AGILE is where executives from top international firms, universities leaders, and government officials meet four times a year to learn about and discuss breakthrough global innovation with top thought leaders and peers across industry sectors. The series highlights the extensive innovations happening in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond and addresses significant global social and environmental issues that are impacting business, society, governments, and education.
At each session, 3-4 thought leaders and industry experts discuss inspiring innovations in a TedTalk styled presentation followed by a moderated panel, Q&A, and networking reception. These sessions provoke thought, inspire, educate, and connect global leaders. Lessons learned and ideas focus on approaches to innovation, which are applicable to any organization. The AGILE Series is held at the historic Parkway Theater in Baltimore.
The best way to get involved is to subscribe to the series. Each subscription includes four tickets for your co-workers or clients and more. Contact Susan@wtci.org for more information.
October 21,2020
Cybersecurity
The same digital tools and data sources that fuel productivity and growth have been weaponized against us by nefarious groups and even rogue states. For organizations of all sizes, dealing with the threat of cyber-attacks has become a way of life. Data breaches can cost companies billions of dollars, cripple a city’s services, or expose sensitive information. Preventing data incursions is only part of the story. The most forward-thinking organizations are prepared with a multifaceted response when attacks do occur. At this session, moderated by Brad Pollard, you will see how top companies are approaching this challenge and gain insights into the threats they have faced.
October 21 – 11am
Brad Pollard, chief information officer (CIO), manages Tenable’s global information technology organization, overseeing critical technology systems that support the company’s worldwide sales, marketing and service efforts, as well as enterprise systems and applications for all corporate processes. With more than 23 years of information technology experience, Brad has led organizational transformation through strategic adoption and management of IT solutions, and navigated and resolved enterprise-level governance issues. Brad has more than 15 years of security experience, with previous management positions at Cisco and Sourcefire. He has a master’s degree in technology management from the University of Maryland University College.
Brad Pollard
Tom Warner is the Vice President of the Cyber & Intelligence market segment within the Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems line of business. Tom is responsible for a portfolio of programs that deliver a wide array of capabilities in support of national security requirements to the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, and beyond.
During his time with the company, Tom held several leadership positions, with his most recent position being the Program Director for the Cyber Defense, Range and Resilience division. In that role, Tom led a portfolio of programs including the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3), National Cyber Range (NCR), United States Postal Service (USPS) Cyber Support contracts. Because of his accomplishments in this role, Tom was awarded Lockheed Martin’s NOVA award for Leadership – the corporation’s highest honor.
Tom possesses a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, and is a former Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE). An active volunteer, Tom also serves in various capacities supporting Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida (DSACF).
Tom Warner
Fipps joined Under Armour in January 2014 as Senior Vice President, Global Operations and oversaw Global Sales Operations, Planning, and Global Logistics and Distribution. In 2015 he assumed the role of Chief Information Officer and implemented new technology investments and introduced a new operating model that enabled UA’s global expansion.
Prior to joining UA, Paul Fipps served as Chief Information Officer and Corporate Vice President of Business Services at The Charmer Sunbelt Group (CSG) – a leading distributor of fine wines, spirits, beer, bottled water and other beverages in the United States. While at CSG, he led the strategic development and execution of CSG’s multi-functional shared services organization. Before entering into the corporate world, Fipps proudly served in the armed forces as a member of the United States Army.
Fipps currently serves on the Board of Directors for America’s SAP User Group (ASUG) and Howard University’s Supply Chain Management Advisory Board. Previously, he served on University of Baltimore’s MIS Advisory Board. He is a frequent speaker on the topics of Digital Transformation, Operational Excellence, Digital as a Competitive Advantage, and SAP Technology.
Paul Fipps holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Baltimore and received his Masters of Business Administration from UB’s Merrick School of Business.
Paul Fipps
September 17, 2020
Supply Chain
The long and diversified supply chains that have come to dominate the global economy have brought opportunities along with challenges. New technology like block chain, IOT, RFID, drones, and 5G are creating new capabilities while old technologies like airships are being re-purposed to meet new logistics challenges. At this session, we will learn how companies are employing cutting edge strategies to lower costs, increase efficiencies, reduce time to market, and track sources and materials giving themselves a competitive edge. The session will be moderated by Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School’s Dean Alexander Triantis.
