What happens when a curious kid in New Delhi never puts his hand down?

Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, reflects on how growing up in India shaped his leadership style, his love of experimentation, and his passion for bridging academia with industry. In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, Gaurav shares personal stories of fearless curiosity, supportive teachers, and why he now walks into meetings without a pitch deck… and leaves with a mission.

You’ll hear:

• Why childhood encouragement matters more than we realize
• How to start powerful conversations with just one question
• The value of showing up without a script and leading with purpose

What if college is preparing you for something deeper than just technical skills?

In this episode, Fanny Dunagan sits down with Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at the University of Texas at Dallas, who shares what higher education really teaches and why confidence, independent thinking, and real-world connections matter more now than ever.

We dive into:

✅ The “confidence gap” no one talks about in school

✅ How universities can stay relevant in the age of AI

✅ The power of mentorship and bridging academia with industry

📌 Whether you're a student, mid-career professional, or industry leader, this episode will challenge your assumptions about education, talent, and the future of work.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Gaurav Shekhar on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravshekhar/

Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter

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What if education worked like your smartphone?

In this segment from Tech Leaders Untold, former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes lays out a bold, scalable plan to reimagine American education: an Education Operating System (EOS).

Just like Apple’s iOS unlocked a world of innovation, Jim argues that EOS could create universal access to high-quality learning tools, individualized education for every student, and real-time connections between students, teachers, and edtech providers; all while ensuring privacy, security, and interoperability.

You’ll hear:

• Why 13,000 different school systems create a broken, fragmented experience
• How a national EOS could level the playing field for every learner and educator
• What real personalized learning looks like in an AI-enabled classroom
• How EOS could bridge the digital divide and increase third-grade literacy nationwide
• Why Jim believes we need a modern-day JFK-style moonshot to make this happen

If you care about the future of education, AI in the classroom, or building a more equitable system for all, this conversation will inspire you.

Think 7-Eleven is just cheap snacks and Slurpees? Think again.

In this segment of Tech Legacies podcast, former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO, Jim Keyes shares how 7-Eleven Japan quietly became one of the world’s most advanced retail operations… decades before data-driven retail became trendy.

Jim explains how, even in the 1990s, 7-Eleven Japan was using real-time data and logistics to deliver fresh food multiple times a day, manage precise inventory forecasts, and empower store managers to adapt based on real customer insights, not just algorithms.

More than just a story about innovation, it’s a lesson in how technology should enhance, not replace, human intelligence.

You’ll learn:

• How 7-Eleven Japan used data warehousing before it was cool
• Why logistics + local insight = retail magic
• What U.S. convenience stores still get wrong
• Why the future of retail blends AI with the eyes and ears of the people on the ground

If you're into retail innovation, leadership, or tech culture in Japan, this story will surprise and inspire you.

Everyone thinks Netflix killed Blockbuster… but former CEO Jim Keyes says the real story is very different.

In this TECH BYTE clip from Tech Leaders Untold, Jim reveals what really happened behind the scenes: how Blockbuster was actually ahead of its time in streaming, why a potential deal with Enron could have changed entertainment forever, and why Netflix’s $50 million offer wasn’t the sure bet history makes it out to be.

He also shares the lost story of Blockbuster's Total Access, a hybrid DVD-by-mail and in-store exchange model that beat Netflix’s convenience long before streaming took off.

What went wrong? Bandwidth. Timing. And the 2008 financial collapse that crushed the company’s transformation just as it began.

If you think you know the Blockbuster story, think again.

You’ll learn:

• Why Blockbuster’s tech strategy was years ahead of competitors
• The untold role of Enron and Movielink in early streaming
• Why Netflix wasn’t the obvious winner in 2000
• How timing and perception shaped one of the biggest myths in business

What can the former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster teach us about AI, leadership, education, and resilience?

In this wide-ranging conversation, James Keyes shares untold stories from the front lines of corporate transformation. He reveals how perception, not technology, doomed Blockbuster... why 7-Eleven Japan's secret weapon wasn't AI, but human insight... and how his bold vision for an education operating system could unlock opportunity for millions.

From growing up in poverty to leading iconic global brands, Jim reflects on the power of mindset, curiosity, and lifelong learning. He challenges common assumptions about failure, innovation, and the future of work, and makes a passionate case for why education is freedom.

He also asks (and answers!) the provocative question: "What if education worked more like an operating system?"

Topics we cover include:

• AI and the future of decision-making
• Lessons from Blockbuster’s misunderstood collapse
• Empowering frontline workers with tech (not replacing them)
• The cultural pressures that keep people from standing out
• Why the U.S. needs a national education operating system
• How astronauts and CEOs experience the “overview effect”

If you're a tech leader, educator, innovator, or lifelong learner, this episode will change how you think about leadership and what it means to build a better future.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Jim Keyes on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-keyes-a0947215/

Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:00 Why They Call Him the “Corporate Yoda” of Leadership and Innovation

04:15 How Curiosity Became the Secret Weapon Behind Every Great Leader

06:43 From Poverty to CEO: The Power of Education to Change a Life

10:36 Teachers, Mentorship & the Unsung Heroes Who Shape the Future

16:06 What he's learned About Leadership, Grit & Excellence

18:45 The Hard Truth: Why Standing Out at Work Makes People Uncomfortable

23:05 Change = Opportunity: The Mindset Every CEO Needs in Times of Disruption

25:51 How 7-Eleven Japan Used Data & Technology to Revolutionize Retail

34:49 Thank you to our sponsor, CG Infinity

32:33 The Real Reason Blockbuster Failed (And Netflix Had Nothing to Do with It)

40:18 How AI and Tech Can Fix America’s Broken Education System

48:34 Inside the Vision: America’s “Education Operating System” (EOS) Explained

55:00 A JFK Moment for Education: The Moonshot for 100% Literacy

1:05:19 Flying at 45,000 Feet: Lessons on Perspective, Purpose & Legacy

1:14:20 My Legacy: Why Knowledge, Curiosity & Faith Still Matter in the AI Age

1:19:14 Closing Thoughts & Tech CXO Launchpad

What’s the secret to uniting an entire region’s tech ecosystem for 30+ years?

