In-Person

Detroit CIO Community

Inner Circle

September 22, 2026 | Waterview Loft

September 22, 2026
Waterview Loft

Collaborate with your peers

Join Detroit's top CIOs for an intimate networking dinner and facilitated discussion on key business challenges. Enjoy a relaxed evening of dinner and drinks with your peers to share best practices, make new connections and build professional relationships.

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today:

Strategic Alignment and Prioritization of Critical Initiatives

Strengthening Foundational Capabilities

Tailoring Change Management Approaches

Detroit CIO Governing Body

The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the discussion topics and agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Rich Hook

Penske
EVP & CIO

Rachelle Putnam

General Dynamics Land Systems
CIO

Jeff Small

Great Lakes Water Authority
CIO

Ryan Talbott

Amway
Chief Technology Officer

Erik Wille

Cabinetworks Group
CTO

Agenda

September 22, 2026

4:30pm - 5:30pm  Executive Networking Reception

5:30pm - 6:30pm  Discussion Topics

Navigating the Spectrum of Change — Aligning Strategy, Execution, and Team Focus

As organizations plan for the future, executive leaders are challenged to balance strategic initiatives with operational fundamentals. The pace and nature of change can vary widely, and Gartner research shows that tailoring change strategies to the specific context significantly improves alignment and outcomes. Diagnosing and navigating organizational change effectively is now essential for driving business success.

By sharing insights on setting strategic priorities, preparing IT and security teams for evolving demands, and ensuring foundational capabilities are robust and aligned with enterprise objectives, CIOs and CISOs can more effectively translate strategy into action. This positions their organizations for sustained progress in a dynamic environment.

Discussion Questions:

  • What are your top two priorities for the upcoming quarter, and how are you aligning the organization to deliver on them?
  • Which foundational capabilities are most critical for your teams to focus on amid ongoing change?
  • How are you diagnosing the nature of change in your organization and tailoring your approach for greater success?
  • What practical strategies have you found effective for maintaining momentum and resilience during periods of transition (e.g., embedding joint CIO-CISO forums, formalizing outcome mapping, building internal talent pipelines)?

6:30pm - 7:00pm  Networking Break

7:00pm - 8:00pm  Summary Discussion & Dinner

8:00pm - 9:00pm  Social Hour

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming in-person gathering

Gartner cares about the health and safety of our community. If you are feeling unwell, please refrain from attending the conference. At this time, Gartner does not have any health-related requirements in place for attendance. Should this change, we will follow up with updated guidance.

Location

More Information

Parking & Transportation
Information regarding parking and transportation coming soon. 

Your Community Sponsors

Global Thought Leader

Key Sponsor

Community Program Manager

For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Sam Flaherty

Senior Community Program Manager

208-871-6409

samantha.flaherty@gartner.com