ATC Tech Summit 2026
A recap of 2026’s Tech Summit that brought together leading technologists and IT leaders for education, valuable insights and networking.
What Happened at the Tech Summit 2026?
ATC’s inaugural Tech Summit took place at Sabin Hall in Liberty Center. Since then, the event has grown significantly, moving to the Summit Hotel and ultimately reaching new heights in 2026 with our 5th annual Summit at Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati.
This year event featured three keynotes, three panels, and ten breakout sessions.
Read our official tech summit recap for more information.
2026 Partners & Presenters
ATC Tech Summit 2026 Videos
Welcome Keynote – “The State of IT: Trends, Shifts, and Strategies” – Nick Enger
ATC President & CTO, Nick Enger, kicks off the event with a dynamic welcome keynote on marketplace trends. Tailored for C-level IT leaders and their teams, Enger will provide strategic insights into emerging technologies, industry shifts, and actionable takeaways to navigate the evolving IT landscape with confidence.
Cybersecurity: “When Actions Speak Louder Than Alerts”
Join us for an insider’s perspective on how Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Security Operations Center (SOC) services are reshaping cybersecurity defense in 2026, as threat actors become more sophisticated and organizations face mounting pressure to do more with less. Through real-world cases and hard-won lessons from the front lines, you’ll discover how modern MDR and SOC implementations are closing critical security gaps that traditional tools miss—and why the organizations that get this right are staying ahead while others struggle to keep up. Whether you’re evaluating your current security posture or considering an MDR partnership, this session will give you practical insights into what’s actually working in today’s threat landscape and what mistakes you can’t afford to make.
Speakers: Tyler Smith – CyberMaxx and Jake Christensen – CyberMaxx
Cloud Computing: “The Art of the Possible in a Post-Broadcom Era”
In a post-Broadcom era defined by consolidation, pricing pressure, and reduced flexibility, choice has become the new enterprise strategy. The Art of the Possible explores how organizations can move beyond single- technology stack – dependency and reclaim control through architectural optionality and strategic leverage. Enterprises can run VMware, Nutanix, Proxmox, bare metal, colocation, or any hybrid combination within a fully integrated environment designed to reduce risk, optimize cost, and evolve as market dynamics shift, all without lock-in. At a time when many providers are narrowing options, the true differentiator is simple: the power to choose.
CX & AI: “From Friction to Flow: The Hidden Patterns Behind CX Pain and AI Failure”
Organizations continue to face persistent CX challenges while AI initiatives struggle to gain traction or scale. This session examines the underlying patterns connecting broken business processes, operational friction, and the high failure rate of AI projects. We will explore why many AI efforts stall before delivering impact, how CX issues and AI misalignment reinforce each other, and what typically goes wrong in planning, ownership, data, and execution. The discussion focuses on mindset, alignment, and practical considerations for approaching CX and AI work with greater clarity and intention, using real-world examples of where momentum breaks down and how teams think about restoring flow across people, processes, and technology.
Speaker: Mike Egli – RingCentral
Contact Center, AI & CX: “Avoiding The Timeline Tightrope: How to De-Risk AI Rollouts + Assure ROI”
Avoiding the Timeline Tightrope will explore how leaders can de-risk AI initiatives by aligning business objectives, operational readiness, and change management before technology is deployed. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to govern AI rollouts with confidence, accelerate time to value, and ensure ROI by treating AI as a business transformation—supported by technology—rather than a technology project alone.
Speakers: Tom Luther – Outsource Consultants and Andrew Griffiths – Outsource Consultants
AI Agent: “What’s Under the Hood of AI Agents?”
Learn what large language models do — and what changes when you add AI agents. We’ll explore how agents extend LLMs with memory, tools, and autonomy, enabling them to plan, take action, and operate beyond single prompts. Through real-world examples, you’ll see how this shift unlocks more scalable, consistent, and impactful AI-driven workflows.
Speaker: Mandi Jarman – Regal
AI & Business Outcomes: “Microsoft’s Future Frontier in our Business”
We are entering a new reality—one in which AI can reason and solve problems in remarkable ways. This intelligence on tap will rewrite the rules of business and transform knowledge into work as we know it. Organizations today must navigate the challenge of preparing for an AI-enhanced future, which we’ll talk about in this session leveraging Microsoft as our backbone. Human ambition, creativity, and ingenuity will continue to create new economic value and opportunity as we redefine work and workflows.
