KC Tech Council

Congratulations to our friends at Bluebird Fiber! Thank you for including the Tech Council for the grand opening of your new space and we couldn't be more thrilled to see your growth in Kansas City!

We are still on an infosec high following the Heartland CISO Summit! Day 2 highlights included: -Fireside chat between Kara Lowe and Matthew Condon with Bardavon -Shariq Aqil with Hewlett Packard Enterprise discussing cyber recovery and resiliency -Interactive discussion led by Christine Gordon, MA from Cboe Global Markets around regulation, collating risk, and risk tolerance -Romaine Marshall from Polsinelli and Katie Boswell from KPMG leading a discussion around generative AI security challenges and opportunities -Paul Willson with Forvis Mazars US and Justin Rainey from UMB Bank shared thoughts on Third Party/Vendor Security and Risk Management Lastly, the day ended with a discussion led by Michael Hannan of Lightedge on what we can expect going into 2025! We would be remiss if we didn't thank our Presenting Sponsor, Zerto, Lunch Sponsor, Lightedge, and Partner Sponsors, Protiviti, Arista Networks, and Invary!

There was no better way to kick off the Heartland CISO Summit than hearing from Kevin Higgins with the Kansas City Chiefs and Brian Himstedt with the Kansas City Royals last night. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Zerto for supporting the networking event and we are in full swing with Day 2!

Join us in a couple of weeks for the next Exec Roundtable | Cybersecurity on November 13th at Moonshot Solutions for an important discussion on threat variety. Attackers increasingly recognize that smaller companies, often with less robust security measures, present attractive targets. Beyond just that, threats and solutions can differ greatly based on the organization's industry. Zach Hill from H&R Block and Matthew Mangels from Moonshot Solutions will discuss how, regardless of size or industry, all organizations must adopt a proactive and customized approach to cybersecurity, continually assessing their risks and adapting their defenses to stay ahead of evolving threats. Sign up now to secure your space on November 13th at https://lnkd.in/g-DypqYq

Are you looking forward to Smarty Pints as much as we are? Throwback to one of last year's stumpers "What Kansas City native has been nominated for 10 Grammy's; including her 2019 nomination for Album of the Year 'Dirty Computer?' Don't miss the opportunity to create a team or sponsor this sold out event! More details: https://lnkd.in/gs5SazT6

The KC Tech Council is proud to be a member of the Code.org Advocacy Coalition and we are always eager for the release of the State of Computer Science Education Report. Below are some notable takeaways but we encourage you to read the full report: https://lnkd.in/gUeuS-bd -States that have at least six policies have an average of 70% of their high schools offering foundational computer science, compared to 52% in states that have adopted fewer than five policies.  -Both Missouri and Kansas have adopted six or more policies. -Missouri ranks 32nd in the percentage of high schools (58%) offering computer science. Whereas Kansas ranks 49th with 35% of high schools offering computer science.  -While the number of high school students enrolling in computer science courses continues to increase, the ratio of young men to young women is nearly 3:1. The KC Tech Council continues to work with our state and federal lawmakers to advocate for policies which allow for more opportunities to access K-12 computer science curriculum.  

The Kansas City tech community invites you to join us for great food and good times at the 44th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue on Friday, November 1st! As the American Royal returns to the fall season (and cooler temperatures), join us this year in our biergarten for delicious drinks, tasty food and live music as we celebrate with our friends in the tech community. Register using sponsor code KCT. Tickets to the American Royal Barbecue are required and can be purchased separately on their website. Once inside the American Royal, entry to the tent is free for those who have registered. Register now at https://lnkd.in/gCA5jEad

Join Bluebird Network as they celebrate the grand opening of their new office in Kansas City! Be there for the official ribbon cutting ceremony and be a part of this exciting milestone for Bluebird. Meet the team, network with fellow industry professionals, and enjoy some light breakfast and refreshments. Don't miss out on this special event on October 29th. Learn more and RSVP at https://lnkd.in/gEgvdHar.

We're excited to announce that Bardavon Founder and CEO, Matthew Condon, will join us at the Heartland CISO Summit for a fireside discussion of how security leaders play a critical role within an entire organization, reaching far beyond just the technology team. His vast experience as founder, CEO, and board member will help security leaders grow themselves, their teams, and show just how important cybersecurity is to every function of companies today. The discussion continues with security leaders from Garmin, Delta Dental, H&R Block, Netsmart, Cboe, UMB Bank, Burns & McDonnell and more as we dive into the most pressing issues in cybersecurity. Learn more and register at https://lnkd.in/gUj8f8se

Discover the latest edition of 4x4 and get to know KCTC member, Synetic Technologies and Business Development Executive, Auston Curtis! "Synetic helps its clients securely recover value, comply with regulations, and achieve corporate sustainability initiatives, all while protecting them from the risks and complexities presented by decommissioned and off-network IT assets." Read the full edition in the KCTC Newsroom: https://lnkd.in/gRtGSsvF