Last week we held our first ever REDTalk in Houston, TX at the beautiful Woodlands Resort & Conference Center. It was truly an IT leadership event unlike any other that we have had in the past. This event was straightforward and to the point, providing the IT leaders in attendance with practical knowledge that could be taken back and implemented right away. In the shortened agenda and intimate, small group format, everyone had the opportunity to get their questions answered and participate fully in each and every discussion.
The event started with a spectacular lunch at the Woodlands Dining Room. Directly after lunch, participants were ushered into the conference center and listened to Keynote Speaker, Drew Dudley. Drew talked to the IT Leaders in the room about what leadership really means and how a leader should inspire a culture of courage, which he defined as, “A commitment to taking action when there is a possibility to lose.”
Following Drew, Spencer Hamons, CIO at NetApp, discussed how strategic planning is extremely vital in the high-velocity world that we live in. Hitting home the point that IT leaders can beat all expectations by challenging the status quo.
In the second half, two panel discussions, where modernization and innovation of both Application Security and Data Management were discussed. Both customers, partners and Red8 representatives converged to dive deep into these crucial topics.
The day wrapped up with a networking dinner at The Glass Restaurant where the Yellow Rose Distillery provided a complimentary whiskey tasting and El Cubano Cigars handed out freshly hand-rolled cigars. The definition of closing out an event in style!
Needless to say, it was an event that will be remembered by all in attendance. The lessons that each participant took home will impact each of their individual businesses as well as IT Leadership strategies.
We look forward to our next REDTalk event on the west coast this fall. Stay tuned for more information on the future event or reach out to mwright@red8.com with any questions.
-Red8 Leadership
