Texas Technology Summit Agenda

Michael is a skilled CISO with the ability to build a cybersecurity program from the ground up. His passion is taking something and optimizing it to extract every bit of performance possible. He has authored or co-authored nearly 20 books on cybersecurity, has testified before Congress on best practices for protecting personal information and has assited in getting multiple laws passed in North Dakota. With an ability to explain complex technical issues in a simple manner, Michael is an industry leader on IT security, data privaty and asset protection.

Synopsis

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, securing your cyber infrastructure is not just a necessity—it's a competitive advantage. Please join us for the "Five Secrets to Cyber Success." This inspiring and motivational talk will empower you to transform your cybersecurity strategy, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. Michael Gregg will share practical insights and proven techniques that drive resilience, innovation, and leadership in the cyber realm.

More Info Coming Soon

Speaker's Bio

More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

The most exciting thing to happen to Wi-Fi networks in over 20 years is the release of the 6 GHz spectrum. Nearly all of us carry a 6GHz device and Enterprises now have the ability to deploy tri-band Wireless Access Points which will provide a better user experience. We will provide you with the Top 5 Reasons why you need to upgrade to these new radios now versus down the road, rules to follow when deploying 6GHz for outdoor spaces, how 6GHz provides the most security wireless environment and more lessons we’ve learned from early deployments.

Mike Jordan is an experienced technical creative with more than 25 years of experience as a Sales Engineer, Corporate Trainer, Software Architect, and Technical Solutions Architect supporting Fortune 100 companies.

Synopsis

Mike Jordan will provide a review of how the recent acquisition and integration of the imperva technology stack into the Ciphertrust Manager Data Security Platform can provide comprehensive insight into the management of encryption, key, secrets, and identities across all deployment scenarios.

Dave spent the last 15 years working as a Sysadmin, Help Desk Manager, part owner of an MSP, and in technical sales roles. Working with MSPs and with SMBs up to Fortune 500 partnering to bring tech and user-friendly solutions at an affordable price.

Synopsis

In any leading security best practice framework, two core principles stand out: least privilege access and strong password management. Yet, in today’s IT landscape, managing Windows environments has become increasingly complex—resulting in admin access being at an all-time high. The reality? 9 out of 10 successful breaches stem from privilege misuse. Join us to discover a smarter, more secure approach to privilege management for Windows systems. Strengthen your security foundation, reduce risk, and even improve your cyber insurance standing—all while making privilege management easier than ever. Don’t just react to threats—stay ahead of them.

Nathanael Iversen, as Zentera’s Chief Evangelist, helps prospects and customers understand how segmentation, identity, device posture applies to securing datacenter, cloud, user and OT systems. He has over two decades of customer-facing experience, with a broad background in networking, security, and virtualization. Nathanael has held positions in systems engineering, product management, and technical marketing; has experience with enterprise data centers and telecommunications provider networks. He began his career designing and implementing large-scale data centers for the U.S. Air Force. Nathanael holds a degree in Communication Systems Design from the Community College of the Air Force.

Synopsis

In this session, Nathanael will focus on the use of chambers, encrypted overlay networking, and OT/legacy systems isolation strategies that virtually eliminate lateral movement and exfiltration opportunities for attackers. The practical operational and security considerations associated with these mechanisms will be discussed along with use cases and real-world examples. If you have concern about the five to fifteen most critical systems in your organization, you won’t want to miss this session!

Robert is passionate about transforming how businesses approach their cybersecurity challenges. His customer-centric approach has helped hundreds of organizations strengthen their security posture while maintaining operational efficiency. Throughout his career, he has been particularly passionate about democratizing enterprise-grade security solutions for smaller businesses.
Known for his dynamic speaking style and practical insights, Robert regularly shares his expertise on topics including sales leadership, channel strategy, and the evolving cyber security landscape. His hands-on experience working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders makes him a valuable voice in bridging the gap between security requirements and business objectives.

Synopsis

Attacks don’t seem to be slowing down, even though businesses are investing more in security than ever. So, where is it going wrong? In this session, we’re going to reveal exactly why attackers are thriving – and why traditional security measures just aren’t enough anymore.
Through real-world case studies, we’ll show how attackers are using advanced techniques such as AI and automation, to break into systems faster than ever before. You’ll discover how your team can overcome resource constraints by implementing practical, cost-effective strategies that boost security without the need for extra staff or a large budget. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with the confidence and tools needed to better protect your business.

Attracting & Retaining Top IT Talent

Discussion Points:
- What are a few strategies you use to attract top IT talent?
- What strategies have you implemented to ensure long-term employee satisfaction & retention?
- How do you ensure your teams stay actively engaged?

Daya's Topic

Building a Great Team through Servant Leadership

Linda's Topic

AI Integration: Compliance, Automation, & Soft Skills

Andres' Topic

Practical Ways of Implementing Zero Trust Security

Discussion Points:
- Have you defined your Zero Trust in your InfoSec Strategy?
- If so, How are you implementing it?
- What does it work when we talk about implementing Zero Trust?
- What does not work?

Synopsis

The executive roundtables are for attendees with VIP badges only. The roundtables are intended for audience participation so be ready to discuss, receive valuable information, and connect with others for further discussion.

Taking AI from Imaginary to Reality

Discussion Points:
- How has the public perception of AI shifted from science fiction to practical reality?
- What key events or developments contributed to this change?
- Where do you see the line between "imaginary" AI (like sentient robots) and the "real" AI we have today?
- Is that line constantly shifting?
- How does the current state of AI research compare to the visions of AI presented in popular culture?
- What is the most significant real-world impact that AI is having on your business/industry?
- What are the potential risks and benefits of widespread AI adoption in your area?
- What are some unexpected or surprising real-world applications of AI that have emerged recently?
- What are your personal hopes and fears about the future of AI?
- How has your understanding of AI changed as you've learned more about it?
- How do you think AI will affect your career or field of study?
- If you could use AI to solve one problem, what would it be?

Antonio's Topic

Contract Negotiations & Streamlining IT

Hellmut's Topic

Augmented Intelligence – How You Can Drive Sustainable High-Performance And Competitive Advantage

Discussion Points:
- What conversations are you having with business leaders about AI?
- How do you approach the business case of AI POVs and initiatives?
- How do you combine innovation with security and equity?
- How do you ensure your data can support AI?
- How do you address process challenges before AI initiatives start?
- How do you address hallucinations, the entity, intent, and timing risks of AI?
- How do you value-check the equation “augmentative intelligence = human intelligence + artificial intelligence”?

Michael's Topic

Incident Response Protocols: Getting Your Team Prepared Now

Synopsis

The executive roundtables are for attendees with VIP badges only. The roundtables are intended for audience participation so be ready to discuss, receive valuable information, and connect with others for further discussion.

A strategic thought leader with extensive expertise in cybersecurity, Jeffrey Wheatman is regarded foremost as an expert in guiding public sector clients and Fortune 500 companies in connection with their cyber risk management programs. In his current role as Cyber Risk Evangelist at Black Kite, Jeffrey works to get the message out about the business impact of third-party risk and solutions to treat those risks.

Prior to joining Black Kite, Jeffrey was a Vice President in Gartner’s Research and Advisory Group for 15 years, where he worked with clients to build and improve their security programs, assessing risk, focusing on reporting on program status, stakeholder engagement, and bridging the connection between technology and cybersecurity risk. Jeffrey has authored approximately 150 research notes read by more than 6,000 clients. For four years, Jeffrey also served as the Chair of the North America Security and Risk Management Summit, Gartner’s 2nd largest conference with 4000 attendees annually.

Earlier in his career, Jeffrey contributed as Practice Manager, Information Security for Gotham Technology Group, and as a Principal Consultant, Information Security, with ThruPoint, Inc.

