
Houston CIO Community
Inner Circle
September 26, 2023 | Yellow Rose Distilling
September 26, 2023
Yellow Rose Distilling
Collaborate with your peers
Join Houston's top CIOs for an intimate networking dinner and facilitated discussion on key business challenges. Enjoy a relaxed evening of dinner and drinks with your peers to share best practices, make new connections and build professional relationships.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today:
Supporting Faster, Data-Driven Decisions
Building Advanced Capabilities in a Competitive Environment
Planning and Implementing Generative AI
Houston CIO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the discussion topics and agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

David Cain
CVR Energy
VP & CIO

Vagesh Dave
McDermott International
Global VP/ CIO

Jennifer Hohman
Seadrill
Chief Information Officer & Vice President

Paula Smetana Stuart
Crescent Energy
CIO

Michael Thompson
Gulfport Energy Corporation
Vice President & Chief Information Officer

John Varkey
Waste Management
VP, Enterprise Digital Services
Agenda
September 26, 2023
4:30pm - 5:30pm Executive Networking Reception
5:30pm - 6:45pm Discussion Topics
Optimizing Efficiencies Through Data, Automation and AI

Alina Parast
SVP & CIO
ChampionX

David Harmon
CIO
Oil States International

Don Reny
VP Information Technology
Gulf States Toyota

Randy Volkin
CIO
Perry Homes

Atif Riaz
Chief Information and Digital Officer
Murphy Oil Corp
With organizations facing headwinds due to economic uncertainties, it is essential for business leaders to improve efficiencies, lower costs, increase productivity and support business growth. Technology leaders who adapt the IT strategy to leverage data, automation and generative AI practices will ensure their company remains competitive amid rapid change.
As speed and agility become essential components for an enterprise to make smarter, quicker decisions, CIOs must empower the organization with the right capabilities and information to maximize benefits and decrease time to value. Creating opportunities for speedy outcomes by providing accessible data, automating to make space for strategic work, and empowering leaders to make decisions with the support of AI models will ultimately lead to a more competitive enterprise.
Join your peers to discuss how CIOs are optimizing capabilities to increase IT’s impact and show greater business value across the enterprise.
Supporting Faster, Data-Driven Decisions
- What goals do you have around using data insights to create a more efficient business? What challenges are you facing when it comes to those goals?
- How do you create new avenues for accessible data, while fostering data literacy for quicker and smarter business decisions?
- Is your data environment mature enough to move forward with automation and/or generative AI models? What do you need to do to get there?
Building Advanced Capabilities in a Competitive Environment
- What business processes are you currently automating and how do you identify the areas of the business that should be automated?
- How do your future automation plans affect cost/resource optimization and people productivity?
- Have you identified small use cases or pilots for incorporating generative AI within the enterprise? Have you realized any benefits as of yet?
- What does the future look like for generative AI in your enterprise? Are there pressures from the C-suite to implement this before your data environment is mature enough?
6:45pm - 7:15pm Networking Break
7:15pm - 8:30pm Summary Discussion & Dinner
8:30pm - 9:30pm Social Hour
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Houston CIO Community Inner Circle.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue
Yellow Rose DistillingMore Information
Parking: Free parking available
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.