Technology First upcoming events

Cybersecurity: Digital Tools and Cross Integration (07/22/2026)

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:30:00 GMT

The Era of 'Integrated, Traceable Toolchains' is Here.

The problem isn’t a lack of tools – it’s too many disconnected ones. The DAF and industry are shifting toward interoperable, role-based toolchains that support workflows and lifecycles end-to-end. This Insight Lab focuses on what standardization without stagnation actually looks like.

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Southwest Ohio Peer Group Kickoff (08/04/2026)

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

A Roundtable Discussion

Join us for the kickoff of Technology First's Southwest Ohio Peer Group, where technology professionals come together to exchange ideas, tackle shared challenges, and learn from one another.

Agenda:

8:15 - 8:30 am check-in, light breakfast & networking

8:30 - 10:00 am meeting

Roundtable Leaders:

Spencer Hogan | Afidence
AI

How AI is being applied across different contexts, reflect on key policy considerations emerging in the field, and share how we’re structuring governance or leadership approaches to guide AI development responsibly.

Anthony Peyton | Conflux Cloud
Small & Medium Business
The Technology Investments Every Growing Business Should Prioritize

Discover which technology investments deliver the greatest return for growing businesses. Explore practical strategies for cybersecurity, AI, automation, cloud services, and selecting the right technology partners to support long-term growth.

Ryan Satzger & Bob Hatfield | Encore Technologies
Workforce Development
The Rise of Fake Candidates in IT: Protecting Our Time, Clients, and Reputation

As hiring becomes more complex, so do the risks. Learn how organizations are identifying fake candidates, strengthening hiring practices, and protecting their teams, clients, and reputations in an evolving technology landscape.

Seth Marsh | The McCracken Group
Technology Modernization

What is happening in cloud, security, AI and technology in general… How to manage your way through this maze and what does any or all of this mean to you?

Leah Seymour | Modern Office Methods
Women 4 Technology
Navigating Career Growth Without Burnout

Explore leadership development, sponsorship vs. mentorship, setting boundaries, managing visibility, and defining success at different career stages.

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IT Leaders: Your Data is the Foundation: De-risking the Platform Decision Behind Building Enterprise Intelligence (08/11/2026)

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

De-risking the Platform Decision Behind Building Enterprise Intelligence

Better business intelligence and decision-making insights are always the goal. No matter what that means to you, or what various types of intelligence you have in play, what we've seen time and time again is that good insights rely on a full view of your business data.

We'll discuss how our partnerships with many of the top data platforms, and our work helping businesses determine the best fit-for-purpose for their needs, have led to discoveries on major gotchas, key prerequisites, and how to avoid the "stickiness" traditionally built into many of these platforms.

The landscape is evolving, and a good plan can help you navigate it in a way that keeps your options open and delivers the value you need while working with the data you have.

Discussion areas:

Choosing the right data platform for your organization's needs
Common implementation pitfalls and how to avoid them
Key prerequisites for long-term success
Understanding vendor lock-in and reducing platform "stickiness"
Lessons learned from real-world customer engagements

Agenda:

8:15 - 8:30 am check-in, light breakfast & networking

8:30 - 10:00 am meeting

Title Sponsor:

Supporting Sponsor:

Small Business - Hardware Lifecycle Management (08/13/2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Buying, Running and Retiring Tech in a

Constrained Market

A working discussion for small to medium sized businesses and technology leaders on how we plan, budget for, and manage the full lifecycle of our hardware - from procurement through refresh and retirement. We'll frame the conversation around three distinct pieces that often get lumped together but shouldn't:

Hardware (physical assets, warranties, depreciation),
Software (compatibility, support windows, licensing),
People (productivity, onboarding, what "good enough" actually means for different roles).

We'll then dig into the elephant in the room: today's supply environment. With AI-driven demand competing for chips, CPUs, GPUs, and storage, lead times and prices have become unpredictable, and even basic hardware can be hard to source on a normal timeline. Our goal is a candid peer exchange on practical strategies — how everyone is forecasting refreshes, extending asset life responsibly, navigating shortages, and making purchasing decisions when the market won't cooperate.

