Cyber incidents move fast. What starts as a technical issue can quickly disrupt shipping, billing, payroll, and customer relationships, forcing leaders to make critical decisions under pressure. Independent distributors are especially vulnerable to attacks because their operations are time-sensitive, budgets are lean, and they often rely on third-party support.

In this session, Rachel Wilson breaks down how modern ransomware and AI-enabled attacks actually unfold and what executives and IT leaders should expect in the first critical hours. The focus is on practical decision-making and resilience: how to limit business impact, restore operations, protect cash flow, and coordinate company leadership and IT effectively. Attendees will leave with clearer roles, realistic expectations, and concrete steps to strengthen readiness across the organization.

Speaker: Rachel Wilson, Chief Data Officer at Morgan Stanley

Many organizations have moved past AI curiosity and pilots, but struggle to turn everyday use into meaningful enterprise impact. This session focuses on the shift from individual productivity gains to organization-wide value, challenging leaders to rethink workflows, operating models, and skill sets rather than simply layering AI onto existing processes. Drawing on real-world examples, Russ Kliman explores why AI initiatives fail to gain traction, how “old thinking” limits results, and what it takes to redesign work so AI becomes an enabler instead of technology applied to old ways of working. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to move from awareness to activation, and how to position AI to drive measurable business outcomes at scale.

Speaker: Russ Kliman, Innovation & Technology Strategy Expert

This peer discussion will focus on what it really takes to move analytics from a “nice-to-have” initiative to an embedded organizational capability. We’ll explore the cultural and operational shifts required to drive true adoption. Attendees will discuss common barriers and practical approaches to overcoming them, including governance, adoption tactics, and prioritizing high-value use cases. 

The goal is to leave with a clearer roadmap for turning analytics into sustained business impact—not just dashboards.

Speakers: Senthil Gunasekaran & Pradip Krishnadevarajan, Founders at ACTvantage 

Technology initiatives succeed or stall based on how effectively people engage with change. IT leaders are not just delivering systems - they are shaping how teams operate, collaborate, and execute day to day.

This session examines the leadership realities of driving technology change, with a focus on connecting initiatives to real business priorities. It explores how leaders navigate organizational dynamics and guide teams through transitions that impact business outcomes. Attendees will gain practical perspective on how people-centered IT leadership drives adoption, accountability, and lasting value for independent distributors.

Speaker: Luke Olenoski, Chief Information Officer at Main  Line Health

As organizations move beyond AI experimentation, the challenge shifts from proving value to making the right decisions to scale responsibly.

In this session, Nick Pericle leads a practical discussion on the governance, risk management, and build-versus-buy decisions leaders face as AI moves into production. Joined by AD member leaders who have taken different implementation paths, the session highlights real-world tradeoffs, lessons learned, and unexpected challenges.

Attendees will leave with peer-informed insight and a clearer framework for determining next steps beyond the pilot phase.

Speaker: Nick Pericle, AI Expert

This member-led roundtable brings technology leaders together to compare how AI is being adopted and applied across their organizations. AI adoption looks very different from one organization to the next—some teams are experimenting with chatbots and copilots, while others are beginning to explore more advanced capabilities like custom GPTs, agents, and integrations with business applications.

The discussion will focus on what participants are using today, how teams are enabling adoption, and where AI delivers practical value. Attendees will exchange perspectives on moving from early experimentation to more structured use, including how they are approaching governance, risk, and scalability.

Speaker: Nick Thomas, Senior Business Systems Manager at AD