Dear ITSMF Family,
As we continue our 30th Anniversary year, I remain deeply grateful for the resilience, excellence, and unwavering commitment that define this community. The Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) was launched in 1996 during a BDPA Conference in Atlanta. A CIO Panel was convened with the following leaders: Moderator Earl Pace and panelists Eurel Bell (IBM), Steve Edmonson (Allied Signal), Clarence Ogletree (Whirlpool), Henry Roberts (ABN/AMRO), Debra Speight (Zurich Insurance), Sheila Talton (Unisource), Alan Ward-Robinson (Sara Lee), John Weathers (IBM), and Carl Williams (Amoco). During the conference, these CIOs held an initial gathering that set the stage for additional formative meetings – laying the foundation for what would become ITSMF. From that pivotal moment, a bold vision emerged: to intentionally cultivate, connect, and advance technology executives.
Since that time, ITSMF has remained committed to elevating senior technology leaders and strengthening the pipeline of executive talent. Through initiatives such as our Executive Academy, EMERGE Academy, and the Annual Technology Leaders Awards Gala, we intentionally honor the achievements of technologists and celebrate the impact of our members across industries. The Gala, in particular, serves as a powerful reminder of the excellence, resilience, and leadership within our community. For three decades, ITSMF has stood as both a catalyst and a connector, ensuring that our community of technology leaders are not only present in the room, but positioned to influence, innovate, and lead. That mission endures because of you.
Black History Month offers us a moment to reflect on the legacy we inherit and the responsibility we carry forward. Our work exists because pioneers challenged exclusion and demanded equity in spaces that were not designed with us in mind. Through our Black History Makers programming and member highlights, we honor those trailblazers, celebrate today’s leaders, and continue investing intentionally in the next generation of impact.
I also want to sincerely thank you for the outpouring of care, prayers, and support extended to me and my family. Your kindness is a powerful reminder that ITSMF is more than a network — it is a true community.
Looking ahead, our momentum continues:
GIPD Academies
Applications for our Executive and Management Academies are open, and we are seeing strong interest from leaders who are ready to elevate their influence and expand their impact. I encourage you to share these opportunities broadly. Our academies remain one of the most powerful engines for advancing technology leadership.
30th Anniversary S1 2026 & Graduation Celebration
This year’s S1 Symposium will be a combined experience with our GIPD Graduation, a meaningful opportunity to celebrate our 30-year legacy while recognizing the newest cohort of ITSMF graduates. It will be both a reflection and a declaration of what comes next. Please save the date and plan to join us.
Celebrating Our Members & Community
Throughout the coming months, we will continue spotlighting the leaders, partners, and rising talent who embody ITSMF’s mission. Your stories demonstrate what is possible when excellence meets intentional development and collective support.
As we commemorate 30 years and honor Black History Month, we are not pausing in celebration, we are accelerating with purpose. The next chapter of ITSMF will be defined by deeper engagement, expanded influence, and sustained impact across the technology ecosystem.
Thank you for your leadership, your advocacy, and your continued investment in this community. Together, we will ensure that ITSMF’s legacy of excellence and equity grows even stronger in the decades ahead.
Keep Forging Connections!
Sincerely,
Johanna Jones
President & CEO
About Information Technology Senior Management Forum
Since 1996, Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) has been dedicated to prepare professionals for executive roles in technology, to impact organizational innovation and growth. We do this by developing and nurturing these dynamic leaders through enrichment of the mind, body and soul. With a half-million new computer-related jobs expected by 2028, ITSMF is committed to increasing the number of qualified professionals for these positions. For more information about ITSMF, visit itsmfleaders.org.
