The Forum Welcomes more than 300 Attendees at the 37th Annual Meeting

The NYS Forum held its 37th annual meeting on October 24th with over 300 government and corporate members attending. Executive Director Fran Reiter kicked off the meeting by providing an overview of the Forum’s accomplishments and successes for the 2022-2023 program year. High on Fran’s list were the continuing relationships between government and corporate membership, the development of paid training opportunities, and the additions to the NYS Forum Board of Directors. Fran also highlighted the substantial increase of member participation within Forum programming and the opportunities to collaborate over the next program year.

The meeting featured two dynamic keynote speakers. Appearing first was New York’s recently appointed State CIO and Director of NYS Office of Information Technology Services, Dru Rai. Dru gave an informative and enlightening talk about the current state of NY technology, his priorities, and the future for government technology needs. Following his presentation, Dru fielded questions from the Forum audience which led to a productive and engaging discussion.

Attendees also heard from Chairman of the NYS Forum Board of Directors, Jim Bell - Director of Senate Technology Services. Jim discussed the benefits of Forum membership, the health of the organization and changes to the Board. Jim has long been a great advocate for the Forum, highlighting where the Forum is going and what members can do to further its success.

Duffy Newman of Synopsys, outgoing Chair of the Albany ITCR, discussed the abundant benefits of corporate membership and the importance of getting involved and staying active in Forum activities. Duffy then introduced the meeting’s second keynote speaker, New York's Chief Cyber Officer, Colin Ahern. Colin provided an overview of the State’s first ever Cybersecurity Strategy which works to ensure the security, integrity and cyber resilience of the State's information assets and critical infrastructure.

In closing, Forum workgroups reported on their past year accomplishments and their plans for the coming year. Overall, the event provided an opportunity for Forum members to connect, get updated on Forum activities, and learn what's in store at the Forum for 23/24.

We would like to thank all our attendees for taking the time to attend our Annual Membership Meeting and for providing input throughout the year. The success of The NYS Forum depends on participation. Your input is critical to ensure that our programs continue to be relevant and of the highest quality. As part of a member organization, you have an opportunity to shape the agenda! Thanks to all who attended and presented.