SIM TechExec Agenda: SIM TechExec 2025

Strategic Hustle: Leading with Focus, Calm & Conviction

Facilitated by: Jenifer Higgins, Vice President, Rising, ClearEdge

The IT staffing industry moves fast—and so do the demands on its emerging leaders. Success today requires more than hustle; it takes strategic thinking, calm under pressure, and the ability to set healthy boundaries that fuel performance and prevent burnout.

In this 3 hour in-person workshop, participants will develop three essential leadership capabilities:

Strategic Mindset – how to think beyond the task at hand and focus on what drives sustainable growth
Pressure Resilience – how to stay grounded and make smart decisions, even in high-stakes moments
Boundary Setting – how to lead effectively without losing yourself in the chaos

Designed for rising leaders eager to succeed in their current roles and prepare for what’s next, this session offers practical tools, real-world insights, and the chance to learn with and from peers across the industry. You'll walk away with a forward-focused mindset, renewed energy, and the confidence to lead with greater influence—driving both team performance and organizational impact.

** Must register in advance (additional fee - $50). Must be registered for TechExec to attend the workshop.

The perfect event to kick off your 2025 SIM TechExec experience!

Hosted by: Monica Dominic, Chief Client Officer, Proteam Solutions Inc.

The 2025 Technology Leaders Speed Networking session is a dynamic event that brings together attendees of the SIM TechExec & TechServe Alliance Executive Summit for targeted networking opportunities. A pre event survey about business interests and needs will match attendees with others that meet their business profile. Participants will switch tables throughout the networking event allowing them to expand their professional network in a casual and fun atmosphere.

Invited participants will include SIM Technology leaders, IT & Engineering staffing leaders & suppliers of IT & Engineering products & services.

Advance registration is required. No additional fee.

SIM TechExec & TechServe Executive Summit Opening Keynote

Leading from the Epicenter

DeMaurice Smith - Former Executive Director, National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) & Author of Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America's Game

DeMaurice Smith, the longtime Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, brings a masterclass in leadership to the stage. With a track record that includes orchestrating landmark collective bargaining agreements, championing health and safety reforms, and boosting player benefits across the board, Smith shares the strategies that guided him through the toughest negotiations in sports. His narrative isn’t just about deals—it’s about courageous, inclusive leadership in high-pressure environments.

In this talk, Smith blends personal storytelling with strategic insights, offering audiences concrete tools to navigate complexity with integrity and vision. Whether you're leading teams through disruption or forging meaningful change across industries, Smith’s talk empowers leaders to stand firm on values while adapting with agility. Expect to walk away motivated—armed with fresh perspectives on resilient leadership, stakeholder alignment, and the power of advocacy to spur progress and trust.

TechExec Poker Run: Build Your Best Hand While Discovering Our Sponsors

Join us for a fast-paced, high-energy networking experience where everyone’s a winner. Executives will have the chance to build their best 5-card poker hand by visiting sponsor tables, making connections, and having fun along the way!

As you move between bistro tables, you’ll not only collect cards but also learn about the innovative products, services, and solutions our Summit and TechExec Sponsors offer. The more connections you make, the stronger your hand… and the greater your chances to win big!

Don’t miss this lively, interactive event that combines networking, sponsor insights, and a little friendly competition.

Technology Executive Leaders Women's Lunch

Join us for the 17th Annual Technology Executive Women’s Luncheon, co-hosted by TechServe Alliance and SIM. This premier event unites two powerhouse organizations in technology and staffing with a shared mission: advancing women in leadership. In a world where innovation and leadership are inseparable, we’re creating pathways for women to rise, thrive, and lead at the highest levels.

Sponsored by ClearEdge

TechExec & TechServe Executive Summit Networking Roundtable Lunch

Networking Lunch
Connect with SIM colleagues, TechServe friends and subject matter experts in an engaging lunchtime setting. Gain fresh insights, exchange ideas, and walk away with clear takeaways and actionable strategies to strengthen your business.