Speakers: Sean Ferrel – Managed Solutions and Sarah Trimble-Oliver – Michelman
Data & AI: “The Data & AI Capability Journey”
Join us for an insightful conversation as the speakers explore a practical, right-sized approach to establishing strong data foundations and institutionalizing data and AI capabilities within growing organizations. Through candid discussion and real-world experience, the panel will examine proven sequencing strategies to break down data silos, improve data quality, implement technical environments, and establish scalable governance models that align with organizational maturity and business priorities – without overengineering or unnecessary complexity.
Attendees will hear real-world examples of how these strategies translated into operational impact and organizational learning over time. Their perspective will validate why prioritizing data management early helps organizations avoid common pitfalls, accelerate decision-making, and create a foundation for sustainable growth and long-term digital maturity.
Speakers: Jim Robison – CGI, Joyanna Wesche Blake – Forge Biologics and Steven Holt – CGI
Network Security: “Beyond Legacy Security: From Fragmented Controls to Converged Defense”
For years, enterprise security has evolved through the addition of isolated tools—firewalls, VPNs, CASBs, SWGs, endpoint agents—each deployed to solve a specific problem. The result? Fragmented controls, operational complexity, inconsistent policy enforcement, and expanding attack surfaces.
This session explores the shift from legacy, perimeter-based architectures to a converged defense model that unifies networking and security into a cohesive, cloud-delivered framework. We will examine how organizations are modernizing enterprise security by eliminating silos, consolidating policy engines, increasing visibility, and reducing risk across hybrid and distributed environments.
Attendees will gain insight into the strategic drivers behind convergence, the operational benefits of unified security architecture, and practical considerations for moving beyond legacy controls toward a resilient, scalable, and future-ready defense model.
Speaker: Jerry Young – CATO
Cloud Computing: “The Infrastructure Squeeze: Surviving the Next Wave of IT Disruption”
IT leaders are entering a new era of constraint. Cyberattacks are no longer rare events but operational certainties. Broadcom’s restructuring of the VMware ecosystem is forcing hard decisions around private cloud strategy and long-term cost control. At the same time, colocation capacity is tightening across major markets, reshaping how organizations plan growth.
This session explores how these forces are converging to create an infrastructure squeeze and what IT buyers can do to stay ahead of it. We’ll examine emerging cyber recovery models, the new economics of private cloud, and the real-world impact of colocation scarcity. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for building resilient, scalable infrastructure that protects the business without locking them into fragile or outdated architectures.
This is not a product session. It’s a strategic briefing on the next five years of infrastructure planning.
Speakers: Mac McLenathan – 11:11 Systems and Josh Santos – Atricure
Contact Center, AI & CX: “AI-First CX: Where Intelligent Automation Meets Human Experience”
AI-first CX is not about replacing humans—it’s about finding the right balance between intelligent automation and human expertise to elevate customer experience. In this session, we’ll explore what AI-first CX truly means and how agentic AI moves beyond scripted workflows to reason, act, and continuously improve alongside human agents.
Attendees will learn what agentic AI is (and isn’t), why real customer data and CX-trained models matter, and what organizations must understand before adopting an AI-first strategy. Grounded in NiCE’s leadership in AI-powered CX—combining intelligent automation, automated insights, and journey orchestration—this session offers a practical path to measurable improvements in efficiency, experience, and agent performance.
Speakers: Sarah Lindo-Levao – NiCE and Amy Jeschke – NiCE
Tech Summit FAQs
The 2026 ATC Tech Summit featured three keynotes, two panels, and ten breakout sessions. The keynotes were delivered by eSentire’s Chief Cyber Resilience Officer, Tia Hopkins and Dialpad’s Chief Revenue Officer, Colby Nish. While the panels included Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) discussing data & AI and cybersecurity. Breakout sessions offered interactive sessions on various emerging technology segments. Check out the 2026 agenda here.
Specific keynotes and panelists vary from year to year. You can expect to hear from leading experts, thought leaders, and experienced mid-market and enterprise technologists sharing insights and expertise. 2026’s Tech Summit featured SMEs from eSentire, RingCentral, NiCE, Expedient, Dialpad and more.
The 2027 Tech Summit will be held on Thursday, March 4th, 2027 at the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. Keep checking back on this page for more information on when registration opens!
Yes. ATC’s Tech Summit provides loads of networking opportunities. During breaks, lunches and designated networking sessions, as well as a Happy Hour, attendees can connect with fellow industry professionals, speakers and experts. The peer networking is worth the cost of admission alone. Come exchange ideas and build invaluable connections.
To stay informed about ATC’s future Tech Summit events, you can subscribe to the ATC newsletter or follow ATC’s official social media channels. These platforms regularly share updates, announcements, and registration details for upcoming summits.
Don’t Miss the Next Tech Summit!
Registration for the 2027 Tech Summit will open soon! Check back on this page for more updates!