NVTC News & Events

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NVTC News & Events

By Jennifer Taylor ● Jan 30, 2024

Smart Brevity^® count: 5.5 mins...1464 words

Dear NVTC members,

Welcome 2024!

The Power of Networking. For many, the start of a new year brings new resolutions. Some of you may have a goal to network more, build more genuine industry relationships, or stay abreast of emerging technologies, such as generative AI.

If so, I warmly encourage you to attend NVTC’s many networking and educational events ranging from our Communities of Interest and CFO Series, to our two upcoming signature events: Rise & Thrive and Impact AI. I promise you will meet amazing professionals and watch your business, your brand, and your network grow.

Building connections with the right people at the right time could be the exact greenlight you need to advance your career. (BTW, I highly recommend reading/listening to Matthew McConaughey’s memoir, Greenlights, where he describes how to enjoy a life of catching as many green lights as possible, while accepting that yellow and red lights are inevitable and will eventually turn green.) 💡💚

Our region is so fortunate to have a long-standing, influential tech council, offering unique access to our region’s vast tech ecosystem. Now in our 34th year, we continue to create hundreds of opportunities for professionals at all levels to connect, learn, and grow.

Come be a part of NVTC, where tech thrives!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Taylor, NVTC President and CEO

1. Register for NVTC’s first-ever women’s summit on 3/12

On March 12, NVTC will host our first-ever Rise & Thrive Summit, a new signature event designed especially for women in our region’s tech community at all career levels.

The big picture: This half-day summit features keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and a networking reception so attendees can:

Learn how female executive leaders in our region advanced their careers,
Connect with others to find mentors and build their networks,
Build insights to gain confidence and influence, and
Advance their very own careers.

Why it matters: The Rise & Thrive Summit demonstrates NVTC’s commitment to embedding DE&I best practices into the fabric of our region’s workforce to drive innovation.

What’s next: Buy your ticket today. Early bird pricing is available through Feb 20.

2. 🎰 NVTC hits the jackpot at CES again!

(l-r) Randy Bostick (Pegapod), Risa Morrison (KPMG), Bruce Caswell (Maximus), Jennifer Taylor (NVTC), John Sankovich (Linden Logic), Katie Hilkemeyer (KPMG), and Tarin Horan (NVTC) at the CES2024 Opening Keynote.

This January, NVTC attended CES2024 in Las Vegas along with 135,000+ industry professionals from around the globe. We peeked into the future and soaked in tech innovation at the show, which featured 4,300+ exhibitors.

NVTC hosted its 2nd annual CES VIP Experience. Twelve participating NVTC members attended the opening keynotes, a private tour, and the invitation-only Leaders in Technology dinner.
We witnessed a surprise appearance by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the opening keynote with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon. They described how Walmart will power shopping experiences using AI models, such as expanded online search capabilities and the use of AR, so customers can use apps to solicit feedback from friends. Walmart also announced an expansion of its drone delivery program in Dallas-Fort Worth using Wing and Zipline drones.
We toured the 2.5M sq. ft. exhibit hall, where we saw innovations, including LG Electronics’ transparent OLED TV, a flying car, glasses with embedded hearing aids, AR/VR technologies, and more!

One fun thing: If you missed CES2024, check out this video walkthrough of the show floor.

What’s next: CES2025 will take place Jan 7 - 10, 2025! If you want to attend, sign up to be notified when registration goes live. NVTC will be back!

3. 📊 Nominate for NVTC's annual Tech CFO Awards

Nominations are open through March 1 for NVTC’s 28th annual Technology CFO Awards.

Why it matters: This is the time of year to recognize our region’s finance professionals for their exceptional contributions to the economic growth of our tech community.

5 Award Categories: Emerging Growth CFO of the Year | Private Company CFO of the Year | Public Company CFO of the Year | Transformative Financing Transaction CFO of the Year | Rising Star Award.

What's next: Buy tickets and celebrate the honorees along with 700+ area executives at the CFO Awards celebration on June 3 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.

