Innovation and the Digital Enterprise

It is all about the people, the process, and the technology for Mike Kennedy, VP of Technology, Enablement, and Strategy at CDW and U.S. Army veteran. Whether analyzing processes, recruiting and retaining great employees, and implementing new technologies, Mike is invested in holistic transformation.In this episode, Mike Kennedy discusses the importance of “little i” innovation, motivating employees, and inclusion in decision-making. He shares insight into a VSOM approach and agile practices while diving into processes. Later in the episode, Mike reflects on hiring and training the right personnel, including military veterans, and connecting with talented people early in their careers.(2:00) – People, process, and technology(4:13) – Recruiting and retaining(6:19) – VSOM(8:50) – The nature of collaboration(9:36) – SaaS solutions(10:48) – “little i” innovation(14:27) – Agile practices(18:08) – Pushing down decision-making(20:46) – Investing in early careers(20:59) – Offering the right incentives(26:34) – Working with veteransMike Kennedy is the Vice President of Technology, Enablement, and Strategy at CDW. He holds an MBA from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has led strategic and business planning at HERE Technologies and The Marketing Store. Mike served in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2005 after receiving a bachelors degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Fred Lee, Chief Technology Officer at Amount, is skeptical of “culture fit.” In leading technology teams of various sizes and goals, he has welcomed team members who approach things differently, who embrace their unique perspectives, and witnessed their added value across organizations. In his cross-industry career, a fresh perspective has often served him well.In this episode, Fred shares insight into the shifting experience of banking and the industry’s digital innovations. He reflects on how he has approached new roles and how getting close to the customer is essential to understanding a company’s successes and failures. Fred illuminates the array of approaches to process and communication, and the importance of following through.  (1:05) – Amount(5:00) – Adapting to fit the customer(6:52) – Experience across industries(8:55) – Learning through customer proximity(11:01) – Identifying the problems(13:47) – Bringing in talent(17:03) – More process vs. less process(18:52) – Buy now, pay later (BNPL)(20:10) – Building a world-class team(25:51) – Managing a hybrid and remote workforceFred Lee is an experienced engineer and technology executive, currently serving as Chief Technology Officer at Amount. Previously, he served as CTO at Cars.com, Gamut, and Belly , as well as VP of Digital Architecture at Grainger. Fred received a bachelor's degree from Purdue University and a law degree from Loyola University Chicago.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Edward Wagoner, CIO of JLL, acknowledges what many C-suite executives do not: leaders are human. In his 26 years at JLL, Edward has seen tremendous company growth—investment in data and proptech, the purchase of two AI companies, and a serious effort to recruit the highest-level data scientists—and he’s had to grow as well. In this episode, Edward talks about innovating the ways that we work together (in digital and physical space) and building environments that suit meaningful collaboration. He shares insight into JLL’s expansion and investments, including their focus on sustainability. Reflecting on his own journey, Edward discusses the essential role vulnerability holds in personal and professional growth and the obstacles he’s overcome to lead with authenticity.   (1:25) – Looking ahead at JLL(7:46) – Examining and improving carbon impact(11:19) – Bringing in the best of the best(14:58) – CIO community in Chicago(16:29) – Acceleration from COVID-19(18:16) – Examining the hybrid approach(24:22) – Soliciting feedback(29:48) – Ed’s journey(33:52) – “Do glass-breaking change on yourself”(37:30) – Working with difficult people(39:13) – The power of authenticityEdward Wagoner is the Chief Information Officer at JLL focusing on the intersection of the digital and physical workplace. He has worked in various capacities at JLL over his 26-year career in the company, and he holds a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University. In his personal and professional life, Edward operates under the principals of authenticity, vulnerability, and transparency.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

AeroPay founder Dan Muller embraced Chicago’s supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem to build his innovative payment processing business in 2017, and he is looking to return the favor. This week’s episode offers an insightful conversation about finding the resources and community needed to materialize an idea, the often-fraught scaling period of a company, and the importance of advocating for fellow entrepreneurs.Dan Muller is a product-first founder dedicated to rethinking the collection and distribution of payments, but he is equally committed to building community within his company and beyond. With Pat and Shelli, Dan discusses hiring philosophies at different points of company growth and getting real about how people are going to use your product and integrate it into their systems. A proponent of connecting with other founders, Dan speaks on how to embrace others’ insights and feedback while you create your own path.(00:31) – The mission of AeroPay(4:02) – Branding with authenticity(5:15) – Chicago’s entrepreneurial ecosystem(7:59) – Recruitment and hiring(10:21) – Specialization(13:28) – Employee endorsements for new hires(15:12) – Growing the business is everyone’s responsibility(16:50) – Money-movement innovation(19:52) – The influence of athletics on leadership(22:13) – Connecting with other founders(24:13) – Tools for getting started(26:00) - 1871 and support communitiesDan Muller is the founder of AeroPay, a patented payments process that enables “smart bank transfers” between business and their customers or other businesses. Prior to AeroPay, Dan held numerous positions at GPShopper, including Vice President of Product and Vice President of Software Engineering. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Franklin & Marshall College.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

