Milwaukee CISO Community

Build your trusted circle of C-Level peers

Leadership can be isolating at the C-Level. No one else within your organization truly understands the complexities you face. Gartner C-Level Communities are designed to bridge that gap, bringing together executives who know firsthand the demands of your role.

In the Milwaukee CISO Community, you will connect with peers who are willing to share their experiences, discuss practical solutions and collaborate on emerging challenges. By joining your local community, you will gain fresh ideas and perspectives, a trusted network of peers and the support you need to lead confidently in a rapidly changing environment.

Join your local community for exclusive access to:

Peer Connections

Catch up with familiar faces and build new relationships with colleagues in your community
Strengthen your trusted professional network with peers who understand your challenges
Establish a circle of peers you can call on for real-time guidance and ongoing support

Peer Perspectives

Engage in candid, in‑depth discussions to address your most pressing priorities
Learn firsthand, practical approaches from peers navigating similar challenges
Validate your strategies through real-world peer experiences

Gartner Insights

Gain data-driven insights and field-tested best practices from Gartner analysts
Explore forward-looking strategies on critical issues affecting your role
Leverage Gartner insights and Executive Partner expertise to enrich peer conversations

Milwaukee CISO Governing Body

A regional Governing Body leads the Milwaukee CISO community, shaping the topics and agendas for your local programs and ensuring that all content is driven By CISOs, For CISOs®.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Reshad Alam

Regal Rexnord
VP & CISO

Jeremy Bauer

Molson Coors Beverage Company
Sr Director, Information Security (CISO)

Rick Sackett

ProAmpac
Global Vice President of Information Security

Governing Body Members

Ray Farrell

Milwaukee Tool
VP, Enterprise Security & Infrastructure

Stephen Ford

Rockwell Automation
VP & CISO

Adam Furger

Kohl's Corporation
Vice President of Information Security

Alan Langmann

Artisan Partners
CISO

John Mandli

S C Johnson & Son Inc
Senior Director, Global Information Security

Kurt Manke

Organic Valley
Vice President IT Security and Infrastructure Operations

Chris Merkel

Northwestern Mutual
Senior Director, Cybersecurity Operations

Doug Michelz

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
CISO

Mike Reineck

Baird
SVP & Director, IT Security

Dave Schaibly

Uline
Director of IT Security

Tim Van Ryzin

Direct Supply
Director, Cybersecurity and Compliance

Shuchi Wadhwa

Schreiber Foods
Global Cybersecurity Strategy Lead

Mike Waldrop

Schneider National
Sr. Director, Information Security

Ryan Wessels

Acuity Insurance
Director of Cyber Security

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today.

Accelerate Exposure Management To Defend At Machine Speed
Unify AI Risk Into Existing Cyber Governance Practices
Optimize Cybersecurity Portfolios Through Outcome-Driven Investment Strategies

Upcoming Programs

In-Person

November 17, 2026 | 1 day

Milwaukee CISO Community Executive Summit

Hyatt Regency Milwaukee

Connect with CIO peers at this one-day event focused on practical solutions to top challenges.

Learn More

In-Person

July 2027 | an evening

Milwaukee CISO Community Inner Circle

Join fellow CIOs for dinner, discussion, and networking in a relaxed, collaborative environment.

Learn More

In-Person

November 9, 2027 | 1 day

Milwaukee CISO Community Executive Summit

Hyatt Regency Milwaukee

Connect with CIO peers at this one-day event focused on practical solutions to top challenges.

Learn More

Past Programs

Apply to join

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Each application is carefully vetted to ensure members meet established criteria, preserving the quality of the network and enabling meaningful, peer‑level discussions among leaders from the world’s leading organizations.

Once you submit your application, a Community Program Manager will schedule a conversation to understand your priorities and interests and complete onboarding, including access to year‑round community events.

Get Started

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Community Member Criteria

To maintain the highest standard of peer‑level connections and discussions, members must meet the following criteria:

• Enterprise-wide C-Level or

• Business unit or regional C-Level responsible for:

- Private sector: $500M+ in revenue

- Public sector: 1,000+ employees

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“Cybersecurity is a team sport, and the challenges we face are often more similar across industries than they are different. Gartner C-Level Communities provide a valuable forum for networking, sharing experiences, and learning from peers who are tackling many of the same issues.”

