Session Moderators & Panelists: 

Dr. Vess L. Johnson Assistant Professor of Analytics, Department of Information Technology & Decision Sciences University of North Texas	Dr. Tony Gerth, D.B.A. Clinical Professor Information Technology & Decision Sciences G. Brint Ryan College of Business University of North Texas

Marcus Session Vice President of Information Technology Services Tampa International Airport SIM Tampa Bay Chapter	Susan Malisch Vice President & Chief Information Officer Loyola University of Chicago Director, SIM National Board	Joan Holman Chief Information Officer Clark Hill PLC Secretary, SIM National Board

Over time, the role of the CIO has evolved. Today, the CIO and the IT organization play an important strategic role in most organizations. The IT trends study has collected data over the past four decades and closely monitored this evolution. This webinar will feature a short in-depth review of this evolution from the perspective of the IT trend study. In addition, we will explore how factors such as industry and organization size impact the role of the CIO.  A panel of three industry leaders will discuss issues and engage in broader discussions with attendees. We hope to have a thoughtful and perhaps enlightening discussion of the role of the CIO today and where it is heading as we look to the future.

About the Moderators: 

Dr. Vess L. Johnson  is an Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Decision Sciences at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX.  He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Texas, MS in Computer Science, BA in Philosophy and BS in Mathematics from Mississippi State University.  Prior to returning to academia, in a professional career spanning over 20 years, he served as the President and CEO of multiple companies in the semiconductor, software, and energy sectors. His work has appeared in journals including Information and Management, The European Journal of Information Systems, MISQ Executive, Communications of the ACM, Computers in Human Behavior, and The Journal of Computer Information Systems.

Dr. Tony Gerth is a Clinical Professor with the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas teaching strategic management of IT and business analytics.  He is also a certified executive coach. Previously he taught at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He had over 25 years of experience in technology consulting, IS strategic planning, manufacturing and systems implementation prior to his academic career. Dr. Gerth’s research centers on CIO leadership, particularly how CIOs make successful transitions and avoid derailment.  He is currently investigating how we are developing the leadership skills of the next generation of CIOs. He has been a frequent speaker regarding CIO leadership and soft skills for technology professionals for organizations such as SIM, ISACA, IIA, APICS, Pink Elephant, Value Summit and Gartner.  He is a member of SIM DFW, Association of Information Systems (AIS) and International Coaching Federation (ICF).  His research has been published in Communications of AIS, Proceedings of AMCIS, MIS Quarterly Executive, Business Horizons, and the Journal of Information Systems Management.  He is author of (along with Joe Peppard) Taking the Reins as CIO:  A Blueprint for Successful Transitions and A Student Guide to IT Strategy Case Analysis.  He also served as the publisher of MIS Quarterly Executive

About the Panelists:  

Marcus Sessions is the Vice President of Information Technology Services for Tampa International Airport (TPA).  His passion for technology, innovation, and business enablement are guiding the technology strategy of TPA.  He is responsible for leading and advising on technology initiatives throughout the organization.  He has 21 years of experience in Information Technology working in a variety of industries.  Previously, he served as Interim CIO for USF Health and Senior Director of IT Operations for the USF System. During his tenure at Tampa International Airport the ITS team has undergone significant change; restructuring of the IT project management office and information security team, hosting several technology events, and strengthened relationships with other technology organizations throughout the country.  This has increased visibility, collaboration, security, and efficiency of technology initiatives at the TPA. He was recognized in 2018 as one of eleven CIO of the year honorees by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.  He serves as a board member for the Tampa Chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM) as Vice President, and he as a steering group member for the Airports Council International BIT Committee. He has spoken at national conferences and led transformative initiatives to help his organizations reach their goals.  He holds a Master’s of Science in Information Technology, as well as a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. He is also a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and a Cisco Networking Academy alumnus.

Susan Malisch currently serves as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Loyola University Chicago. In this capacity, Susan leads the development and implementation of the University’s information technology (IT) strategic direction, and delivers IT services that support student learning, faculty research and teaching, administrative processes, and public service. Ms. Malisch frequently contributes in significant roles beyond IT at Loyola. Prior to joining Loyola, Ms. Malisch held technology leadership roles at Novell, Cambridge Technology Partners, UCLA, and ATT (formerly Southwestern Bell Communications). Ms. Malisch is the recipient of several leadership awards, including the 2016 SIM Leader of the Year Award and the 2010 CIO of the Year award from the SIM Chicago Chapter, the Executives Club of Chicago and Association of IT Professionals. Ms. Malisch is a past President and current Trustee for the SIM Chicago Chapter and volunteers with a number of educational and professional organizations. When asked why she would like to serve as a SIM board member, Ms. Malisch shared the following: “SIM is our community – our active engagement and participation is essential to maintain a vibrant, relevant and “connected” experience. As our profession evolves, so too, SIM seeks to evolve services and offerings to ensure we are informed, aware and competitive. Years of experience as a volunteer board member and leader has deepened my understanding of the mission, planning, and operations of a professional association. The competitive landscape for non-profit associations has grown in recent years with many market players offering similar programming in for-profit models. Ours is the only professional association run by an all-volunteer board that promotes and supports our business technology leadership/CIO community, and also gives back, and invests in, the local chapter communities. The combined capabilities and awareness of some of the challenges and opportunities facing professional associations, coupled with my commitment and passion for technology and leadership excellence, service in our community, and lifelong learning demonstrate both my ability and desire to lend these skills to advance the mission of SIM. In addition to volunteer board service for the local Chicago SIM Chapter, I've previously served as a board member and member of the Financial Aid Committee for the Lycee Francais de Chicago, and have also served as Vice President and President for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities -Conference on IT Management (AJCU-CITM). I find the service on these volunteer boards to support the mission and vision of these groups that I so believe in to be very rewarding and one way that I can give back to the communities that have given me so much.”

Joan Holman is the Chief Information Officer at Clark Hill PLC in Dallas, Texas. Joan joined the firm in 2013 and is responsible for all strategic and operational aspects of Information Technology, Litigation Support, the Legal Library and Technical Training for the firm. Prior to Clark Hill PLC, Joan spent over 2 years at Sigma-Aldrich, a leading global life sciences company, as the Senior Director of Portfolio Management, Customer Service and eBusiness. Joan has over 20 years of experience leading Information Technology, Strategy, Development and Operations for several public and private companies in the Environmental Services, Telecommunications and Financial Services industries. Outside of the workplace, Joan spends her time promoting STEM initiatives and giving back to her industry and community through her efforts on the Boards of Transformance and the Society for Information Management and her role as an Executive Host for the DFW Technology Ball. She is active involvement in the Dallas Executive Women’s Roundtable and previously served in a number of leadership roles in the Dallas chapter of the Association of Women Executives. Joan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Texas at Dallas. In August 2016, Joan was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of its 2016 “Women in Technology.” for her contributions to the technology community both professionally and philanthropically. Joan is the Chapter Representative of the following Chapters: Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, Wichita and Wisconsin.

If you require special assistance of any kind, please call us at 800.387.9746 email us at kwilson@simnet.org.