How do we learn from our failures? Kayne Grau, CEO of Uptake, reflects on the highs and lows of his career in this week’s episode dealing with authenticity, leadership, and staying open-minded in your career path. He shares advice to his younger self about finding balance and embracing the lessons that emerge in difficult moments. Before joining Uptake, Kayne had a long career building brands and growing companies. He’s a self-described “product guy”, who relishes opportunities to engage with the people side of business, whether that is by getting face time with customers or picking up the phone each day to connect with team members. Listen in as Kayne joins Pat and Shelli to explore cultivating employee culture in a remote world and the idea that there is no set approach to being visionary.(1:17) Providing critical data with Uptake(4:27) “Crash-course MBA”(6:30) Advice to your early-career self(8:34) Learning through failure(11:20) Accelerated learning(13:29) Being an authentic leader(18:42) Leadership in remote environments(20:30) Keeping employees engaged(22:26) What makes a great visionary?(28:09) No right or wrong path(30:30) Staying open-minded(31:34) Appreciating other rolesKayne Grau is the Chief Executive Officer and Board Director at Uptake, the leader in industrial intelligence software-as-a-service. Before Uptake, Kayne held various senior executive positions at KAR Global, DRIVIN (co-founder and CEO, acquired by KAR Global in 2017), Music Dealers, Apartments.com, Cars.com, and Allstate. Kayne also sits on various advisory boards, mentors local startups, and invests in technology-based companies in Chicago and Dallas.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Sometimes a simple desire to give back can lead to unexpected places. That’s what happened when Jay Rudman decided to help other entrepreneurs in the Chicagoland community after selling his last business. What started as a semi-formal coaching relationship with the founder of Topstep, eventually led to Jay stepping in as Chief Growth Officer and eventually CEO, a role he held until recently.  In this episode, Jay talks about his entrepreneurial journey prior to Topstep, one that started all the way back in high school running lawn care services. He also walks Patrick and Shelli through the specifics of the Topstep community and how retail traders can practice their skills in a safe environment before trading with real capital.(01:17) - What does it look like to trade with Topstep(06:17) - From pro-bono coaching to CEO(09:16) - Business ownership runs in the family(13:40) - Thinking beyond the topline price when selling a business(16:38) - Always ask “How am I going to sell this business?”(21:41) - Self-awareness in leadership(25:22) - Value of humility(29:01) - Two mistakes to avoid when it comes to feedback(31:59) - Seek out mentors early in your careerAs a serial entrepreneur, Jay Rudman has founded/co-founded three companies, each with a successful exit: two sold to publicly traded businesses and one IPO. After his last exit, he joined Topstep - first as a pro bono mentor, then CGO, and ultimately CEO, growing Topstep’s topline revenue ~5x in 5 years, creating double-digit EBITDA, all the while bootstrapping the business (zero investors). Jay has been a finalist for 1871’s “Outstanding Tech CEO Award”, an EIR at Catapult Chicago, a CEO mentor for The Junto Institute, a fractional Biz Dev executive for Jump Capital, and a mentor at Polsky. He earned a bachelor's degree in finance University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

In his role as Vice President of Enterprise Architecture and Technology Strategy at Aon, Mohan Putcha’s job is to be ahead of the curve in spotting technology trends and understanding how they’ll impact the industry. It is also about leveraging those trends to deliver better service for Aon’s clients and internal teams, not just in theory, but in practice. Which is why Mohan’s team has taken a different approach to building platforms – one that starts by looking at the full value stream and understanding the real pain points of the people contributing to each piece of it.  This week Mohan joins Patrick and Shelli to discuss this people-centered approach to building platforms, how to keep your team engaged while accelerating innovation, and his take on the biggest challenges of 2022.[01:25] Mohan’s role at AON[02:23] Aon’s five technology markers[05:48] From request to product delivery in 3 months [14:37] Quality database solutions that depend on machine learning [16:39] Digital experience of the workplace[20:52] Biggest challenges in 2022[23:27] Ensuring the right people are at the table[25:38] Value of curiosity and asking questions Mohan Putcha is Vice President, Enterprise Architecture & Technology Strategy at Aon. In this role he leads efforts in enabling sustainable solutions for Aon’s clients and colleagues with a focus on Cloud, DevSecOps, Big Data Analytics, Intelligent Automation (AI/ML/RPA), Digital Workplace and Technology Strategy. Mohan comes to Aon with global experience delivering groundbreaking business results that leverage analytics,  cloud, through transformational, enterprise-wide projects in the pharma, medical and risk industries to deliver cloud-based, mobile and highly scalable solutions. If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Technology is about solving problems and building solutions. This week’s guest, Sandee Kastrul, recognized the overlap in competencies needed for both technology and community leadership when she co-founded i.c.stars. This week she talks with Pat and Shelli about teaching technology with systems thinking, a community-lens, and an orientation of ‘how can I help’ versus ‘what can I get’.For more than two decades, i.c.stars has been developing tech talent in Chicago through a rigorous four month curriculum rooted in midwestern practicality and centered in resilience. Each cycle, a new cohort of interns is divided into teams to form their own consulting companies to compete in an RFP process for a Chicago tech company. It’s not a drill, these are real projects and the teams are building real software. It is an immersive, hands-on approach that has fueled the program's continued success with a 90% graduate placement rate.Listen in to hear more about the transformative power of the i.c. stars community and how to take part by signing up for the next High Tea. (01:08) - i.c.stars mission(07:00) - Resiliency in candidates(09:19) - Untapped talent(14:19) - Chicago tech culture(20:42) - High Tea(26:56) - Program breakdownSandee Kastrul is president and co-founder of i.c.stars, an innovative nonprofit leadership and technology training program founded in 1999 to prepare inner-city adults for technology careers and community leadership.Prior to i.c.stars, Sandee’s experience as an educator, diversity trainer, educational consultant and a performing artist drew her creative talents to the forefront. Her accomplishments include designing a comprehensive science and civics interactive program for GED students at Jobs for Youth, implementing a professional development program with Harold Washington College Career Center, developing experiential learning modules for over 70 schools and creating artist in residency programs as well as training artists to work in classrooms for arts organizations.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

