The 2011 Co-Chairs, Governing Body Members and New England CIO Community in partnership with Boston SIM held the 6th Annual Boston CIO Executive Summit presented by Evanta.
Category Archives: News
Brian Shul Interview
Featured
Tom Catalini talks with Brian Shul before his talk at the December 2011 Boston SIM meeting.
Brian Shul, Author, AF Fighter Pilot, TOP GUN Instructor, SR-71 Pilot
His remarkable comeback from lying near dead in the jungle of Southeast Asia to later flying the world’s fastest, highest flying jet is a remarkable one that has served as an inspiration to many. Brian’s breath-taking aviation slides, dynamic story, and subtle wit all make for an unforgettable presentation.
IT Executive Mentor Program
Boston SIM has partnered with Common Impact in order to reach out and give back to the local nonprofit community. Here Sameen Saeed from Common Impact talks to Joan Lawson, one of Boston SIM’s IT Executive Mentors about the nonprofit mentoring program.
Newsletter: September 2011
September Monthly Meeting
Our guest speaker will be Dan Bricklin, president of Software Garden, Inc., a small consulting firm and developer of software applications that he founded in 1985. His current product is Note Taker HD, a popular productivity tool for the Apple iPad. He is best known for codeveloping VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, while he was a student at the Harvard Business School. VisiCalc is widely credited for fueling the rapid growth of the personal computer industry. He also developed Dan Bricklin’s Demo Program, an award-winning tool for the MSDOS during the 1980s, and co-founded two venture-backed companies, Slate Corporation and Trellix Corporation, in the 1990s. He is a founding trustee of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and has received many honors for his contributions to the computer industry.
Dan Bricklin
The topic: Technology Trends
This wide-ranging presentation will cover various aspects of computer technology from the old PC days and the development of VisiCalc through what we are seeing today with respect to mobile, tablet, and other forms of computing. It includes first-hand photos and rare videos. Dan will also try to answer any questions you have about past trends as well as what he predicts for future trends. Having directly participated in the development of software from the mainframe days to today’s tablets, he has a unique perspective as both a business person and engineer.
Date: September 15, 2011
Location: Sheraton Needham
Registration, networking and cocktails starting at 5:30PM
Dinner at 6:15PM
Presentation to run from 7:00 to 8:00PM
Click here to register for this event
An article by Dan Bricklin
The iPad has reportedly become the “fastest adopted consumer electronics product” in history. The “content publishing” industry seems to be all excited about it being a platform to target. There is talk about it being for “content consumption” as opposed to “content creation.” I think such discussions miss what’s special about the device, and thinking that you passively “consume” what is sent to you, or even asking whether or not you should do word processing and emailing on it, miss the point and will lead you astray in designing applications for it.
From the first unveiling, Steve Jobs and Apple have referred to the iPad as “magical.” They say this over and over again about the device, like a mantra, indicating that there must be something important about it.
I think that this term is key to understanding a device like this. But it is also key that you know what I mean by “magical.”
Some people think magical means it’s technology is so advanced that you don’t understand it and believe it must be supernatural “magic.” However, the iPad is really just a computer, and the things it does are all things we’ve seen before, from touch and zooming, to portable access to information. The iPhone is not included when Apple says the iPad is magical, and the iPhone in many ways does the same things as the iPad. It can’t just be the technology alone that makes it magical.
Click here to read the rest of Dan’s thoughts on the iPad on his site.
Congratulations to Massachusetts High Tech
CIO Innovation Awards Winners!
CIO Innovation Awards Winners!
Early this summer, the Massachusetts High Tech organization elected three Boston SIM members as the most innovative CIO’s in the state! If you see them at a Boston SIM event, please be sure to congratulate them on this significant achievement!
