Tired of filling out endless paper salary and benefit surveys, a group of HR professionals from several municipalities in the Chicago area met several times, seeking a more effective way to collect the information they needed.

Dr. Liangfu Wu, Director of Information Services, Village of Downers Grove, Illinois, led a group of HR professionals from 9 municipalities, the "core group", to conduct a series of extensive studies on the needs of public agency HR. With the initial investment from the core group, a 100% Internet-based, distributed salary & benefit database was introduced: MetroNet (www.metronet.org).

The online database allowed its members to enter and manage their own salary and benefit data. When surveying the online database, members always have direct access to the most updated data. Since it is an Internet based system, the system is available anywhere in the world and anytime when members feel convenient.

Advanced application features and unique design, gives national recognition to MetroNet (www.metronet.org) by receiving several distinguished awards including the 2001 HR Magazine Innovative Practice Award.

In an effort to further develop the system, the Village of Downers Grove started hosting the online database in January of 2002. With a new user interface, the system was renamed CitySalary (www.citysalary.com).

Despite its advanced technical features, the system had not been further developed since its first version. Although the core group met several times over a period of 3-4 years to discuss new features the system should be offering, due to lack of proper funding and more importantly, the inadequate management structure under a government entity, promising new features remained on the wish list.

Dr. Liangfu Wu took the system out of the government environment and started further development under a private entity, CityTech USA.

CityTech USA, with it's highly concentrated business focus as an application service provider, specializes in information technology projects for human resource, mayors, managers, and financial professionals in public agencies.

What makes CityTech USA unique are its business orientation and special background in government business. A high level involvement in local government operations enables CityTech USA to provide the best services to its public agency clientel.