Change Agent CTO Podcast

After a long break from the studio, the Change Agent CTO Podcast is back with Nathan Lasnoski as host and a guest that shares his learnings all the way from Germany. Anson Johnson, the CIO of Knauf and former CIO of USG Corporation joins us to discuss how you can create business value with technology and find your role in the team. As someone who started their career in computer-aided drawing and coding, Anson speaks on migrating to the people side of technology and what he finds most rewarding about being CIO. With over five years of experience as a CIO, Anson shares valuable insights on making relationships across the business, enabling below and above-the-line practices, and driving true operational savings, to do what is most important for the business.

We're back with another episode, this time featuring Senior VP & CIO Antony D'Cruz at HSA Bank. Antony brings a rich background of over 20 years of global experience managing transformation projects and IT teams in complex environments. Antony and his team use technology and innovation to simplify the health account experience while helping clients save and spend more wisely. Antony's leadership style highlights the importance of listening in order to empower your team, remove roadblocks and give them the tools to be successful.

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Nathan joins the Vice President of Data & Analytics at U.S. Venture, Inc. Sangeeta Edwin to discuss her passion for data. Sangeeta and her team enjoy dabbling with data to drive value and business outcomes while steering the company culture to embrace data. Financial metrics help support how data can guide all teams of the business to optimize their operations. Sangeeta also discusses the importance of investing, mentoring, and valuing your team as they have gotten her to where she is today.

Molson Coors Vice President of Solution Delivery Maribeth Achterberg joins us on this newest Change Agent CTO Podcast episode to talk to Nathan about the ubiquitous nature of tech in any industry, with an emphasis on the importance of solving real-life business problems in manufacturing and the supply chain. As someone who started their career journey in a non-tech world, Maribeth talks through her journey and how meshing her career with technology propelled her into the role she has today and how exciting it is to be working in tech in the year 2022. From efficiency on the manufacturing floor to the value behind data assets versus physical machinery and more, Maribeth and Nathan have a jam-packed conversation you won't want to miss. Are you a Change Agent or do you know someone who is actively leading change in their industry or organization? We'd love to hear from you!

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Nathan sits down in person with Vice President, Senior Technology Product Manager of Baird John Zielinski about redefining what wealth management is and how it functions in the tech and financial services world. John talks about the transition between the legacy to modern approach in how financial advisors moved away from the Rolodex to an intuitive innovative CRM space to truly analyze and enabling sales opportunities. From relationship building to comprehensive wealth management tools, CRM provides a way to keep track of the business as well as the Standard of Care to better understand clients and their specific needs.

What better time to celebrate the summer days ahead, community, and all things tech than with a new episode of The Change Agent CTO Podcast featuring awesome guests working with Milwaukee's annual Summerfest Tech event. Generac Power Systems CIO Tim Dickson, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Sponsorship Sales Manager Lena DeLaet and Concurrency's COO Kate Weiland join Nate in this full-house episode to talk about Summerfest Tech and how important community is for organizations to come together, educate, and be educated, and network.

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Nathan sits down with Microsoft Manufacturing Digital and Application Innovation Leader Melissa Ramos to talk about what it means to drive innovation with technology in teams and organizations. Melissa talks through how her team works with manufacturing companies on how to develop a business model that will disrupt the marketplace with innovation. Sometimes, innovation isn't the “next shiny new thing”, it can be smaller steps that enable a business to get back to the core of what they're doing in manufacturing. From focusing on a customer's customer to improving business strategy to understanding what a successful team looks like by being digital advisors, this episode is full of inspiring methods to drive change with technology.

We're back with another episode, this time featuring “jack-of-all-trades” IT Leader of Sales & Marketing at Rockwell Automation, Amy Weber. With her rich background and go-getter attitude, Amy reflects on how her own professional journey as a female IT leader in product management has shifted her hiring strategy now, with an eye toward taking chances on the right people and looking beyond just resume qualifications. Amy's leadership style is about authenticity, always being in learning mode and giving her team the voice they need to achieve the best outcomes.

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Concurrency's own Managing Architect Brian Haydin shares stories about what it's like to be a technology consultant working inside some of the top organizations in the US, why establishing trust with each client leads to success, and how his own intellectual curiosity fuels his passion for helping clients solve the challenges that come with change. In addition, Brain offers candid guidance on how to navigate the internal politics and resistance that often stifle change. Plus, you'll hear Nate and Brian exchange stories from their years in the trenches- from awkward interviews to “I worked with a serial killer for six months.” You won't want to miss this episode!

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Nathan sits down with the CIO of Fox World Travel, Sam Hilgendorf, to discuss the ebb and flow of changes that occurred in and outside the travel industry during the height of the pandemic and onward. What do leaders need to prioritize and how does one balance the measures of success while also learning from the downfalls? From transparency of leadership teams to pivoting customer engagement methods, this episode brings to light the importance of sticking to your guns and responding to adversity.