Public Sector Innovation Award Winner – Bill Oates, CIO for the City of Boston
Small Business Innovation Award Winner – Martin King, Founder, President and CIO of Gurnet Consulting
Enterprise Innovation Award Winner – Rich Adduci, VP and CIO of Boston Scientific
Chapter Coordinator, Boston SIM
Nan will be joining Kate Carroll on the Boston SIM administrative team adding capacity to the Chapter, growing our presence and helping to achieve our goals, supporting Kate in administrative duties, and responding to inquiries as needed.
Many of you will remember Nan from her coverage of Kate’s maternity leave in 2009 and her valuable assistance at the past two Boston SIM annual golf tournaments. Nan’s background includes several years of IT conference management experience and she is reentering the working world after taking a few years off to raise her children, Ryan (8) and Nora (6).
Please welcome Nan to the Boston SIM administrative team!
Many of you will remember Nan from her coverage of Kate’s maternity leave in 2009 and her valuable assistance at the past two Boston SIM annual golf tournaments. Nan’s background includes several years of IT conference management experience and she is reentering the working world after taking a few years off to raise her children, Ryan (8) and Nora (6).
Please welcome Nan to the Boston SIM administrative team!
Boston SIM and TechBoston put
high tech kids to work in high tech places
On Friday, August 19, 2011, TechBoston, one of Boston SIM’s outreach partners, celebrated surpassing their goal of placing 100 advanced technology students from Boston public high schools in seven-week IT internships. This year 29 employers hired Tech Apprentices through a rigorous screening process that is managed by Cecilia Oyediran, TechBoston’s Employer Organizer who works at the Boston Private Industry Council.
Limayri Moreta, rising senior at John D. O’Bryant High School and Tommy Stiven, graduate of Boston Latin High School worked as networking interns at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts this summer.
The Tech Apprentices worked in a wide range of positions with programs such as Microsoft Visio and Sharepoint, networking, web design and Q&A testing. A number of Boston SIM members participated as host employers and provided opportunities that will help shape the educational and career decisions of their apprentices.
SIM Silver Meeting – September 27
September 27th from 4:00PM to 8:00PM Babson College, followed by dinner at Paparazzi in Newton.
Marlowe Farrar will present a “What I did on my vacation” story. Well, not exactly! Marlowe is spending some time in Nigeria and the Congo. He will show us some pictures but also tell us about some of the issues of creating an IT organization in countries without very good infrastructure. Attendees are encouraged to bring some ideas about their recent travels so that we can all consider what we should put on our bucket lists!
Hope to see you all there!
- Les
By the way – if you have any questions about this GREAT event, please get in contact with me atlesballscituate@gmail.com
Please click here to register
Boston CIO Roundtable: October 5
The October 5th Boston CIO Roundtable will be held at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Waltham, MA with registration beginning at 1:30pm.
The meeting will be from 2:00 to 5:30, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
One speaker will be Paul Cushing, SVP of IT at ESPN, who will talk about the convergence of multimedia and computer technologies. The other speaker/topic is TBD.
Click here to register
Between the opportunities that businesses are seeking to exploit through the implementation of social media initiatives and the growing multitide of employees abusing access rights on the job, today’s technology practitioners’ duties are evolving in new directions. On Thursday, October 6th, join with your fellow technology vice presidents and directors to discuss how they are they are addressing the challenges and opportunities of social media.Location TBD
4:00PM – 4:15PM: Networking and introductions
4:15PM – 6:00PM: Program and discussion
6:15PM – Dinner at nearby restaurant TBD
4:00PM – 4:15PM: Networking and introductions
4:15PM – 6:00PM: Program and discussion
6:15PM – Dinner at nearby restaurant TBD
To register for this event, click here.
Fall 2012 membership drive
As you know, Boston SIM is the preeminent meeting place for IT executives in the greater Boston area with 500 members. Remember, membership is the lifeblood of our association – the continual infusion of intellectual capital adds to the already rich membership value proposition and expands the quality of our SIM network. Each member both contributes to, and benefits from, that intellectual capital. Please renew today!
