In support of a great cause, York Solutions’ Inaugural CIO Breakfast took place on Thursday, March 7th from 7:30 am to 10:00 am. The event raised $14,500 for donation to Genesys Works, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that trains high school students to perform technical services. York Solutions and Genesys Works have partnered together for many years due to their shared mission of bringing skilled, diverse perspectives into the IT industry. This year, York Solutions organized the CIO Breakfast event to support the Genesys Works Chicago chapter as part of its growing presence in the Chicagoland area.
The goal of the event was not only to bring awareness to Genesys Works Chicago and provide support for its students, but also to bring together Chicago’s IT leaders, such as the Think IT Association members, to provide an opportunity for learning and professional growth. York Solutions welcomed several distinguished speakers, including keynote speaker Paul Edlund, Chief Technologist for Microsoft’s central regional business, to discuss critical industry trends. In his speech, Edlund shared valuable insights regarding the future of quantum computing and information storage, and how both are changing the way that people will utilize and access data.
The event also featured a panel of speakers including Tom Gergets, Chief Technology Officer at McDonalds, Ken Kennedy, Executive Vice President and President, Technology and Product, and Sunil Kripalani, SVP, Digital Strategy & Development for Optum Rx. The panelists discussed the topic of “Innovative Solutions to Win the War on Talent.” Kennedy began with his summary of the current state of IT hiring: “The war is over and talent has won.” With that in mind, the panelists shared their personal strategies for attracting and retaining top IT talent to get ahead in the competitive Chicago landscape.
A highlight for all was the final speaker, Genesys Works alumni Ivette Rodriguez. Ivette completed the training at Genesys Work and is now employed at CSG International in their cybersecurity division. She explained her mindset going into the program, having never experienced any technical education, and then graduating the program with an exciting new career in front of her. Her inspirational success story showed the importance of diversifying the IT industry and the value of programs like Genesys Works and York Solutions’ Barriers to Entry Program (B2E) that provides training opportunities to stay-at-home parents, veterans, caregivers, and others looking to return to the workforce.
York Solutions would like to thank the event speakers for their participation in the event. Additionally, a big thank you to McDonalds for hosting the event. Thank you to the event sponsors, Accenture, Chicago Trading Corporation, and CSG International.
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