The Wilmac Wire

By Wilmac Technologies

Where the drivers behind customer interaction technology, AI, and community innovation share how they’re shaping what’s next.

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· Technology

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FAQs about The Wilmac Wire:

How many episodes does The Wilmac Wire have?

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.

The Wilmac Wire episodes:

October 30, 2025S2 Ep22 - Statewide Growth, Economic Development, & Rochester Roots – A Conversation with Empire State Development’s Vinnie Esposito
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Vinny Esposito, Senior Vice President for Regional Economic Development at Empire State Development and a key member of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Upstate Affairs team.
Vinny shares insights from more than 20 years in public service, discussing how New York State is driving growth across upstate communities, strengthening regional economies, and preparing for the future of innovation in AI, semiconductors, and clean energy.
Here’s what you’ll hear about:
Vinny’s journey from computer science to public service under mentor Congressman Joe Morelle
Lessons in leadership and teamwork learned on and off the basketball court
How collaboration through initiatives like “One ROC” is fueling Rochester’s growth
Balancing innovation, sustainability, and infrastructure in the age of AI
The statewide impact of projects like Micron, Fairlife, and High Falls State Park
Governor Hochul’s leadership approach and her focus on upstate revitalization
Why Rochester’s quality of life and talent make it a model for future growth
Whether you’re a business leader, innovator, or community advocate, this conversation offers real perspective on how public service, partnership, and long-term planning can shape a stronger future for New York.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and introduction
2:20 From tech to public service
6:25 Expanding to statewide leadership
8:40 Building partnerships through “One ROC”
10:30 Revitalizing downtown and Rock the Riverway
16:50 Teamwork, politics, and collaboration
22:40 Addressing New York’s business challenges
27:50 AI, energy, and data center strategy
40:00 Micron, semiconductors, and innovation industries
44:30 Keeping tech talent in Rochester
51:30 Working with Governor Hochul
57:20 High Falls State Park, PGA, and the future of Rochester
Connect with the speakers:
Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/
🎧 Listen to more episodes: wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast
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1h 6min
October 16, 2025Building Cultures, Breaking Silos, & Delivering Service that Sticks – A Conversation with ICMI Top CX & Contact Centre Thought Leader Neal Dlin
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Neal Dlin, VP of Customer Service Experience at Aviso Wealth and a six-time ICMI Top 25 CX and Contact Center Thought Leader.
Neal brings over 30 years of leadership in customer experience and contact centers, offering an honest and refreshing look at what it takes to build people-first, experience-centered cultures in a technology-driven world.
Here’s what you’ll hear about:
Why culture, not technology, is the true foundation of great customer and employee experiences
How Neal defines an “experience-centered culture” and the mindset shift it requires from leaders
The real reasons contact center transformations fail, and how to fix them with better change management
Breaking down data silos and building smarter, more connected systems that empower agents
How AI can elevate, not replace, human potential, and the emerging role of “AI copilots” in CX
Lessons from decades of leadership across teams of all sizes, from 10 to 10,000+ agents
Whether you’re a CX leader, operations professional, or tech innovator, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and fresh thinking on how to make customer experience work for both the customer and the employee.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and intro from Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell
2:10 Introducing Neal Dlin and his career journey in CX
7:00 How Neal entered the contact center space (and why no one “plans” to)
12:19 Building an experience-centered culture from the inside out
18:07 Why so many contact center transformations fail
26:04 Breaking through data silos and system challenges
33:48 How to avoid shiny-object syndrome in tech adoption
36:17 Using AI to empower agents and elevate experience
40:09 Neal’s outlook on the future of customer experience and leadership
Connect with the speakers
Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/

Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/

Neal Dlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealdlin/

🎧 Listen to more episodes: wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast
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42min
October 02, 2025A New Product Announcement, NY’s Business Climate, & Rochester’s Future – A (Second) Conversation with Bob Duffy
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Bob Duffy, President and CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and former New York State Lieutenant Governor.
Bob last joined The Wilmac Wire a year ago in July, where his insights were so valuable we split the conversation into Episodes 10 and 11. Go check those out if you haven’t yet. As for this fresh episode, here’s what you will hear about:
The newly released New York State blueprint for business growth and what it means for companies across Western New York
How the Chamber is helping small and midsize businesses expand and why regional representation matters more than ever
Wilmac’s official launch of its Continuity WFM solution and how it is designed to transform workforce management in public safety and beyond
Bob’s career journey from Rochester Police Chief to Lt. Governor and now business leader, and his perspective on leadership in times of change
Why Rochester and Western New York are seeing renewed momentum and where the biggest opportunities for growth lie
Whether you are a business leader, innovator, or community advocate, this conversation with Bob offers practical insights into the future of regional business and technology.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and intro from Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell
3:15 Bob Duffy returns to The Wilmac Wire: his background and community leadership
10:40 New York State’s business blueprint and implications for Rochester growth
18:22 The Chamber’s role in supporting small and midsize companies
24:55 Wilmac launches Continuity WFM and its impact on public safety
32:18 Reflections on Bob’s journey from public service to business leadership
40:12 Why Western New York is poised for innovation and collaboration
Connect with the speakers
Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/
Bob Duffy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-duffy-296a6a231/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast
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58min
September 18, 2025S2 Ep19 - Human-Centered Tech, AI & the Future of Customer Interactions – A Conversation with OnConvergence’s Thomas Brannen
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Tom Brannen, founder of On Convergence and a leading contact center and CX industry analyst.
Tune in to hear more about:
The Verint–Calabrio merger backed by Thoma Bravo and what it could mean for consolidation across the CX landscape
Why AI is transforming quality assurance, call analysis, and real time decision making and where Tom sees the biggest wins today
How organizations on legacy systems like Mitel can layer AI and CX tools without a full cloud migration
The shifting role of CCaaS and why the future of customer experience may be less about telephony and more about intelligent applications
How Tom built On Convergence to bridge real world consulting with emerging technology and where he is focusing next
Whether you are a CX leader, technology strategist, or simply curious about AI’s real impact on contact centers, this conversation offers practical insight into what is next for customer and employee experience.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and intro from Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell
3:06 Tom’s career journey and the founding of On Convergence
12:29 Verint Calabrio merger: analyst perspectives and market impact
20:21 Voice data’s role in improving both customer and employee experience
23:08 AI success stories from automated QA to uncovering hidden call drivers
28:35 Bridging on premises systems with modern AI and CX tools
37:05 Reflections on leadership at NICE and industry direction
Connect with the speakers
Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/

Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/

Tom Brannen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbrannen/

🎙️ Listen to more episodes: wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast
...more
43min
September 04, 2025S2 Ep18 - Preparing Students for the Workforce, AI in Education, and the Future of Universities – A Conversation with Golisano Institute’s Ian Mortimer
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Dr. Ian Mortimer, founding President of the Golisano Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship.
Tune in to hear more about:
How the Institute is reimagining higher education with practical, skills-based programs
Why courses in sales, project management, coding, and data analytics are central to student success
The launch of the AI Innovation Hub and what it means for the future of business education
How partnerships, internships, and weekly “Speaking from Experience” sessions connect students with real-world leaders
The role of Tom Golisano’s vision in shaping a more affordable, accelerated, and entrepreneurial model for business education
Whether you’re an educator, employer, or professional curious about the future of workforce readiness, this conversation offers a glimpse into how one institution is reshaping the path from classroom to career.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and introduction from Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell
0:54 Guest intro: Dr. Ian Mortimer, President of Golisano Institute
4:00 The vision behind the Institute and Tom Golisano’s involvement
12:00 Embedding sales, project management, and tech skills into the curriculum
29:00 The AI Innovation Hub and preparing students for a changing workforce
38:00 “Speaking from Experience” and community engagement in Rochester
47:00 Looking ahead: building AI leaders for the future
Connect with the speakers
🔗 Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/