Synopsis

You may be perfect (you're not - we'll give you the benefit of the doubt), but your third-parties aren't. When they are hit by a cyber attack or ransomware, you are exposed. Maybe it's your data hitting the dark web, your operations grinding to a halt, or a missing patch throwing open the doors. In any case their risk is your exposure, and their breach is your problem; Questionnaires aren't the answer! Join us to learn the who, what, why, when, and how of upping your Third-Party Cyber Risk Management program. Establishing governance, creating processes, and implementing assessment and monitoring before, during and after onboarding your third parties is no longer an option. Get Proactive | Gain Control

Vidya Shankaran is the Field CTO for Cloud, Security, Cyber Resilience and Emerging Technology solutions at Commvault. A seasoned technologist, she delivers customer value, through pragmatic outcome-based results. Vidya has close to 2 decades of global experience; This has helped her understand and gain unique perspective on the real-world challenges of IT customers supporting businesses from data management and business continuity point of view.
In her current role, Vidya helps customers and partners strategize and architect towards Secure Cloud with Cyber Resilience and Recoverability at the forefront. As a thought leader, she ensures a Compliance centric approach to AI adoption and other emerging technologies while ensuring a seamless integration of Commvault’s solutions in customers’ data architecture. She won the “CIO/CTO of the year 2024” Global Awards by “Women Tech Network” for her contributions to Commvault and industry at large.

Synopsis

In an era of increasing cyber threats, being cyber-resilient is no longer optional—it’s essential. Cyber-resilience goes beyond just cybersecurity; it’s about ensuring your business can anticipate, withstand, and rapidly recover from cyberattacks. Do you have a robust incident response plan? Is your protected data safe from ransomware? Don’t wait for an attack to test your defenses and recoverability. A cyber-resilient business not only defends against threats but also adapts and thrives in the face of evolving cyber risks.

Chris is a Cyber Security professional with over 13 years of experience across Incident Response, Engineering and Architecture roles. He has a bachelor’s degree in Information Security from Western Governor’s University and lives with his wife just north of Austin. He has experience across a broad range of network and system architectures, in addition to threat detection and data risk solutions. In his free time, he enjoys working in his lab environment and playing video games with friends.

Synopsis

As organizations accelerate their migration to the cloud, they face a critical challenge in maintaining the same level of security and control they once had in on-premises environments. This session will explore the evolving landscape of cloud security, focusing on the importance of granular visibility and proactive remediation for defending against threats to cloud environments.
Discussion points:
• The limitations of current technologies in securing cloud-based data
• The growing importance of a data-centric approach to cloud security
• How to maintain compliance and reduce data-related risks in multi-cloud environments

Jaime Ortiz has worked in the InfoSec world for over 30 years. He has spent time in the Banking, Education, Oil and Gas, and the Aerospace industry. Jaime possesses a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and has taught Information Security at the University of Houston. Currently, Mr. Ortiz leads a team of engineers at CATO Networks developing solutions for the commercial space. Mr. Ortiz has worked with some of the top 30 Fortune 500 companies in assisting them to design and deploy security solutions to combat the current threat landscape and possess multiple security certifications by ISC2 and GIAC.

Speaker's Bio

Marc has a 30-year career in Cybersecurity and Technology dating back to his service in the US Air Force. He has worked in Silicon Valley performing CyberTech roles, including management, and then at KPMG, a Big 4 firm, in a CyberTech executive consultant role. At the executive management level, currently he is the VP of IT Infrastructure and Cybersecurity at Crane Worldwide Logistics with responsibilities for 11 different functions across IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, IT Help Desk, and IT Procurement and Asset Management. Previously Marc was the CISO/SVP at Woodforest National Bank from August 2012 – June 2021 and worked as a CISO and in the CISO role at a large global company and real estate firm. Marc is also the CEO, Founder, vCIO/vCISO of CyberFore Systems LLC, a cybersecurity consulting and solutions provider firm he started in 2018.

Synopsis

Join us for an illuminating fireside chat where Marc Cruddington, VP of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity at Crane Technologies sits down with Cato Networks to explore why now more than ever, companies are focused on creating a more integrated, efficient, and resilient approach to secure networking delivered within a unified platform.