To grow our chapter membership, please nominate IT executives in your personal or professional network. These are people you have a relationship with – a colleague, subordinate, business partner, client, golf buddy, etc. – we need you to identify them and act as their Sponsor by nominating them. We’ll do all the heavy lifting, but we need sponsors to extend an invitation to join, then introduce and connect us to the nominee (make sure to copy Robert Johnson (rjohnson@atrion.net) on your email). Please, we need your help to make this happen!
A Message from TechBoston
One of the Boston SIM Community Outreach Partners, TechBoston, has been working with us on behalf of the Boston Public School system on various endeavors. These initiatives include cyber safety, tech internship and other programs such as this past summer’s Golf IT program designed to invite young people into the technology world. Programs such as these help the SIM membership give back to the community while at the same time helping improve the lives of those touched as well as build and strengthen relationships outside our immediate circles.
Felicia Vargas, TechBoston Program Director in the Boston Public School System, recognized these successes and their strengthening relationship with Boston SIM in a recent letter to Boston SIM leadership, stating that over 3,000 young people received Internet safety training and over 100 students were placed in summer internships!
Congratulations to all those involved in creating this success, particularly Jim Whalen, for his leadership with the Partner on these initiatives!
Newsletter: August 2011
September Meeting
Sure, it’s a little early to start thinking about the Fall, but here at Boston SIM, we never stop planning exciting events for you – as such, here are some details about this coming September’s monthly meeting:
Dan Bricklin
Our guest speaker will be Dan Bricklin, who is currently president of Software Garden, Inc., a small consulting firm and developer of software applications that he founded in 1985. His current product is Note Taker HD, a popular productivity tool for the Apple iPad. He is best known for codeveloping VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, while he was a student at the Harvard Business School. VisiCalc is widely credited for fueling the rapid growth of the personal computer industry. He also developed Dan Bricklin’s Demo Program, an award-winning tool for the MSDOS during the 1980s, and co-founded two venture-backed companies, Slate Corporation and Trellix Corporation, in the 1990s. He is a founding trustee of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and has received many honors for his contributions to the computer industry.
The topic: Technology Trends
This wide-ranging presentation will cover various aspects of computer technology from the old PC days and the development of VisiCalc through what we are seeing today with respect to mobile, tablet, and other forms of computing. It includes first-hand photos and rare videos. Dan will also try to answer any questions you have about past trends as well as what he predicts for future trends. Having directly participated in the development of software from the mainframe days to today’s tablets, he has a unique perspective as both a business person and engineer.
Date: September 15th, 2011
At: Sheraton Needham
Networking and cocktails starting at 5:30PM
Dinner at 6:15PM
Presentation to run from 7:00 to 8:00PM
Click here to register for this event
Sharpen the Leadership Saw – August 16
Save the Date for Sharpen the Leadership Saw: Tuesday, August 16th!
The book: Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni.
Editorial Review from Publishers Weekly
Author, speaker and management consultant Lencioni (The Three Signs of a Miserable Job) preaches a business model that may seem antithetical to many, which he calls “getting naked”: being unafraid to show vulnerability, admit ignorance, and ask the dumb questions…
The book is available at the following sites:
· Barnes and Noble Book ($13.58)
· Barnes and Noble Nook ($14.97)
· Amazon Book ($13.58)
· Amazon Kindle ($12.22)
· Audible ($7.49):
The location: Burlington/Bedford, MA area
Speaker: TBD
Sharpen the Leadership Saw is a quarterly half-day program offered to all current SIM members, and all former SIM RLF (Regional Leadership Forum) graduates, who are interested in evolving as a leader. Through carefully selected book discussions and speakers, the program offers an opportunity to improve a fundamental understanding of leadership, and your own personal brand of it.
For those of you who yearn to read, learn from and apply the concepts of leadership-related books, this program may be just the little push you need to make it happen. Join us at the next meeting and reconnect with your fellow SIM members and/or expand your network, “sharpen your saw” and practice continuous learning!