September 17 – 11am
Susan Lund is a partner of McKinsey & Company and a leader of the McKinsey Global Institute. As a PhD economist, her research focuses on globalization and trade, and the impact of technology on work and workers. She is also a leader of McKinsey’s team modeling the impact of Covid-19 on economic growth. Her most recent research explores how global value chains and trade flow are evolving, and on how digital flows are transforming globalization and creating new winners and losers. Dr. Lund has an active travel schedule discussing research findings with CEOs and other executives at global Fortune 500 companies and she is a frequent speaker at global conferences. She has authored numerous articles in leading business publications, including Harvard Business Review, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Foreign Affairs.
Susan is on the Economic Advisory Board of the International Financial Corporation; a Board Director of the National Association of Business Economics; and a member of the Center for Global Development Study Group on Technology and Development Prospects.
Susan holds a Ph.D. in applied economics from Stanford University and a B.A. in economics from Northwestern University. She has lived and worked in Africa and Asia and currently resides in Washington, DC.
Susan Lund
Alexander Triantis is the third dean of Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a professor of finance.
As an expert in the areas of corporate financial strategy and valuation, Triantis has built a reputation throughout his career as a strong, personable, and pragmatic leader skilled at building consensus around a strategic vision.
Triantis came to Carey Business School August 2019 from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, where he served as dean from 2013 to 2019. As dean of the Smith School, he promoted the development of cross-divisional research centers and initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, data analytics, enterprise and markets, ethics and regulation, financial and economic policy, and entrepreneurship. He also helped launch a number of new dual-degree programs and several new graduate programs and certificates, including a top-ranking online MBA and an in-person and online MS in Business Analytics.
An engineer by training, Triantis was inspired to join academia by his father, an economics professor. Before becoming dean at the Smith School, Triantis served as a professor of finance and chair of the Finance Department from 2006 to 2011.
Triantis received his PhD in industrial engineering (with a specialization in finance) from Stanford University and his BASc and MEng degrees from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the University of Maryland’s faculty in 1995, he was a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management, and an assistant and associate professor at the University of Wisconsin.
Businessweek named Triantis an Outstanding Professor at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Maryland, and he is a two-time recipient of the Smith School’s top teaching award for faculty.
He has published articles in numerous prestigious academic journals and consulted and led training in the areas of corporate finance and valuation for multinational corporations and other large institutions. He has served as a committee member and vice president for global services for the Financial Management Association International and in July 2019, he began a three-year term on the board of directors for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a leading global accreditation association of business schools.
Alexander Triantis
Trisha McRoberts serves as Head of Americas Procurement for McCormick and Co., Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of spices, herbs, and flavor solutions for retail, commercial, and industrial markets. In her role, she delivers end to end supply chain solutions developing transformational capability to drive margin enhancing outcomes and enable strategic growth. As a champion of people, community, and sustainability, Trisha has built a team that fosters global economic growth supporting farmer livelihoods and strategically sourcing over 14,000 materials from over 80 countries. She led the most recent acquisition integration of the French’s food portfolio. Trisha was instrumental in bringing Design to Value principles into McCormick, driving sustainable purpose led performance outcomes, including BPA free packaging and 100% recyclable materials, generating consumer preferred packaging solutions while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint. Currently, Trisha is part of an in house accelerator team launching a new functional food brand that intersects science and wellness to elevate consumer health through a direct to consumer model.
Trisha is on the Board of Athletes Serving Athletes and the Business Alumni Advisory Council at the University of Arkansas. She was an inaugural member of the WTCI Edge Fellows and actively participates in AWESOME (Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management, and Education). She is also an alumni of the Center for Creative Leadership at the Peak initiative.
Trisha holds an MBA from the Sam Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Evansville.
Trisha McRoberts
As COO, Browne has responsibility for the company’s supply chain and sourcing operations, demand planning, distribution, information technology, business process management, corporate real estate, asset protection and sustainability. Browne previously served as the company’s Chief Supply Chain Officer from 2017 to 2020 with responsibility for all global operations related to product sourcing and logistics after joining in 2016 as President of Global Sourcing. Prior to that, he was Vice President and Managing Director of Supply Chain at VF Corporation where he led all aspects of the company’s sourcing and product supply organization in Asia and Africa. Before VF Corporation, Browne was the Executive Vice President of Footwear and Accessories at Li & Fung, CEO of Pentland Brands in Asia, and held senior leadership positions at Reebok and Bally.
Colin Browne
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