Agenda:

8:15am Check-in, Networking, light breakfast

8:30 - 10:00am Meeting

Supporting Sponsor:

Women 4 Technology: Rising Together: Lessons from How Women Rise (08/20/2026)

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Rising Together

How Women Rise explores twelve habits that often hold talented women back from reaching their full leadership potential. Unlike traditional leadership books that focus on acquiring new skills, this book argues that many successful women already possess the knowledge and ability to advance. The challenge is often letting go of behaviors that once contributed to success but eventually limit influence and career growth.

Marshall Goldsmith and Sally Helgesen explain that these habits aren't flaws. They're often strengths that become liabilities when overused or carried into leadership roles.

The book encourages readers to:

Become more intentional about how they lead.
Recognize behaviors that limit visibility and influence.
Build stronger executive presence.
Advocate for themselves without sacrificing authenticity.
Invest in relationships that accelerate growth.

Agenda:

8:15-8:30 am - registration, network, coffee/snacks

8:30-10:00 am - meeting

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Contributing Sponsor:

2026 Dayton AI Day (08/26/2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:30:00 GMT

The Future, Applied

Dayton AI Day is about moving AI from concept to capability. We bring together leaders and practitioners who are turning emerging AI ideas into real-world results. This is not speculation or surface-level demos. It is practical insight on how AI is being implemented today, what is coming next, and how organizations can apply it responsibly and at scale. Join the conversation shaping how the future of AI actually shows up in work, decisions, and outcomes.

Dayton AI Day 2026 is where AI moves from idea to implementation. Practical sessions. Real lessons. Clear takeaways. This is the future, and it is already at work.

See the Full Agenda

Now Accepting Event Sponsors

Connect with the people shaping how AI is being applied across our region.

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Technology First Digital Mixer (10/14/2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Join us where over 200+ students, faculty, and IT professionals' network and connect.

The Digital Mixer is an annual event that brings together hundreds of students and IT professionals to network and connect with regional employers. Join us for casual yet meaningful conversations that could land you the job or the talent you’ve been

looking for!

Students - Bring your resumes and learn more about the internships and career possibilities in the region.

Employers - Bring your company information to share internship, part-time, and full-time opportunities they have available.

Dress Code: Business Casual

NOTE: This event is exclusively open to students, faculty, and hiring employers only. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring that this opportunity remains focused on the intended audience.

Please contact info@technologyfirst.org with any questions!

IT Leadership Institute (10/16/2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Hosted by The Circuit, the IT Leadership Institute is a leadership development program now available to Technology First members.

Successful IT leaders, whether in formal leadership roles or leading through influence, combine technical expertise with emotional intelligence and a commitment to growth. They set vision, understand people, and shape culture with intent. The payoff: stronger teams, better business outcomes, and lasting impact across the IT community.

About the Program

The IT Leadership Institute is a 10-month, immersive leadership development experience designed specifically for IT professionals. Through expert-led sessions, peer discussion, and applied learning, participants will:

Increase self-awareness and understand how they are perceived by others
Identify their leadership style and apply it for maximum impact
Build and inspire high-performing teams
Develop critical leadership skills for an evolving technology landscape
Lead through influence rather than authority
Navigate complex organizational dynamics with confidence

Program Structure

Schedule: One half-day session per month, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, October through July (no December session)
Format: Expert-led discussions, peer collaboration, and CIO-level guest speakers
Environment: A focused, trusted space for tackling real-world IT leadership challenges

Key Topics

The Essence of Leadership
Community Project Planning
Technology Leadership and Why It’s Different
Is Management for Me?
Transformational Leadership: Vision and Strategy
Transactional Leadership: Delivering Results That Matter
IT Budgeting and Financials
Relational Leadership: Coaching, Communication, and Trust
Higher-Order Leadership: Leading Other Leaders
HR Insights: Interviewing, Career Management, and Networking

Click here to register and use the password TechnologyFirst