Chapter Meetings & Events Calendar

ReThink Everything! SIG: Show Me the ROI: Cutting Through the AI Spending Hype

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

AI spending is climbing fast, but value is harder to prove. Uber burned through its annual AI budget in months. Starbucks scrapped a multi-year AI inventory tool. Token-based pricing makes costs unpredictable, and drawing a straight line from investment to outcome has proven tougher than anyone expected.

Join an AMA moderated by SIM ReThink Everything! Co-Chair Bill Waas, with Billy Boozer, CTO at Dualboot Partners, responding to your situations rather than working through a prepared script. When you register, you'll receive a short issues paper and self-assessment. Come ready to talk, not just listen.

No vendor pitches. No sanitized success stories. Just honest dialogue grounded in what you're actually navigating.

Billy Boozer

Bill Waas

COST TO ATTEND:

Free for SIM Members.

Employees of SIM Members are welcome to attend for free

ATTENDEE SUPPORT:

If you have trouble registering or need to renew your SIM membership, please email sim@simnet.org.

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

ReThink Everything! SIG: Post-Quantum Cryptography: What Tech Leaders Need to Act on Today

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

RTE typically looks 3 to 5 years ahead — time enough to watch, learn, and prepare. Post-quantum cryptography doesn’t fit that pattern.

The algorithms capable of breaking today’s encryption already exist. Quantum computers powerful enough to use them are still years away. But the preparation window for enterprises — migrating cryptographic infrastructure, updating identity systems, securing long-lived data — is measured in years too. Organizations that wait for the threat to materialize will find the window has closed.

In this session, Dr. Michael Tagscherer, Group CTO at Giesecke+Devrient, brings a practitioner’s perspective that goes well beyond the NIST standards. Drawing on G+D’s experience securing some of the world’s most critical digital infrastructure — across financial systems, government identity programs, and connected devices — he will cut through the noise on timelines, separate what your vendors will genuinely cover from what requires your own active decisions, and share what organizations that have already started look like compared to those that haven’t.

Dr.-Ing. Michael Tagscherer is Group CTO of Giesecke+Devrient, responsible for the company’s technological direction and long-term innovation. He has held global leadership roles at G+D since 2001, with deep expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and post-quantum cryptography. He holds a degree in computer science from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with a focus on applied AI and machine learning. Dr. Tagscherer serves on several technology advisory boards.

COST TO ATTEND:

Free for SIM Members.

Employees of SIM Members are welcome to attend for free

ATTENDEE SUPPORT:

If you have trouble registering or need to renew your SIM membership, please email sim@simnet.org.

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

SIM Leadership Insight SIG - Leading Across Generations

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:30:00 GMT

ATTENDEE SUPPORT:

If you have trouble registering or need to renew your SIM membership, please email sim@simnet.org.

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

SIM Austin Networking Meeting

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Join us for our Networking Meeting!

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Battle of the CFO & CIO

Join us for one of our most anticipated panels of the year: Battle of the CFO & CIO where finance and technology leadership collide for a lively and insightful discussion on how modern organizations succeed when these two roles work together.

Today’s organizations rely on strong collaboration between finance and technology to drive innovation, manage risk, scale operations, and support strategic growth. This panel will explore the evolving relationship between the CFO and CIO, how their priorities align (and sometimes clash), and how successful organizations turn that dynamic into a competitive advantage.

Expect candid perspectives, real-world stories, and practical takeaways as our panelists discuss topics such as:

Aligning technology investments with business strategy
Balancing innovation with financial discipline
AI, automation, and digital transformation investments
Cybersecurity and risk management
Budgeting, forecasting, and measuring technology ROI
Building strong partnerships between finance and IT teams

This engaging conversation will feature two accomplished leaders who have spent their careers at the intersection of business strategy, finance, and technology.

Speaker Bios

Richard Shields is a professional finance executive with significant experience in high-growth companies. He has served as CFO of four public companies, including several multi-billion-dollar companies publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. He currently serves as CFO of Arrive Logistics, ranked by the Austin Business Journal as the largest private company in Austin by revenue in its most recent survey.

He previously served as CFO of YETI Coolers, where he helped prepare the company for its successful initial public offering. Over the course of his career, he has raised more than $5 billion in capital through credit facilities, term debt, private equity, and public market transactions, and he has extensive M&A experience on both the buy and sell side.

Mr. Shields earned a BA in Business from Eastern Washington University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Central Texas.