An experienced executive with a proven track record of business development, organization building, program management and technical support. Mr. Khalaf is multilingual (English, Arabic, French) with international work experience and a strong commitment to employee development, leadership and motivation.
He spent more than 17 years at Microsoft Corporation helping release a range of products such as Office, Frontpage and SharePoint. He spearheaded the effort to expand support services into global markets. In addition, Mr. Khalaf was instrumental in the effort to support the shift from on-premises products to cloud at Microsoft by managing the global operations of critical cloud based applications.
Mr. Khalaf holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of New Orleans and completed an Executive program through Babson College and Goldman Sachs.

Synopsis

Merging two or more businesses can be daunting enough operationally, and the work involved with IT consolidation makes it that much more complicated. There’s a silver lining though. While moving and consolidating systems and data is the main outcome, our journey also focuses on the economics of your Microsoft investments, by identifying software redundancy, over provisioned services and third-party products with functional parity.
Join us to dive into the methodologies ampiO employs to ensure seamless migrations with strategic focus on long term technology OpEx savings.

Shawn is the Vice President of Delivery for the Siemens IoT business unit. He is a digital transformation executive with over 25 years of experience in delivering complex system integration projects, with a proven track record in helping customers achieve improvement in operations, efficiency, and measurable ROI. Prior to Siemens, Shawn held software programming. architecture and technology consulting roles at IBM and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Speaker's Bio

Camila Flores is a senior at the University of Houston majoring in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Administration. She interns at Turner Industries in the Business Intelligence department, focusing on data analytics and Power BI. As the Professional Development Officer for Future Information Technology Professionals (FITP), she leads the Mentorship Program, connecting UH students with Society of Information Management (SIM) members to support their professional development.

Speaker's Bio

Maheen Hamdani: More Info Coming Soon.

Speaker's Bio

Gene is the Managing Director/CEO of Paradigm Group, Inc. Since 2003, Paradigm Group, Inc. has offered highly customized IT staffing and recruiting services to fit the unique needs of each of our clients. Focused on IT executive and other strategic “tough-to-fill” roles, our priority is providing quality over quantity, whether temporary or perm. PGI’s approach involves proactively sourcing the best technical talent and then screening based upon the specific performance objectives and soft skills that are most important to each hiring manager. Our unique methodology is proven to improve quality of hire and speed up the time to fill, resulting in longer-term retention of both contract and full-time resources.

Speaker's Bio

Robin Laskowski: More Info Coming Soon

Synopsis

The purpose of this roundtable is to highlight the profound impact of mentorship and encourage participants to recognize their own potential to support others. By reflecting on the guidance they have received, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the value of mentorship and how it contributes to personal and professional growth. The discussion will address common misconceptions, emphasize that mentorship is accessible to everyone regardless of experience level, and showcase the tangible benefits of participation. Additionally, the roundtable will introduce the FITP Mentorship Program as a structured and supportive opportunity to engage in mentorship, demonstrating its success through real-world examples. The ultimate goal is to inspire attendees to take an active role in shaping the next generation of professionals by joining the program.

Stephen Morrow is the Chief Solution Officer for AirMDR working with clients, prospects, and security professionals to build and deliver the vision of automation in security. He has worked in the technology field for over 30 years in several disciplines, of which security is his current passion focus and has been for the past 10 years. He got his start in software development, and later moved into areas such as infrastructure design and management, consumer product development, and security which has given him the ability to work across disciplines to solve problems across the entire enterprise IT landscape, as well as co-founding and selling a successful startup he ran for several years.

Synopsis

The relentless growth of cyber threats and the increasing complexity of modern IT environments have stretched security teams to their breaking point. Autonomous solutions promise much-needed relief, but CISOs are rightly cautious. This session cuts through the hype, providing a pragmatic roadmap for incorporating autonomous capabilities into your security operations.

We'll explore the spectrum of autonomy, from basic automation (Level 4) to true AI-driven decision-making (Level 5), clarifying what's possible today and what lies on the horizon. Discover the compelling reasons driving the need for autonomous alert triage and response and understand the critical role of the "virtual analyst" in this evolution.

