Go Beyond The Connection

The CIO's New Mandate as Institutional Intelligence Architect

Most CIOs are still fighting to be seen as more than a support function. Erich Gazaui, Chief Information Officer at Papa, has a different frame entirely. For him, the role is not about keeping systems running. It is about architecting how information moves through an organization, who has access to it, whether it can be trusted, and how it ultimately shapes the decisions a business makes. In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, Erich explains why systems without proper information governance are often worse than no system at all. He describes how spreadsheet-based workflows quietly age into stale assumptions that drive flawed decisions, and why having a person in a seat specifically designed to advocate for information access is what shifts the CIO from service provider to strategic mandate. He also gets into the practical side of CIO value creation: how company-wide procurement visibility gives him levers to pull on cost and adoption, why he speaks fluent finance to earn trust with CFOs, and how his team approaches AI readiness and governance in a healthcare environment where safety and regulation are non-negotiable. > "Having a person in a role designed to ensure access to the information, while advocating for it and supporting self-service, can change and ultimately drive a cultural shift. It becomes a mandate that we need to have this role, we need to have this thought process at the table so that, woven together, the outcome is ideally better." > -- Erich Gazaui, Chief Information Officer, Papa Listen now and hear how the CIO mandate is being redefined, one institution at a time. Takeaways: * The role of the CIO has evolved significantly, shifting from mere support to strategic partnership, emphasizing the importance of information architecture in business decision-making. * Understanding the nuances of different departments is crucial for a CIO; it fosters internal alignment and enhances the overall efficiency of the organization. * AI's integration into business processes is a hot topic, and companies must be ready to adapt while maintaining a focus on security and governance. * Building strong relationships across departments can transform the perception of IT from a service function to a vital partner in achieving business goals. * CIOs must be fluent in the languages of finance and technology to effectively bridge gaps between departments and drive successful outcomes. * A proactive approach to innovation, balanced with necessary governance, can significantly enhance a company's ability to leverage new technologies effectively.

Why Most AI Deployments Fail (And How to Fix the Sequence) | Go Beyond the Connection with ChaChi Gallo

ChaChi Gallo, Vice President of Information Technology at Michels Corporation, joins host Steve MacDonald to explain what it actually takes to build a digital job site -- and why most organizations get the sequence wrong. Michels is a Wisconsin-based infrastructure contractor building the foundational systems that power modern construction: fiber networks, energy infrastructure, and some of the largest data center projects underway in the country. ChaChi leads IT strategy across an environment that is distributed, unpredictable, and operationally demanding in ways that most enterprise IT frameworks were never designed to handle. In this conversation, ChaChi makes the case that AI readiness is a construction project, not a software rollout. Before tools can deliver value, organizations need trusted data, governed processes, and connectivity that works in real job site conditions -- not ideal ones. He traces the 60 to 70 percent failure rate on AI deployments directly to sequencing: the data foundation comes last, not first, and everything built on top of it reflects that instability. He also shares a practical lesson from visiting an AWS distribution center that reframed his team's assumptions about 5G, explains why satellite connectivity changed operations for Michels in ways that cellular never could, and draws a clear line between the kind of automation that belongs on a job site today and the kind that does not yet belong there at all. His closing thought is the one that stays with you: technology is easy. It is the people who are hard. Topics covered include building a data foundation for AI, why AI deployments fail, satellite connectivity for remote construction sites, autonomous networks and human oversight, wireless strategy for field operations, and IT leadership in relationship-driven industries. * AI deployments fail when the data foundation is built last, not first * Satellite connectivity is a genuine operational breakthrough for remote construction sites * 5G is a tertiary backup in even the most sophisticated distribution environments -- not a Wi-Fi replacement * Autonomous equipment belongs where conditions are controlled; human oversight is required everywhere else * Technology is easy -- relationships and operational presence determine whether digital initiatives succeed > "Just like you have to get a permit to do construction work, you have to go through cyber and risk to make sure that this product is okay for us to use. We have to do the same checks and balances that we do for our customers." - ChaChi Gallo, Vice President of Information Technology, Michels Corporation Companies mentioned in this episode: * Michaels Corporation * Milwaukee PC * Generac * Google * Oracle * OpenAI * Caterpillar * Komatsu * AWS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IThc0C7zdMw

