🚨 Technology isn’t the starting point. The problem is.In this episode, Andrew Kirkwood, VP of Technology at Shelby’s Shawarma, shares a perspective that every business leader should hear:Before asking, “What technology should we use?” ask:“What problem are we actually trying to solve?”Andrew’s journey from restaurant operations to technology leadership has shaped the way he approaches innovation starting with the people on the ground, understanding their pain points, and then working backward to find the right technology.And with AI changing the game faster than ever, that mindset matters more than ever.💡 Technology should enhance the experience not create more friction.🎙️ Listen to the full conversation to hear Andrew’s insights on leadership, AI, restaurant technology, operational efficiency, and the future of the industry.#Technology #AI #Leadership #RestaurantTechnology #Innovation #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessLeadership #DigitalTransformation #RestaurantIndustry

What does responsible AI adoption actually look like inside an enterprise?In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Bob Hansen sits down with Andy Narendra, CIO and CSO at Temco Logistics, for a wide-ranging conversation about technology leadership, AI governance, cybersecurity, quantum computing, mentorship, and what it really takes to grow into an executive IT role.Andy’s career has taken him from building technology as a teenager, to entrepreneurship, co-founding a healthcare company, and eventually leading technology and security at the enterprise level.Along the way, he learned an important lesson: great technology leadership is about much more than the technology itself.In this conversation, Andy shares his perspective on:• Why every professional should consider finding the right mentor• How to balance people, process, and technology• Why leadership is about more than revenue and hitting numbers• How aspiring CIOs can think across strategy, tactical planning, and operations• Why enterprise AI adoption requires responsibility, not just speed• The importance of identity and data in AI governance• Why organizations should keep a human in the loop• Andy’s framework for treating AI like an intern: define the job, supervise it, then increase responsibility over time• Why technology leaders should already be thinking about quantum readiness• How AI and quantum computing could reshape cybersecurity risk• Why adaptability and shifting from perception to perspective matter in leadership• The one resource Andy believes we should protect more carefully than anything else: timeOne of the most practical ideas from the episode is Andy’s approach to AI:Treat AI like an intern.Give it a clear job description.Put a manager over it.Keep human oversight in place.Increase responsibility only as trust grows.For technology executives, CIOs, CISOs, IT directors, cybersecurity professionals, and emerging leaders, this episode offers a practical look at how to lead through a period of rapid technological change without losing sight of governance, people, and long-term business value.▶️ Watch the full conversation and subscribe to The Technology Vanguard for more discussions with technology leaders shaping the future of business.

In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Bob Hansen sits down with Lyza Valenzo, VP of IT & Digital Transformation at ECORE, for a thoughtful conversation on technology leadership, digital transformation, enterprise AI, cybersecurity, career growth, and building high-performing IT teams.

Lyza’s path into technology leadership wasn’t the traditional technical route. After working across multiple areas of the business, she transitioned into IT and learned that leading a technology organization requires much more than technical expertise.

It requires understanding the business, developing people, making strategic decisions, communicating risk, and creating an environment where teams can perform at their best.

In this conversation, Bob and Lyza discuss:

• Why great IT leaders don’t always have to be the most technical people in the room
• The difference between technical expertise and people leadership
• How Lyza transitioned from business operations into technology leadership
• Why lateral career moves can accelerate executive growth
• How to build, motivate, and retain high-performing IT teams
• Why leaders should volunteer for the difficult projects others avoid
• How ECORE is approaching enterprise AI
• Why strong data governance is essential for AI adoption
• How companies can build digital competency across their workforce
• The importance of AI governance, cybersecurity, and risk management
• How IT leaders can balance speed, scalability, and security
• Why communication between technology teams and executive leadership matters

Lyza also shares a practical approach to enterprise AI adoption: give employees access to AI tools, develop advanced users and early adopters, identify high-value business use cases, and encourage digital curiosity throughout the organization.

The conversation also explores a challenge nearly every technology leader faces: how do you move quickly without creating problems your team will have to fix later?

Lyza explains why planning, transparency, risk assessment, and communication are critical when balancing business demands for speed with the need for a secure, scalable, and resilient technology foundation.

For professionals working toward roles such as CIO, VP of IT, IT Director, or technology executive, Lyza shares two important career lessons: take on the difficult challenges others avoid, and don’t underestimate the value of lateral moves that broaden your understanding of the business.

The biggest takeaway?

Technology leadership isn’t only about technology.

It’s about people, business, strategy, communication, and leadership.

🎙️ The Technology Vanguard

The Technology Vanguard features conversations with CIOs, IT executives, digital transformation leaders, technology professionals, and business leaders navigating the rapidly evolving world of AI, cybersecurity, SaaS, enterprise technology, and IT strategy.

🎧 Follow and subscribe to The Technology Vanguard for more conversations on technology leadership, enterprise AI, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT strategy, and the future of business technology.

▶️ You can also find The Technology Vanguard on YouTube at @TechnologyVanguard and follow the show on LinkedIn.

Amel Edmond went from taking apart his father's clock as a kid to becoming CIO at Withum — and along the way learned lessons about leadership, trust, and technology that most people never hear.