This session will equip you with the knowledge to:
• Demystify "autonomous" and its varying levels.
• Grasp the urgency for autonomous solutions in modern security operations.
• Conceptualize the "virtual analyst" and its potential impact.
• Learn key criteria for evaluating virtual analyst solutions.
• Understand the challenges in building and deploying virtual analysts.
• Define the evolving role of human analysts in an autonomous future.

Join us to explore a realistic path toward autonomous security operations and prepare your organization for a more secure tomorrow.

Bruce Johnson has worked in the IT industry for over 30 years with IBM, Cisco Systems and now Ericsson. He is a security CISSP and has been working in security for over 20 years. He loves speaking about relevant wireless and cybersecurity solutions and how they can accelerate business growth. He delivers compelling presentations at networking and security events around the world. In his current role, he focuses on 5G networking and security solutions with Ericsson. Bruce has a B.S. degree in Computer Science and Statistics from Brigham Young University. He lives in the foothills of northern Utah and enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and woodworking.

Synopsis

A Practical Guide to Implementing and Protecting Wireless Networks

Imagine a world where wires are nearly obsolete. Vehicles, IoT devices, remote offices, warehouses – all seamlessly connected and protected.

Discover how Wireless WANs can revolutionize your business. We'll guide you on how to:
• Unlock new business opportunities with the power of wireless connectivity.
• Secure your entire network with a robust zero-trust framework.
• Protect your business from cyber threats with advanced security measures.
• Optimize network performance and reliability for seamless operations.
• Deploy private cellular networks where Wi-Fi simply isn't enough.

Join us to see how Wireless can transform your business today.

With over 20 years of experience, Derek specializes in architecting cloud-native solutions on Azure and AWS. He has a proven track record of designing cost-effective solutions that enhance efficiency. As a trusted advisor, Derek leverages his problem-solving, analytical, and operational expertise to develop strategic requirements and tailored solutions for every project.

Synopsis

As businesses increasingly adopt hybrid cloud environments to meet their diverse needs, challenges such as data security, latency, and management complexity can arise. This presentation will explore how Azure Local provides solutions to these common obstacles, enhancing the flexibility, security, and performance of hybrid cloud deployments.

Brian Deitch is a Chief Technology Evangelist with a focus on cloud security, zero trust, and SASE/SSE. He has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry and has worked for companies such as US Airways, Apollo Group, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and F5 Networks.
In recent years, Brian has become a leading expert in cloud security, zero trust, and SASE/SSE. He has spoken at numerous conferences and events on these topics, and is often sought out as a thought leader in the field. He is particularly interested in the intersection of security and cloud, and is a strong advocate for zero trust security models and the use of SASE/SSE to design and implement digital, network, and application transformation. In his current role as a Chief Technology Evangelist, Brian is responsible for driving the adoption of new technologies and best practices within his organization, and for educating and inspiring others in the industry to do the same. He is passionate about helping organizations to adopt secure, reliable, and scalable cloud-based solutions, and is dedicated to helping to make the internet a safer place for everyone.

Synopsis

Cybersecurity today demands more than check-the-box solutions—it’s about taking control. With CTEM, you stop playing defense and start proactively securing your attack surface. Microsegmentation ensures apps work together securely without unnecessary access, while Privileged Remote Access replaces outdated VPNs to lock down third-party access and safeguard your systems. For SAP users, patchwork fixes won’t cut it. We’ve built the first real SASE solution tailored for SAP Rise, setting a new standard for secure access. In today’s threat landscape, success means staying ahead—not just reacting after the fact. Lock it down and keep it tight.

John Barrow, CISSP, has a diverse work experience in the field of cybersecurity. John is currently serving as the Director of Cybersecurity at JB Poindexter & Co since August 2022. Prior to this, from October 2020 to August 2022, he was the Manager of SOC, NOC, TVM & Forensics, and from April 2019 to October 2020, he served as the Cybersecurity Program Manager at Texas Children's Hospital. John has also worked at Caesars Entertainment Corporation, where he held various roles including Cybersecurity PM/Operations Analyst, CMS Systems Analyst, and Corporate Deskside Support Supervisor/Team Lead from 2011 to 2019. Their earlier experience includes working as a Project Manager/Applied Technology Analyst at SAIC from 2006 to 2011 and as an Intelligence Analyst in the US Army from 2002 to 2006.