The Connected Kitchen: Restaurants Are Now Technology Companies with Jim Basar

Jim Basar, VP of Enterprise Business Group at Intwine Connect, LLC, explains how restaurants now rely on internet connectivity for point-of-sale systems, digital menu boards, guest Wi-Fi, delivery platforms, and connected kitchen systems. He shows how reliable connectivity supports revenue, customer experience, labor efficiency, food safety, and data-driven operations across locations. He also outlines how stronger connectivity strategies, blended carrier options, and dependable support partners help restaurant brands scale confidently in both urban and rural markets. > “What we’re seeing is almost a gold rush of technology going into the restaurant space right now, driven by the move toward cloud-based point-of-sale systems. As restaurants add more technology into their stores with digital menu boards, guest WiFi, TVs, and connected kitchen equipment, that internet connection is really the backbone of a business.” — Jim Basar Restaurants are rapidly evolving into technology-driven environments where connectivity directly impacts revenue, efficiency, and guest experience. Jim shares how digital transformation across front-of-house and back-of-house operations is reshaping restaurant strategy. He highlights why resilient connectivity, hybrid carrier strategies, and proactive monitoring are essential for scaling modern restaurant operations and maintaining consistent performance across distributed locations. Takeaways: * The podcast delves into the transformative impact of technology on the restaurant industry, particularly highlighting the significance of a reliable Internet connection for operational efficiency. * Jim Bessard's journey from an intern to the head of enterprise sales at Entwine illustrates the profound evolution within the tech-driven restaurant sector. * The discussion emphasizes how the integration of IoT devices and cloud-based systems enhances the connected kitchen, thereby improving customer service and operational effectiveness. * A critical takeaway is the necessity for restaurant owners to remain open and adaptive to new technologies that can significantly enhance their business operations and customer experiences. * The podcast outlines how the increasing complexity of data management in restaurant chains necessitates innovative solutions and partnerships to ensure seamless connectivity. * The conversation underscores the importance of proactive technology management, particularly with Internet connectivity, to mitigate potential operational disruptions in a competitive industry. Full Name Jim Basar Title VP of Enterprise Business Group Company Intwine Connect, LLC LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-basar-91240a50/ Company Site https://www.intwineconnect.com/

Connectivity Insurance: BJ Olson and Ryan Bowden on Protecting Revenue | Ep. 038

Most businesses treat internet connectivity like a utility — something that is simply there until it is not. BJ Olson and Ryan Bowden have spent their careers watching what happens when that assumption meets reality, and the cost is almost always higher than anyone expected. BJ Olson is the Founder of twenty7 Technology Group, a technology solutions firm helping businesses design and deploy reliable, resilient connectivity strategies. Ryan Bowden is a Technology Consultant at twenty7 Technology Group, bringing more than a decade of experience managing connectivity across large-scale distributed retail environments. Together, they make a practical and direct case for why network resilience belongs in business strategy, not just the IT department. KEY LEARNINGS * Why a single fiber connection is a liability, not a foundation — and what redundancy actually looks like in practice * How combining fiber, 4G, 5G, and satellite into a single intelligent network eliminates most outage risk * What downtime actually costs, including the delayed losses that show up weeks after the connection comes back * Why modern wireless is no longer a backup option, and how unlimited high-speed wireless changes the planning conversation * How centralized network visibility helps lean IT teams identify and resolve issues faster across multiple locations > “There are just so many more upsides to having a redundant connection with the Bigleaf network. Invest in your network and invest in the insurance your network provides. You can ensure your employees aren’t idle and that your customers can continue to reach you and do business with you without interruption. If you can’t afford to ensure your business has uptime, you probably won’t be in business for very long.” > — BJ Olson, Founder, twenty7 Technology Group If your business depends on staying connected — and every business does — this conversation is worth your time. BJ and Ryan bring real operational experience to a problem that gets treated as an IT concern right up until the moment it becomes a business emergency. Guests BJ Olson, Founder, twenty7 Technology Group Ryan Bowden, Technology Consultant, twenty7 Technology Group Series Tech Trends Episode Page https://www.bigleaf.net/podcast/episode/038-bj-olson-ryan-bowden [https://www.bigleaf.net/podcast/episode/038-bj-olson-ryan-bowden] Blog Post https://www.bigleaf.net/blog/network-downtime-cost-business-resilience [https://www.bigleaf.net/blog/network-downtime-cost-business-resilience] BJ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-j-olson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/b-j-olson/] Ryan LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-bowden/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-bowden/] Company Website https://twenty7tech.com/ [https://twenty7tech.com/]

The Future of Connected Care: Why Incremental Change Wins in Healthcare | Go Beyond the Connection with Falko Buttler

Healthcare modernization sounds straightforward until you look at what teams are actually working with. Faxes. CDs in the mail. Record sharing that is supposed to happen but often does not. Pricing that no one can explain upfront. Falko Buttler, Chief Technology Officer at Lantern, has spent more than 20 years building technology inside that reality. In this episode, he explains why big system overhauls tend to fail in healthcare and why small, incremental changes are the safer and more effective path forward. You will hear Falko cover: 1. Why friction in healthcare is often structural, not accidental 2. How fragmented data and inconsistent record sharing delay care and drive up costs 3. Why AI can process legacy inputs like faxes today, without waiting for the system to change 4. How continuous delivery improves quality rather than reducing it 5. Why technology leaders need to earn a seat at the table by tying their work to business outcomes "Whenever you want to upgrade a system, the best way to go about it is to do it incrementally. Improve it in small chunks along the way until you eventually have everything improved. It's going to take a long time, but the friction is not as big." — Falko Buttler Falko brings a grounded, practical perspective to a space where the gap between modern tools and legacy workflows is still very real. This episode is worth your time if you lead technology in healthcare or any regulated, high-stakes environment. Listen now and go beyond the connection.