Detroit CIO Executive Summit

The Governing Body of Detroit CIOs and invited guests are welcome to join us for a fun, interactive spin on the annual Governing Body Welcome Reception. Casino Night at the Westin Book Cadillac will feature table games, prizes, food and drinks to kickoff our fall “By CIOs, For CIOs” executive gathering.

Technology is changing the way we work, the type of people we need to hire and the way we capture their interest in joining and staying with our organizations. Cara Capretta explores roles of the future and how to assemble and build a workforce with the right skill sets. Join Capretta as she unpacks how to:

• Embrace new jobs that emerge from AI and digital assistants in the workforce
• Reinvent internal mobility through capability mapping, quick service learning and gig assignments
• Make work more collaborative and focused on human experiences

A two-letter switch from “project” to “product” has revolutionized the way Ford Motor Company rolls. Tying together demand management, agile teams and a profound culture shift, Ford is now strategically aligned to drive quantifiable value through enterprise-wide decisions. CIO Jeff Lemmer and Principal Architect Angela Johnson share views on what it means to “optimize for the enterprise,” including:

• How product-based teams speed up value iteration – allowing quick investment pivots
• How to set the mindset, and measure results, around business value creation
• How to ensure culture is addressed through organization change management

Decision makers are increasingly putting pressure on their IT organizations to provide and defend solid business cases before a project is funded. As an IT leader, how well-versed are you at providing value-based justification, anticipating questions and ultimately convincing decision makers to move your IT project forward? During this group activity session participants will:

• Discuss strategies for developing business cases for IT projects
• Learn approaches for influencing action at the decision-maker level
• Work together to prepare, present and defend value-based procurement justifications
• Hear from peers on how they “sell” their IT projects to decision-makers

With massive amounts of data at their disposal, organizations continually look for ways to find true meaning – and value – in all the data. This boardroom discussion takes a holistic approach to data management and fostering a data-first mindset, covering:

• Tips for implementing solid data strategies, and how CIOs can help the business exploit and safeguard data
• Methods for creating a culture of clear data ownership, including meeting internal and external compliance requirements
• Approaches for creating a shared cross-functional vision and systematic approach to next-level data management

Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives). To reserve your seat, please contact: Samantha Flaherty at 971-717-6665, or samantha.flaherty@evanta.com.

For many organizations, the digital ecosystem begins with the customer. To capture maximum value, CIOs must ensure that the consumer experience is seamless – creating the right channels for connection and utilizing the right data to innovate products or services. In this interactive session, you’ll discuss:

• The expectations of the digital-first customer
• The CIO’s role in product development and design in a digital economy
• How to evolve a data-centric approach to consumer insight and foster new business opportunities 

Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives). To reserve your seat, please contact: Samantha Flaherty at 971-717-6665, or samantha.flaherty@evanta.com.

Whether you’re the one driving change or it’s forced upon you — a steady hand and quick reaction time can make all the difference. Dennis Hodges’ IT organization altered the course of a rapid divestiture with quick, cost-effective measures that slashed projected capital spend by 90 percent. In this session, Hodges details how they utilized a multi-tenant cloud architecture to:

• Investigate and bring in emerging technology assets without adding infrastructure
• Leverage expertise outside the organization to make improvements
• React to rapid changes in the market with cost-effective solutions

Nothing in life follows a ready-made script. The most dynamic leaders use improvisation skills to become powerful communicators, selfless listeners, acute observers and agile attractors of teamwork and collaboration. Join this engaging and interactive session with body language expert, Chris Ulrich. You’ll learn:

• Tested improvisation techniques and structured improv games to create open and powerful communication.
• Tools to break through self-imposed limitations — decreasing critical self judgement or fear of failure that can undermine success.
• Tips for transcending knowledge and experience — becoming comfortable thriving in the uncertainty of the moment to achieve results.

With cybercriminals operating as digital pioneers on a global scale, boards have taken a deep interest in digital risk management and expect full CIO engagement. This cyber intrusion requires a structured program of resilience, flexibility and accountability.  In this session, you’ll discuss:

• Tactics to engage all stakeholders in digital risk management
• Proven methods to prioritize security investments
• How to build risk management into strategic decisions

Executive boardrooms are intimate and interactive sessions designed to foster dynamic dialogue around a specific, strategic topic. These private, closed-door discussions encourage attendee participation and are limited to 15 attendees (seating priority is given to C-level executives). To reserve your seat, please contact: Samantha Flaherty at 971-717-6665, or samantha.flaherty@evanta.com.

Closing in on a century of bringing comfort and style to homes around the world, La-Z-Boy stands tall as an iconic global brand with deep Michigan roots. After 16 years in the big chair, Chairman, President and CEO Kurt Darrow tilts the company forward into the next decade of opportunity. In this keynote, the visionary architect behind a retail transformation goes inside La-Z-Boy’s Live Life Comfortably cover story – revealing the leadership and innovation required to reinvent a marketplace leader.