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Upcoming events

    • 07/22/2026
    • 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Digital Transformation Center: 1520 S. Main Street, Suite 214, Dayton, OH 45409
    • 26
    Register


     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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    Contributing Sponsor:







    • 08/04/2026
    • 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Vaco - 9987 Carver Road, Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH
    • 44
    Register

    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.


    Title Sponsor:





    Supporting Sponsor: 








    • 08/11/2026
    • 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Life Connection - 2800 Donation Circle, Dayton, OH 45420
    • 56
    Register


    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: 







    • 08/13/2026
    • 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Life Connection- 2800 Donation Circle, Kettering, OH 45420
    Register


    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


      Powered by Title Sponsor: 

      Supporting Sponsor: 







      • 08/20/2026
      • 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
      • Employment Opportunity Center- 4303 W 3rd St, Dayton, OH 45417
      • 58
      Register


      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


      Title Sponsor:


      Contributing Sponsor:





      • 08/26/2026
      • 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
      • Sinclair Conference Center- 301 W 4th St, Dayton, OH 45402
      • 54
      Register


      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.

       

      Now Accepting Event Sponsors

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

      Get Started




      • 10/14/2026
      • 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
      • Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, 45324 Apollo Room, Student Union
      Register

      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!

      • 10/16/2026
      • 8:00 AM
      • 07/13/2027
      • 12:00 PM
      • TBD


      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

      Past events

      07/14/2026 IT Leaders: Leading Responsible AI Adoption
      06/11/2026 Workforce Development: Bridging Generations at Work: Recognizing Bias and Unlocking Collective Strength
      06/09/2026 IT Leaders: Build, Borrow, Bot: The New Talent Stack
      06/04/2026 Women 4 Tech: Powering Past Self-Sabotage
      06/02/2026 Technology First Tech Connect Live Networking
      05/21/2026 Infrastructure/Cloud: Enterprise Ready Agents: Security Posture, Practical Lessons, and the Future of Intelligent Workflows
      05/13/2026 Workshop: AI Opportunity Matrix Workshop
      05/12/2026 IT Leaders: From Order-Taker to Trusted Partner: Rethinking How IT Plans
      05/07/2026 Small Business - Cybersecurity - Protecting your Small Business from Current and Emerging Threats
      05/05/2026 Artificial Intelligence: Midmark AI Strategy- Governance, Adoption, and Delivery at Scale
      04/29/2026 Women 4 Technology - NEXT LEVEL Conference 2026
      04/22/2026 Cybersecurity: Incident Response - From Training to Culture: Building Effective Security Awareness
      04/21/2026 IT Leaders: ROI & Technical Debt of AI
      04/16/2026 Data Analytics: ROI Before, During and After the Dashboard that makes Social Media Measurable
      04/14/2026 Workshop: Why We Fall For It
      04/02/2026 IT Executive Meeting: Data Analytics in Action- The Future of AI 2.0: Moving from the Wild West to the Gold Rush
      03/31/2026 Workshop: AI Governance Bootcamp: Why and how to create an AI Governance program for your organization
      03/19/2026 Workforce Development: AI at Work: Lessons from 2025 & What’s Next for 2026
      03/11/2026 2026 Ohio Information Security Conference
      02/25/2026 Women 4 Tech: The Expansion Mindset: Redefining Growth Beyond Promotions
      02/10/2026 IT Leaders: Annual CIO Forecast Panel
      02/03/2026 Technology First Tech Connect Live Networking
      01/28/2026 Cybersecurity: Incident Response - The First 48 Hours
      01/27/2026 Workshop: AI Literacy for Project Stakeholders: Enhancing Acumen
      01/22/2026 Data Analytics: Buy or Build? Making the Right Call in the Age of Generative and Agentic AI
      01/20/2026 IT Leaders: IT Governance in the age of AI: Do the traditional models still work?
      01/14/2026 2025 12th Annual Leadership Awards
      12/11/2025 Workforce Development: Holiday Mixer & 2025 Success and 2026 Plans
      12/09/2025 IT Leaders: Securing the Supply Chain: Vendor Management & Third-Party Risk in the Modern IT Landscape
      11/19/2025 The Future of Data Now: Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud and Governed Data Sharing
      11/18/2025 Workshop: Software Leadership Roundtable: Applying AI to improve software team productivity & work-life balance
      11/12/2025 2025 Taste of IT Conference
      10/22/2025 Cybersecurity & Infrastructure/Cloud Joint Event: Cyber Defense Matrix
      10/21/2025 Data Analytics: Helping People with Managing their Diabetes
      10/15/2025 Workshop: Demystifying CMMC: From Readiness to Real-World Implementation
      10/14/2025 IT Leaders: Plan Smart, Budget Better, and Lead the Way into 2026
