Arizona Technology Council’s TechFocus Member Spotlight Podcast

Slalom is a purpose-led, global business and technology consulting company. From strategy to implementation, our approach is fiercely human. In eight countries and 45 markets, we deeply understand our customers—and their customers—to deliver practical, end-to-end solutions that drive meaningful impact. Backed by close partnerships with over 400 leading technology providers, our 13,000+ strong team helps people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all. We’re honored to be consistently recognized as a great place to work, including being one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For eight years running. Travis is a strategic and innovative thinker with over 20+ years of experience successfully working in Enterprise IT and Consulting. Is experienced in a variety of industries and technologies has specialized in several. He has provided technical guidance in Enterprise architecture, data modernization, digital transformation, program implementation, and enterprise platforms, including CRM, public websites, intranets, SaaS, software development for mobile platforms for several well-known organizations.  As Senior Director for the Technology Enablement, Cloud, and Data & Analytics Practice, he is responsible for bringing clients meaningful and relevant thought leadership and innovative technology and data solutions. He brings a focus on delivery excellence and quality to each client engagement. You can reach Travis directly at travisr@slalom.com.  https://www.slalom.com

Looking for significant increases in leads and sales? KEO Marketing is an award-winning B2B marketing agency. We know how maddening it is to waste money with a marketing agency that doesn’t deliver results. For more than 20 years we have built marketing systems that consistently deliver outstanding leads and sales. Some of the world’s largest brands have depended on KEO Marketing for marketing programs that drive business growth. Specializing in business to business (B2B) marketing strategy, creative, messaging, infrastructure, execution, marketing analytics and results, KEO Marketing helps Fortune 1000 companies as well as medium-sized businesses achieve and exceed their marketing and sales goals. Sheila Kloefkorn is a business and marketing expert with more than 30 years of experience. She helps companies increase leads and revenues by hundreds of millions of dollars. She leads a talented team of marketers in creating and executing award-winning campaigns around the world. Sheila founded full-service, business-to-business marketing agency KEO Marketing in 2000. The company specializes in marketing strategy, messaging, digital infrastructure, execution, and analytics. KEO Marketing grows Fortune 1000 companies as well as medium-sized businesses. Sheila is the recipient of many local and national marketing awards. She was recently named one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year” and “Top 25 Dynamic Women in Business” by the Phoenix Business Journal and one of 15 Arizonans to Watch by the Arizona Republic. She also received a Stevie Worldwide Women in Business Award. Sheila is Past President of the Phoenix Chapters of the Business Marketing Association and American Marketing Association. She is a certified business coach and a frequent national and local speaker on a wide range of marketing and business topics. For more information, please contact Sheila at sheila@keomarketing.com or visit one of the locations listed below. KEO Marketing - Website  KEO Marketing- LinkedIn KEO Marketing - Twitter

Dr. David B. Bolman, Provost UAT Provost Bolman has focused his career upon addressing the profound need within Arizona and the nation for a substantial and diverse creative class workforce. As its long standing provost, Dr. Bolman has built the University of Advancing Technology (UAT) into a unique all-STEM institution that marries the best of traditional small private college learning with the genetics of innovation that come with agile technology organizations. As an educator, he has focused on cultivating a base of technology students and future inventors who are as diverse as the people who ultimately use their creations. As a technologist, he has worked to create a university where the culture of innovation and creation is so regular and celebrated that the goal for each student is to graduate having routinely worked on numerous teams and built again and again complete solutions using the technologies that excites their imagination. As a speaker and advocate on how to advance Arizona through advancing technology while growing the needed STEM workforce, Dr. Bolman has presented to wide range of audiences including the AZ House Committee on Technology, Arizona Leadership Forums, Cybersecurity conferences, VR for Good conference and the Arizona Science Center. As an advocate for Arizona as a remarkable state where innovation is encouraged in all spaces, including education, Dr. Bolman has grown UAT from a single classroom of 13 students into a STEM private college campus that is unique not only to Arizona but also the country. UAT and its community are dedicated to advancing society through students who learn the tools, techniques, concepts, and responsibilities of applying technology in ways that lift up human society. Dr. Bolman has researched, written, and spoken on the nature of technology as a foundational human force and how to successfully lead innovation. He is an alumni Valley Leadership and currently serves as its Past Board Chair. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Technology Council. He is an alumni of the FBI Citizens Academy and serves on the AZPBS community board. http://www.uat.edu @UATedu #techrespect

Eric Miller is a co-owner of Tempe-based PADT, which provides tools and services to companies that design and manufacture physical products. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. As co-founder of PADT in 1994, Eric pursued his interests in simulation, 3D printing, and small business management. Eric often writes and speaks on simulation, design, and 3D printing, along with startups and the high-tech sector. In addition, he is a startup mentor and angel investor, sits on the board of several tech-related organizations, and is Chair of the Arizona Technology Council Board of Directors. PADT is the Southwest's leading provider of simulation, product development, and 3D Printing products and services to companies that design and manufacture products. https://www.padtinc.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/emillerphx/

JobPath, Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on providing financial and socio-emotional support to adults pursuing a short-term posts secondary degree or credential in a high demand industry. For over 25 years, Ana has been an advocate for economic development initiatives that empower individuals to reach their potential. Her passion for education led her to her current role as CEO of JobPath, a non-profit that provides financial and socio-emotional support to adults pursuing short term training in high demand industries. She leads a talented team of coaches and staff supporting close to 700 students in industrial trades, information technology, and healthcare career pathways. Prior to JobPath, Ana was a part of Pima Community College’s Workforce Development Division where she built relationships between the College and regional business and industry stakeholders. Her work included following regional economic development trends and government policy initiatives to inform academic program development. Ana’s past work also includes founding and leading Varela Consulting, which assisted governments, universities, public and private institutions around the world, in developing programs and policies to support entrepreneurship. Ana holds a Doctorate in Education from Johns Hopkins University with a specialization in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education, a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona. https://jobpath.net

