Elizabeth Engel, CEO & Chief Strategist of Spark Consulting LLC and I have kicked around the idea of us working together at the Technology Conference (or another ASAE event), since we served on a panel a few years ago, on the changing role of the CIO. We finally pulled it off! Following is a description of program that will be presented at the 2014 ASAE Technology Conference on Tuesday 12/16, at 10:45 – 11:45 a.m:

“Association CIOs are stepping out of the server room and onto the senior leadership team, transforming themselves from “that guy in the polo shirt who knows how to fix our computers” into strategic partners in accomplishing the business goals of their organizations. Join a panel of experienced CIOs who’ve successfully made this transition as they share their experiences moving IT from a service department to an enabler of innovation and business model change.”

I’ll certainly spill the beans at the conference but just a taste of my take: IT is really mysterious to lots of people (including technology people!). I think we have to define its role as a strategic asset. And once you know what you have (or not have with your IT), you then have the senses to do more with it or fix it so you can do more with it. K, enough for now.

Joining us are fellow CIOs George Breeden, executive IT advisor, Hartman Executive Advisors; Kara Freeman, VP and CIO, Information Technology Service, American Council on Education and John King, CIO, American Physical Therapy Association.

More to post later. Follow the action live at #tech14 LE2

Handout: RenatoHandoutAssociationCIO

Extra Handout — just good reading that related to our discussion on this topic: How to Add Everyone’s IT CIO to Traditional CIO Leadership