The Technology Track at the UWEBC Annual Conference highlights how organizations are leveraging technology to drive innovation, strengthen security, and enable business transformation.
Sessions in this track explore emerging technologies, digital strategy, cybersecurity, data and analytics, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in modern organizations. Speakers share practical insights into how companies are using data and AI to improve decision-making, automate processes, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and efficiency. Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how technology leaders are modernizing systems, managing risk, and building the digital capabilities needed to support long-term business success.
Track Speakers
Ralph Buelling
EVP/Chief Information Officer, UW Credit Union
Ralph Buelling is the Chief Information Officer at UW Credit Union. He has executive leadership accountability for information technology, AI, analytics, data, and digital engineering at UW Credit Union. Ralph drives strategy, delivery, and operations across these areas, with focus on application modernization, engineering of member-facing technologies, AI adoption, cloud migration, security, enterprise infrastructure and project portfolio management.
Prior to joining UW Credit Union, Ralph oversaw the IT functions at Dean Health Plan. Earlier in his career, Ralph was the Divisional Vice President of Business Portfolio for Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), a Chicago-based licensee of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association.
Mike Bechtel
Inventor, Investor, Futurist, Professor
An inventor turned investor, and now futurist and professor, Mike Bechtel works to make sense of what’s new and next in tech. His goal: Helping today’s leaders arrive at their preferred tomorrows slightly ahead of schedule.
A sought-after speaker, Mike’s rare mix of technical understanding, business savvy, and charismatic storytelling finds him giving over 100 keynotes a year to international business, government, and academic audiences.
Over his career at the forefront of “all-things-newfangled” (Chief Futurist at Deloitte, Global Innovation Director at Accenture, Venture Capital co-founder, and Professor at the University of Notre Dame), Mike has had a front row seat to the future for over 25 years.
Additional speakers will be named soon. Check back often!
Steering Committee
Erika Ferrell
Position title: Director of Digital Enterprise Services
Hy Cite
Josh Murray
Position title: Assistant Vice President – AI, Innovation, and Emerging Technology
Alliant Energy
Dan Vogtman
Position title: VP of Information Technology
Sargento Foods
Practice Director
Heidi Rozmiarek
Position title: Technology, Data and AI Practice Director
Email:
heidi.rozmiarek
As the Technology, Data and AI 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.