Mario Ferket, CISO
Dow Inc

"It's really about having that access to trusted peers, knowing that it's going to be a relevant conversation and then also having a voice in the community."

Deneen DeFiore, VP & CISO
United Airlines

“The real value is connection – getting in a room with peers who are dealing with the same pressures you are. It's a place to trade ideas, swap war stories, and be honest about what's happening in cybersecurity.”

Miro Zgavc, CISO
HomeEquity Bank

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Content from your CISO peers

Leadership Profile | August 28, 2026

Leading Transformation: Kavitha Mariappan on Building Resilience in the Age of AI

In the current AI landscape, Chief Transformation Officer Kavitha Mariappan of Rubrik says the stakes for organizations are “existential.” Here, she explains more about the shift from prevention-first thinking to resilience-first economics and why organizations should be focused on resilience gaps – her session topic at the upcoming Global CISO Community Executive Summit.

Read Article

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Trends Report: C-Level Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

This report highlights five major trends driving enterprise AI adoption, drawing on insights from 750 C-Level executives in our recent community survey. These findings reveal an executive community that is increasingly focused on execution, scalability, and sustainable business impact – Read the report.

Read Article

Town Hall Insights | July 7, 2026

Frontier AI — The New Attack Landscape

Frontier AI models now identify and weaponize vulnerabilities in near-real-time, collapsing traditional defense timelines. How can IT and security leaders strengthen their defenses? CISOs and CIOs in our Vancouver, BC Community gathered for a Town Hall discussion that explored the security frameworks required to defend against machine-speed adversaries – here are the takeaways.

Read Article

View All CISO Content

Your Community Sponsors

Global Thought Leaders

CISO Thought Leaders

Milwaukee CISO Community

Build your trusted circle of C-Level peers

Milwaukee CISO Governing Body

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Reshad Alam

Jeremy Bauer

Rick Sackett

Governing Body Members

Ray Farrell

Stephen Ford

Adam Furger

Alan Langmann

John Mandli

Kurt Manke

Chris Merkel

Doug Michelz

Mike Reineck

Dave Schaibly

Tim Van Ryzin

Shuchi Wadhwa

Mike Waldrop

Ryan Wessels

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today.

Accelerate Exposure Management To Defend At Machine Speed

Unify AI Risk Into Existing Cyber Governance Practices

Optimize Cybersecurity Portfolios Through Outcome-Driven Investment Strategies

Upcoming Programs

November 17, 2026 | 1 day

Milwaukee CISO Community Executive Summit

Learn More

July 2027 | an evening

Milwaukee CISO Community Inner Circle

Learn More

November 9, 2027 | 1 day

Milwaukee CISO Community Executive Summit

Learn More

Apply to join

Get Started

Community Member Criteria

My contact information is….

Form contains errors, please review the above

Thank you for your interest in the Gartner Community.

“Cybersecurity is a team sport, and the challenges we face are often more similar across industries than they are different. Gartner C-Level Communities provide a valuable forum for networking, sharing experiences, and learning from peers who are tackling many of the same issues.”

Mario Ferket, CISO Dow Inc

"It's really about having that access to trusted peers, knowing that it's going to be a relevant conversation and then also having a voice in the community."

Deneen DeFiore, VP & CISO United Airlines

“The real value is connection – getting in a room with peers who are dealing with the same pressures you are. It's a place to trade ideas, swap war stories, and be honest about what's happening in cybersecurity.”

Miro Zgavc, CISO HomeEquity Bank

Content from your CISO peers

Leadership Profile | August 28, 2026

Leadership Profile | August 28, 2026

Leading Transformation: Kavitha Mariappan on Building Resilience in the Age of AI

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Survey Report | August 21, 2026

Trends Report: C-Level Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI

Town Hall Insights | July 7, 2026

Town Hall Insights | July 7, 2026

Frontier AI — The New Attack Landscape

Your Community Sponsors

Mario Ferket, CISO
Dow Inc

Deneen DeFiore, VP & CISO
United Airlines

Miro Zgavc, CISO
HomeEquity Bank