The Technology Track at the 2026 UWEBC Annual Conference examined how technology is driving innovation and business transformation at every level of the organization. Sessions in this track explored AI, digital strategies, data analytics, and emerging technologies. Attendees gained valuable frameworks for how to successfully approach implementing new technologies and AI into their teams.
Ralph Buelling, EVP/Chief Information Officer at UW Credit Union, opened with “Leading Through the AI Era: Strategy, Workforce, and Technology in Financial Services.”
Ralph detailed the importance of examining how AI supports the strategies of each technology function of a firm. AI functions must be aligned to a company’s core principles, and teams must evaluate what changes will accommodate AI use best. To govern AI use, UWCU applies a tiered framework that matches oversight to each effort’s risk and complexity.
Next, Christa Markgraff, Central Region Leader, U.S. Datacenter Operations at Microsoft, presented “Inside the AI Super Factory: Datacenters, Myths, and the Workforce of the Future.”
Christa walked the audience through the full lifecycle of data centers, from construction and daily operations to the broader effects of AI on communities and society. Christa’s presentation stressed that people remain at the center of AI and technology development. She pointed to Microsoft’s Mount Pleasant datacenter, expected to create more than 500 permanent jobs, as one example.
Mike Bechtel, Chief Futurist at Onward and Professor at Notre Dame, led the third session, “A Brief History of the Future.”
Mike explained three deficits holding back AI value: information, imagination, and permission. Having the right information, having the ability to imagine beneficial uses for AI, and having the permission to implement new technologies are key for organizations expanding their AI applications. He also encouraged leaders to look beyond back-office efficiency, noting, as David Packard put it, “You can’t shrink your way to success.”
The Technology Track closed with Amy Climer, Author and Innovation Consultant at Climer Consulting, presenting “Deliberate Creative Teams: The Leadership Edge Behind Every Technology Win.”
Creative teams must be deliberately formulating new ideas and implementing them rather than simply waiting for the next idea to come. Amy highlighted how innovation processes thrive with systems that facilitate them, and a shared team purpose and healthy team dynamics add the structure needed on creative teams.
There’s even more to explore beyond these highlights! If you attended the conference, head back to the virtual portal to revisit the conversations, watch sessions you missed, and download presentation materials. Weren’t able to be there? A Digital Pass gives you access to the ideas and insights shared throughout the day.
Written by Laura Mahowald, UWEBC Marketing