Innovation Heroes

What should you really do about your VMware environment? Since Broadcom’s acquisition, virtualization strategy has become a hot topic on the minds of CIOs and infrastructure leaders. In this episode, we sit down with Cody Hosterman, Senior Director of Product Management – Cloud at Pure Storage, who speaks with hundreds of IT execs every year through high-level briefings and customer strategy sessions. Cody shares the pulse of the market—what he’s hearing, what’s changed, and what successful organizations are doing differently. From pricing shocks and new bundling models to internal confusion around hybrid roadmaps, many IT leaders are feeling pressure to act. But Cody’s advice is clear: take a breath, assess what you have, and optimize before you overhaul. You’ll walk away with a smarter lens on what really matters right now—how to stay strategic, avoid costly missteps, and prepare your org for whatever’s next.   * * *    This episode is brought to you Pure Storage. Pure Storage’s hybrid cloud solutions seamlessly integrate on-premise and multi-cloud environments. With AI driven automation, security, and high performance, you can easily move, replicate, and protect your data. Learn more at shi.com/partners/pure-storage [http://shi.com/partners/pure-storage]

AI is here and IT leaders are under pressure to make it work—fast. But adoption doesn’t happen overnight, and organizations need a clear strategy to drive ROI from Microsoft Copilot. In this episode of Innovation Heroes, host Ed McNamara sits down with three of SHI's Microsoft experts—Carrie Randolph (Public Sector Strategist), Michael Heath (Power Platform Solutions Engineer), and Dominick Raimato (Microsoft MVP & Sr. Solutions Architect). They share practical, field-tested insights on how businesses, governments, and educators are integrating Copilot into their workflows. They’ll also cover key challenges IT leaders face, from change management to governance, and break down proven strategies to accelerate adoption, improve security, and maximize impact. Whether you’re in the early stages of deployment or looking to scale Copilot across your organization, this episode will help you move from exploration to execution. * * * This episode is sponsored by Microsoft Copilot. Drawing on 35 years of experience supporting some of the most complex Microsoft environments in the industry, SHI can help you bring the full power of Microsoft Copilot to your organization. Learn about our Microsoft Copilot Enablement Workshop: https://blog.shi.com/digital-workplace/take-full-advantage-of-microsoft-copilot-with-shis-m365-enablement-workshop/ [https://blog.shi.com/digital-workplace/take-full-advantage-of-microsoft-copilot-with-shis-m365-enablement-workshop/]

What if the company you worked for went bankrupt overnight—only for a bold new leader to step in and turn it into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse?   That’s exactly what happened to SHI’s first employee, Melissa Graham.   In this special episode of Innovation Heroes, we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of SHI. Melissa, the company's very first employee, shares stories about co-founder and CEO, Thai Lee and dives into SHI’s incredible journey from scrappy upstart to global IT giant.  Tune in to hear stories of resilience, innovation, and the pivotal moments that shaped SHI’s success.  Featuring: Melissa Graham, SHI’s Senior Vice President of the Global Organization and company’s very first employee.

Last month, no one had heard of DeepSeek. But then it racked up a stunning 16 million downloads in just 18 days — nearly double ChatGPT’s initial adoption.     The China-based AI model has certainly captured the attention of both investors and technologists. But while some see it as the future of AI, others are raising red flags over its origins and potential security risks.     In this episode of Innovation Heroes, we explore what makes DeepSeek unique, how it compares to existing AI models, and the startling data privacy concerns for businesses and governments worldwide.    Should you dive in? Or swim in shallower waters?     Featuring:  * Jack Hogan, Vice President of Advanced Growth Technologies at SHI, leading initiatives in AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.  * Lee Ziliak, Field Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director of Architecture at SHI.  * Jordan Mauriello, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Stratascale.

How are data and AI revolutionizing teams—whether on the field or in the boardroom?  In this episode of Innovation Heroes, Casey Murphy, goalkeeper for the North Carolina Courage and the U.S. Women’s National Team, and Founder and Director of Operations of AP2T, Mike Olim, dive into the cutting-edge tech reshaping elite sports.  From wearables to AI-driven insights, discover how these tools optimize performance and help give you an edge over the competition. Featuring: Casey Murphy, goalkeeper for the North Carolina Courage and the U.S. Women’s National Team, and Mike Olim, Founder and Director of Operations of AP2T.