational Software...
, the consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
that was convened to develop standards for UML, the Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
.
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 5, 2002, under the operation of Operation Green QuestOperation Green Quest
Operation Green Quest was a United States Customs Service-sponsored interagency investigative unit formed in October 2001 after the September 11 attacks, and concerned with the surveillance and interdiction of terrorist financing sources...
, 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 amid allegations of Ptech's involvement in terrorist financing
Terrorist Financing
Terrorist financing came into limelight after the events of terrorism on 9/11. The US passed the USA PATRIOT Act to, among other reasons, attempt thwarting the financing of terrorism and anti-money laundering making sure these were given some sort of adequate focus by US financial institutions...
. The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company which encouraged diversity in the workplace and the sharing of 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.
On July 15, 2009, the FBI unsealed indictments against former Ptech CEO Oussama Ziade and former Ptech CFO Buford George Peterson. Peterson was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned to the U.S. from South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The indictments charge Ziade and Peterson with concealing PTech's relationship with and dealing in the assets of the Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist is a designation authorized under U.S. Executive Order 13224 , among other executive orders, and Title 31, Parts 595, 596, and 597 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, among other U.S. laws and regulations. SDGT designations are administered and enforced...
, Yasin al-Qadi
Yasin al-Qadi
Yasin al-Qadi is a citizen of Saudi Arabia who was subjected to economic sanctions because he is suspected of ties to terrorism.The United States Treasury classified Al Qadi as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist"....
.. George Peterson was later set free on bail, and allowed to return to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
awaiting his trial. Both Peterson and Ziade denied the allegations and accused the federal authorities of misrepresenting the facts to justify the leak of the consented search on December 5, 2002 that led to the unnecessary dissolvement of the company.
Notable clientele
Ptech's roster of clients included several governmental agencies, including the United States Armed ForcesUnited States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, NATO, Congress, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, Customs, the FAA, the IRS, the Secret Service, and the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. Despite the eventual 2009 indictment of PTech's CEO and CFO, as late as May 2004 they were still contracted by several federal agencies, including the White House.
Ptech had a security clearance
Security clearance
A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information, i.e., state secrets, or to restricted areas after completion of a thorough background check. The term "security clearance" is also sometimes used in private organizations that have a formal...
to work on sensitive military projects dating to 1997.
External links
- Ware-Withal: Wrongly suspected Ptech, CEO bounce back slowly from Mass High Tech
- KM Profile:Ptech brief description of company
- BusinessWeek Software, Security, and Ethnicity
- RCFP news article from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressReporters Committee for Freedom of the PressThe Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1970, that provides free legal assistance to and on behalf of journalists. A number of prominent journalists presently sit on the organization's steering committee, including Dan Rather, and Judy...
- Computerworld.com story on Ptech's collapse
- Federal Indictment of PTech CEO Oussama Ziade
- IBM Enterprise Architecture Method Enabled Through Ptech FrameWork