Russ Finney is an award-winning Associate Professor of Instruction and Director of MIS Undergraduate Programs at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, where he teaches technology and business strategy. He is also the past Chair of the UT Faculty Council Information Technology Committee. His primary research areas include strategy, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

He recently produced the Business @ the Speed of Innovation podcast and serves as an advisory partner to several firms, assisting with research and client engagement projects. Prior to academia, he served as CIO in the semiconductor, aerospace, and financial services industries, where he focused on manufacturing, engineering, defense products, core banking, and investment trading systems.

In 2016, Russ was named by Apollo Research as one of the Top 5 most highly followed U.S. CIO influencers on social media. In both 2021 and 2023, he was named to the Texas McCombs Faculty Honor Roll for excellence in teaching. He began his career with Ernst & Young.

SIM Work 4.0 SIG - The Labor Market is Sending a Signal. Are You Reading It?

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

SIM Work 4.0 · July 2026 Session

The Labor Market Is Sending a Signal.

Are You Reading It?

Introducing the Work 4.0 Index — the first composite measure of structural workforce health built specifically for technology leaders.

July 2026 · SIM TechLeader Forum ● Live Session + Q&A ● SIM Members

40 / 100

Current W4I Score Hidden Stress Zone

25%

of U.S. job cuts now cite AI — a first

61.9%

Labor force participation — lowest since Nov 2021

The economy is growing. Unemployment looks manageable. And yet something structural is shifting beneath the surface — entry-level roles contracting, discouraged workers surging, AI-cited layoffs reaching a milestone never seen before. The Work 4.0 Index was built to measure exactly this. Not the headline. The signal underneath it.

WHAT WE’LL COVER

01	The Index, Explained Six pillars. Two layers — Baseline and Enhanced. Why the gap between them is the most important number on the page, and what it’s telling us right now.

02	Reading the Current Score A walk through the May 2026 data: what each pillar is measuring, where stress is building, and why the trajectory matters more than any single month.

03	The Organizational Mirror How to place your organization on the same scale as the national index — and what the CIO/CHRO gap in your own scores reveals about hidden risk.

04	What Technology Leaders Do With This Board conversations. Workforce planning. Talent pipeline decisions. Concrete decision frames for using monthly index data in your leadership practice.

05	Live Q&A Bring your numbers. Bring your skepticism. The index is designed to be interrogated.

THIS SESSION IS FOR YOU IF…

✓ You’re walking into board conversations about AI and workforce with more questions than data

✓ You suspect the labor market is changing faster than the headlines suggest

✓ You want a structured way to benchmark your organization’s workforce posture against the macro

✓ You’re a CIO who needs the CHRO in the room — and a framework that bridges both views

Bill Waas

Co-Chair, SIM Work 4.0 · Architect, Work 4.0 Index

The Work 4.0 Index publishes monthly. This session is the first time the full methodology, current data, and organizational application framework are presented together to the SIM community.

Society for Information Management · Work 4.0 Initiative · www.simnet.org/work-4-0

SIM Women Webinar - July 2026

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:00:00 GMT

SIM Women is a network inside the SIM national association that promotes mentorship, communication, and career development amongst the female members of SIM. We are excited to host our next webinar on Wednesday, July 29th at 3pm ET.

After a successful 22-year tenure at a single enterprise, rising from software developer to Chief Information Officer, SIM Philadelphia member Leena Patel recently navigated her own career transition. In this session, she will share her personal story, including how she recognized when it was time to pivot, the proactive steps she took to handle the transition, and how she ultimately landed her new CIO role. Join us to learn valuable lessons on career resilience, executive networking, and navigating the path to leadership.

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REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the October 16th SIM Women Leadership Summit! We are virtual this year and our theme is "Braving Boundaries!" The pace of decision making is exponentially increasing, prompting many to hesitate or to jump blindly for fear of falling behind. Trust is earned, and in the world of AI, verify then trust is a necessity. Each organization needs to understand their physical, capacity, and innovation boundaries, and go boldly toward them. Equally, each leader needs to know themselves and how internal boundaries can constrict us or deepen relationships by empowering authenticity.

Our multiple tracks of programming offer a tailored experience for each attendee, and our FLASH SALE will run to July 31^st to visit www.SIMWomenSummit.org and Register Today!

Register above! Once you register, you will receive the webinar access information directly from Zoom.

SIM Capital Area: Book Club

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Designed as a forum for thoughtful discussion and shared learning, the Book Club will bring members together to explore timely books at the intersection of technology, leadership, and strategy and to connect with peers through engaging, low-pressure conversation.

