Technology First upcoming events

Small Business - Cybersecurity - Protecting your Small Business from Current and Emerging Threats (05/07/2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Cybersecurity - Protecting your Small Business from Current and Emerging Threats

Small and mid-sized businesses face unique IT challenges, tight budgets, evolving threats, and the constant pressure to do more with less. This peer group session is designed for IT professionals who want practical, actionable strategies to address those challenges.

Takeaways:

Gaining understanding of the modern threat landscape
Components of a cybersecurity plan for a small business
How to get started. Short- and long-term goals.

Facilitators

Hailey Clark, The Greentree Group

Anthony Peyton, Conflux Cloud

Agenda:

8:15am Check-in, Networking, light breakfast

8:30 - 10:00am Meeting

Sponsorship opportunities are available, please contact sponsorships@technologyfirst.org for more information

IT Leaders: From Order-Taker to Trusted Partner: Rethinking How IT Plans (05/12/2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 12:15:00 GMT

From Order-Taker to Trusted Partner: Rethinking How IT Plans

While most IT plans are intended to serve the institution, the institution rarely sees itself reflected in the final document. This lack of ownership means departments often view the plan as an IT-owned document rather than a shared commitment. In this session, you will learn how Sinclair flipped the script by building a planning process that puts the entire organization at the center. Walk away with a fresh model for turning IT from order-taker to trusted partner.

Facilitated By:

Scott McCollum CIO, Sinclair Community College

Bryan Hogan, CEO-Founder, Afidence

Title Sponsor:

Supporting Sponsor:

Agenda:

8:15 - 8:30am check-in, light breakfast & networking

8:30 - 10:00am meeting

Workshop: AI Opportunity Matrix Workshop (05/13/2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

AI Opportunity Matrix Workshop

Converting Operational Friction into Strategic Advantage

The AI Opportunity Matrix Workshop is a focused, executive-level working session designed to help leadership teams (ideal for teams of 2-3) cut through AI hype and identify where automation can deliver measurable financial and operational impact.

In just 60 minutes, we guide cross-functional executives through a disciplined framework to surface expensive workflow friction, evaluate feasibility, and align around one high-value initiative worthy of investment and sponsorship.

This is not a technology demo.

It is a strategic prioritization session grounded in economics, risk, and throughput.

Participants will:

Identify a high-cost problem

Work through a structured framework

Define an AI opportunity

Make a clear decision

Facilitated by:

Matt Strippelhoff, Red Hawk Technologies

Matt Strippelhoff is the Co-Founder, Partner and CEO / CRO of Red Hawk Technologies based in the greater Cincinnati area. He leads the company’s mission to drive long-term client value through innovative web and mobile solutions. Matt champions their AI-first SDLC that has transformed software delivery. He was also named The Circuit’s 2022 Visionary Leader, for pioneering a Software Development-as-a-Service fixed-fee model blending development and support, fueling growth, recurring revenue, and 95%+ client retention.

Agenda:

11:30 - 11:45am Check-in & lunch

11:45 - 1:00pm Workshop

Powered By:

Infrastructure/Cloud: Enterprise Ready Agents: Security Posture, Practical Lessons, and the Future of Intelligent Workflows (05/21/2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Joint Event with:

Enterprise Ready Agents: Security Posture, Practical Lessons, and the Future of Intelligent Workflows

This session provides an open forum for practitioners to compare real-world work using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate AI, and Microsoft Fabric data agents. We will explore practical lessons from early deployments with a focus on identity controls, grounding, responsible agent design, and overall enterprise security posture. The group will also look ahead at how enterprise agents are evolving and how organizations can prepare for a future where agents support daily business operations.

Core discussion areas:

What teams have and have not done yet

We will compare what organizations have already implemented with areas they have not yet addressed, including experiments that succeeded or stalled due to identity, security, or governance concerns.

Security posture for enterprise agents

We will explore Microsoft’s focus on identity boundaries, grounding, least-privilege access, and responsible agent behavior. This includes how teams control data access, validate actions, and ensure predictable and auditable agent outputs.

The emerging future landscape of agents

We will discuss how enterprise agents are evolving and what the next one to two years may look like as multi-agent systems begin to shape IT operations, workflows, and governance.

Facilitated By:

Bill Magnuson, NexusBlue

Stephanie Roberto, Kind Technologies

Anthony Peyton, Conflux Cloud

Powered by Title Sponsor:

Agenda:

8:15 - 8:30am check-in, lite breakfast & networking

8:30 - 10:00am meeting

Technology First Tech Connect Live Networking (06/02/2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Join Technology First for a fun and relaxed evening of networking, connection, and conversation with fellow technology professionals. Whether you're looking to expand your network, catch up with industry peers, or just enjoy some good company, this is the place to be!