Session Details:
Date: Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Time: 1:30 p.m. registration until after dinner
Registration Details: Cost: $50 (includes dinner out after the meeting – note that it does not include the cost of the book)
If you have any questions, please contact Katrina Sorrentino at KSorrentino@irobot.com
A confirmation email with directions and other details will be sent to all registrants the day before the meeting.
Click here to register
Consultants’ Blog:
SDaaS– Introducing a new layer to the cloud computing model
Question: I am confused about the Microsoft Azure cloud offering, is it a PaaS asMicrosoftsays, or a set of cloud based software development tools?
A recent presentation I saw about Microsoft’s Azure cloud service claims that Azure is a PaaS (Platform as aService), while offerings from Rackspace and Amazon are IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). Coming from the network administration world I was left scratching my head. You would think that by now cloud computing definitions would be settled. After all, cloud technology as a concept has been around for at least five years. As noted in my previous blog on cloud business and operations , NIST has published a viable definition even with its somewhat operational bias. To me and the majority of the IT community, the definition of PaaS is that it provides the operating system but any tools or applications installed on that platform are beyond the scope of a PaaS service.
Drilling down further into the mystery, there seems to be a gap in the three layer model that requires an additional component. Cloud computing follows the traditional IT model of infrastructure support and application development as separate functions. IaaS and PaaS are both services that are designed, built and supported by people who are IT infrastructure engineers. They have little knowledge or interest in the applications that sit on top of the systems they build. SaaS products, on the other hand, are developed as applications designed to be used primarily byendusers. Modern SaaS products typically leverage IaaS and PaaS services for their infrastructure.
Microsoft Azure and other similar services, such as, AppEngine by Google and Force.com by Salesforce.com clearly are providing services that do not fit into that classic three layer cloud computing model. They deliver tools for building new applications and supporting existing software, but unlike SaaS (Software as a Service) these services are designed specifically to be used by developers to create new applications. Azure does have some built-in run time support tools, but unlike VMware’s vFabric, the tools are designed from the developer’s, not operational perspective.
So I would argue that Microsoft’s definition of Azure as a PaaS is misleading. Clearly Microsoft is co-opting the term PaaS by its own unique definition for marketing purposes, but I think that just muddies the waters unnecessarily. Microsoft Azure as a comprehensive development platform in the cloud built from familiar components has few real competitors and offers a valuable service for Microsoft centric shops that have no other viable way to easily migrate to their applications to the cloud. A more accurate view is that Azure is an application development environment as a service. Maybe the best term for Azure and other such tool kits should be Software Development as a Service or SDaaS. By labeling these offerings separately it clears up the confusion between the IT operations and development functions. The four layer cloud model, IaaS, PaaS, SDaaS, and SaaS more closely maps to the required staff skills and matches the IT functional model that exists in most organizations today.
As their web portal says, “Windows Azure and SQL Azure enable you to build, host and scale applications in Microsoft data centers. They require no up-front expenses, no long term commitment, and enable you to pay only for the resources you use.” Sure reads like a cloud Software Development as a service offering to me.
About the Author
Beth Cohen, Cloud Technology Partners, Inc. Moving companies’ IT services into the cloud the right way, the first time!
Newsletter: July 2011
September Meeting
Sure, it’s a little early to start thinking about the Fall, but here at Boston SIM, we never stop planning exciting events for you – as such, here are some details about this coming September’s monthly meeting:
Dan Bricklin
Our guest speaker will be Dan Bricklin, who is currently president of Software Garden, Inc., a small consulting firm and developer of software applications that he founded in 1985. His current product is Note Taker HD, a popular productivity tool for the Apple iPad. He is best known for codeveloping VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, while he was a student at the Harvard Business School. VisiCalc is widely credited for fueling the rapid growth of the personal computer industry. He also developed Dan Bricklin’s Demo Program, an award-winning tool for the MSDOS during the 1980s, and co-founded two venture-backed companies, Slate Corporation and Trellix Corporation, in the 1990s. He is a founding trustee of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and has received many honors for his contributions to the computer industry.
