Since 1984, David M. Fleming, principal of Fleming LTD, has been one of the most effective advocates of "location independent" telework (also known as telecommuting). Through his work with the State of California, he has become a nationally recognized and respected expert in the field.

David served as the Telework Program Consultant for California, which has the first formal state government remote-telework policy in the country. He was responsible for facilitating the adoption of proper telecommuting policies in all state agencies by assisting in the planning, training, implementation and evaluation of telecommute/telework options.

Additionally, David organized the California Task Force on Interactive Telecommunications in Government and lead the State of California's Telework Advisory Group (TAG). David's position is the culmination of an effort that began in the mid-1980s when he proposed and was chosen to direct California's Telecommuting Pilot Program. The success of the pilot program resulted in legislation in 1990 that formally established telecommuting as public policy in California government. His work with state telecommuting program earned California an Innovations Award from the Council of State Governments.

From 1992 to 1995, David managed a program through the University of California, Davis, where he directed the planning and development of twelve demonstration telecenters throughout California. Besides his work with the State of California, David has consulted with the White House Office on Policy Development, and he was one of five national experts invited to brief the US Congress and staff on the subject of telework and telecommuting.

The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, USA Today, Management Review, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and ABC television's Business Week, among many others, have all solicited David's expertise on the virtual workforce. Furthermore, David was profiled as an "Agent of Change" by Government Technology magazine, and the American Management Association's Personnel magazine named him a "Personnel Winner" in 1988. In 2001 David was inducted to International Telework Association and Council (ITAC) Hall of Fame, having previously served as an ITAC founder and director.

A leading expert on telecommuting policy in the public sector, David has been a guest speaker at events as diverse as the State of Washington Governor's Conference on Telecommuting to the World Future Society gathering in Washington, D.C. to Portugal's first national conference on telework. Also, David conducted workshops and seminars at such international conferences as Gil Gordon's Telecommute series, as well as the annual International Telework Association and Council symposia. Furthermore, David is not the only one in his family who is dedicated to advancing the telework option. David's wife Lis, co-owner of Fleming LTD, has written extensively about the "electronic cottage," and is the author of The One- Minute Commuter: How to Keep Your Job and Stay at Home Telecommuting. Lis also assisted Jack Nilles, principal of JALA International Inc., with introducing the telework concept to the State of Washington.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, David earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration and Personnel Management. He received his M.A. in Environmental Planning from California State University, Chico. As one of the leading agents of change in California and the nation, David Fleming is eminently qualified to advise both government and industry as they evolve into the brave, new -- and virtual -- work world of the new millennium.