Florida CIO Community
Inner Circle
September 2, 2026 | Tower Club Fort Lauderdale
September 2, 2026
Tower Club Fort Lauderdale
Collaborate with your peers
Join Florida's top CIOs for an intimate networking dinner and facilitated discussion on key business challenges. Enjoy a relaxed evening of dinner and drinks with your peers to share best practices, make new connections and build professional relationships.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today:
Fostering leadership practices that maintain stakeholder confidence amid rapid change
Aligning technology initiatives with business goals to unlock new value
Empowering leaders to build a culture of trust and ethical AI adoption
Florida CIO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the discussion topics and agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs
Elvis Clemetson
SBA Communications
SVP & Global CIO
Chad Couch
JM Family Enterprises
CIO
Christina Shannon
KIK Consumer Products
Chief Information Officer
Luis Suarez
H.I.G. Capital
Chief Technology Officer
Christine Vanderpool
Florida Crystals Corporation
VP & Chief Technology Officer
Agenda
September 2, 2026
4:30pm - 5:30pm Executive Networking Reception
5:30pm - 6:30pm Discussion Topics
Redefining Leadership - Leading with Vision, Trust, and Responsible Innovation in the Age of AI
Hosted by Fujitsu Wayfinders
The rapid acceleration of AI is compelling executive leaders to strike a delicate balance between bold innovation and operational integrity. Sustainable success now depends on cultivating a culture of trust, empowering teams to pursue safe experimentation, and embedding ethical, explainable AI practices across the enterprise. By proactively shaping leadership mindsets and strategically aligning technology initiatives with core business objectives, CIOs and CISOs can effectively navigate uncertainty and unlock new sources of organizational value.
Translating vision into actionable outcomes requires leaders to champion cross-functional collaboration and equip teams with the necessary skills and confidence to leverage AI responsibly. This approach enables organizations to remain agile and competitive amid continuous technological disruption, while also preserving stakeholder trust.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your top two priorities for advancing AI-driven transformation, and how are you aligning teams to deliver on them?
- Which foundational capabilities—such as digital trust, data governance, or ethical AI—are most critical for your organization’s success?
- How are you fostering a culture of responsible experimentation and learning as AI adoption accelerates?
- What leadership practices have helped you maintain trust, resilience, and momentum during periods of rapid technological change?
6:30pm - 7:00pm Networking Break
7:00pm - 8:00pm Summary Discussion & Dinner
8:00pm - 9:00pm Social Hour
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Florida CIO Community Inner Circle.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
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Your Community Sponsors
Program Sponsor
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