The topic: Technology Trends
This wide-ranging presentation will cover various aspects of computer technology from the old PC days and the development of VisiCalc through what we are seeing today with respect to mobile, tablet, and other forms of computing. It includes first-hand photos and rare videos. Dan will also try to answer any questions you have about past trends as well as what he predicts for future trends. Having directly participated in the development of software from the mainframe days to today’s tablets, he has a unique perspective as both a business person and engineer.
Date: September 15th, 2011
At: Sheraton Needham
Networking and cocktails starting at 5:30PM
Dinner at 6:15PM
Presentation to run from 7:00 to 8:00PM
Click here to register for this event
CIO Perspectives Event produced by CIO Magazine
Boston SIM is pleased to be partnering with CIO Magazine on the CIO Perspectives event in Boston on July 20, 2011. As a member of Boston SIM, you are eligible to attend this event at no cost. The qualification criteria for attendees is senior IT executives, but a limited number of seats are available for SIM members who do not meet the qualifying criteria for the event.
Event Details:
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 8:30am – 6:15pm
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 8:30am – 6:15pm
The Sheraton Boston
39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA
39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA
CIO Perspectives is a unique event which taps into a deep network of visionary CIOs and business experts to deliver timely, relevant, actionable ideas. From mobility to convergence, from leadership to cloud, this one-day event is packed with informative sessions and full networking opportunities. CIO Perspectives Boston will be your best opportunity of the year to gain insight into your most pressing IT and business issues from other local CIOs and industry thought leaders.
Click here to register
Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast – Innovation in the real world
Question: How can established companies create a culture that encourages and rewards innovation?
Years ago, Fred Tuffile, my entrepreneurship professor at Bentley University once said the biggest advantage that new start-up companies have over established businesses is a blank piece of paper. They might not have any money or customers, but they do have some ideas and a capability for innovation. Typically, as companies grow and mature over time, they develop processes, bureaucracies and the dreaded, “that’s not the way we do it here” attitude. Things do not always need to end up this way. The companies that do maintain an innovative culture consistently out perform their more conservative counterparts. With the right sponsorship and support from management, it is possible to create a culture that nurtures and encourages innovation in IT and all areas of the business.
At the recent MHT – New England CIO Innovation Summit, unlike the buttoned down MIT CIO Symposium a few months ago, the panelists were all sending a clear message that businesses need to embrace innovation throughout the organization. Bill Oates, the CIO of the City of Boston, found that even the most traditional cultures are accepting of innovation when the benefits are clear to the rank and file city workers. Tsvi Gal, the keynote speaker, noted that 85% of IT services are the same across all organizations, but it is the last 15% that are the critical differentiators. Think of the cloud as a way to make that 85% of the IT infrastructure completely transparent, so that the corporate IT resources that really know the business can concentrate on the 15% that really delivers business value.
No matter where you are on the corporate cultural spectrum, it is possible to drive innovative thinking. The key is to work at different levels of the organization simultaneously. If the executive management is actively encouraging an innovative culture, even the most hide-bound staff will catch the excitement. At the other end of the spectrum, those skunk works projects that bubble up from the groups of smart engineers continually generate 80% of the new ideas in a company. Those groups are creating the future products. If they are not nurtured within the corporate structure, they will eventually take their good ideas someplace else or strike out on their own. You need corporate executives to support smart staff so they can be creative and innovative with in the enterprise ecosystem, and the smart innovators need to know they are supported. Together you will take over the world.
About the Author
Beth Cohen, Cloud Technology Partners, Inc. Moving companies’ IT services into the cloud the right way, the first time!
Beth Cohen, Cloud Technology Partners, Inc. Moving companies’ IT services into the cloud the right way, the first time!
