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The Iowa Technology Summit: An educational party

September 20, 2017

The Technology Association of Iowa knows how to throw a party.

And their newest party is educational.

The inaugural Iowa Technology Summit has 500 people register and another 100 college students studying computer science have registered to attend the inaugural Iowa Technology Summit on Sept. 26 in downtown Des Moines at the Iowa Events Center.

Those who attend can take part in 16 sessions in four tracks:

  • Innovation
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Technology Leadership

Brian Waller—President of the Technology Association of Iowa—says hosting an event like this fits with what the organization tries to do on a daily basis.

“It checks every box for us,” Waller says. “It connects the top Technology leaders in Iowa, develops the next generation of talent by exposing college students to the industry and showcases the jaw dropping technology solutions that are coming out of Iowa in Ag, Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Education.”

Waller said it was the membership of the Technology Association of Iowa that asked for an opportunity to meet with fellow members in an educational and professional development forum.

Planning for the Iowa Technology Summit started in January.

“We surveyed the membership,” Mollie Ross, Director of Conferences and Events for TAI said. To see what they are dealing with, what is top of mind and what’s important. We took that and fit that into those four tracks.”

Tyler Wyngarden—Director of Membership and Development for the Technology Association of Iowa—said this conference is unique because of its focus on Iowa.

“It’s Iowa companies, talking about Iowa issues, being solved by other Iowa companies,” Wyngarden says. “It’s just going to be Iowa’s brain trust of technology people.”

Waller says he’s starting to see more Iowa companies call themselves a ‘technology company.’

“It is incredibly exciting to see the technology solutions that are being created from right here in Iowa,” Waller says.

The Technology Association of Iowa focuses on four areas: Driving public policy, fostering diversity and inclusion, connecting leaders and developing talent.

“If you look at the people giving the presentations, I would say it’s a safe bet that very rarely are all those same people in the same spot together,” Wyngarden said. “And these are some of the smartest people in the state and even the nation at what they do.

“We’re the ones convening that party, and it’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”

Attendees of the Iowa Technology Summit can attend an opening party at 6 p.m. on Sept. 25 at the Republic on Grand in downtown Des Moines.

Registration opens at 7 a.m. with keynote speaker Theresa Payton—former CIO at the White House—speaking at 8:50 a.m. Breakout sessions and lunch fill the rest of the day till 4:30.

Previous Coverage

Former White House CIO is keynote speaker at the Iowa Technology Summit

 

The Iowa Technology Summit: An educational party | Clay & Milk
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