🔗 Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/

🔗 Ian Mortimer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mortimerian/

🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
52min
August 21, 2025S2 Ep17 - Conversations in CX, Rochester Business, & Looking Ahead – A Wilmac Wire Update
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, host Emily Miller shares exciting updates on the future of the podcast including the announcement that Wilmac CEO Steve McDonnell is officially joining as co-host.
Tune in to hear more about:
Why Steve’s leadership perspective will bring added depth to every episode
How season two will wrap up with returning guests and deeper conversations
A new spotlight on Rochester and the Western New York business community
Continued focus on CX, compliance, AI, and interaction data in contact centers, trading floors, and 911 centers
Episodes to check out while waiting for the September 4th full length return
Whether you’ve been following along from the start or are just catching up, this check-in sets the stage for what’s next on The Wilmac Wire.
Episode Breakdown
0:02 Welcome and quick check-in from Emily Miller
0:20 Big news: Steve McDonnell joins as co-host
1:10 What to expect in the remainder of season two
2:05 New focus on Western New York and local leadership stories
2:50 Reinforcing Wilmac’s core expertise in CX, compliance, and AI
3:25 Episodes to revisit during the short break
3:42 Closing and next episode preview (September 4)
Connect with the speakers
🔗 Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
5min
August 07, 2025 S2 Ep16 - Voice Data, Conversational AI, & Compliance - A Conversation with Opus Research's Ian Jacobs
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, Emily Miller sits down with Wilmac CEO Steve McDonnell and Ian Jacobs, VP and Lead Analyst at Opus Research, to talk about where customer experience is headed and how AI is reshaping contact centers without leaving people behind.
Tune in to hear Ian’s perspective on:
• What’s really working with conversational AI in the enterprise today
• Why legacy call recordings are more than just compliance - they’re a goldmine for CX and AI
• How the NICE + Cognigy acquisition signals a shift toward integrated AI human collaboration
• Where contact centers large and small are getting stuck in the modernization journey
• Why the future of work in CX is about augmentation, not replacement
Whether you’re leading transformation or just trying to keep up with the pace of AI, this conversation offers clarity, nuance, and some refreshing realism.
Episode Breakdown
0:26 – Meet the guests: Wilmac’s CEO and Opus Research’s lead analyst
4:44 – From chatbots to real impact: conversational AI today
12:05 – NICE + Cognigy: What the acquisition means for CX
21:00 – Why some contact centers are still far behind
25:15 – Real world use cases for AI in healthcare, retail, and beyond
29:13 – Making your call recordings work for AI and training
36:00 – What the future of work in the contact center really looks like
Connect with the speakers
🔗 Ian Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iangjacobs/
🔗 Steve McDonnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/
🔗 Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
40min
July 24, 2025S2 Ep15 - Continuity Product Highlights, AI Roadmap, & Team Momentum – Behind the Build Quarterly Update with Bob Pease
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, Emily Miller sits down with VP of Engineering Bob Pease for a quarterly Behind the Build update on Wilmac’s Continuity Suite, focusing on how Continuity Replay is evolving to help customers manage interaction data smarter and prepare for AI.
Hear how the dev team:
Rolled out new transcription features and real time translation in Continuity Replay
Improved ingestion speed for historical data across CCaaS platforms like NICE, Five9, and Zoom
Uses customer feedback to prioritize updates that solve real compliance challenges
Is building AI scoring to help customers understand if their data is ready for downstream AI use
This episode pulls back the curtain on the innovations driving Continuity Replay and how Wilmac’s engineering team is collaborating across the company to stay ahead of customer needs and industry trends.
Tune in to hear how features take shape, what’s next for AI, and why building with purpose starts with listening.
Episode Breakdown
0:26 – What is “Behind the Build” and what’s new in this quarter’s dev update
4:44 – Transcription features, translation support, and SSO updates
9:22 – Ingesting legacy and cloud data faster than ever
13:07 – What’s coming next: transcription search and AI scoring
15:02 – Why the dev team is publishing more content (and how it helps the product)
18:19 – A look ahead to AWS Summit and Wilmac’s AI roadmap
22:00 – Making your data AI ready and building smarter features from the ground up
Connect with the speakers
🔗 Bob Pease: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobpease/
🔗 Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
29min
July 10, 2025S2 Ep14 REVISIT - The Future of AI & CX – A Conversation with Kevin Surace, Virtual Assistant Pioneer
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, Emily Miller talks with Kevin Surace, AI and automation pioneer, about how virtual assistants have evolved and what the future holds for AI in customer experience.
Hear how AI:
Transformed from early virtual assistants like Mary to today’s AI-driven solutions.
Is reshaping contact centers by automating Tier 1 customer interactions.
Helps businesses improve CX efficiency while reducing costs.
This episode explores the evolution of AI in customer experience and how businesses can leverage it for smarter, more effective interactions.
Tune in now to hear how Kevin’s innovations have shaped AI-driven customer engagement and where the industry is headed next.
Episode Breakdown:
0:26 - Meet Kevin Surace, AI and automation pioneer
2:57 - The origins of virtual assistants and AI’s early days
5:04 - How AI is transforming customer experience in contact centers
6:12 - The evolution of AI-driven automation
7:47 - The role of AI in cost savings and operational efficiency
9:22 - AI’s impact on Tier 1 customer interactions
13:04 - What’s next for AI in business and customer engagement
17:21 - The future of AI-driven contact center solutions
23:20 - Final thoughts on AI’s role in CX
Connect with the speakers:
🔗 Kevin Surace: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksurace/
🔗 Emily Miller: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
47min
June 26, 2025S2 Ep13 REVISIT - Partnering for Success – Five9’s Steve Blood on the Future of CX
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In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, Emily Miller sits down with Steve Blood, VP of Market Intelligence and Evangelism at Five9, to discuss the future of Customer Experience and how organizations can better leverage technology and data to drive innovation.
With over 23 years at Gartner, Steve has advised countless businesses on customer service, AI, and digital transformation. Now at Five9, he’s helping organizations navigate the evolving landscape of CX, tackling industry challenges, and maximizing the potential of AI-driven automation.
In this episode:
The biggest CX challenges organizations face today
How Five9’s Intelligent CX Platform helps businesses streamline operations and consolidate data
The growing role of AI in customer service and how to use it effectively
How Wilmac and Five9’s partnership is helping companies break free from vendor lock-in and centralize historical call data
A real-world case study on how a global bank overcame legacy system constraints
Steve’s insights into market trends, the power of partnerships, and the importance of a data-driven approach make this a must-listen episode!
Episode Breakdown:
0:26 - Meet Steve Blood and Five9’s role in CX innovation
1:12 - Steve’s background and journey from Gartner to Five9
3:04 - The biggest CX challenges organizations face today
6:00 - Why data consolidation is crucial for modern contact centers
9:09 - How AI is reshaping customer interactions
12:06 - A major global bank case study: Overcoming legacy challenges
14:27 - What’s next for Five9 and Wilmac in 2025 and beyond
Tune in now to hear Steve’s expert take on CX transformation and the evolving role of AI!
Connect with the speakers:
🔗 Steve Blood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejnb/
🔗 Emily Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/
🎙️ Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/
...more
40min

FAQs about The Wilmac Wire:

How many episodes does The Wilmac Wire have?

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.