Program

CSIA_19_Asheville_Logo_DS_72dpi.pngMay 18-22


Monday, May 18

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Best Practices Workshop


7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Dinner - Board and Past Chairs only


Tuesday, May 19

8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Best Practices Workshop


4 p.m. - 5 p.m

Leadership Meeting


5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

International Reception


6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Welcome Reception



8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Second Line Parade through the French Quarter



Wednesday, May 20

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 am.

Breakfast - Available to all attendees


8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.

CSIA CEO Jose Rivera
Welcome and Context for the Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation represents a unique opportunity for system integrators. Throughout the day, you'll hear directly from three end users how they are moving into action and how they would like SIs to support them in their journeys.


9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Keynote Speaker
Alex Chausovsky
Planning with Optimism

The last two years have provided for many headlines, but did those headlines help or hinder your business? Presidential politics are fascinating, and we will explore the likely impact, if any, on the near-term economy and what potential election outcomes may mean to our forecast and to your world. Alex will help to determine the best course of action for the most important part of the economyyou and your business.

He will:
  1. Look at a system of leading indicators proven to signal cyclical turns in the economy
  2. Discuss the sectors of the economy that will provide the best opportunities for the next business cycle decline
  3. Assess interest rate and other financial market trends
  4. Consider your three, five and seven-year planning needs and talk about 2020 and how you should prepare for challenges and opportunities. 

10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Break


11 a.m. - Noon

Mike Guilfoyle
Reality of Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is mission critical for industrial organizations’ health and viability. New business processes, services, and models are being pursued. This energy and investment are a rational response to digital economies that present new and very real opportunities. Digitally transformed organizations will be able to transition to and thrive in digital economies, making digital transformation a matter of “when,” not “if.”

Yet, mistakes, false starts and dead-end investments are all too common, while just a few organizations have learned key lessons and are accelerating transformations. What separates those who succeed from those who struggle? What is the opportunity for both those supporting transformation and those counting on it to renew their ability to compete?


In this address, Mike will separate fact from fiction when it comes to digital transformation and, in doing so, demonstrate how to take advantage of the opportunity associated with this inevitable, often disruptive, modernization of industrial markets.


Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Lunch - Available to all attendees
Special Interest Group lunches: Women in Industry, Insurance Committee and Statistics Committee


1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Tracks 1 & 2

Tom Norbut
The Long Journey Toward Industrial Digital Transformation

As a global supplier of polymer products with $3.7 billion in annual sales, 120 facilities in 47 countries and 23,000 employees, Trelleborg Group is the type of company you'd expect to be well along its journey toward realizing any number of smart manufacturing, industry 4.0 or industrial internet of things (IIoT) projects. The reality is that Trelleborg, like most companies, is just starting the process in earnest.


Track 3

Don Roberts
From Strategy to ExecutionStaying Agile

Given the ever-increasing pace of business, strategic planning shouldn’t be a single event, but rather an integral part of our ongoing businesses. Traditional methods are often clumsy. So, you need nimble tools and processes to create and adapt your strategic plans. In this session, you'll learn how to establish goals, prioritize tasks, resolve issues, and develop a cadence to turn your strategic plans into reality.

2:15 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Tracks 1 & 2 Joe LaRussa
How System Integrators Can Ride the Digital Transformation Wave

Digitalization and industry 4.0 are simultaneously bringing opportunities and challenges for system integrators. Those who can catch the wave have an unprecedented opportunity to add value and become indispensable partners for their end users.  During this presentation, you’ll learn what the digital transformation means for SIs; how end users’ expectations are changing; and what it all means for staffing, competency, and competitiveness. Hear how SIs can leverage their existing skills to open new lines of service (and revenue) and how now, more than ever, the need to be an early adopter is critical.

Track 3 Don Roberts
From Strategy to Execution—panel discussion

As George Patton said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” Hear from fellow business generals working ‘on’ their business, not just ‘in’ their business. How are they driving their organizations forward? What are the best tactics and effective maneuvers?

3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Break


3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Tracks 1 & 2

TBD


Track 3

Henry Hutcheson
Family Business Best Practices: Part I

75% of all businesses are family businesses, but more than 60% fail to make it to the next generation. Why? Because business is about profit and family is about unconditional love and support, and the two do not always combine. Much of the solution revolves around good communication practices. In parts one and two of this session, you will learn the best practices to have a family business that runs well, is in harmony and can successfully transition to the next generation.

