Application Development
Chairs: Diana Clem, Jeff Shurts, Eric Weimer
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: appdev@aitpchicago.com

Mission:  Provide a professional forum for Chicago-area IT leaders to discuss and share ideas, experience, and strategies around the core IT practice of software development.  We must be technical experts managing complex solutions while we socialize the application portfolio in business-friendly terms. We leverage constantly changing paradigms and technical solutions and deliver competitive advantage while economic concerns create negative budget pressure. We partner with c-level executives while attempting to elevate the corporate view of IT from overhead to strategic partner.  Software development remains a core IT deliverable.  We will discuss current best practices which go far to resolve classic issues of quality, overruns, missed deadlines, and user satisfaction. Recent reports often cite the doubling productivity, up to 80% reduction of defects, improved user satisfaction and predictable delivery dates.

Building Effective IT Leaders (BEITL)
Chairs: Mark Las and Jerzy Link
Committee: Phil Aderton
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: beitl@aitpchicago.com

Mission:  As IT professionals, we are much more than technicians.  We are also marketers, in the business of selling change.  When people understand the broad vision and the possibilities that change delivers, as well as the path forward to achieve it, fear and resistance is replaced with enthusiasm and a clear view of what is truly possible.

Change is a given in the world of IT. As a result, no matter what your IT specialization or title, you are tasked with delivering change.  In order to be successful, you must be adept at communicating the importance and value of the changes being made from a business perspective.  You also must position these changes in a way that they can and will be readily adopted by the individuals that make up your organization. Yet, instead of generating excitement about changes (e.g., positive conspiracy), IT tends to focus on the facts supporting changes (e.g., products, features, functions, and benefits).  Within this forum C-Level executives share their successes driving transformation programs.

Governance
Chairs: Frank Cerwin, Srinivas Reddy and Carla Wheeler
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: Governance@aitpchicago.com

There are many frameworks that provide best practices for IT governance but lack guidance on adopting the framework to specific organizations' cultures and structure.  Creating effective IT governance has a significant impact on key IT process areas, particularly IT program and project management, demand and resource planning, asset management, and change management.  The objective of the IT Governance SIG is to provide participants a forum for the presentation and exchange of ideas among IT leaders related to the implementation of governance programs that achieve compliance, efficiencies, and effectiveness goals.
 
Infrastructure
Chair: Dan Krueger
Committee: Steve Geslak, Monica Malkowski and Alan Perelgut
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: infrastructure@aitpchicago.com

Mission is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices, among Chicago area IT leaders, related to IT Infrastructure and Operations within their organizations.  The Infrastructure SIG serves IT Leaders who are interested in IT Infrastructure and Operations including technologies, strategies, management, automation, and best practices.
 
Mobility
Chairs: Margaret Dickman, Arun Mathews
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: mobility@aitpchicago.com

Mission: To address the mobile revolution and its impact on our businesses. Sessions will include strategy, mobile innovation, building and launching apps, mobility usages and lessons learned.  Some are blazing the trail and setting the trends, others are treading lightly on determining what investments they should make in “mobile”. The most often outsourced project, that should be under IT’s domain, is gaining unavoidable traction. IT Executives need to be prepared strategically and tactically to deliver and support mobility solutions to the business.  Embracing interaction, social media, and the ability to conduct work anywhere, mobility solutions bring unprecedented connectivity, analytics and platform diversity.  The aim is to help the IT operation identify the proper strategy and direction for their mobile app road map.
 
Office of the CIO
Chairs: Mike Morsch, Jim Sibenaller and Carl Snyder
Executive Sponsor: Rich Barnier - AITP Chicago
Contact: officeoftheCIO@aitpchicago.com

Mission is to focus on helping CIO direct reports and Sr. IT leaders understand the behaviors and skills required to support C-level executives and to understand what it takes to move to the next level.   The interaction with C-level executives is intended to help participants develop themselves as strong IT leaders.   Participant education will come directly from C-level executives, via interactive presentations and discussions, who will share their expectations for working with CIO’s or from CIO's who will share their personal journeys to the CIO position.
 
Project Management (PMO)
Chair: Jeanne Busch
Committee: Irene Catanese, Larry Ladner, and Annie Muller
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: pmo@aitpchicago.com

 
Security
Chair: Joe Agnew,
Committee: Keatron Evans, Kathleen Ladner, and Greg York
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago
Contact: security@aitpchicago.com

Mission: To provide a professional forum for the exchange of ideas among Chicago area IT leaders related to the implementation of IT Security within their organizations. The SIG’s focus is to provide CSO’s, IT Security Directors and their departments with a means to share lessons and seek guidance from their peers in other Chicago area businesses.
 
       
Boost Chicago Innovation
Chairs: Steph Pestrak and Mary Swibes
Executive Sponsor: Justin Nemeth - EVP AITP Chicago

Mission: How does the Chicago area "stack-up" against other technology regions in the country? How do we keep and increase that position; together? It's a fact that a key ingredient to a vibrant, healthy community that creates and sustains technology career opportunities is an environment that promotes innovation.
 
       
AITP Chicago is seeking volunteers to help lead our various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) for today and beyond.  If you would like to be involved in a current SIG and/or have ideas for new groups to help expand our reach please contact our Executive Vice President, Justin Nemeth @ justin.nemeth@aitpchicago.com