Featured YouTube Video: Peg Nicholson, SVP & CIO Acushnet
For more Boston SIM YouTube videos, visit our YouTube Channel.
Newsletter: June 2011
June Monthly Meeting
Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results
Featuring: Tom Davenport, President’s Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management at Babson College
Date: Thursday, June 9, 2011
Location: Boston Marriott Burlington
One Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA
Schedule:
5:30 – 6:15 PM: Registration & Networking
6:15 – 6:45 PM: Dinner
6:45 – 7:00 PM: Welcoming Remarks
7:00 – 8:00 PM: Presentation
5:30 – 6:15 PM: Registration & Networking
6:15 – 6:45 PM: Dinner
6:45 – 7:00 PM: Welcoming Remarks
7:00 – 8:00 PM: Presentation
Join us on Thursday evening, June 9th at the Boston Marriott Burlington in Burlington, MA for our June monthly meeting featuring Tom Davenport, President’s Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management at Babson College, who will discuss Analytics at Work.
Some prominent organizations continue to make poor decisions despite the availability of several new decision tools and frameworks, such as business analytics. It’s time for them to systematically examine the types of decisions that are made in the organization, and how they might be improved. Greater use of analytics and fact-based decisions is one of the primary approaches to improving decision processes. This is particularly important given the explosion of online and offline data in many businesses.
In this presentation, Tom Davenport will describe how any organization can improve its analytical capabilities, and then how they can be linked to better decision processes. In addition to analytics, he will describe other common interventions for better decisions, and will present a process for systematically improving decisions and translating them into action and better business results.
To register for this meeting, click here (You must register by Monday, June 6th to secure your spot!)
* Please note: if you are a member with a pre-paid 2011 monthly meeting subscription, simply enter the discount code you were emailed by Kate Carroll, during the checkout process. That will credit your transaction down to zero. If you have any questions, please contact kcarroll@bostonsim.org.
Note to Members in Transition: As we have done the past few months, we have made arrangements to have time for Members in Transition to meet after the general meeting to discuss what’s happening in the market, what you’ve been doing that seems to work, and anything else that comes up of interest to the group. Please email kcarroll@bostonsim.org if you plan to attend.
Boston SIM Holds 1st Golf ‘IT’ Mentoring Event
with TechBoston Academy
Boston SIM and the New England Chapter of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) partnered with TechBoston Academy to hold the first Golf ‘IT’ event at McGolf in Dedham on May 24th. The 24 participating students were recognized technology leaders and volunteers, who maintain equipment, prepare content for websites and support curriculum activities. The event paired IT professionals from leading companies in the Boston area who served as mentors, with tech-focused high school students in an informal setting to learn about career choices and golf basics.
Marlowe Farrar, CIO at Management Sciences for Health in
Cambridge with TBA students Urbriel Zizi and Wilders Pierre
“On behalf of TechBoston Academy, I appreciate the time the Boston SIM and New England HIMSS members are taking to mentor our students,” stated Mary Skipper, Headmaster of TechBoston Academy. “TechBoston Academy students are tech-savvy and this opportunity to meet with professionals who are daily using the skills we teach in classes will give the teens a connection to the real world of work and a better understanding of the path they’ll need to get there. These IT professional associations have come up with an innovative way to inform our students about careers in high tech while exposing them to golf fundamentals. I know it will be a memorable day in their young lives.”
“On behalf of TechBoston Academy, I appreciate the time the Boston SIM and New England HIMSS members are taking to mentor our students,” stated Mary Skipper, Headmaster of TechBoston Academy. “TechBoston Academy students are tech-savvy and this opportunity to meet with professionals who are daily using the skills we teach in classes will give the teens a connection to the real world of work and a better understanding of the path they’ll need to get there. These IT professional associations have come up with an innovative way to inform our students about careers in high tech while exposing them to golf fundamentals. I know it will be a memorable day in their young lives.”