On this episode of the CTO Change Agent Podcast, Nathan sits down with CHS Inc.'s Vice President of IT Zach Hughes as they discuss what it's like to work within tech in a non-tech industry. Zach touches on why industries, whether tech-heavy or not, should still think about infrastructure and cloud migrations that could modernize their environment and create better business opportunities for efficient and secure work. Zach emphasizes that everyone should be on their own journey to gain experience and thus help others with their own journeys, making your team feel comfortable being themselves at work and embracing the “geek culture” in a non-tech environment.

On this episode of the CTO Change Agent Podcast, Nathan sits down with Data Analytics Expert Dustin Schimek about what it means to be an entrepreneur in a technical field. From constantly seeking opportunities to taking risks and getting people excited about your projects and ideas, Dustin covers a broad range of innovative topics that can help transform you from an order taker, to a strategic analytics change agent.

On this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Concurrency CTO Nathan Lasnoski sits down with J.J. Keller's Director of Development Matt Bingham to talk about how to develop an efficient, well-trained but compelling team to manage IT infrastructure and cloud adoption throughout an organization. Matt discusses what it takes to create a team that will be able to not only do their job effectively, but also grow with the organization and create better internal infrastructure technologically. From setting up cloud adoption best practices to the power of learning by doing, Matt and Nathan dive deep into what it means to be a Change Agent with a stellar team to back them up.

We're back across the table with Change Agent CTO Podcast host Nathan Lasnoski and Foureva Media Founder, Speaker, and Author Jamar Jones as they talk about what it means to know and grow who sits in your circle of friends, professional peers, relationships, and more. From evaluating your circle and self-awareness, knowing when to let go of toxic relationships, to building up others to maintain a reciprocal networking impact are just a few things Jamar and Nate discuss in this insightful episode.

On this first-ever in-person episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Host and Concurrency CTO Nathan Lasnoski sits down face-to-face with PLS Financial Senior Director of IT Rick Hartline to discuss what data truly means to an organization. Rick exemplifies the true meaning of Change Agent in the midst of chaotic data management, pushing the boundaries of looking at data through a different lens and understanding how it can create opportunities and benefits company-wide.

Meet Change Agent Microsoft MVP Chris Wagner, a Rockwell Automation Analytics Architect and tech community engagement extraordinaire. From enterprise-related processes down to tinkering with technology someone loves, Chris speaks with Nathan Lasnoski about the importance of letting employees explore and create together to boost creativity and potentially discover new ways tech can be processed, prioritized and executed.

In this episode of the Change Agent CTO Podcast, Nathan sits down with the CIO of Loomis US, Kendall Knight, to talk about the critical role innovative technology plays in the organization's successful digital transformation. Through examples of AI facial recognition, machine learning, and bad actor-spotting drones, Kendall provides an inspiring take on change and the transformation mindset required to re-shape a fast-evolving industry.

In this episode of the CTO Change Agent Podcast, Nathan sits down with Health Payment Systems' President and Change Agent Terry Rowinski to talk about how marrying technologists with the healthcare billing system creates a necessary disruption in the market to help people and employers make better decisions. Terry also describes what it's like to morph a company from being simply paperless billing, to an empathetic customer advocacy environment.

Dr. Bob Hall, the Change Agent at the helm of the Elmbrook School District's forward-thinking experiential learning program, LAUNCH, joins Nathan on this episode of the Change Agent CTO podcast to discuss how LAUNCH is enhancing education by providing high school students with real-world learning opportunities in partnership with companies and organizations throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

Meet  Change Agent Kathy Henrich, CEO of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition and driving force behind efforts to double tech talent in the Milwaukee region to support regional success, foster tech opportunities, and meet employers' growing need for skilled tech talent. Kathy talks about the important role change plays within technology and efforts to transform a region.

Meet John Dyck, CEO of the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Institute (CESMII) and Change Agent propelling smart manufacturing to become the driving sustainable engine that delivers real-time business improvements in U.S. manufacturing. John speaks to the transformation of not just one business, but an entire industry, and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging hesitation of change in organizations.

Meet VP of IT Alan Murphy, the Change Agent spearheading digital transformation at Reinhart Foodservice/Performance Food Group. Alan's thoughtful approach to leading and empowering technology development teams provides a compelling framework for successful digital transformation in agile environments across industries.

Meet CIO Nickolo Villanueva, the Change Agent boldly leading transformation at Crisis Prevention Institute, the worldwide leader in evidence-based de-escalation and crisis prevention training and dementia care services. Nickolo offers powerful insights on leading and managing change as his organization successfully shifted its business model from in person to virtual service delivery and customer engagement. Listen now.

Meet the Change Agent leading digital transformation in the rapidly evolving financial services industry. Landmark Credit Union CIO Steve Hannan discusses the importance of approaching change as a coach, giving people the space to fail, and pacing change appropriately to succeed.

What does it take to be a Change Agent at one of the world's largest companies? Microsoft CTO David Totten gives you an inside look at how he is leading impactful change at Microsoft as the organization continues its mission "to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more."

Meet the Change Agent transforming technology at Brunswick, the Fortune 1000 global designer, manufacturer, and marketer of recreational marine products. Chief Information Officer Mike Adams' story of embracing and leveraging change will leave you inspired.