Rand McNally’s Chief Technology Officer, Steve Caudill joins Pat and Shelli this week to talk about building and maintaining the culture of a startup inside a well-established brand with a 165-year history. They cover a range of topics including recruiting talent in a highly competitive market, creating tight feedback loops between customers and engineers, and structuring product development for the shortest path to revenue. (01:13) - Technical product development(03:17) - Recruiting product makers(05:46) - Seek out diverse perspectives (08:35) - Pair programming during interviews(10:19) - Addressing salary expectations(12:38) - Making products that have impact(17:18) - Challenging remote work trends(19:15) - Taking ownership of what you make(22:03) - Buy-in from the business side(28:16) - Find the shortest path to money(30:16) - Leveraging brand trust(32:57) - Benefits of mentorshipTrucks, tractors, maps, connected devices, oil and gas, potato chips, silicon chips, educational devices and more have been part of a nearly 40-year career for Steve Caudill, the Chief Technology Officer at Rand McNally. Before joining Rand McNally, Steve was a director at CNH industrial, where he was responsible for delivering the farm operations and fleet management components of CNH Industrial’s connected offerings. Steve is the author of A Hero Behind Every Tree: The Non-Technical Reasons Your IT Investments Fail. He received a BA in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the Naveen Jindal School of Management at University of Texas Dallas. If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

What does change management look like in a world of constant, rapid change? Allen Smith, CIO at Baker Tilly, believes keeping up with the pace of change today requires rethinking change management as a discipline, including the rigid processes and communication protocols from traditional waterfall development.Allen joins Patrick and Shelli to talk about the increasing overlap between our personal and professional lives. People bring the expectations they have for consumer software into their view of workplace software and tools. Whether they like it or not, businesses have to contend with any negative aspects of that trend. Why not lean into the change and capitalize on the advantages?(01:19) - What makes Baker Tilly different?(02:45) - Ability to change(04:59) - Agile development(07:44) - Part of a progression(11:41) - Adoption rate(16:09) - Building a long-term strategy(22:17) - Digital nomads(23:44) - Candor in mentorshipAllen Smith is the Chief Information Officer of Baker Tilly US, the 9th largest accounting firm with $1b in revenue. Allen has served as the firm’s CIO for nearly 20 years and leads all technology strategy and execution across the firm. Under his technology leadership, Baker Tilly has grown its revenue more than 1000 percent. During this growth, Allen has established a strong track record of results by creating and fostering a culture driven by collaboration and camaraderie among his team. This open atmosphere has created team cohesion, produced above average retention and driven results that are well known within the industry. In addition to his executive leadership role with Baker Tilly, Allen serves in senior leadership roles for Baker Tilly International. These roles include Chair of the North America IT Committee and Co- Chair of the Global IT Committee. Allen also served for four years as a Board Member of the Information Technology Alliance (ITA), including holding the roles of Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board during his tenure. He works directly with the AICPA in a volunteer role and has spoken at numerous domestic and international industry, technology and human resources conferences. Prior to joining Baker Tilly, Allen served in senior leadership and technology roles in a variety of organizations, including technology start-ups, hyper-growth enterprises and outsource service providers. His industry experience includes accounting, legal, financial services and real estate. Allen understands the importance of unwinding. He enjoys golf, traveling and curling. A small claim to fame is that Allen was an on-ice official for the 2006 Olympic Team Trials for Curling. While he is passionate about curling, he is the first to state his officiating skills are better than his curling skills.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.