TBA students with mentors from Boston SIM and NEHIMSS
Commenting on the event, Kevin More, President of Boston SIM remarked, “Through our 10+ years of community outreach, SIM has targeted and funded opportunities for students who are exploring early career choices in technology. The novel format of Golf IT encouraged interactions about the IT profession in a fun and engaging setting while at the same time providing recognition to student volunteers and leaders at TechBoston Academy.”
Commenting on the event, Kevin More, President of Boston SIM remarked, “Through our 10+ years of community outreach, SIM has targeted and funded opportunities for students who are exploring early career choices in technology. The novel format of Golf IT encouraged interactions about the IT profession in a fun and engaging setting while at the same time providing recognition to student volunteers and leaders at TechBoston Academy.”
A Boston SIM member is contributing her IT expertise to a local nonprofit through
outreach partner, Common Impact.
outreach partner, Common Impact.
Amy Cowgill, Senior IS Program Manager of Aspen Technology will be working closely with Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA), Executive Director, Vanessa Calderon-Rosado over the next six months. IBA is a dynamic community building agency dedicated to increasing the social and economic power of individuals and families through education, economic development, technology and arts programming that builds safe, vibrant and culturally diverse affordable housing communities. Amy will be working with IBA to help them define a database design that will best help the organization track its effectiveness. To do this, Amy will meet with IBA to understand what metrics the organization is looking to track and then will work with the organization to define a database design and reporting structure that will allow the organization to track and report on these key metrics.
SIM Silver – May meeting recap
We had a great meeting on Thursday, May 5, 2011, at Babson followed by dinner at Pappa Razzis. It was great and well worth our time and not just because of Dave’s wine selection. Dave Corbett, author of the book the Portfolio Life was invited by Mary Finlay. If you remember, his book was what got us started with SIM Silver. He talked a lot about the process of moving into the next stage of life (he does not like the word retirement). He said that the four big issues that executives have when they leave full time work are:
1. they lose their identification,
2. they had never anticipated the isolation,
3. they are home alone with their spouse, and
4. they have no goals.
He also spoke to the portfolio of six things that must be a part of the next stage of life. They are:
1. continue to work,
2. spend more time with family,
3. spend more time on leisure
4. participate in lifelong learning
5. give back, and
6. have a spiritual base.
We all resonated with everything that he said and the discussion was very lively!
Next meeting is September 20th and we expect to have Carlo D.Este, a historian, who has written many books about World War II heros such as Churchill, Eisenhower, and Patton. Save the date!
For more information contact Les Ball at lesballscituate@gmail.com
Attention Boston SIM Golfers!
This years event is SOLD OUT!
Those who purchased their tickets early will be spending the day at the Cyprian Keyes Golf Club,
playing in a “Best Ball” Golf Tournament on a beautiful 18-hole championship golf course, networking with 150+ IT Executives, Practioners, Vendors and Sponsors, participating in golf-related contests, and enjoying a boxed lunch, cocktail reception and dinner afterwards, all while helping support Boston SIM’s outreach partners.
playing in a “Best Ball” Golf Tournament on a beautiful 18-hole championship golf course, networking with 150+ IT Executives, Practioners, Vendors and Sponsors, participating in golf-related contests, and enjoying a boxed lunch, cocktail reception and dinner afterwards, all while helping support Boston SIM’s outreach partners.
Proceeds from this Golf Tournament are used to support the Boston SIM Outreach Programs, our Outreach Partners: Year Up <http://www.yearup.org/>, Teen Voices <http://www.teenvoices.com/> , Common Impact <http://www.commonimpact.org/> , Tech Boston <http://www.techboston.org/>, and our Future Potential in IT outreach to area colleges and universities. These organizations greatly benefit from the generous support of Boston SIM and our Golf Tournament Sponsors. SIM Member companies are encouraged to sponsor and to nominate vendors that would benefit from their participation. We need your help to contact those vendors. If you know of any vendor that might be interested in becoming a sponsor, please email their information to Ray Barry at rmbarry@comcast.net or call (781)910-9581
This year’s confirmed sponsors to date follow:
Practitioners’ Roundtable –
The Promise and Peril of the Cloud
Cloud platforms are the next major revolution in computing. They promise to reduce capital expenditures, simplify the provisioning process, promote business continuity, and enable organizations to focus on their core competencies. We’re told that the Cloud will also make it possible to reach customers in new ways and even generate new revenue streams.