Michael Beach, CPBC Certified Professional Business Coach (CPBC) Michael brings more than 40 years of business leadership experience to his work with C-Suite Executives, Business Owners and their Emerging Leaders. Michael is well versed in Sales, Sales Management, Sales Operations, Channel Programs, Business Systems, Human Resources, and many, many other business disciplines. Michael has a passion to love his clients and to coach his clients to serve their customers in a game-changing way. He believes his role is to make investments into his clients so that they build equity into their business by executing the business plan with rigor and distinction. A frequent blogger, podcaster, and public speaker, Michael has dozens of insightful leadership and business topics that he enjoys presenting to his audiences in a variety of media to expand the boundaries of thought leadership.   For more about Michael Beach Coaching & Consulting, visit www.michaelbeachcoach.com or email him directly at michael@michaelbeachcoach.com. 

Health Information Management Systems (HiMS) is a strategic-thinking group of electronic health record software experts who are passionate about harnessing the power of technology to create value-based care tools for integrated health care providers. Khalid Al-Maskari, Founder and CEO at HiMS - With 20+ years in health care, Khalid Al-Maskari is considered a thought leader by peers in the integrated health care field. As Chief Executive Officer of Health Information Management Systems (HiMS), Khalid rapidly grew the company from a single Tucson-based customer to achieve a multi-state presence. As a goal-oriented executive with demonstrated experience in planning, developing, and implementing innovative technologies and information solutions that serve the diverse needs of integrated health populations, Khalid likes to inspire his team to think big. Always striving to add to his knowledge base, Khalid sought out certification opportunities. He earned his MBA in Healthcare Administration and achieved certifications in project management, Microsoft Products, CISSP and several others. Nationally, Khalid went on to provide assistance and guidance as co-chair for CCHIT’s Security Workgroup as a result of implementation of HIPAA rules, and was an Electronic Health Records Security proctor for several years. https://hmsfirst.com/

With more than 22 years of experience designing high assurance microelectronics, Tom is responsible for programmatic and technical execution of the latest 2.5 and 3D microelectronics for rugged defense applications.Tom Smelker, VP and GM of Microsystems for Mercury Systems. Mercury Systems is a global commercial technology company serving the aerospace and defense industry. Headquartered in Andover, Mass., the company delivers trusted, secure open architecture processing solutions powering a broad range of mission-critical applications in the most challenging and demanding environments. Inspired by its purpose of delivering Innovation that Matters, By and For People Who Matter, Mercury helps make the world a safer, more secure place for all. To learn more, visit http://www.mrcy.com.

About the Company: For decades, clinicians have sought better treatment options for patients with brain tumors that would effectively target tumor cells while preserving eloquent tissue. Driven to overcome the limitations of current treatments and raise the standard of care, a group of brain tumor specialists joined forces to address this critical, unmet need. Together with medical device experts, they developed GammaTile Therapy, Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy (STaRT) for recurrent intracranial neoplasms. About Matthew Likens: Mr. Likens is an accomplished leader in the medical device industry. Prior to coming to GT Medical Technologies, he served as the president and chief executive officer of Ulthera, Inc. There, he led the startup from pre-commercialization to more than $100M in revenue and a $600M acquisition by Merz Pharma GmbH. Mr. Likens’ professional career began with Johnson & Johnson. However, he spent the bulk of his career at Baxter Healthcare Corporation, where he progressed through a variety of domestic and international sales, marketing, and general management roles that ultimately culminated in the position of president of Baxter Biotech North America, and then the president of its US Renal Care division. After leaving Merz in mid-2016, Mr. Likens eventually retired for 15 months before meeting the five founders of GT Medical in mid-2017. Mr. Likens is a member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Healthcare Innovation Committee and the City of Mesa Economic Development Advisory Board, as well as a member of the Kent State University College of Business Advisory Board. He joined GT Medical Technologies because he was inspired by the company’s powerful purpose of “Improving the lives of patients with brain tumors.”  To learn more about GT Medical's technology, please visit https://gtmedtech.com.

James (Jim) Buie, the President of Involta, oversees all day-to-day operations and has been a driving force in accelerating Involta’s growth trajectory throughout the country. Jim has built cohesive operations and a sales and marketing culture that models his motivation and enthusiasm for the business. Initially joining Involta in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer, Jim has steadily taken on more responsibility, helping the company to profitably grow while expanding nationally. Prior to joining Involta, Jim held executive roles at ViaWest, Comcast and AT&T. During his tenure, ViaWest became one of the largest privately-held data center infrastructure, cloud and managed IT providers in North America. At both Comcast and AT&T, Jim has been praised for his role in the successful launch and similar growth of new services. Jim serves on the board of Sun Corridor, the economic development leader in Southern Arizona, helping drive business investment and job creation in the region. He also stays active in numerous other industry and regional technology organizations focused on developing the technology workforce, deepening tech community relationships, and driving public policy to protect innovation. Jim is a graduate of the Florida State University and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Colorado. https://www.involta.com/contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbuie/ https://www.involta.com/data-centers/data-center-locations/pennsylvania