In true SIMCAC fashion, the Book Club blends networking and professional development, creating space for members to exchange perspectives, learn from one another’s experiences, and build meaningful peer connections.

We’re grateful to SIMCAC members Kshemendra Paul and Erran Carmel, who have volunteered to host and facilitate the Book Club. They’ll guide discussions and help shape a program that’s relevant and member-driven. Book Club will meet every 6 weeks, or so.

This Session's Book Selection - Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, by Yuval Noah Harari.

From the bestselling author of Sapiens, Nexus takes readers on a sweeping journey through the history of information: how it has connected us, controlled us, inspired us, and at times misled us. Yuval Noah Harari examines how information networks have shaped human society, from early storytelling and religious texts to bureaucracy, propaganda, mass media, and now artificial intelligence.

At its core, Nexus asks a timely and urgent question: if humanity has become so powerful through our ability to share information, why are we also so vulnerable to misinformation, manipulation, and self-destruction? Harari challenges readers to think differently about the relationship between information and truth, technology and trust, and wisdom and power.

As AI rapidly changes how information is created, distributed, and believed, this book offers a thought-provoking backdrop for a timely discussion about leadership, society, ethics, and the future of human decision-making. Join us for a lively conversation about what history can teach us as we navigate the next great information revolution.

We look forward to seeing you there!

SIM Austin - Q3 2026 Enclave

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 22:00:00 GMT

About the Enclave:

Enclaves are held quarterly and are by invitation only.

If you are interested in attending an upcoming Enclave, please contact Melissa Day.

Thank you.

SIM Work 4.0 SIG - The Impact of GenAI on IT Professionals: Findings and Insights

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The SIM SIG Work 4.0 Focus Groups on the Impact of GenAI on the IT Workforce were facilitated within SIM Chapters, including SIM New York, SIM Fairfield Westchester, SIM Tampa, SIM Arizona, SIM San Diego, SIM Arizona, and the SIM Re-thinkers group. These focus groups provided feedback and insights on three questions:

How is GenAI transforming IT roles, required skills, and hiring practices across experience levels?
In what ways can IT professionals and programmers use GenAI as work companions to boost productivity and innovation?
What essential competencies remain critical in an AI-driven IT landscape?

This webinar will highlight some of the key take-aways from the focus groups.

Dan Mazzola

Dan Mazzola, Ph.D., is a Clinical Professor at Arizona State University, leading Information Systems and AI programs, with 20+ years in industry, 10+ years in academia, and extensive community leadership.

Mary Sumner

Mary Sumner is Professor, Division of Management Information Systems, University of Oklahoma. She serves as the SIM Academic Director and VP for Strategic Partnerships for AIS, the Association for Information Systems.

Sean Masterman

Sean Masterman, Ed.D has been a technology leader delivering value for over 25 years to organizations like Target, Wells Fargo, Rollerblade,
and UCare, and a higher educator for over 15 years at Concordia University- Saint Paul, the University of Minnesota, and the University of
Sioux Falls. He is passionate about helping prepare youth to thrive in the future workforce alongside AI and robotics.

SIM Austin Happy Hour

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Join us for our Happy Hour!

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Join us for a relaxed networking Happy Hour where the Austin tech and business crowd can unwind, swap ideas, and make a few new connections. We’re putting the final touches on the details now, so keep an eye out for more info coming your way.

For now, mark your calendar and plan to grab a drink with fellow leaders in our community.

SIM Austin 2026 Charity Golf Event

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

2026 SIM Austin Charity Golf Tournament

The Annual SIM Austin Charity Golf Tournament is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2026! Mark your calendars now for this highly anticipated event where we unite for a worthy cause. This year's tournament is supporting Code2College. Code2College is accelerating the pace and increasing the proportion of historically underestimated high school students who enter and excel in STEM undergraduate majors and careers.

It's going to be a great day of golf, networking and supporting a great cause so the only question is....will YOU be there? Registration and Sponsorships are now open!

Tournament sponsorships are available on a first-come, first served basis, so reserve your preference now! In the past sponsorships have sold out at certain levels, so don't dely.

This year's tournament will start at 7:30 am with the shotgun start at 9:00 am.

We look forward to seeing you there!

SIM Austin - Q4 2026 Enclave

Thu, 5 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

About the Enclave:

Enclaves are held quarterly and are by invitation only.

If you are interested in attending an upcoming Enclave, please contact Melissa Day.

Thank you.