Speakers

• Rocky Bleier
  President, Rocky Bleier Inc. and Motivational Speaker Rocky Bleier, Inc.
  
  

  Rocky Bleier’s life story – a gripping tale of courage on both the football fields of America and the battle fields of Vietnam – has held audiences in rapt attention for years. Yet the motivational message behind it, detailing how ordinary people can become extraordinary achievers, defines success in the new American century. With the same optimism, sense of humor and steadfast determination that were his trademarks as a Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Bleier takes audiences from his early years through his professional career and talks about the lessons he learned along the way…lessons that we all can benefit from.

  The hard lessons Bleier learned early in his life, which helped him overcome adversity and reach his goals, have paid off after football. What makes Bleier so
  popular as a speaker is his ability to translate core values in his speech, “Be the Best You Can Be.” With real-world practicality, he points out ways to reach new
  levels of inner-confidence.

• Curtis A. Carver, Jr.
  Colonel, Ph.D., U.S. Army, Vice Dean for Education U.S. Military Academy, West Point
  
  

  Colonel Curtis A. Carver Jr. is the Vice Dean for Education at the United States Military Academy where he is responsible for personnel, budget, strategic planning, research, and information technology. Carver previously served as the Associate Dean for Information and Educational Technology and as the Program Director for the Information Technology, and the Information Systems Engineering programs. Carver has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Texas A&M University and is an active researcher with more than 100 research publications. Carver is also an active duty Army Colonel with operational assignments as platoon leader, signal staff officer, company commander, battalion operations officer, and division deputy G-6.

  Colonel Carver's military awards include Signal Corps Bronze Order of Mercury, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korean Service Medal, Senior Parachutist Badge (Jumpmaster), and Jungle Warfare Expert Badge. Carver's research has been well received and recognition includes the 2006 FISSEA Educator of the Year, IEEE Senior Member recognition, Phi Kappa Phi Academic Achievement Award, IEEE Ben Dasher Best Paper Award, two EDMEDIA Outstanding Paper Awards, EDSIG Best Overall Paper Award, and the AFCEA Best Paper Award. He is one of the creators of the TACWEB system and his adaptive hypermedia courseware has been displayed in the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria.

• Jody Davids
  Former EVP, CIO Cardinal Health, Inc.
  
  

  In her role at Cardinal Health, Jody Davids is responsible for overseeing the aligned shared services functions of the company's finance, human resources, procurement, workplace services and enterprise information technology areas, ensuring that processes and systems capabilities are in place to meet Cardinal Health's future growth. She also oversees the development of solutions that support and complement the company's diverse offerings to health care providers.

  Davids joined Cardinal Health in January 2000 as Senior Vice President, IT, for Pharmaceutical Distribution, where she was responsible for developing technology strategy and managing all aspects of information technology for Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical distribution business. In 2003 she was named Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, and was promoted to her current position in early 2007.

  She came to Cardinal Health from Nike Inc., Beaverton, Ore., where she had served as Director, Technology Services, since April 1997. Prior to joining Nike, Davids was employed by Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, Calif., where she began as a computer programmer in March 1982 and served in positions of increasing responsibility over her 15-year tenure, spending most of that time in Apple's Asia Pacific Division. She left Apple as Senior Director, Supply Chain Re-engineering, responsible for this multi-year, global program.

  At Cardinal, Davids is sponsoring a broad women's initiative with the support and mentorship of President and CEO Kerry Clark. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority, and is a frequently requested speaker to a variety of professional groups and events. In addition, she has been quoted and featured in trade and business media outlets around the world.

• Mark DiMaurizio
  VP - Technology Solutions Comcast-Spectacor
  
  

  Mark DiMaurizio serves as VP, Technology Solutions for Comcast-Spectacor. He oversees the company’s sales and marketing technologies to cultivate, develop and retain customers for its Philadelphia sports properties, which include the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia 76ers and all events at their two Philadelphia venues. DiMaurizio also oversees the CRM, database marketing and customer insight and planning functions. DiMaurizio joined Comcast-Spectacor from GE where he was an IT Leader with their Capital Solutions business. Prior to that, he was with the National Basketball Association as the League’s Director of CRM and Team Technology for six seasons. DiMaurizio earned a B.A. from Brock University and an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut.