The Common Beer Company, 126 E Main St, Mason

June 2, 2026

4:00 - 6:00 PM

Appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Come as you are, bring a colleague, and let's make some great connections together!

Presented by:

Title Sponsor:

Food Sponsor:

IT Leaders: Build, Borrow, Bot: The New Talent Stack (06/09/2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Build, Borrow, Bot: The New Talent Stack

Full-time employees are just one layer. The question is no longer only "Who do we hire", it’s "How do we deliver." Explore how organizations blend full-time employees (FTEs), contractors, AI agents, and vendors into a unified delivery model, and what breaks when you try to manage them the old way.

This panel brings together perspectives from IT, HR, and staffing to explore how leading organizations are structuring their talent ecosystems, where traditional approaches fall short, and what it takes to operate effectively in this new model.

Panelists:

Matt Coatney, Thompson Hine LLP

Moderated By: Treg Gilstorf, Smart Data

Powered By:

Contributing Sponsor:

Agenda:

11:15am Check-in, Networking, lunch

11:30 - 1:00pm Meeting

Workforce Development: Bridging Generations at Work: Recognizing Bias and Unlocking Collective Strength (06/11/2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Bridging Generations at Work: Recognizing Bias and Unlocking Collective Strength

With five generations now sharing the same workspace, the primary challenge isn’t just navigating different communication styles—it’s identifying the unconscious biases that block collective intelligence.

This session moves beyond tired generational stereotypes and ""us vs. them"" narratives. We will explore how to architect a culture that replaces assumptions with curiosity to foster deep psychological safety. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of the drivers behind human behavior and practical strategies to multiply individual strengths. Join us to learn how to bridge the gap between diverse perspectives and create a more connected, high-performing, and cohesive workplace.

Facilitator:

Katie Kerry, Learning and Development Consultant, Sinclair College

Katie Kerry is a Learning and Development Consultant in Sinclair’s Workforce Development Department. For over a decade, she has worked in leadership roles in nonprofit organizations. She is a dynamic facilitator known for her engaging, high-energy style, inspiring positive change by curating powerful connections—connecting individuals to new ideas, to themselves, and to each other. Her expertise includes designing and facilitating national-level leadership trainings and conferences. Katie holds a Women Lead leadership certificate from the University of Dayton Center for Leadership and is a proud recipient of the Partner of the Year award from the Career Based Intervention program.

Powered by:

Contributing Sponsors:

Agenda:

8:15-8:30 am - registration, network, coffee/snacks

8:30-10:00 am - meeting

2026 Dayton AI Day (08/26/2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Building the Next Advantage

Dayton AI Day is about moving AI from concept to capability. We bring together leaders and practitioners who are turning emerging AI ideas into real-world results. This is not speculation or surface-level demos. It is practical insight on how AI is being implemented today, what is coming next, and how organizations can apply it responsibly and at scale. Join the conversation shaping how the future of AI actually shows up in work, decisions, and outcomes.

Dayton AI Day 2026 is where AI moves from idea to implementation. Practical sessions. Real lessons. Clear takeaways. This is the future, and it is already at work.

See The Full Agenda

Sponsorship Opportunities

Connect with the people shaping how AI is being applied across our region.

BECOME A SPONSOR

IT Leadership Institute (10/16/2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Hosted by The Circuit, the IT Leadership Institute is a leadership development program now available to Technology First members.

Successful IT leaders, whether in formal leadership roles or leading through influence, combine technical expertise with emotional intelligence and a commitment to growth. They set vision, understand people, and shape culture with intent. The payoff: stronger teams, better business outcomes, and lasting impact across the IT community.

About the Program

The IT Leadership Institute is a 10-month, immersive leadership development experience designed specifically for IT professionals. Through expert-led sessions, peer discussion, and applied learning, participants will:

Increase self-awareness and understand how they are perceived by others
Identify their leadership style and apply it for maximum impact
Build and inspire high-performing teams
Develop critical leadership skills for an evolving technology landscape
Lead through influence rather than authority
Navigate complex organizational dynamics with confidence

Program Structure

Schedule: One half-day session per month, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, October through July (no December session)
Format: Expert-led discussions, peer collaboration, and CIO-level guest speakers
Environment: A focused, trusted space for tackling real-world IT leadership challenges

Key Topics

The Essence of Leadership
Community Project Planning
Technology Leadership and Why It’s Different
Is Management for Me?
Transformational Leadership: Vision and Strategy
Transactional Leadership: Delivering Results That Matter
IT Budgeting and Financials
Relational Leadership: Coaching, Communication, and Trust
Higher-Order Leadership: Leading Other Leaders
HR Insights: Interviewing, Career Management, and Networking

Click here to register and use the password TechnologyFirst