Midwest Technology Summit

Description

Can't make it to the event? Tune into the livestream.

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The Midwest Technology Summit is an engaging event where industry leaders talk about important technology topics. The Summit focuses on a mix of technology and security in business, featuring speakers from many fields who will share their insights. 

This year?s Summit will have a full agenda with expert panels, keynote speeches and sessions on retail, healthcare, energy and agriculture. Attendees can learn about trends in technology education and workforce development, and how to improve organizational security. The event will also cover new threats in cybersecurity and provide strategies to reduce risks, especially when it comes to cybersecurity policy. 

Join us at the Midwest Technology Summit to network with peers, learn from top professionals and discuss how technology can boost business success and security. Whether you want to stay updated on industry trends or find practical solutions to current challenges, this summit will give you the knowledge you need to thrive in today?s fast-changing tech world. 

Introduction

Shannon Full, President & CEO, FMWF Chamber

Expert Panel

Workforce and Education

Blaine Booher, Program Director, Emerging Digital Academy
Chad Davis, IT Director, Cybersecurity Program Director, Turtle Mountain Community College
Jerry Rostad, Vice Chancellor for Strategy and Strategic Engagement, North Dakota University System
Moderated by Terry Effertz, Executive Director, TechND

Blaine Booher is a software engineer who has a passion for community, education, and technology. As the Program Director for Emerging Digital Academy he is excited about the potential impact that EDA will have on the region and the lives of our students. Blaine has been building web-connected software projects for 20 years, including the last 10 years where he ran a technology consultancy that built custom solutions for startups and small businesses.

Chad Davis is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and a passionate advocate for cybersecurity education and awareness. Currently serving as the Information Technology Director and Cybersecurity Program Director at Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC), he oversees the strategic direction of the college's IT department and spearheads its cybersecurity initiatives. Recently, TMCC achieved the CAE-CD (Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense) designation, making it the only Tribal College to earn this distinction. 

Jerry Rostad is the Vice Chancellor for Strategy and Strategic Engagement for the North Dakota University System. Prior to that, he was an assistant CIO for many years with Core Technology Services of the NDUS. Jerry has been working with NDUS Chancellor Mark Hagerott on the Dakota Digital Academy ? an NDUS initiative that is focusing on the changing demands and opportunities associated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rapid digitization of our economy and society. In addition to his day job, Jerry is serving his third term as a commissioner on the Fargo Park Board and he is a retired U.S. Navy Captain after serving 28 years in the Navy Reserve. 

Terry Effertz is a native North Dakotan and earned both a law degree and transportation law certificate from the University of North Dakota in 2018. She is the owner of Effertz Executive Search & Management and currently serves as Board Administrator for the ND Boards of Addiction Counselor Examiners and Social Worker Examiners. She leads the state?s premier technology-based trade group, TechND, as their Executive Director, and was instrumental in organizing the North Dakota Shortline Railroad Coalition in 2021. 

Industry Insights

Technology in Retail: Innovation and New Policy Challenges

Christian Beckner, Vice President of Retail Technology & Cybersecurity, National Retail Federation

Christian Beckner is vice president of retail technology and cybersecurity at the National Retail Federation and executive director for the NRF Center for Digital Risk & Innovation. In this role, Beckner works with policy and industry stakeholders on critical technology issues that affect the retail sector, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and fraud prevention. He leads NRF?s CIO Council, Technology Leadership Council and IT Security Council, and co-leads NRF?s AI Working Group and Fraud Prevention Professionals Working Group. He also supports the development of technology and cybersecurity-related content at NRF?s conferences, and is a frequent speaker at cybersecurity and technology-focused events.  

Industry Insights

Securing Critical Infrastructure

Jeff Bewley, Director, Operational Security, ONEOK

Jeff Bewley has spent over thirty years in cybersecurity, primarily in the energy sector. He is responsible for the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure at ONEOK, one of America's largest pipeline companies. Jeff is also actively involved in joint efforts between the pipeline industry and Federal agencies to develop new ways to further enhance the resiliency of critical infrastructure against large-scale cyberattacks from foreign powers. 