Meet Tech Titans, North Texas’ leading technology trade association. From its telecom roots in 1994 to today’s thriving community of AI, cybersecurity, and innovation leaders, Tech Titans has become the hub for connection, collaboration, and growth.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Paul Bendel, Executive Director of Tech Titans on how they:

🔹 Bring tech professionals together through powerful networking and industry forums

🔹 Support entrepreneurs with innovation programs and education

🔹 Inspire the next generation with a STEM initiative that’s reached 20,000+ students

🔹 Celebrate excellence with the Tech Titans Awards Gala, drawing 500+ leaders annually

If you’re a tech professional, entrepreneur, or executive, this is your gateway to the people and programs shaping the future of technology in North Texas and beyond.

👉 Watch now to discover how Tech Titans continues to build networks, leaders, and future talent.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Paul Bendel of Tech Titans, https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bendel-7938119/

Learn more about Tech Titans at https://techtitans.org/

Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter

What does it really take to thrive in the Tech C-Suite today?

Gone are the days when CIOs and CTOs were simply the smartest people in the room. Today’s tech leaders must be conductors—orchestrating vendors, partners, and specialist teams across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and beyond.

In this conversation, Trude Van Horn and Kris Fitzgerald share why the modern Tech C-Suite is:

🔹 Orchestrators, not executors – aligning people, processes, and technology

🔹 Wearing multiple hats – finance, risk, and legal alongside technology

🔹 Moving from reactive to proactive – advising CEOs on innovation and business models

🔹 Inspiring teams – building trust, alignment, and the courage to innovate

The CIO and CTO roles are no longer about doing—it’s about leading, inspiring, and balancing the risks of disruption with the demands of reliability.

👉 Watch now to uncover how the Tech C-Suite is evolving, and what skills will define the next generation of technology leaders.

Top tech executives join host Fanny Dunagan to reveal their untold stories about innovation, the role of IT, managing teams, and using technology to get ahead in your career. Based in the Dallas-Forth Worth area as the CEO of PathLynks, Dunagan talks to CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs from across the corporate universe, from AT&T to Verizon to Hasbro.

Welcome back to our special series of interviews called Tech Leaders Untold!

In this episode:

• The role of the CIO and CTO has transformed from keeping systems running to shaping the future of entire organizations
• Host Fanny Dunagan sits down with three seasoned leaders to unpack the evolution of the Tech C-Suite:

Gertrude Van Horn – SVP & CIO at Cien.ai, Former CIO at NCH Corporation

Kris Fitzgerald – COO at Unknot.id, Former CTO at NTT DATA Services

Paul Bendel – Executive Director of Tech Titans, the leading technology association in North Texas

Together, they explore how today’s tech leaders must master more than technology. They must be orchestrators, communicators, and visionaries guiding CEOs and boards through rapid change.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why CIOs and CTOs are now strategic drivers, not back-office operators
• How AI is reshaping leadership, strategy, and culture
• The new balance between risk, innovation, and business outcomes
• Why soft skills like vulnerability, curiosity, and communication matter more than ever
• How Tech Titans organization is fueling North Texas innovation, forging powerful connections, and inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders

The conversation blends decades of C-suite experience with future-focused insights on AI, orchestration, and leadership. If you want to understand what it really takes to thrive in the evolving tech ecosystem, this episode is a must-watch.

Whether you’re a CIO, CTO, aspiring leader, or part of the North Texas technology community, you’ll walk away with practical lessons and a renewed perspective on the human side of tech leadership.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Gertrude Van Horn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gertrudevanhorn/

Connect with Kris Fitzgerald on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-fitzgerald-baa72/

Connect with Paul Bendel on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bendel-7938119/

Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter

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📖 Episode Chapters:

00:00 – Augmenting, Not Annihilating Your Intelligence

00:50 – Welcome to Tech Leaders Untold Podcast x Tech Titans

02:16 – Meet the Tech C-Suite Leaders

04:39 – The CIO Role 20 Years Ago

06:02 – From Back Office to Boardroom

07:24 – Data Centers to the Cloud

09:05 – Build or Buy? Lessons from the Past

10:31 – Why 80% of AI Projects Fail

12:09 – The Modern CIO: The Art of Orchestration

14:03 – From Smartest in the Room to Chief Orchestrator

16:12 – Culture Is the Real Strategy

17:46 – Leading Change in the AI Era

19:05 – Curiosity and Vulnerability in Leadership

23:36 – Teaching, Mentorship & Lifelong Learning

25:13 – Skills Every Tech Leader Needs by 2030

26:07 – Facing Self-Doubt in the C-Suite

28:25 – Overcoming Self-Doubt Through Collaboration

29:39 – Inside Tech Titans: North Texas’ Tech Powerhouse

30:37 – The Four Pillars of Tech Titans

34:39 – Why In-Person Networking Still Matters

38:07 – How to Learn AI in 30 Minutes a Day

40:23 – AI Hype vs. Reality: What’s Working Now

43:28 – Quantum Computing: The Next Big Leap

45:21 – Building Human Connection in a Digital World

49:09 – How Gen Z Views AI and Networking

51:47 – Why Networking Still Builds Careers

53:31 – Rapid-Fire Leadership Lessons

55:32 – Final Advice for Future CIOs & CTOs

57:07 – Closing Thoughts & Tech CXO Launchpad