2024 Lessons & 2025 Trends from CDO Magazine Cincinnati Leadership Dinner

Top Cincinnati data, analytics, and AI executives gathered at CDO Magazine’s Community Leadership Dinner on November 13 to exchange practical data, AI, and technology strategies that contributed to their success throughout 2024. The conversations also delved into forward-looking trends expected to shape the industry in 2025.

The event featured a panel discussion on "Lessons Learned in 2024 and the Biggest Trends that will Impact the Enterprise in 2025."

The panel of expert speakers were:

• Bharath Prabhakaran, University of Cincinnati VP & Chief Digital Officer

• Chris Eldredge, Paycor VP, Data Office

• Renen Hallak, VAST Data CEO & Founder

The session was moderated by Taylor Gorning, AHEAD Managing Director.

Slideshow - Click to enlarge

Reflecting on his experience, speaker Prabhakaran says: “It is always a pleasure to attend CDO Magazine events as one consistently gets to meet with top data and technology leaders from diverse industries, and learn and share experiences.”

Prabhakaran shares his key takeaways:

1. Data security, privacy, ethics, and responsible AI continue to be key areas that need focus.

2. CDOs need to constantly focus on being strategic business partners and elevate the importance of data to support data-driven decision making.

3. Data is the new digital currency, and a sound AI strategy needs a robust data strategy as a foundation.

Slideshow - Click to enlarge

Speaker Eldredge mentions how he will leverage the valuable takeaways from his peers to improve the data strategy at his organization. “It was great to hear how data leaders are seeing data becoming a critical element to the strategic initiatives of their organizations. I had many conversations about the increasing importance of data within organizations. Most of the leaders I spoke with were developing strategies to leverage data to unlock the potential of AI,” he adds.

Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales, says: "The CDO Magazine Cincinnati Executive Community Dinner brought together a diverse panel to discuss the lessons learned in 2024 and the trends they see coming in 2025. Executives see the value of data and are now matching it with every strategic decision within an organization. Cincinnati is the birthplace of CDO Magazine, and it's great to see this community thriving and continuing to grow."

Slideshow - Click to enlarge

Byron Couch, Coretek Sr. Account Executive sums up the event saying, “The CDO Magazine executive dinner last night was a great event. We got to hear from data and digital leaders in our industry, and break bread with amazing IT executives from the community. Well done!”

Special thanks to our sponsors Coretek, Enlivened Tech, and Lydonia for making the CDO Magazine Cincinnati Leadership Dinner such a resounding success.

*Bharath Prabhakaran is a Co-Chair of the Cincinnati Executive Board. Prabhakaran and Chris Eldredge are members of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board.

Executives attending the Cincinnati CDO Magazine Community Leadership Dinner included: 

Shanna Anderson, Fifth Third Bank Sr. Director, Insights & Customer Data; Tim Cholvat, University of Cincinnati Executive Director; Dave Corfman, Randa Sr. Director IT Applications; Michael Croy, Total Administrative Services Corporation, Enterprise Security Consultant; Christopher Eldredge, Paycor VP, Data Office; Doug Fuller, TriHealth System Executive, Analytics & Decision Support; Stephen Hahn, Odyssey Partners Consulting Founding Partner; Elizabeth Hays-Najlepszy, Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati Chief Information Security Officer; Chris Huntington, Kroger BISO; Philip Japikse, Pintas & Mullins CTO; Katie Jones, TQL Business Intelligence Analyst II; Arun Kumar Moolchandani, Travelers Sr. Director, Lead Data Engineer; Michael McCalmont, Atricure VP, IT; Bhavna Mehta, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center AVP, Data & Analytics; Ajaz Mohammad, University of Cincinnati Director, Data & Analytics; Bharath Prabhakaran, University of Cincinnati VP & Chief Digital Officer; Dave Ramsey, former Macy’s Director, Data Science; Michael Redmond, Redmond Worldwide CISO; Josette Riep, University of Cincinnati AVP; Tracy Ruberg, The Circuit/T6 Group Executive Director; Matt Scheurer, Financial Services Industry VP, Computer Security & Incident Response; Dan Whitacre, University of Cincinnati Retired; Dave Zlactic, FC Cincinnati VP, Technology; Jonathan Adams, SALIX Data President; Nicole Evans, VAST Data Client Director; Byron Couch, Coretek Sr. Account Executive; Taylor Gorning, AHEAD Managing Director; Renen Hallak, VAST Data CEO & Founder; Michael Krieger, AHEAD Client Director;  Zachary Sollisch, AHEAD Client Director; Heather Sutter, Enlivened Tech President; Michael Sutter, Enlivened Tech CEO; Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher; Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales; Michelle Ziegler, CDO Magazine Global VP, Partner Development & Events; Mindy Mobley, CDO Magazine Event Director; Karyl Cunningham, CDO Magazine Event Manager; Kylie McCarthy, CDO Magazine Event Manager; Lisa Runkle, CDO Magazine Event Manager.