CompTIA Members: How to Get the Most Value from Attending CCF 2020

There’s a lot to see and hear at CompTIA’s Communities & Councils Forum, March 16-18, in Chicago. This year’s agenda features sessions on delivering better business outcomes and how to build a practice around innovative new technologies. Of course, there’s plenty of networking opportunities and much more. We asked several CCF veterans to talk about the value they get from the event, what they like best—and how you can maximize your experience this year. Here’s what they had to say:

Building New Connections

“We all expect to make business connections at CCF, but to me it's more about building a specific kind of connection: Those that move our industry forward. I look for people who are advancing diversity, improving STEM opportunities, or improving professionalism. CCF is a great way to connect with people who are working to improve our industry beyond the technology. IT consulting has a low barrier to entry, so it's important that we work to establish and maintain high professional standards. In addition to improving you If you are attending the Communities and Council Conference, you will get the most out of the meeting by simply being actively involved.  Introduce yourself to other members, attend the community meetings and speak out.  Ask questions and make suggestions. Member involvement is what makes CompTIA great. As an active member of the Emerging Technologies Community, CCF gives me the opportunity to meet face to face with the EmTech Executive Council and the members I work with “virtually” all during the year. Most important it give us all the opportunity to interact with members of both the communities we are involved in and other communities and councils and get input from the CompTIA Staff, and some of the top thought leaders in the Business of Technology. Get actively involved, get social, catch up with old friends and meet new people." – Karl Palachuk, owner of Small Biz Thoughts and member of the Advancing Tech Talent and Diversity Community

Developing Content to Shape the Industry

“I look forward to the Industry Advisory Council reports at the end of the event. Doesn’t sound exciting? Don’t be fooled! The six councils represent the hottest technologies today, with participation from the companies that shape our future. We recently welcomed new members from Lyft, Google, Workday, IBM, and CNN. Our mission is to increase awareness and adoption of innovative tech, highlighting both the value of the technology and specific business opportunities. I encourage all CCF attendees—whether you’re on a council or not—to check out the report-outs and absorb what’s being said about the latest new use cases from disruptive tech. You never know, you may find that new edge your business needs to achieve a next level.” – Angus Robertson, CRO of Axcient and co-chair of Business Applications Advisory Council

Networking with Peers

“My way to get the most out of CCF is to maximize the networking! I have attended CCF for many years and can honestly say that the conversations I have at this event help me shape my plan for the year. I have a hard time thinking of another place in the industry you will have such a wide range of experience and knowledge in one city! Make sure to plan your agenda ahead of time and sit with a new group when you arrive. Finally, be sure you attend all of the fun networking sessions planned by CompTIA!” – Alec Stanners, Vice President of Business Development at bvoip and member of the Advancing Tech Talent and Diversity Community

Face-to-Face Time with Industry Leaders

“If you are attending the Communities and Council Conference, you will get the most out of the meeting by simply being actively involved.  Introduce yourself to other members, attend the community meetings and speak out.  Ask questions and make suggestions. Member involvement is what makes CompTIA great. As an active member of the Emerging Technologies Community, CCF gives me the opportunity to meet face to face with the EmTech Executive Council and the members I work with “virtually” all during the year. Most important it give us all the opportunity to interact with members of both the communities we are involved in and other communities and councils and get input from the CompTIA Staff, and some of the top thought leaders in the Business of Technology. Get actively involved, get social, catch up with old friends and meet new people. – John Rice, president of ThinkChannel and member of CompTIA’s Emerging Technologies and Managed Services Communities

Showcasing Emerging Technologies

“One of the great things about CCF is working with the other councils to build synergies amongst the emerging technologies represented. It’s truly exciting to be a part of a project focused on business outcomes in emerging tech with a team of industry recognized transformational leaders.  It’s not often we have the opportunity to make such a huge impact on accelerating the adoption and showcasing business outcomes for blockchain, AI, IoT, and drone usage possibilities with our business partners and the entire IT industry.” – Jill Klein, Sr. Leader IoT and Healthcare at Sirius Computer Solutions and a member of the IoT Advisory Council.

For more benefits on CCF, download the infographic below and click here for more information.