In this episode, Amel breaks down:

• Why AI won't eliminate jobs, but will absolutely change what your job looks like (and why the calculator/accounting analogy proves it)
• The four layers of AI his security team uses to fight off attackers in real time
• Why "work slop" is the biggest hidden risk of AI-generated content — and how to stay in the lead instead of the AI
• The best and worst advice he's ever received as an executive
• A costly 3AM mistake that taught him the real meaning of leadership
• How to find mentors, build the right team, and know when it's time to let your best people go

Whether you're a technologist, an aspiring leader, or just curious about where AI is really headed, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insight from someone building the future of enterprise tech from the inside.

Fadi Ghaoui, Senior Global IT Director at GardaWorld, joins the Technology Vanguard to share a career journey that spans continents, industries, and existential questions. From starting as a Cisco engineer in Lebanon to fleeing the country during wartime, working across the Middle East, and eventually leading global IT operations across seven companies — Fadi's story is anything but conventional.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Fadi built his career from IT manager to Senior Global IT Director
• The difference between "then" and "now" leadership — and why great leaders put their team first
• Why "expectations high, blame low" is his guiding management philosophy
• Finding the right mentors (and why you're interviewing your boss, too)
• How AI is reshaping hiring, cybersecurity, and IT operations at GardaWorld
• A deep dive into consciousness, astrophysics, and his upcoming book, "From Atoms to Consciousness"
• Whether AI could ever become conscious — or become "God"

This is a conversation about more than IT strategy — it's about resilience, humility, and the human side of leadership.

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations with top CIOs and tech executives.💬 Know someone with a great leadership story? Reach out via our LinkedIn.

Fede Rodrigo went from fixing computers on a help desk to becoming a global CIO and author of How to Become CIO and Succeed — but he'll be the first to admit the road wasn't smooth. In this episode of The Technology Vanguard, Fede opens up about the mistakes, mentors, and mindset shifts that shaped his 20+ year journey in IT leadership.We cover:Why the skills that get you promoted aren't the skills that make you a great leaderThe "soccer coach" mentality every manager needs to embraceHow bad mentors can teach you just as much as good onesThe worst advice Fede ever received (and why ignoring it paid off)Why "technology is never the starting point" for IT initiatives — and why most projects fail because of itHow AI fits into the future of IT leadership (and what it will never replace)The real purpose of a CIO: creating business value, not just managing techFede's three-mandate framework for IT success: operational excellence, business growth, and continuous innovationWhether you're an aspiring IT leader, a current CIO, or just curious what it really takes to lead a team through constant technological change, this conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom.📘 Check out Fede's book, How to Become CIO and Succeed, available on Amazon.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with IT leaders shaping the future of technology and business.#Leadership #CIO #ITLeadership #TechnologyVanguard #CareerGrowth #Podcast

What does it really take to climb from an entry-level teller job to Chief Information Officer? In this episode of the Technology Vanguard, Brian Rober shares the unfiltered story of a career built on relationships, patience, and a refusal to ever stop learning.Brian opens up about the moments that shaped his leadership style — including the worst career advice he ever received, the piece of advice that changed how he sees people forever ("most people don't even see the dots"), and why he's not afraid to train his own replacement.We also dig into:How AI is reshaping (and not replacing) jobs in heavily regulated industries like bankingWhy "efficiency" is the buzzword every tech leader needs to actually understandThe real difference between being technical and being a leaderWhat CIOs wish the rest of the boardroom understoodThe book that changed how Brian thinks about teamwork (hint: it's about rowing)If you're an IT professional, aspiring leader, or just love a good career redemption story, this episode is packed with lessons you won't get on LinkedIn.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with top CIOs and tech executives.💬 Drop a comment: What's the worst career advice YOU ever received?📩 Want to be a guest? Reach out via our LinkedIn page — link in the comments.#TechnologyVanguard #CIO #ITLeadership #TechPodcast #CareerGrowth #Leadership #Banking #ArtificialIntelligence

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Technology Vanguard, a show about the human side of IT leadership — the struggles, growth, and reinvention behind the executives shaping today's technology landscape.

In this first episode, we sit down with Michael Bruckner, Chief Information Officer at Duane Morris LLP, to trace his unconventional path into tech leadership. From an English and political science major working as a magazine production coordinator, to a help desk technician at a managed services provider, to ultimately becoming CIO of a nearly 2,000-person law firm — Michael's story is a masterclass in seizing opportunity, finding mentorship, and leading authentically.

We cover:

• How Michael "fell into" IT and turned it into a 25+ year career
• The mentors who taught him the difference between management and leadership
• Coming out and the power of leading with authenticity
• Walking away from a job offer that wasn't the right fit — and the leap of faith that led to Duane Morris
• Building and empowering high-performing teams
• Duane Morris's cloud-first strategy and enterprise-wide generative AI rollout
• Advice for IT professionals navigating their own career growth in the age of AI

Whether you're an aspiring CIO, a tech leader looking to grow your team, or just curious about the personal journeys behind the titles, this conversation is packed with hard-won wisdom.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes of The Technology Vanguard, and connect with us on LinkedIn if you'd like to be a guest or know someone with a story to share.

Welcome to The Technology Vanguard, your guide to the summit of IT leadership. We interview top CIOs and tech executives to uncover the personal and professional stories behind their success. Discover how they navigated challenges and pivoted toward growth, providing a clear roadmap for IT professionals aiming for the C-suite. Each episode balances these human journeys with deep dives into emerging trends and future tech. If you're ready to see your own path to leadership through the eyes of those who've built it, join us at the vanguard of technology and growth!