Kelly Markey's Bio

Kelly Markey is a strategic cybersecurity executive with over 15 years of experience developing and leading security programs that mitigate risk, drive business growth, and enhance operational efficiency. A trusted advisor and public speaker, she specializes in navigating complex cybersecurity and compliance challenges, ensuring organizations meet regulatory requirements while maintaining a competitive edge.

Mike Prochaska's Bio

Mike is a transformational technology executive with proven business results in strategizing, developing, executing, and realizing innovative solutions. From strategy inception to organization change, I have led teams, collaborated with business leaders and SME's, and effected change that led to improved business processes, reduced speed to market, revenue generation, rapid acquisition integration, and cost reduction, all while managing technology investment economically through traditional and cloud technologies. I have delivered results as a consultant and as a turn-around CIO.

Synopsis

This panel will cover an array of differenct topics, come and listen!

Marcus is a security sales overlay with TPx, providing technical expertise on our cybersecurity products and Security Advisory Services offerings. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Central Florida. Network+ Certification.

Synopsis

TPx explores Defense in Depth, a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy designed to protect businesses from evolving threats. Attendees will learn how combining multiple security controls—spanning network, endpoint, data, and access protection—creates a resilient defense against cyberattacks. The session will highlight key principles, real-world applications, and best practices to strengthen security posture and ensure business continuity.

Shifting From Cyber Prevention to Cyber Resilience

Discussion Points:
- What does cyber resilience mean?
- What are you doing to build cyber resilience?
- What metrics should leaders track to measure resilience?

Karen's Topic

3 Key Elements for Schools and Government in Protecting Data

Discussion Points:
- What are the key elements and why you need them?
- What legal requirements have to be meet?
- How to involve your entire organization in protecting data?

Radar's Topic

Zero Trust Architecture for Third Party Risk Management Programs - How Feasible Is It?

Discussion Points:
- Do you extend this to your 4th and Nth parties?
- Do you trust but verify or are you taking steps to ZTA?
- What are the challenges of managing this risk from a holistic approach?
- What domains of risk should you assess?

Kelly's Topic

Integrating AI Into the Business

Synopsis

The executive roundtables are for attendees with VIP badges only. The roundtables are intended for audience participation so be ready to discuss, receive valuable information, and connect with others for further discussion.

Steve joined Arcserve as a Solution Consultant in June of 2011. Prior to joining Arcserve, Steve spent five years working as an IT Manager for a Contract Manufacturer in the biotech industry (San Diego, CA) and before that spent seven years as a Sr. Systems Engineer between two local San Diego value-added resellers. His primary focus over the past decade has been educating and enabling customers and partners on the Arcserve portfolio of data protection solutions—including backup/disaster recovery, business continuity and high availability.

Synopsis

When it comes to cyberattacks, catastrophe is just around the corner, and even data security best practices may not be good enough for today’s onslaught of evolving threats. The only way to ensure IT systems and data are safe is to use a multi-layer solution that includes anti-ransomware and other threat prevention technologies and DR for protection against data loss.

Learn how you can prevent cyberattacks and immediately restore business-critical data – no ransom required.

Todd Ellison is the Director of Solutions Architecture for Nile, a groundbreaking networking startup redefining connectivity with a fully vertically integrated, secure-by-default, and as-a-service model. With nearly 30 years of experience, Todd is a recognized thought leader and advocate for disruptive technologies that solve real-world challenges. An accomplished speaker and writer, Todd has published articles in leading industry outlets like *Network Computing* and presented at numerous conferences. His ability to distill complex concepts into practical solutions makes him a sought-after voice on transformative networking strategies. Passionate about innovation and discovery, Todd excels at introducing audiences to bold ideas and new perspectives, both in technology and beyond. His mission is to inspire organizations to embrace forward-thinking approaches, unlocking their potential in a connected world.

