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2025 Annual Conference: Technology

Track Speakers


Mark BensonThe Future is Connected: Insights on Smart Products from the Front Lines of Innovation

Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings, Samsung

Connected products are reshaping the way consumers live and how companies deliver value. In this session, Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings at Samsung, will explore the rapid evolution of connected devices from two key perspectives: the industry-wide shift toward smart ecosystems and the experience of companies that design and build these products. Drawing on Samsung’s leadership in the connected home and IoT space, Mark will share lessons learned from developing SmartThings, including the challenges of interoperability, the role of data in creating seamless experiences, and the future of consumer expectations. Whether you are building smart products or adapting your business to work within a connected world, this session offers a front-row view into what is next.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ecosystems Over Devices: Understand how the shift from individual products to connected ecosystems is changing business models and customer engagement.
  • Producer Perspective: Gain insights into the design, development, and delivery of smart products from one of the world’s leading technology companies.
  • Looking Ahead: Learn what trends are shaping the next wave of connected innovation and what your organization can do today to stay ahead.



Denise TillesThe Future-Stack Revolution: Product Management Reimagined for the AI Age

Denise Tilles, Chief Product Officer and Founder of Grocket, Co-Author of Product Operations: How Successful Companies Build Better Products at Scale

Enjoy a highlight clip from this session:



Logan McLeodRacing Ahead with Data & AI: Leading Tech Innovation from Pit Road to the Boardroom

Logan McLeod, Senior Executive Advisor – Data & AI, McLeod Enterprises, LLC.

Enjoy a highlight clip from this session:




Sandra and MarkAI at Promega: Empowering Innovation and Wellness Through Emerging Technologies

Sandra Gardner, Chief Information Officer, and Mark Sehmer, Manager of Emerging Technologies, Promega

Enjoy a highlight clip from this session:

Steering Committee

Alberto Ruocco

Alberto Ruocco

Position title: SVP & CIO
Alliant Energy

Michael Waisbrot

Michael Waisbrot

Position title: CTO
UW Health

Technology Track Sponsor

The Technology track is proudly sponsored by Denodo and YASH Technologies.

denodo logo

Denodo is a leader in data management. The award-winning Denodo Platform is the leading logical data management platform for transforming data into trustworthy insights and outcomes for all data-related initiatives across the enterprise, including AI and self-service. Denodo’s customers in all industries all over the world have delivered trusted AI-ready and business-ready data in a third of the time and with 10x better performance than with lakehouses and other mainstream data platforms alone. For more information, visit denodo.com.

 

yash logo

YASH Technologies is a digital transformation specialist & systems integrator trusted by 100+ Fortune 500 companies. YASH merges top-tier advisory and consulting capabilities with in-depth technology expertise to architect end-to-end, impactful, and value-centric transformation for enterprises across diverse industries.

Connect with YASH: yash.com | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Pinterest

Practice Director

Heidi Rozmiarek

Position title: Technology Practice Director

Email: heidi.rozmiarek@uwebc.wisc.edu

As the Technology Practice Director, Heidi Rozmiarek leads the technology practice of the UWEBC. She works with member companies to ensure education, research, and advisory service offerings are aligned with the needs of the membership. Heidi brings over 20 years of experience helping companies achieve operational success by leveraging technology and data through her work in consulting and senior leadership positions in software development, data management, and enterprise applications. Heidi’s diverse background includes extensive experience in the healthcare industry, where she spent over a decade leading technology and analytics initiatives for healthcare providers, insurers, and life sciences companies.

Heidi holds an MBA from the University of South Dakota, a BS in Computer Science, Marketing, and Finance from Morningside University, and a Master’s Certificate in Accounting from Edgewood College.

Highlights from last year's Technology Track

 

Here are a few highlights from last year’s Technology track: