From Cybersecurity to AI Strategy: How Randall Jackson is Redefining Tech Leadership in a Rapidly Changing World
In today’s fast-moving digital landscape, technology leadership isn’t just about knowing code — it’s about navigating chaos, enabling innovation, and staying human in the face of relentless change. Randall Jackson, Chief Information Security Officer at Income Research + Management, exemplifies this next-generation leadership. With decades of experience across tech sectors and a boots-on-the-ground understanding of […]
From Securing The Sopranos to Redefining Cyber Leadership: Stephen Fridakis on Risk, Mentorship, and the Future of Security
What does it take to lead in a world where cyber threats evolve faster than firewalls can adapt—and where leadership is no longer about knowing the tech, but about managing risk? In this riveting conversation for the Top Innovator Series, cybersecurity veteran Stephen Fridakis pulls back the curtain on his journey from a motorcycle courier […]
Stop Trying to Be a Leader: How Antonio Taylor Went from Reluctant Engineer to Transformational Tech Executive
What if the key to outstanding Leadership isn’t striving to become one, but realizing you already are? In this candid and insightful interview, Antonio Taylor, Vice President of IT at Mission Healthcare and author of Stop Trying to Be a Leader, opens up about his unconventional path from hands-on engineer to executive leader. Along the […]
From Battlefield to Boardroom: Don Cox on Servant Leadership, AI, and Building the Next Generation of Tech Leaders
In an era where executive leadership is often measured by bravado and bold headlines, Don Cox stands out for something far rarer—humility, clarity, and profound, practiced wisdom. With decades of experience spanning military service, law enforcement, and C-suite roles in both the public and private sectors, Don brings an unshakable calm and a people-first philosophy […]
From Code to Command: How Mike Fliorko Built a Leadership Style That Rescues Clients and Empowers the Future
In the world of tech entrepreneurship, leadership often gets reduced to flashy titles, aggressive growth metrics, or the latest buzzword-laden strategies. But for Mike Fliorko, founder and CEO of Insoftex, leadership is grounded—and enduring. It’s about vision, trust, discipline, and the quiet power of showing up. Originally from Ukraine and now leading his company from […]
Exceeding Expectations Is the Bare Minimum: Dr. Joe Perez on Leadership, Innovation, and the Power of People
In an age when leadership is often mistaken for authority, Dr. Joe Perez stands as a refreshing anomaly. A senior tech leader at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, fractional CTO at CogniMind, international keynote speaker, and award-winning author, Perez is known not just for his accomplishments—but for how he achieved them. […]
Inside Susan Petty’s Geothermal Revolution: Startup Risks, VC Battles & the Future of Clean Energy
When Susan Petty walked into a pitch meeting with a laptop balanced on her knees and a geothermal dream in her head, she had no idea she’d just stepped into a historic moment. Within months, she had term sheets from both Kleiner Perkins and Khosla Ventures—an unprecedented move in a sector no one thought was […]
Ed Dieterle on Values-Driven Leadership, Reinventing Your Resume, and the Future of Education
In a world where prestige and power often define success, Ed Dieterle dares to lead differently. As the founder of Education Research Partners and a former senior research officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dieterle’s career is a testament to bold decisions driven not by status, but by values. In this episode of […]
From IT Blunders to Leadership Brilliance: How Nico Stein Builds Trust, Embraces Failure, and Transforms Tech Teams
Inside the leadership mind of Nico Stein, SVP of IT at Signal Financial, and why screwing up might be your greatest strength. In today’s episode of the Top Innovator series, we meet a leader who doesn’t just tolerate mistakes—he celebrates them. Meet Nico Stein, SVP of IT at Signal Financial Federal Credit Union, a technologist-turned-trailblazer […]
From UPS to AI: How Steven Cramer Built a Company of Friends — And Why He Thinks Email Is Ruining Leadership
What if leadership wasn’t about hierarchy, status, or strategy decks — but about friendships, mentorship, and honest conversations? In this episode of the Top Innovator series, host Josef Martens sits down with Steven Cramer, Chief Information Officer of Newbridge Business Solutions, to explore the leadership philosophies that have shaped his decades-long career journey at UPS, […]