Squared 2024 Sessions
We are thrilled to share our exciting schedule with you, filled with insightful sessions led by industry experts. This year's topics span across the latest advancements in AI, cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, innovative web/software development techniques, and inspiring leadership strategies.
| Time | Track | Room | Speaker | Organization | Session | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 AM | Check In & Breakfast | Check in and start your day with breakfast while networking and visiting the exhibitor hall from 7:30-9:00am. NEW - Breakfast sessions begin at 8! | ||||
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast | Outrun Strategies | Kevin Austin | Check Point | Generative AI landscape, it’s impacts to business and security | We live in an ever changing time, it seems that every day a new AI tool is talked about. We will have brief history of AI. Discuss the current landscape of some tools publicly and privately available. We will compare how some of these tools compare. We will explore various text, image, video generation tooling. Along with explore other AI powered tools. Organizations can either attempt to abolish it, or learn to adopt the tools into their workflows. The tools could be to augment and enhance a workers ability, not sacrifice security. |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast | GuidePoint | Adam Cass | Veeam | Configuring inline malware detection with Veeam Data Platform | With the scene of the world changing and cyber attacks becoming more of a common occurrence clean recovery is more important than ever to your business. Walk with me as we show you how Veeam not only recovers your data quickly but clean and ready for production. |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast | Scott | Tim Goree | Springfield Tech Council | TechEd @ Squared | IT in education meetup. |
| 9:00 AM | Keynote | decibel | Panel | Springfield Tech Council | Tech Talk with Springfield Leaders | Doug Pitt of Pitt Technology Group hosts our keynote session with prominent Springfield area leaders weighing in on the value, challenges, and opportunities in tech. Featuring Ryan Stack, CIO, SRC Holdings, Cheryl Hertel, VP/CIO, CoxHealth, and Hal Higdon, Chacellor, OTC |
| 10:10 AM | Leadership | decibel | Simoriah Stogner | Senior Manager of Technology Services, Jack Henry | One Size Fits All... Doesn't | Studies show 65% of tech companies currently struggle to fill open positions. And 46% of companies expect the IT skills gap to grow. What if outdated and ill-fitting tech talent strategies are causing this shortage? Drawing on her own experience as a tech practitioner and leader, Simoriah Stogner reveals three key strategies to recruit, engage and retain the tech talent needed for today's challenges and tomorrow's innovation. |
| 10:10 AM | Leadership | Next Level Solutions | Ismael Hernandez | VP Information Technology at The Larson Group | Change the "perception" and personality of your IT Team Through Communication | A focus on the "soft skills" required to lead IT and how communicating with leadership successfully is going to be the new necessary skill for IT leaders. Presentation focuses on a simple yet effective way to categorize your conversations about IT projects without losing the attention from C-level management or operational technology leaders. |
| 10:10 AM | IT | Scott | Stefan Kelsey | Lead Engineer, Decibel-Losh Network Services | Diagnosing VoIP Issues | VoIP is one of the areas of IT that most people understand the least. This session will explain how SIP and VoIP work and then we'll dive into common issues people see. |
| 10:20 AM | Developer | GuidePoint | Carlos Chacon | Director of Data Solutions, Marathon Consulting | What is all the Hype with Microsoft Fabric? | Let's talk about how Microsoft Fabric simplifies data warehousing and empowers citizen developers and engineers to analyze data and accelerate reporting and insights at any scale. |
| 10:20 AM | Developer | Outrun Strategies | Ben Pomerenke | Founder/Director of Engineering, WareHQ Labs | Reflections of a founder - Building a new product, team and business | Starting a business is daunting. Growing a new product team can be just as daunting. I would like to share my experience over the last 12 months. The twists and turns, the plans that worked out, the ones that didn't and everything in between. |
| 10:20 AM | AI | SpringNet | Wade Passey | Director of IT, Pinegar Honda | Driving Into the Future: The Intersection of IT and Automotive Innovation | Examine AI's role in revolutionizing the automotive industry. We'll explore emerging tech trends, focusing on AI, self-driving, and ADAS. Attendees will gain insights into the necessary IT infrastructure for dealerships and the importance of cybersecurity in this new landscape. |
| 11:15 AM | AI | decibel | Tom Douglas | CEO, JMARK | AI Meets ITIL: Navigating the Future of IT Service Management | AI Meets ITIL: A Transformative Integration" by JMARK, delves into how AI is reshaping ITIL processes, enhancing efficiency and predictive capabilities. This session offers a comprehensive understanding of AI's challenges and opportunities in ITIL, along with practical adaptation strategies and success stories. |
| 11:15 AM | Leadership | Next Level Solutions | Bob Graham | Director of IT, Fiocchi of America | Build free KPIs for Managing your IT Team | How to build your own free metrics report for a IT department. What information is important and how to obtain information to create the KPI for a IT department. |
| 11:15 AM | Cybersecurity | Scott | Mica Cooper | CEO & President, Aisus/InsureCrypt | Cyber Insurance For Starters | What is cyber and what is not, reviewing a cyber DEC, how much do I need and when? Where is data stored, software design, underwriting, tools and more. |
| 11:25 AM | Developer | Outrun Strategies | Jesse Kuschel | Solutions Architect, Team D3 | Infrastructure As Code: Be Consistently Faster | How does Infrastructure as Code (IaC) make modern IT teams faster, more consistent, and deliver value the business seeks? We'll briefly look at what IaC is and examine three use cases: cloud storage for a business unit, a growing web application, and a new cloud-based service offering for clients. We'll see how IaC makes these processes more efficient, paving the way for further innovation within IT departments. |