4. ICYMI: Gov. Youngkin’s Executive Order on AI

Last fall, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an AI Executive Directive (Virginia was the third state to do so) asking expert working groups to establish AI guidelines in four key areas and to recommend pilot use cases for the Commonwealth. We promised to keep you updated.

Based on the outcomes, on Jan 18, Youngkin signed an AI Executive Order which implements:

AI Education Guidelines for the classroom, and
AI Policy and Information Technology Standards that safeguard the state’s databases while simultaneously protecting the individual data of all Virginians.

The Executive Order combines strong protections for Virginia residents and businesses while recognizing opportunities presented by AI innovation.

5. 📅 Mark your calendar for upcoming NVTC events

Come network with us. Register for these NVTC events:

Feb 20 | New Member Orientation | Maximize your NVTC membership and network with industry peers.
Feb 21 | 2024 NVTC Data Center Awards
March 12 | Rise & Thrive Summit | NVTC’s newest networking and career educational summit designed especially for women in our region’s tech community.
March 15 | Cybersecurity and Privacy Community of Interest Event | Threats, Influence, and Integrity: Securing the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election | Don’t miss this timely and lively discussion.
May 16 | Impact AI Summit
June 3 | 2024 NVTC Technology CFO Awards
June 19 | Intern Networking Reception

6. 🌳 We’re growing! Welcome 26 new NVTC members

I was in #MWC18 for 4 days. I was looking for a different perspective of technology and innovation. A human point of view.

Not a member? Join today!

7. NVTC members in the news

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) was awarded a $156M contract to provide system support to the U.S. Army Reserve Command through their Information Technology Support Services contract.
Shift5, Inc. announced a contract with the U.S. Army to secure the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) against cyber threats and provide readiness assessments to enable predictive maintenance. Shift5’s platform will provide operators, maintainers, and commanders with critical operational insights.
The Washington Commanders moved their business operations from FedEx Field to Riverdale Park in the U. of Maryland’s Discovery District.
Join JMU's Valley Internship Experience Workgroup (VIEW), the Shenandoah County Economic Development and the Shenandoah County Chamber on Feb 14 for a business roundtable on building a talent pipeline. Leaders will explain how to leverage state resources to access interns through the V-TOP initiative.
Staffing and advisory firm Andrews & Cole recently expanded to new markets and verticals.

If you would like to include your industry announcement in future NVTC newsletters, please email info@nvtc.org.

8. 🤖 AI vs. Augmented Intelligence? Don’t miss this epic debate

Come to Tech Duels’ next debate titled, AI vs. Augmented Intelligence. This fun and epic showdown will feature an all-female debate panel of tech visionaries who will unravel the mysteries of these game-changing technologies.

Date: Wednesday, Feb 7

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Location: GMU, Van Metre Hall, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201

Register at techduels.com and use NVTC Promo Code (TDPARTNER) for 50% off

9. Unlocking your potential with cross-adaptability

An illustration of a desk chair with springs on the seat in front of a red background.

Written by Andrew Deutscher, CEO and Founder of Regenerate

We often talk about the importance of cross-training people, making them more versatile and adaptable, so they’re better prepared for either new roles or workplace pivots.

Yes, but: How do you ensure your people are developing cross-adaptability?
One way might be to make sure they have FREE TIME.

Cross-adaptability occurs when you invest time on one task and use it to develop additional skills that support you in other endeavors. Examples include:

Reading for pleasure ➡️ improves focus.
Practicing yoga ➡️ increases mindfulness, which can help leaders be less reactive.
Learning improv ➡️ hones creative thinking skills.

For those of us who struggle with taking time for ourselves, the benefits of cross-adaptability may make committing to such activities more palatable.

Go deeper: Learn more about the research behind it, and how you can incorporate cross-adaptability into your regular routine.

10. Only NVTC offers unique access to our region’s tech community

NVTC connects, educates, advocates for and celebrates our region’s vibrant tech community.

Don’t miss out: Join NVTC today. Grow your people, your brand and your business with UNIQUE access to our region’s tech community. You won’t find this anywhere else! 😉

Please contact Tarin Horan to learn about NVTC event and newsletter sponsorship opportunities for your organization.

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