(Austin)--High-tech experts from Microsoft, Wells Fargo and iLumin will join Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander and Dell Vice President Rosendo Parra at an April 3 public hearing to share their companies' experiences in moving processes to the Internet.

The e-government hearing, an integral part of Comptroller Rylander's e-Texas initiative to help Texas state government meet the challenges of the Internet Age, will run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the George R. Brown Room of the M.D. Anderson Library, University of Houston campus, 4800 Calhoun.

"We recognize that the private sector is light-years ahead of state government in using the Internet to provide service," Comptroller Rylander said. "I want to make sure the State of Texas catches up as quickly as possible, and that it avoids as many pitfalls as possible.

"I am delighted that, with Ro Parra's help, we've assembled these business leaders to tell us what to expect," Comptroller Rylander said. "I encourage folks to come out, listen to our experts and give us feedback on the issues they think are critical to improving the state's use of the Internet."

Comptroller Rylander and Parra, the e-government task force commissioner, will be joined by experts who will discuss how the Internet has affected the way they do business and how those experiences can assist state government.

Debbie Ball of San Francisco, senior vice president of wholesale Internet services for Wells Fargo, will lead a panel discussion. Other panelists include John Bunn of Austin, Microsoft's area sales manager, and Brent Israelson of Orem, Utah, chief executive officer of iLumin.

Those who cannot attend the hearing can make suggestions on improving Texas government and follow our progress at: www.e-texas.org.