IT Matters | Tech Solutions and Strategies for Every Industry

This episode of the IT Matters Podcast features a conversation between host Keith Hawkey and guest Neil Stein, seasoned IT leader and Senior Vice President of Technology Services at OrthoCarolina. Neil shares insights on the evolution of technology, problem-solving skills, and the importance of curiosity in IT. Together, they explore how a solid foundation of knowledge, paired with the habit of asking the right questions, can shape the next generation of tech leaders.

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Introducing Neil Stein and his IT journey
[5:39] From chemistry to a career in technology
[12:43] GUIs and the art of troubleshooting
[16:28] Advice for new IT professionals
[20:44] Why the best leaders keep asking questions
[29:04] Connect with Neil

Notable Quotes:
"Talk to your peers. Question things. Be curious. Those are the fundamental pieces as you're a leader." - Neil Stein [18:20]
"From day one, as soon as you graduate high school, be the person asking the questions and never stop." - Neil Stein [21:28]

Connect with Neil Stein on LinkedIn.

Read the transcript: Episode 42

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

This episode of the IT Matters Podcast features a conversation between host Aaron Bock and guest Derek Jones, a longtime technology executive with experience leading IT teams for organizations of more than 350 people. Derek shares lessons from his career, shaped by his “offensive lineman mindset,” a philosophy rooted in team-first leadership. The discussion explores how IT leaders can stay relevant amid rapid technology change, especially the accelerating pressure around AI adoption.

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Introducing Derek Jones 
[3:10] From Operations to IT Leadership 
[11:03] Leading Enterprise Transformations 
[18:46] Developing Service-Oriented IT Teams 
[40:57] Decisions IT Leaders May Regret

Notable Quotes:
"Especially in this remote world now, where we've got technology leaders everywhere, it's really hard. There's still a value of a handshake, there's still a value of walking that mile in another person's shoes." - Derek Jones [16:26]
"Invest in yourself, invest in your team, and be a team player, and you're gonna win half the battle there." - Derek Jones [45:38]

Connect with Derek Jones on LinkedIn.

Read the transcript: Episode 41

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our host is joined by Michael Irwin, CISO for Odyssey Logistics, to discuss the challenges and misconceptions in the cybersecurity industry. Together, the emphasize the importance of understanding one's environment, prioritizing proactive measures over reactive chaos, and addressing legacy infrastructure.

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Michael Irwin, CISO for Odyssey Logistics

[6:05] Michael's Cybersecurity Journey

[8:54] Challenges in Cybersecurity Investment
[15:22] Proactive Disruption vs. Reactive Chaos

[31:47] Advice for Emerging Cybersecurity Leaders

Notable Quotes:
"Cybersecurity is asymmetrical in general. We have to protect everything, and a bad actor has to find the one thing that we didn't protect." - Michael Irwin [9:10]
"Focusing on positive culture and work-life balance and really supporting the people on your team moves the needle more than anything else." - Michael Irwin [33:40]

Connect with Michael Irwin on LinkedIn.

Read the transcript: Episode 40

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our host is joined by Nathanael Dick, Vice President of Cybersecurity at SteelFab, for a deep dive into the evolving world of cybersecurity compliance. Together, they explore why frameworks like the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) are becoming essential for modern organizations and how compliance can strengthen overall security. Nathanael also shares why companies should shift their mindset and view compliance not as a burden, but as an opportunity for business improvement.

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Introducing Nathanael Dick, VP of Cybersecurity at SteelFab

[2:23] Two Truths and a Lie - Cybersecurity Edition

[4:50] Nathanael's Background & Experience
[8:54] Compliance as a Growth Opportunity

[26:38] A Message to the Industry

Notable Quotes:
"What is always so critical to stop the bad guys is to be aware." - Nathanael Dick [28:17]
"Stay cyber safe. Stop and think." - Keith Hawkey [29:19]

Connect with Nathanael Dick on LinkedIn.

Read the transcript: Episode 39

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our host is joined by Troy Penny, Global Vice President of Information Technology at Harsco Rail. As a children’s book author, Troy has learned a lot about the power of storytelling in technology. Together, him and our host discuss the influence of leadership and culture in IT, aligning business with technology, and the importance of stories in a quickly-changing technology landscape. 

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Introducing Troy Penny, Global VP of IT at Harsco Rail

[12:08] Learning Leadership in IT

[17:15] Growing from IT Challenges and Failures

[22:01] Connecting Strategy, People, and Technology 

[29:42] Finding Your North Star

Notable quotes:

“Great technology leaders don't just think in system frameworks, they think in stories.” - Keith Hawkey [01:13]

“You have to look at IT through the eyes of the business.” - Troy Penny [16:34]

Connect with Troy Penny:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyspenny/

Read Troy’s books:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Troy-Sheridan-Penny/author/B0F7LSBM8Y/allbooks?ccs_id=b434535d-3802-4e17-8639-015db6324679

Read the transcript: Episode 38

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our hosts are joined by Shane Creech, Vice President of IT at Ob Hospital Group. Together, they unpack what it means to lead IT when the stakes are high, and the lights absolutely must stay on. Listen to hear Shane share -  

• How his path from aspiring medical lab technician to healthcare IT executive shaped the way he thinks about systems, people, and risk 
• What separates IT leaders who survive risk from those who don’t 
• Advice for anyone in IT feeling pressure to handle regulations, system downtime, the growing role of cloud and AI, and more 

Conversation Highlights: 

0:00 Introducing Shane Creech, VP of IT at Ob Hospital Group 

[5:55] Shane’s Journey in IT 

[10:39] Navigating the Challenges of IT in Healthcare 

[15:25] The Growth of Cloud Tech in IT 

[25:32] The Future of AI 

Notable quotes: 

“It’s more than a bad day today. It’s a bad day for the next five years.” - Shane Creech [14:47] 

“It comes down to the metrics that matter.” - Shane Creech [27:00] 

Connect with Shane Creech: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-creech/ 

Read the transcript: Episode 37 

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business. 