• Doug Keeley
  CEO & Chief Storyteller The Mark of a Leader
  
  

  Doug Keeley, CEO and Chief Storyteller of The Mark of a Leader, is one of North America’s leading communicators, a serial entrepreneur and a self-professed “leadership junkie.” Today his revolutionary program is inspiring leaders and workforces to improved performance with a revolutionary approach called “Five Level Leadership.”
  
  Keeley started the first of several businesses in 1978, and quickly became a pioneer in the marketing and communications industry.
  
  In 2004, he embarked on a journey to help create a new generation of leaders with The Mark of a Leader. This unique, story-based program uses multimedia to share insights into the success of many of the world’s greatest leaders and brands to show how they can be applied to business today.
  
  Keeley has written a book of inspiring stories, authored many magazine features and columns, and has appeared in several books on creativity and corporate culture. He is also an inductee in the Meetings & Incentive Travel Hall of Fame.

• Arthur Langer
  Sr. Director, Center for Technology Columbia University
  
  

  Dr. Arthur Langer is the Senior Director of the Center for Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is on the faculties in the Department of Organization and Leadership at the Graduate School of Education (Teachers College) and Associate Director of Instruction and Curricular Development for Programs in Information Technology in the School of Continuing Education. He is also a visiting professor at Kyoto's Graduate School of Informatics in Japan. His activities at Columbia University focus on education and research that provides students with theory-to-practice knowledge or applied learning to professional students. Dr. Langer is also Chairman of Workforce Outsource Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to "leveling-the-playing-field" and providing scholarships and job opportunities to under-served populations across the country.

  Dr. Langer's practice and research involves workforce development, adult mentoring programs, workplace learning, adult education, intellectual development, and learning transformation as well as the design of special education programs. He is the author ofInformation Technology & Organizational Learning (2005),Applied Ecommerce (2002),Analysis & Design of Information Systems (2000), andThe Art of Analysis (1997) and has published numerous articles and papers relating to workforce development, organizational integration, mentoring, and staff development. He consults with organizations and corporations throughout the world.

• Lem Lasher
  President of Global Business Solutions and Chief Innovation Officer Computer Sciences Corporation
  
  

  Lem Lasher is President of Global Business Solutions and Services within CSC. He is also VP and Chief Innovation Officer with CSC's Office of Innovation, which includes The Leading Edge Forum; The Research Network; Global Solutions Organization; Corporate Alliances and Knowledge Management & Enablement. Prior to this assignment, Lasher held numerous Managing Director positions within CSC's European Group, including: BAE Systems global account; European Consulting; CSC Belgium and Luxembourg; and Director, industry practices for Benelux.

  Lasher joined the CSC European Group in 1992, as Director of Network Integration, Europe, where he was responsible for CSC’s network and telecommunications activities in Europe. He joined CSC in 1990 as Director, Commercial Program Development for the Network Integration Division. From 1984 until joining CSC, Lasher was VP for Integrated Software Resources, Inc. He also held executive positions at Deca Group, Inc.; Aitta, Inc.; Investment Seminars, Inc.; Elan Vital, Inc.

  Lasher attended Baldwin Wallace College and Friedrich Wilhems University, where he studied German literature and philosophy.

• Joseph M. Tait
  CIO NMS Labs
  
  

  Joe Tait is a Senior Information Technology Leader with 20+ years of progressively responsible IT management experience in diverse industries. He has a proven track record of developing and building effective teams, turning around operations, spearheading start-ups, integration of IT, and forging cost effective IT organizations. He has recognized strengths in decision making, financial management, strategic planning and communications.

  Joe holds an MBA in Decision Support Systems from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a BA in Computer & Information Sciences from Temple University. He is active in support of the industry through his participation on numerous Society For Information Management (SIM) committees, local university technology advisory boards as well as presenting at seminars on topics of current interest.