| 11:25 AM | Cybersecurity | GuidePoint | Wes Hester | CEO, Foxhole Technology, Inc. & Member, Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (MCCoE) | SOC 2 vs ISO 27001 thru the eyes of a Cyber Defender | Briefing and discussion on what is SOC2 and ISO 27001 - a comparison and pros and cons of each. |
| 11:25 AM | Leadership | SpringNet | Kelley Lace | Business Development | Effective Leadership for Growth-minded Companies | Not all leadership is created equal. Certain leadership styles can damage productivity even with positive intent. In this session, we will discover practical methods to effectively lead your organization into a future of growth and expansion. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch Session | decibel | Caleb Boston | Beyond Healing, Session provided by Springfield Tech Council | Managing Stress for IT Professionals | The fast-paced and high-pressure world of information technology can take a toll on even the most seasoned professionals. This session will offer practical tips and techniques for managing workplace stress in healthy and productive ways. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch Session | Next Level Solutions | Roundtable | Springfield Tech Council, Session sponsored by Arctic Wolf | CIO Roundtable-Invitation Only | This is an invitation-only event, aimed at CIO-level attendees. Room hosted by Arctic Wolf. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch Session | Outrun Strategies | Matthew Matlack | Commscope/Ruckus | RUCKUS Networks introduction to WiFi 7 | RUCKUS Networks introduction to WiFi 7 and the importance of automation & analytics in optimizing the secure wireless experience for guests, employees, and contractors. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch Session | GuidePoint | Adam Mansour | Chief Security Officer-ActZero, Session sponsored by ActZero | AI-Powered Attacks and Defenses | Join us for a demonstration of the latest A.I attack and defense tactics. ActZero is a pioneer of the full-stack autonomous Security Operations Center, powering its AI-driven Managed Detection & Response (MDR) service. Get a firsthand look at AI cyber defenses and its history within ActZero. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch Session | SpringNet | Panel | Codefi, Session sponsored by Codefi | Rethink Your Tech Talent Pipeline: How to Leverage Capstone Projects and On-the-job Training to Set Your Organization Up for Success | Did you know the Missouri tech industry added 3,870 net jobs from 2021 to 2022? With Missouri outpacing the national average in tech industry growth, employers need strategies in place to attract and support regional talent. In this panel-style discussion, join Codefi along with former graduates of their software development program and local employers to talk about the impact of participating in capstone projects and on-the-job training programs. |
| 2:00 PM | IT | decibel | Mike Miller | vCISO-Chief Information Security Officer, Appalachia Technologies | Trends-What happened in 2023? What should we look for in 2024? | Looking back and looking forward. In this session we will talk about the Tech / Cyber topics (good and bad) that stood out in 2023 and where we are headed in 2024. In this conversation, we will be talking about lessons learned, how we can grow from them, and how to handle the upcoming years. |
| 2:00 PM | Leadership | Next Level Solutions | Tim Goree | Owner, Baton Pass Leadership | Leading Up and Leading Laterally | Explore techniques for building strong reciprocal relationships with lateral department heads in your organization, lateral leaders in other organizations, and superiors. This session helps the technical leader to build relationships where peers and even superiors happily "barter" with them to exchange important information and services that increase the technical leader's ability to get things done. |
| 2:00 PM | IT | Scott | Flint Walton | Technical Services & Training Specialist, Missouri Employers Mutual | Common sense safety in an IT environment. | IT personnel are often overlooked from a safety standpoint; however hazards exist, and we will look at simple solutions to the most common incidents. Most think of ergonomic issues when thinking about technology jobs, but that is not the only concern, we will delve into common injuries and solutions, some of these you will find surprising. We will also discuss Missouri Work Comp law regarding safety as well as touching on drugs/alcohol. |
| 2:10 PM | Developer | Outrun Strategies | Zach Hoskins | CEO, The Efficiency Conductor | Blueprint to Breakthrough: Revolutionizing Business Efficiency for Tech Visionaries | In the tech industry, it's easy for big, bold ideas to get muddled or stuck in the planning stage. That's where I come in. Think of me as your guide to clarity and practical action. With my unique scorecard tool, I help tech leaders like you turn those brilliant visions into reality, creating a workplace that's innovative, efficient, and set up for long-term success. |
| 2:10 PM | Cybersecurity | GuidePoint | Chris Crosby | Information Systems Director, City of Republic | Navigating Cybersecurity: Lessons Learned in Developing a Cybersecurity Program | Through my journey of building and maturing our cybersecurity program, I've encountered and navigated numerous challenges and sales pitches. In my presentation, I'll share insights from this firsthand experience. This talk is tailored for those looking to develop a robust cybersecurity program from the ground up, providing practical insights from someone who has walked this path in the unique setting of public service. |
| 2:10 PM | Cybersecurity | SpringNet | Chris Kincaid | Founder, Instructor, Hackwoods Academy/OTC | Gone Phish'n | Enhance your cybersecurity knowledge and safeguard against phishing threats. Explore the targeted nature of spear phishing, understand the risks associated with CEO (whaling) hunts, and learn how voice-based phishing (vishing) can compromise security. Gain insights into pharming, the manipulation of DNS settings leading to fraudulent websites, and discover the complexities of social media phishing. Navigate through the intricacies of search engine phishing (SEO Poisoning) and understand how attackers manipulate search results to lead users to malicious websites. |
| 3:00 PM | Happy Hour | Exhibitor Hall | Sponsored by Codefi | Happy Hour | End the day with networking and celebrating our tech community with a complimentary happy hour from 3ish to 4:30pm. |