There is not a day that goes by that we do not hear about the recession going on in the US and around the world. Within IT departments, we are beginning to hear about projects that are suddenly not necessary, representing a shift in spending priorities. For now, it is imperative to find new ways to finance projects as well as research the cost optimization in IT.

The distinguished panel will be discussing ways to find cost optimization opportunities – and – cutting IT costs without cutting deliverables.

About Our Speaker(s)

Sheila Donahoe is a WITI South Florida member and advisor. She has held the position of Senior VP and CIO at Bluegreen Corporation for the past 5 years, where recently the company was awarded South Florida Business Journal's Technology Award for Strategic & Solution Services. Previously she served as CIO at AutoNation’s North American Rental Group and as Senior VP and CIO for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. Sheila holds a B.S. in Computer Science.

Angelo Gasparri, J.D., PMP, is part of KPMG’s advisory team supporting environmental sustainability. With more than 15 years experience working with organizations to address business challenges with innovative strategies and solutions, Angelo works with clients to translate their vision for transformation and action. He received his JD and MBA from Emory University in 1993, and previously graduated with honors from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering. He is a licensed attorney in Florida, Georgia and the District of Columbia, and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Brett Beveridge is President and CEO of Symbits, Inc., providing managed IT network services, specifically in areas of continuous preventative maintenance to predict and prevent network failures before they happen. Brett has over 10 years experience in wireless and technology industries. He has been directly involved with the development, opening and operating of over 1,000 retail communications stores nationwide. In addition, he co-founded letstalk.com, currently America’s leading e-tailer of technology and wireless products and services.

About Our Moderator:
Natalie P. McNeal is a multimedia journalist, currently writing The Frugalist Files blog on miamiherald.com. The Frugalist files have been featured on CNN, NPR, and CBS. Natalie's work covering Caribbean-Americans earned her a United Nations fellowship to Belo Horizonte Brazil in 2005. The word "frugalista" was named 2008 finalist for Word of the Year by the Oxford University Press. Natalie received a B.A. in Journalism, News Editorial from Howard University, John H. Johnson School of Communications. Her blog address is http://miamiherald.typepad.com/frugalista

Event Date and Venue

This event will be held from 5:45 pm - 8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at:

KPMG
450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 750
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Map

5:45 - 6:30 PM Sign in; networking, hors d' oeuvres and refreshments will be served.
6:30 - 6:40 PM Introductions
6:40 - 7:50 PM Panel Discussion
7:50 - 8:00 PM Closing

Pre-registration for this event is closed and on-site registrations will not be accepted.

Contact Us

For more info regarding registration or event details, please contact Ann Jakits ([email protected]).

For more details about pre-registration, contact Tech Support.