      10/09/2025 Empowering Voices: Navigating Challenges and Triumphs of the Workforce Luncheon
      10/09/2025 Small Business - Best IT Practices
      09/24/2025 Women 4 Tech: Meaningful Mentoring- Mentor for a Moment
      09/23/2025 Unleash Your Inner Magic: A Workshop on Mindfulness, Meditation, and Manifestation Techniques
      09/23/2025 Workshop: Smarter Service: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Customer Experience
      09/16/2025 Technology First Digital Mixer
      09/11/2025 Workforce Development: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Business, Interns and Apprentices
      09/09/2025 IT Leaders: Strategic Collaboration: How Leadership Works Together Towards a Successful Technology Department
      08/27/2025 Cybersecurity: Social Engineering Workshop
      08/26/2025 Women 4 Technology & Women in AI: Rise without Burnout
      08/20/2025 Technology First & The Circuit partner to bring you a fun night of Networking!
      08/19/2025 Workshop: AI in Action
      08/14/2025 Small Business - Cybersecurity Blueprint: Strategy, Risk & Resilience
      08/12/2025 IT Leaders: Jurgenson Tour and Tech's Role in the Organization
      07/23/2025 Women 4 Tech: Redefining the Rules: Women on the Rise
      07/22/2025 Technology First Summer Networking!
      07/16/2025 Workshop: AI Simplified
      07/15/2025 Infrastructure/Cloud: How Do You Build Secure Apps for Private 5G and IoT?
      07/10/2025 Workforce Development: Navigating the Employee Journey: Onboarding, Retention, and Exit Strategies
      06/25/2025 Cybersecurity: Back Doors and Breaches Game
      06/17/2025 Data Analytics: Student progress in higher education: examining and predicting retention
      06/12/2025 Small Business - Responsible IT Asset Disposition: Balancing Cybersecurity, Sustainability, and Social Impact
      06/10/2025 IT Leaders: Cybersecurity 2.0 – What’s happening in the Marketplace?
      05/20/2025 Infrastructure/Cloud: Cloud Administration Challenges and Successes
      05/13/2025 IT Leaders: Experience and Lessons Learned from Cyber Threats
      05/08/2025 Workforce Development: From Remote to Reconnected: A Guide to Local Networking in a Hybrid World
      05/07/2025 Lunch N Learn: Cybersecurity Threat Awareness
      04/30/2025 Women 4 Technology - Lift as You Rise Conference
      04/23/2025 Cybersecurity: The Road to Zero Trust
      04/15/2025 Data Analytics: When Social Media and Management Collide: Insights from Three Studies
      04/10/2025 Small Business - Demystifying the Shared Responsibility Model and Avoiding Common Misconceptions About Roles & Responsibilities with Cloud Services
      04/08/2025 IT Leaders: Organizational Design
      04/03/2025 2024 11th Annual Leadership Awards
      03/05/2025 2025 Ohio Information Security Conference
      02/26/2025 Women 4 Tech: Empowering Women in IT: Navigating Change, Building Skills, and Defining Success
      02/18/2025 Infrastructure/Cloud: Disaster Recovery and High Availability
      02/13/2025 Workforce Development: Harnessing Practical AI: Workforce Readiness and Organizational Success
      02/11/2025 IT Leaders: Annual CIO Forecast Panel
      01/28/2025 IT Leaders: 2025 Strategic Goals and Priorities
      01/22/2025 Cybersecurity: Supply Chain Risk Management
      01/21/2025 Data Analytics Roundtable: AI Analytics Methodologies
      01/15/2025 2025 Dayton AI Day
      01/09/2025 Small Business - Tips for Using Microsoft 365 at Your Small Business
      12/12/2024 IT Leaders: A Journey to FinOps
      12/11/2024 Women 4 Tech: Building Joy
      12/10/2024 Infrastructure/Cloud: Beyond High Availability: Building a Resilient, Secure, and Recoverable Business Continuity Strategy
      12/05/2024 Workforce Development: Resources to Upskill Your Workforce
      11/21/2024 Small Business - Tips, Tools, & Strategies: Leveraging Tech First to Grow Your SMB
      11/19/2024 Data Analytics Roundtable: Contact Center as a Service
      11/13/2024 2024 Taste of IT Conference
      10/16/2024 Cybersecurity: How to Safely Deploy Generative AI
      10/15/2024 Infrastructure/Cloud: Top Mistakes to Avoid in Your Cloud Strategy
      10/10/2024 IT Leaders - Shaping the Future of Tech Talent: Workforce Survey Results
      10/02/2024 Workshop - Cyber Secure My Business: Managing Risk Without the Technical Know-How

      MEET OUR PARTNERS

      Our Partners share a common goal: to connect, strengthen, and champion the technology community in our region. A Technology First Partner is an elite member leading the support, development, and expansion of Technology First services. In return, Partners improve community visibility and increase their revenue. Make a difference in our region and your business.

      CHAMPION PARTNER

      "The McCracken Group (TMG) is proud to be a Champion Partner of Technology First. We share a commitment to education, collaboration, and empowering technology professionals across our tech region. Together, guided by our core values, Doing the Right Thing, Always Learning, Building Strong Relationships, and Giving Back, we’re helping advance innovation and continuous growth across our region’s tech community."
      Seth Marsh
      Vice President Sales & Marketing, The McCracken Group
      The McCracken Group

      CORNERSTONE PARTNERS