Synopsis

AI is being touted as the solution to modern networking challenges—promising to simplify operations, improve security, and ease the burden on IT teams. With networks growing more complex than ever, the appeal of AI-driven automation is undeniable. But can AI truly solve the underlying problems, or is it just addressing symptoms? In this presentation, we’ll explore the evolution of network complexity, why traditional architectures are so difficult to manage, and how AI is being applied to address these challenges. We’ll examine the reality behind AI’s promises and whether it can finally deliver the simplicity and efficiency network operators have been chasing for decades. Is AI the breakthrough we've been waiting for, or is there something deeper at play? Let’s find out.

John is a Managing Director with Consortium Networks’ Solutions practice. He has a proven track record of over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity. He delivers projects and services for companies of all sizes ranging from pre-seed startups to Fortune 100 organizations. John has deep expertise in Security Governance, Risk Assessment, Cloud Security, and Security Operations. John is passionate about assessing program strengths, uncovering opportunities for improvement, defining strategic direction with leadership, and ensuring the successful execution of projects.

Synopsis

Traditional Value-Added Resellers (VARs) focus on selling products—Consortium Networks is resetting the standard. In this session, discover how we leverage proprietary cyber risk quantification technology, developed with the support of insurance providers, to help organizations make data-driven security decisions. Learn how translating cyber risk into financial terms enables strategic investment, executive alignment, better decision-making, and stronger security postures—moving beyond guesswork to a true game plan.

We are thrilled to welcome back long-time member Allen Wuescher as our keynote speaker for this exciting event. Allen brings decades of experience, having served as a CIO advisor with Andersen, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and E&Y, with much of his career rooted in Houston. He went on to become the VP and CIO of Toshiba International Corporation, where he led for eight successful years before briefly retiring. Currently, Allen serves as an executive counselor for Info-Tech Research Group in Austin, TX.
In his keynote, Allen will provide valuable insights into the InfoTech 2025 IT Priorities, focusing on the emerging IT trends and strategies that organizations must adopt to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Drawing from his extensive experience with clients, including Enron, Allen will highlight key IT challenges and opportunities, including fraud prevention and the impact of natural disasters like Houston’s flooding. He will also explore how strong leadership and strategic IT decision-making are critical to navigating these complex issues in 2025 and beyond.
Beyond the professional insights, Allen's love for music will take center stage as he showcases his piano talents, ensuring the evening is both informative and enjoyable. We look forward to an inspiring evening with SIM Houston, filled with discussions that will help shape the future of IT leadership.

Synopsis

SIM Members + IT/IS Managers & Above

Mr. Ruz is the Chief Information Security Officer at 5 Factor Technology. Andres Ruz is an Executive with over 20 years of Global experience in IT and Information Security. He has an MBA in MIS, a bachelor’s in computer science, and ten certificates in Information Technology Management and Information Security. He graduated from the FBI Citizen’s Academy in 2022. He started his career as a Help Desk technician at the University where he studied. He built his path from the infrastructure side of IT, doing Information Security as part of his job. He has had multiple Global Roles and has been part of different Executive Leadership Teams (ELT) for other companies and roles. He is the founder of the Houston Banking Information Sharing and Analysis Organization(ISAO), where he collaborates with leaders in this sector, helping each other better protect their companies. He is also part of the Board of Directors and Sector Chief for InfraGard's Telecommunications and Transportation Cross-Sectors Councils (CSC) with the FBI. This group also has an ISAO format, where leaders from different companies collaborate and share knowledge about this sector. On a personal note, he is married and the father of one little daughter; he loves reading and sports and teaches spiritual formation to adults at a Catholic Church in Fulshear.

Synopsis

This session is a Cybersecurity tabletop exercise. You will collaborate with your peers to solve the different challenges presented by the tabletop. Learn from others’ experiences and contribute from your own to help navigate the exercise. The participants will be able to have a particular chief role in navigating the scenario that will be presented. They will have to collaborate with their peers, using their authority, knowledge, and experience to answer some questions and respond to the changes the modules will present. This is a hands-on presentation, during which the participants will learn from others and the facilitator about best practices for Incident Response Plans and Procedures.