  Joe is currently the CIO at NMS Labs in Willow Grove, PA. For more than 35 years, NMS Labs has been setting the standard for excellence in clinical toxicology and forensic testing —responding to the needs of healthcare providers, medical researchers, coroners, and the criminal justice system with state-of-the-art tests that other labs don’t or can’t provide. Prior to this position, Joe worked at a number of Philadelphia area companies including Nutri/System, Comcast, Covance, Systems and Computer Technology (SCT) and The Campbell Soup Company.

• George Nelson
  SVP & CIO Toll Brothers, Inc.
  
  

  George Nelson has been the first CIO at Toll Brothers “America’s Luxury Home Builder” for the past six years. He has implemented multiple systems in support of business
  processes, including: PeopleSoft, pivotal customer relationship management, sales management care and a customized construction management system.
  Previously Nelson was SVP for Harcourt, Inc. with global responsibility for customer service, information technology, subscription fulfillment and distribution. At Harcourt, Nelson completely automated the distribution process across five distribution centers resulting in an annual savings of more than $75M. Nelson received the CEO Eagle Award as the top executive in the company. Nelson holds a B.S. and M.B.A. in Finance from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

• Gautam Sardar, Ph.D.
  Principal Scientist & Head, TCS Innovation Lab – Cincinnati, USA Tata Consultancy Services
  
  

  Dr. Gautam Sardar is the Principal Scientist and Head of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Innovation Lab, where he spearheads R&D from an engineering and infrastructure solutions perspective in areas such as manufacturing, energy & utilities, and healthcare.

  Sardar has been with TCS for 10 years and has held leadership positions in various R&D programs. Sardar was a recipient of the “TCS Innovator Award” in 2006-07 in recognition of his contribution to engineering and industrial services through innovative solutions. His research include optimization, intelligent systems, algorithms, and robust control. Sardar worked as an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati prior to joining TCS.

  Sardar has a degree in Computer Science from University of Poona and holds a Ph.D. in Systems and Control Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, Mumbai. An active researcher, he is author of several technical publications.

• Angelo Valletta
  SVP & CIO Sun National Bank
  
  

  Angelo J. Valletta currently serves Sun National Bank as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Chairman of the Bank’s Management Automation Committee, which
  consists of the most senior level leaders at the bank. In addition Valletta has responsibility for two revenue generating lines of business; ATM and Merchant Services. Valletta has close to 25 years of progressively responsible managerial experience in diverse industries for companies ranging in size from small consulting firms to multi-national
  Fortune 100 companies. He has a proven track record of developing and building effective internal and outsourced local and distributed teams, and is a turn-around
  specialist in operations and services.

  Additionally, Valletta serves on several civic boards most notably as lead for the Kirchman/Metavante’s large company synergy group. He is also an elected official
  representing his district to Gloucester County, NJ, and was asked to serve as Chairman for Sun’s 2007 and 2008 United Way campaigns.

• Jerry Wolfe
  VP, Supply Chain, & CIO McCormick & Company, Incorporated
  
  

  Jerry Wolfe is the CIO and Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy for McCormick & Company, the global leader in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of spices,
  seasonings and flavors to the entire food industry. He leads the development and implementation of supply chain strategy focused on global capability optimization, network partnerships and product portfolio optimization. Global information technology responsibilities include operation of a large SAP environment, as the primary business
  solution architecture and sponsorship of innovative solutions and services. He has led large scale transformational initiatives including global business
  process and systems reengineering, supply chain restructuring and large acquisition integration.

  Wolfe has more than 20 years of experience in positions of increasing scope and responsibility within the disciplines of supply chain management and information technology. He has created and implemented business transformational strategy, and has been at the forefront of advancing supply chain theory, strategy, process improvement and the application of information technology. He has a global perspective and his career includes assignments and responsibilities outside of the U.S., with significant experience in the
  consumer packaged goods industry. Prior to McCormick, Wolfe was a Partner in the Supply Chain Practice with Ernst and Young where he supported a number of major initiatives at global companies. Before joining Ernst and Young, he was part of the management team during the first 12 years of development at Manugistics, where he played a
  number of leadership roles in the development, sales and implementation of the supply chain management solutions with leading Fortune 500 companies.