Industry Insights

Innovations in Virtual Healthcare

​Dr. Dave Newman, Chief Medical Officer for Virtual Care, Sanford Health

Dave Newman, MD, is chief medical officer for virtual care at Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the country. A practicing endocrinologist and informaticist based in Fargo, ND, Dr. Newman is passionate about health care disparities, especially zip code-based disparities.

An influential voice in the industry, Dr. Newman is regularly invited to contribute his clinical expertise, unique perspective and forward-looking insights on innovation in rural health care delivery. He has presented at high-profile national industry events including the Reuters Digital Health Summit, HIMSS AI in Healthcare Forum and the flagship ATA Nexus Conference among others. In 2023, Dr. Newman was featured in a STAT News documentary for his commitment to using technology to offset major obstacles to health care across the Dakotas, bringing care closer to home for his patients who live hundreds of miles away.

Industry Insights

Agriculture

George Woodward, President & CEO, Trilogy Networks

George Woodward is a seasoned leader in the telecommunications and technology sectors, with extensive expertise in advancing rural connectivity and precision agriculture. Currently, he serves as the President and CEO of Trilogy Networks, Inc., where he is instrumental in pioneering cloud and network solutions to support rural communities and the agricultural sector. Under his leadership, Trilogy Networks is at the forefront of the Rural Cloud Initiative, driving innovation and secure cloud connectivity as a vital component of national food security. 

George is a recognized authority in wireless communication, holding key positions that influence national policy and industry standards. He is a member of the FCC?s Precision Agriculture Task Force, where he contributes to the development of technologies that enhance agricultural productivity. Additionally, George co-chairs the 6G Cybersecurity Council under the FCC?s CSRIC IX, a role that underscores his commitment to ensuring the security of next-generation networks. His previous roles include co-chairing the 5G OpenRAN & Cloud National Security working group for the FCC?s CSRIC VIII and serving as a director for the Rural Wireless Association. 

Keynote Address

Defining the Threat

Rob Spiger, Director of Cybersecurity Policy, Microsoft

Rob Spiger is a Director for Cybersecurity Policy at Microsoft, specializing in cyber resilience, security by design, and regulatory harmonization. He is an industry security expert with a background in trusted computing technology and standards development. He collaborates with global technologists from industry, government and academic institutions who are devoted to advancing security policy, technology, research, and innovation. He joined Microsoft in 2003 and prior to 2012 he was responsible for technical program management of Windows security features as a part of the security and identity team. He holds degrees in computer science with honors and electrical engineering from the University of Washington. 

Expert Panel

Enhancing your Security Posture

Ryan Cloutier, Chief of A.I., Candor
Nicole Evans, Grand Forks Center Director, North Dakota Small Business Development Centers
Richard Mendoza, Cyber Security Specialist, Google (not pictured)
Moderated by Rob Spiger, Director of Cybersecurity Policy, Microsoft

Ryan Cloutier is the Chief AI Officer and Visionary for Candor. He is an experienced IT/Cyber Security professional with over 15 years of experience developing Cyber Security programs.  Ryan is a virtual Chief Information Security Officer for organizations across the country and is Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP® He is proficient in cloud security, Dev-Ops, and Sec-Ops methodologies, security policy, process, audit, compliance, network security, and application security architecture. Ryan instructs the FRSecure CISSP mentor program, co-hosts security podcasts, and is included among the most influential people in cybersecurity.

Nicole Evans, the Grand Forks Center Director for the North Dakota Small Business Development Centers earned the Certified Cyber Security Strategy Certification through the North Star program. Evans has been instrumental in working with the Lead Center and the Delaware SBDC to place together a Cybersecurity Workbook for business clients as well as, offering a no cost Cybersecurity Assessment, Data Assured Guide & Toolkit, and a few training videos on the ND SBDC Website. 

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Corporate Sponsors

Concordia College | CNE, Inc. | Eide Bailly LLP | Flint Group
Marsh McLennan Agency | Western State Bank

 

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Midwest Summit Co-hosts