When considering Cloud strategies, organizations must consider issues such as security, data privacy, latency, disaster recovery, connectivity, and the potential for vendor lock-in. We must also evaluate how compliance with various laws and regulations will be ensured. Join your peers at the Director and VP levels for a lively discussion on the promise and peril of the Cloud.
We will be joined that evening by a special guest Chris Hallberg, Azure Director – Microsoft Northeast, who will share Microsoft’s value proposition for its Cloud offerings.
The discussion will be held at Microsoft on 201 Jones Road; Suite 601, Waltham, MA 02451
Agenda:
4:00PM – 4:15PM: Networking and introductions
4:15PM – 6:00PM: Program and discussion
6:15PM – Dinner at Biagio on Moody Street
To register for this event, click here.
Proposed Boston SIM Bylaw Change
Periodically updates are required in the governing bylaws of SIM Boston to reflect changes in the organization. At the upcoming monthly meeting on June 9th, the following change will require a two-thirds vote to add the Helpdesk Roundtable Facilitator as a Director and to recognize co-chairs or co-facilitators as Directors – each with one vote.
Section 2a. DIRECTORS. The following Directors shall be elected annually by the members to serve a one-year term from January 1 through December 31:
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Program Chair*
Membership Chair*
Marketing Chair*
Outreach Committee Chair*
Newsletter Editor*
Web Editor*
Boston CIO Roundtable Facilitator*
Providence CIO Roundtable Facilitator*
Practitioners’Roundtable Facilitator*
Consultants’ Roundtable Facilitator*
Sharpen the Leadership Saw Facilitator*
Helpdesk Roundtable Facilitator*
Academic Liaison*
* Based on the annual nomination process of Directors, co-chairs or co-facilitators may be elected and each individual will be considered a Director with one vote.
2011-05-24 Boston SIM Holds 1st Golf ‘IT’ Mentoring Event with TechBoston Academy
Marlowe Farrar, CIO at Management Sciences for Health in Cambridge with TBA students Urbriel Zizi and Wilders Pierre
Boston SIM and the New England Chapter of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) partnered with TechBoston Academy to hold the first Golf ‘IT’ event at McGolf in Dedham on May 24th. The 24 participating students were recognized technology leaders and volunteers, who maintain equipment, prepare content for websites and support curriculum activities. The event paired IT professionals from leading companies in the Boston area who served as mentors, with tech-focused high school students in an informal setting to learn about career choices and golf basics.
TBA students with mentors from Boston SIM and NEHIMSS
“On behalf of TechBoston Academy, I appreciate the time the Boston SIM and New England HIMSS members are taking to mentor our students,” stated Mary Skipper, Headmaster of TechBoston Academy. “TechBoston Academy students are tech-savvy and this opportunity to meet with professionals who are daily using the skills we teach in classes will give the teens a connection to the real world of work and a better understanding of the path they’ll need to get there. These IT professional associations have come up with an innovative way to inform our students about careers in high tech while exposing them to golf fundamentals. I know it will be a memorable day in their young lives.”
Commenting on the event, Kevin More, President of Boston SIM remarked, “Through our 10+ years of community outreach, SIM has targeted and funded opportunities for students who are exploring early career choices in technology. The novel format of Golf IT encouraged interactions about the IT profession in a fun and engaging setting while at the same time providing recognition to student volunteers and leaders at TechBoston Academy.”
SIM Chapter Leaders Summit
Thanks for all your hard work to make SIM a great organization, keep us connected across the country and around the globe, and shaping the future.