FAIRFIELD, Conn., Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AI governance, Agentic AI adoption, cybersecurity resilience and enterprise transformation have become top priorities for CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Chief Digital Officers and senior technology executives navigating unprecedented disruption and opportunity. With HMG Strategy’s 12th Annual St. Louis C-Level Technology Leadership Summit taking place on Tuesday, August 25, technology leaders face increasing pressure to accelerate AI innovation, strengthen cyber resilience and deliver measurable business outcomes while meeting growing board-level expectations.

HMG Strategy Annual St. Louis C-Level Technology Leadership Summit

The summit is part of HMG Strategy’s executive leadership framework for helping senior technology leaders strengthen enterprise AI readiness, increase board influence and deliver measurable business outcomes through trusted peer-to-peer engagement. To address these challenges, technology leaders from across the St. Louis region will gather next Tuesday at HMG Strategy’s 12th Annual St. Louis C-Level Technology Leadership Summit. Held at Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105, the event is designed for executives seeking to strengthen leadership capabilities, build strategic relationships and connect with peers at the highest levels of the C-suite. Attendance is complimentary for qualified technology executives.

Themes to be explored at the summit include:

  • AI Leadership & Governance: Navigating the complexities of Agentic AI and responsible AI implementation
  • Cybersecurity Resilience: Strategies for risk management and building AI-native security frameworks
  • The “CEO of Technology” Vision: Empowering CIOs to lead business transformation and board influence
  • Digital Transformation: Updating the enterprise through data intelligence and cloud strategy

Why Attend? Attendees will gain:

  • Practical leadership insights from Fortune 1000 technology leaders
  • Peer networking opportunities within HMG’s unique executive community
  • Technology intelligence on real-world use cases for Agentic AI and cyber risk
  • Career advancement insights to strengthen personal branding and influence

“As AI reshapes every industry, technology leaders are being called upon to expand their roles beyond traditional IT management and become strategic business leaders who influence the boardroom, drive innovation and strengthen organizational resilience,” said Hunter Muller, Founder and CEO of HMG Strategy. “Our St. Louis summit brings together an exceptional community of executives to explore practical approaches to AI governance, Agentic AI, cybersecurity and enterprise transformation while learning from peers who are successfully navigating these challenges. By fostering trusted relationships and the exchange of actionable insights, we’re helping technology leaders prepare their organizations for the future while building stronger, more influential careers.”

HMG Strategy will also recognize several St. Louis-area technology executives with Global Leadership Institute Awards (GLIA) for their visionary leadership and contributions to enterprise transformation.

The summit will feature insights from leading technology executives and industry experts. Topics to be explored include AI governance, Agentic AI implementation, cybersecurity resilience, technology leadership, innovation strategy, cloud modernization, enterprise transformation, data intelligence, executive leadership and the evolving role of the CEO of Technology.

Hunter Muller will kick off the summit with an executive technology discussion featuring Chiro Aikat, Co-President – United States, Mastercard, on leading Through Every Wave of Change. In addition, he will lead another discussion with Ellen Sundra, VP Customers, Horizon3.ai.

Iconic Leadership: How to Lead Like a CEO – Designing the Future Workforce:

Chiro Aikat, Co-President – United States, Mastercard; Jim Cavellier, SVP & CIO, Cass Information Systems; Rodney Masney, Regional CTIO, North America – Central, Rimini Street and Jennifer Walton, Director Technology Services, St. Louis Zoo are scheduled to hold an executive panel, led by Jeff Brittain, Executive-in-Residence, FedEx Institute of Technology @ the University of Memphis, on designing the future workforce.

Executive Panel: Security Innovation as a Strategic Differentiator:

Chris Cockburn, Cybersecurity Advisor, CISA; Roftiel Constantine, Global CISO, Barry-Wehmiller; Sean Mullins, VP & CISO, Cass Information Systems; Nick Puetz, Head of Services, Cyera and Andrew Wilder, Member, Board of Directors, Information Security Executive Education, Washington University St. Louis, will discuss using security innovation as a strategic differentiator. Zach Lewis, Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, will lead the panel.

Executive Panel: Harnessing Data, AI and Strategic Technologies:

Michael Smith, Partner, Fortium Partners will lead a panel on harnessing data, AI and strategic technologies to drive long-term business performance, along with Anurag Barua, AI Transformation Leader, SAP; Felix Flory, VP, Lead Data Scientist, Generative AI, RGA; Zar Toolan, CEO, Archevia and Byron Yount, Chief Data & AI Officer, Mercy.

Executive Panel: Scaling Resilience Through Innovation and Inner Balance:

Dupe Akinyede, Strategic Board Advisor & Global CIO; Jerry Fox, SVP, Chief Information & Digital Officer, BJC Health System and Jake Fritz, VP & CIO, Emerson, will join Lisa Nichols, CEO, Technology Partners in a discussion about innovation and inner balance.

In addition, Jason Hunt, Distinguished Engineer, IBM, will present on Operating AI at Enterprise Scale, and author Sam Goodwin, Global Speaker & Resilience Expert, will speak on Winning Through Uncertainty.

Roundtable Discussions:

At lunch, local executives will lead table discussions on various topics:

  • Lisa Nichols will lead discussions on the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection to Leadership
  • Jim Cavellier will cover Lessons Learned in AI Implementation
  • Andrew Wilder will host the Cybersecurity table
  • Jyotsna Gupta, VP & CIO, Bi-state Development Agency, will lead discussions on Reskilling and Upskilling
  • Mike Williams, CEO/Founder, Software Design Partners, will cover AI Ethics
  • Zachary Lewis will host Coping with Stress
  • Rick Hall, CIO, Royal Canin, will lead conversations about the Multi-generational Workforce

Innovation Accelerator Startup Showcase:

Finally, Hunter Muller and Omer Singer, Co-Founder & CTO, Glow will introduce the HMG Strategy Innovation Accelerator Startup Showcase.

Registration remains open for qualified technology executives, with limited seating available for HMG Strategy’s 12th Annual St. Louis C-Level Technology Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 25. CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Chief Digital Officers and senior technology leaders are encouraged to reserve their place to engage with regional peers on AI governance, Agentic AI adoption, cybersecurity resilience and enterprise transformation.

About HMG Strategy

HMG Strategy is the premier executive leadership platform and peer community for CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Chief Digital Officers, and senior technology leaders. Through its nationally recognized C-Level Technology Leadership Summits, Executive Leadership Series, Global CIO & CISO Executive Leadership Alliance (CELA), research initiatives, and digital platforms, HMG helps technology executives navigate the most critical leadership challenges shaping modern enterprises.

With a global network of more than 500,000 technology leaders, HMG Strategy serves as a trusted forum for advancing AI governance, Agentic AI adoption, cybersecurity resilience, digital transformation, innovation strategy, and executive leadership. HMG’s mission is to empower technology executives to become visionary business leaders and CEOs of Technology who drive measurable business outcomes while preparing their organizations for the future.

Founded in 2008 by Hunter Muller, HMG Strategy is built on its Trust & Inspire leadership philosophy, helping executives strengthen peer relationships, share actionable insights, and accelerate leadership excellence through trusted community engagement.

For more information, visit www.hmgstrategy.com.

Contact:
Peggy Pedwano
Chief Operations Officer
HMG Strategy
2150 Post Road, Suite 402
Fairfield, CT 06824
203-221-2702 | peggyp@hmgstrategy.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/29bdf4f8-5d97-4ae5-b3c4-1611dfb148e6


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