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our hosts are joined by Stephen Self, Director of IT Infrastructure and Security at Jim n’ Nick’s Community Barbecue. Together, they discuss the IT challenges restaurant chains face, the growing role of AI in IT, lessons he’s learned in his IT career, and more.

Conversation Highlights:

0:00 Introducing Stephen Self, Director of IT Infrastructure and Security at Jim n’ Nick’s

[6:00] Stephen’s Journey in IT

[11:40] Managing IT in a Growing Restaurant Chain

[17:29] Lessons from IT Failures and Successes

[21:43] Role of AI in IT

[29:44] Future of IT Teams and AI Integration

Notable quotes:

“Chance favors the prepared.” - Stephen Self [17:29]

“If you’re in business, tech is a part of your business.” - Stephen Self [32:30]

Connect with Stephen Self:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wstephenself/

Read the transcript: IT Matters Episode 36

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our host is joined by Jeff Garrett, VP of Solutions Architecture at Opkalla. Together, they discuss 2025’s biggest technology trends, the evolving role of IT in business strategy, and predictions for the technology landscape in 2026.

Conversation Highlights:

00:00 Introducing Jeff Garrett, VP of Solutions Architecture at Opkalla

[03:19] Key trends in IT for 2025 

[07:09] AI implementation and its challenges 

[16:37] Cybersecurity trends and MDR 

[22:53] The evolving role of IT in business 

[40:48] Predictions for 2026 

Notable Quotes:

“It feels a little bit like the Wild Wild West, you can't turn around without hearing AI-enabled or AI-driven something nowadays.” -Jeff Garrett [08:11]

“Data has never been further stretched out from the center of our organization than it is now." -Jeff Garrett  [21:50]

Connect with Jeff Garrett:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-garrett-1357b36/

The IT Matters Podcast is about IT matters and matters pertaining to IT. It is produced by Opkalla, a technology advisory firm that helps their clients navigate the confusion in the technology marketplace and choose the solution that is right for their business.

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our host is joined by Dana Staples, Vice President of Information Technology at ReVision Energy. Together, they discuss balancing IT initiatives and vendor relationships, the impact of AI on IT problem-solving, and engaging the new generation of IT.

Thank you to Cato Networks, this episode's sponsor. With Cato, organizations securely and optimally connect any user to any application anywhere on the globe. Its cloud-native architecture enables Cato to rapidly deploy new capabilities and maintain optimal security posture, without any effort from the IT teams. With Cato, your IT organization and your business are ready for whatever comes next.

Conversation Highlights:
00:00 A message from our sponsor at Cato Networks
[01:37] Introducing Dana Staples, VP of IT at ReVision Energy
[06:54] Navigating leadership challenges in IT
[12:17] Balancing in-house IT and vendor relationships
[20:24] Empowering teams for innovation
[28:36] Leveraging AI in IT problem solving

Notable Quotes:
“Sometimes there's some decisions that are a little further along than you'd like when IT is brought in." -Dana Staples [10:17]

“I believe really strongly that you hire people to do a role and once you hire them, you should let them do it." -Dana Staples  [20:55]

Connect with Dana Staples:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danastaples/

Explore Cato Networks’ Offerings:
https://www.catonetworks.com/

Opkalla is an IT advisory firm that helps businesses navigate the vast and complex IT marketplace. At Opkalla, we work alongside IT teams to design, procure, implement and support IT solutions without an agenda or technology bias. On this channel and the IT Matters Podcast, you can expect that high level of expertise from our hosts, plus interviews with the leading experts on topics like AI, cybersecurity, industry-specific IT solutions, strategy and more.

Connect with Us: 
Website - https://opkalla.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/opkalla/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/opkallainc
Twitter - https://twitter.com/opkalla

On this episode of the IT Matters Podcast, our hosts are joined by John Sotello, Chief Information Officer of Cloyes Gear and Products. Together, they discuss the changing role of CIOs, the intersection of technology and business, and the impact of cybersecurity and data on the automotive industry.

Conversation Highlights:

00:00 Introducing John Sotello, CIO of Cloyes

[05:15] The Role of a CIO in Modern IT

[08:20] John Sotello’s Unique Career Path

[15:09] Cybersecurity Insights for the Automotive Industry

[20:58] The Future of Data 

[30:52] Transforming IT from Cost Center to Revenue Driver

Notable Quotes:

• “Data is the new gold." - John Sotello [21:14]
• “It takes a lot of small wins to get to a big win. And unfortunately, it doesn't take a whole lot to lose that big win too.” - John Sotello [36:21]

Connect with John Sotello:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-sotello/

Opkalla is an IT advisory firm that helps businesses navigate the vast and complex IT marketplace. At Opkalla, we work alongside IT teams to design, procure, implement and support IT solutions without an agenda or technology bias. On this channel and the IT Matters Podcast, you can expect that high level of expertise from our hosts, plus interviews with the leading experts on topics like AI, cybersecurity, industry-specific IT solutions, strategy and more.