Brought to you by the SIM Research Institute:

2025 IT Trends Study Revealed: What Every SIM Leader Needs to Know

Presenters: Dr. Michael Seals, SIM Research Institute and Dr. Sourav Chatterjee, University of North Texas

Panelists:

Dwayne Allen, CTO, Unisys
Jeffrey Stovall, CIO

Be among the first to hear the results of the 2025 SIM IT Trends Study as Michael Seals and Sourav Chatterjee unveil the findings and lead an interactive discussion on what they mean for SIM members. The session will feature a high-level overview of the results, insights from a panel of experts, and a lively audience Q&A to explore implications for today’s IT leaders.

Brought to you by the SIM Leadership Institute:

High-Performing Teams in a Time of Perpetual Whitewater

Presenter: Steven John, Former CIO and IT Transformation Leader

In an era where technology and business change never slow down, high-performing IT teams are the true competitive advantage. In this dynamic session, Steven John reveals how great IT organizations learn faster, adapt sooner, and lead smarter.

Blending real-world leadership lessons with memorable storytelling Steven explores how teams can prepare for change before it happens.

Participants will gain frameworks for developing resilient teams, sustaining performance during change, and embedding a culture of continuous learning across their IT organizations.

SIM TechExec & TechServe Executive Summit Keynote

Recoding Business: The New Logic For Winning In The AI Era

Presented by: Vijay Gurbaxani - Taco Bell Endowed Chair of Technology Management; Professor of Information Systems Director, Center for Digital Transformation, University of California, Irvine

We are entering a new era where artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of business. AI is not just another technology—it is a force that will redefine industries, reshape work, and recast the role of leadership itself. In this talk, Vijay Gurbaxani explores the opportunities and risks of this transformation, drawing on striking examples of how AI is already reshaping companies and society. He challenges leaders to think differently about value, competitiveness, and the choices that will determine whether their organizations thrive or fall behind. This is a moment of extraordinary promise—and peril. The decisions executives make today will shape the future.

Presented by SIM Leadership Institute: The Search for Today's Leaders

Moderated by: Craig Cuyar, Global CIO, Omnicom Group

Panelists include:

Alyse Egol, Korn Ferry
Martha Heller, Heller
Eric Sigurdson, Russell Reynolds

Join us for an engaging fireside chat on strategic visibility and CIO executive recruitment. This conversation will highlight how today’s CIOs build influence and impact through digital platforms, professional networks, and purpose driven networking. Executive search leaders will share how they evaluate and place CIO talent in a rapidly evolving landscape, offering unique insights into what defines an exceptional, future-ready technology leader.

Joint TechServe and SIM Panel Discussion

The IT Workforce of 2026 and Beyond: Meeting the Needs of Enterprise Amid the AI Revolution

Moderator: Joel Leege, President & COO, Red Oak Technologies, and President, BoD, TechServe Alliance

Panelists:

Susan Malisch, Senior Vice President, CIO, American Medical Association
Graig Paglieri, CEO, Randstad Digital
Michelle Sims, CEO, YUPRO Placement
Kay Swift, Vice President, Information Technology, Penske Media Corporation

Technology is undergoing a seismic shift. Enterprises, fueled by the rapid adoption of AI, automation, and cloud technologies, are rethinking their workforce strategies and the skills required to move their businesses forward. Industry data underscores this transformation: demand is soaring for AI and machine learning specialists, prompt engineers, cloud architects, DevSecOps professionals, cybersecurity experts, and data storytellers who can translate complex analytics into actionable business insights.

Big questions remain: Where will the talent come from? How should IT teams be structured and staffed? And how critical will human-centric capabilities—emotional intelligence, creativity, critical thinking, adaptability—be to the IT professional of the future? Join a panel of IT leaders and solution providers who will share their perspective on the roles, competencies, and staffing models enterprises will need next.

Presented by SIM Leadership Institute: Board Insights & Influence

Moderated: Kristen Lamoreaux, CEO, Lamoreaux Search

Panelist:

Shellye Archambeau, Okta and Verizon Board Member
Maria Teresa Lensing, Global CIO & CTO, Sorenson; Former Board Director, Sorenson

Whether you are targeting a board role yourself or simply looking for greater knowledge around board communications and interactions, this panel of public and private board members will offer practical insights on positioning, governance readiness, and leveraging your unique technology perspective at the executive table. The discussion will equip you with the knowledge, confidence, and connections to take the next step toward mastering boardroom influence.