4:15 p.m. -5 p.m.

Tracks 1 & 2

Panel DiscussionHow the Digital Transformation Is Reshaping the End User - SI Relationship
Panelists: Joe LaRussa & Tom Norbut
ModeratorSam Hoff, President and CEO of Patti Engineering and CSIA Digital Transformation Task Force Chair

This panel discussion follows the individual presentations made by the end users, and will help you better understand their perspectives and how this could translate into new requirements for SI partners.


Track 3

Henry Hutcheson
Family Business Best Practices: Part II

75% of all businesses are family businesses, but more than 60% fail to make it to the next generation. Why? Because business is about profit and family is about unconditional love and support, and the two do not always combine. Much of the solution revolves around good communication practices. In parts one and two of this session, you will learn the best practices to have a family business that runs well, is in harmony and can successfully transition to the next generation.

6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Cocktail Reception

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Awards Dinner
Hosted by Steve Goldberg



Thursday, May 21

6 a.m. - 6:30 a.m.                                                                    

Registration: 5k Fun Run/Walk


7 a.m. - 8 a.m.

5k Fun Run/Walk

8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Breakfast at The Bourbon House


9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

Track 1

Microsoft through Iconics

Track 2

Stratus Presentation

The Five Strategic Stages to Help Customers Achieve Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation is a journey involving people, processes and technology. In this session, we will discuss how system integrators can become trusted advisors on the Digital Transformation journey and share case studies showing how to create a simple, protected, and autonomous Edge Computing solution while minimizing operational, financial and reputational risk.

To maximize the success of Edge Computing projects, Stratus has developed a five-stage maturity model that enables users to clearly identify the criteria they need for success by building on a secure foundation that allows new capabilities to be added incrementally.

This presentation will explore the five stages of the maturity model, and show how Edge Computing is becoming a key technology platform for OT and IT. We take you on a journey from isolated, closed systems to self-managing, hyperconnected and secure solutions, with insights at each step along the way.


Track 3

Tony D'Avino
Digital Transformation and Employee EnergyGuarding Against the Four Forces of Disengagement

Change is no easy process, and its pace is increasing. The convergence of information and operational technologies and industry wide movements such as the industrial internet of things (IIoT), industry 4.0 and big data analytics is putting extreme pressure on strategy formulation throughout industry. And strategy execution is driven by engaged and energized leaders, teams and individual contributors. Employee engagement is a critical metric in all organizations and is amplified when big change is afootas even your most engaged employees can drift.

The presentation will outline the four forces of disengagement that represent a major blind spot in many organizations. By guarding against these forces, organizations can support their business strategy with an intentional people strategythe key to strategy execution and the achievement of breakthrough business results.

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Track 1

Panel Discussion: Claiming the Role of the SI in the Digital Transformation: Part I
Panelists: Brandon Ellis, Agustin Pelaez, Meghan Pavasaris, Jeff Winter
Moderator: Travis Cox

Leading SIs will share how they have started to deliver on the digital transformation opportunity, partially by delivering new services.

Track 2

Fabio Terezinho
IIoT Edge to Enterprise with Cloud Analytics

An increasingly competitive landscape has forced organizations to reduce operational cost and waste by improving product quality and process performance through digital transformation. The convergence of OT/IT offers great opportunities to optimize efficiencies in industrial processes, but it also poses challenges in implementation and maintenance of integrated systems.

The presentation will demonstrate typical architectures based on real-world case studies, and a practical approach to integrate assets along with their sensors, controllers, databases, and multiple other data sources, in a bottom-up approach, from Edge stations to the Enterprise (Unified Operation Center) and consolidating information on the cloud for big data analytics and role-based dashboards.


Track 3

Lindsey Parker
Digital Transformation: It Takes a Village

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”? The same applies for successfully executing on a digital transformation initiative. Gone are the days where IT and OT can live in blissful ignorance of one another, and in fact, digital transformation projects rely on them working together. 

Most organizations have embarked on some sort of digital transformation in the last several years; however, success remains elusive, with less than 30% of companies meeting their intended goals. Why? The answer largely lies in people!

Learn about best practices in change management to bring the whole village along for the ride towards digitalization.


10:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Break


11 a.m. - Noon

TBD

Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Tracks 1, 2 & 3

Lunch at The Bourbon House
Special Interest Group lunches: Future Leaders & LATAM Committee

1:30 p.m. -  2:15 p.m.

Track 1

Panel Discussion: Claiming the Role of the SI in the Digital Transformation: Part II
Panelists: Renato Leal, Jorge Mendoza, Spencer Cramer, Steve Szamocki
Moderator: Alan Carty

Leading SIs will share how they have started to deliver on the digital transformation opportunity, partially by delivering new services.

Track 2

Steve Tusa
Market Outlook: Part I

This presentation provides an overview of the automation space and industry trends, and discuss the landscape of vendors including their different strategies, competitive aspects, customer feedback, etc.

Bringing context from a macro perspective, this presentation includes an analysis of longer-term economic trends, with particular focus on customer capex trends by vertical.


Track 3

Don Ulrich
Peer Groups "Match.com"

  • Ever want to have an open and honest discussion with another SI to get some real insight into a critical issue or just bounce around an idea?
  • Want to find out how the other guys really do it?
  • Want to learn from others who have solved something that your company struggles with, while being willing to share some of your proud achievements?
This session provides an environment for interested companies to learn more about what Peer Groups are, the benefits and guidelines on how to join or create one.

A panel of representatives from current Peer Groups will help answer your questions for you to determine if this is right for your company. This session will be followed up with opportunities for interested individuals to meet each other and determine if they are a good fit and want to form a Peer Group.

2:15 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Track 1

Barry Anderson
Estimation AutomationMaking Use of typical SI Practices to Streamline Estimation

Your role as an system integrator is to first understand process and then automate. In the majority of scenarios, the goal is to increase efficiency and output quality, reduce costs and ultimately improve profit. Why is it then that the business-as-usual estimation processes can remain unwieldy and manual?

This presentation will explore opportunities within your SI business to take advantage of existing corporate knowledge. Practical automation of portions of your estimation practices will:
  • Minimize the cost of proposal production
  • Provide better consistency
  • Minimize bid review time
  • Allow for continuous improvement
  • Focus on real risk identification and management
  • Provide a far clearer communication of scope and risk at project kickoff

Track 2 Steve Tusa
Market Outlook: Part II

This presentation provides an overview of the automation space and industry trends, and discuss the landscape of vendors including their different strategies, competitive aspects, customer feedback, etc.

Bringing context from a macro perspective, this presentation includes an analysis of longer-term economic trends, with particular focus on customer capex trends by vertical.

Track 3

Future Leaders Panel DiscussionTransitioning from Individual Contributor to Manager
Panelists: Andrew Palmberg, Tim Nolan and Keith Mandachit
Moderator: Chris Schleich

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” – Peter Drucker.

This panel features CSIA members who have transitioned from go-to experts to managers or executives. Such role transitions commonly involve new skills, routines, responsibilities and interruptions on a new scalethose who receive advanced preparation are fortunate. 

Panelists will share stories, challenges and advice in adapting to lead and manage a team of producers.

3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Industry Expo and Reception


6 p.m.

(Dinner on your own)



Friday, May 22

8 a.m. - 9 a.m.                                                                                       

Breakfast


9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.*

Panel Discussion: Hot Stove
Panelists:
TBD
Moderator: 
Mark Voigtmann

Mark Twain once said: “If a cat sits on a hot stove, that cat won’t sit on a hot stove again.  But of course that cat won’t sit on a cold stove, either.” In this most popular of annual sessions, four CSIA members will tell about their close encounters with a sizzling hot stove (otherwise known as a project with problems) so that those who listen will have no reluctance in climbing up on a cold stove again. 


*(Spouses Welcome)


10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Break

10:45 a.m. - Noon*

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Bob Thomas

Over its history, the city of New Orleans has struggled with water management. It now faces new challenges, including a changing climate, rising seas and human-induced sinking of the land. In this closing presentation, Dr. Thomas will provide a solid background to those going on the optional tour of the 17th Street Canal Pumping Station later that day.

*(Spouses Welcome)

12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Exclusive 17th Street Canal Pumping Station Tour
$100 per person

Louisiana Flatboat Swamp Tour
$100 per person


7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Closing Toast and Reception



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