Page 21 - REI Corporate Newsletter_Q1 2018

and determine how we can standardize on a few of the attendees to be open and honest from the
specific platforms industry wide. beginning is why I believe this event has been a
success and people want to return year after year.
All too often in the IT world – not strictly unique to
construction – CIO’s tend to play the part of the How You Can Get Started – And Why You Should
victim. We say, “There are so many vendors. There CIOs who are interested in starting their own events
are no standards. There are no integrations. Poor will, first, need buy-in from their company. Company
us!” But, now we have an opportunity to sway the leaders must be comfortable with the idea behind
technology vendors who provide our construction the form, or it will be very hard to get off the ground.
solutions. It is incredibly important to “Stop the Secondly, as the organizer, the CIO has to be willing
Madness” within our industry. to dedicate the required time, energy, and attention
needed in contacting and selling the idea to peers.
'' and stay informed of what is happening outside of our four walls. It is
All too often, as IT leaders, we are so wrapped up and inundated in the
grind of daily activities that we rarely take the time to educate ourselves

important to schedule regular informal networking meetings with our
colleagues and peers to help break up this monotony. Fundamentally,

we just need to dedicate our time and energy to do it and do it well."
A UNIQUE WAY TO STAY Making It Happen Finally, follow-through is instrumental in putting on
I credit the success of the forum event to a number of a successful event the first year. Speaking from
CURRENT IN THE WORLD OF factors. First and foremost, I am privileged to report experience, it takes a lot of time and energy to pull
to an amazing CEO at Rosendin Electric, Tom Sorley. everything together, but, when it’s all done, the payoff
Tom is passionate about embracing technology
can be incredible.
CONSTRUCTION IT and being a part of the leading edge. Additionally, Another important consideration when starting your
Rosendin Electric is located in San Jose at the center
of Silicon Valley; this location alone is a draw for other own event is who you decide you want to be part of
By Sam Lamonica, Chief Information Officer CIOs. With Tom’s support, I was able to host the first the group. Just by virtue of the fact that I was able
CIO event and invite companies that were partnered to invite some very talented IT professionals within
with Rosendin, as well as some that were not. From the industry, made my job of managing the event
CIOs in any industry understand that in order to keep pace with the fast-moving a technological perspective, we are all on an even that much easier. The group I pulled together are
world of technology, one has to pay attention to what is happening in the playing field and Tom recognized this, embraced it, articulate, always willing to share their experiences,

market. We must keep an ear toward new technology solutions without getting and continues to encourage me in moving forward and takes the time to listen to others’ experiences
with defining industry standards.
as well. An event can be successful simply by the
bombarded or sidetracked by vendor pitches. The construction industry is no dynamics between the team and the people in the
different. Three years ago, a number of my peers and I we initiated a way to stay Initially, I reached out to a core set of construction room.
CIOs, some of whom I knew very well and some
current that CIOs in other industries may want to replicate. I did not know at all. As the forum grew, the CIOs What Will You Get Out Of It
who initially attended have recommended CIOs from The benefits of hosting a forum event are well worth
I n 2015, I hosted seven key CIOs from larger For the 2017 forum, the summit attendees and I had mouth, more CIOs have asked to join. There is not a CIO forum event, I feel privileged to have developed
other construction companies, and, through word of
the work involved to make it happen. Through the
a core group of CIO friends and colleagues who I can
prerequisite or requirement in terms of who you are
construction companies at Rosendin Electric’s
numerous discussions about the notion of considering
headquarters in San Jose, Calif. Our two day
as a group, only ask for a willingness to spend two
talent, technology, or any another business-related
With the proliferation of technology in construction,
agenda was loose, with the overall goal of simply an integration standards effort for the construction field. or the size of your organization to join this forum. We, call upon when I need to discuss a challenge with
talking about the challenges we face in the industry. CIO’s are being hammered by vendors who all have days having honest, open dialogue with like-minded issue. We all have different mindsets, but we all
Fast forward to today, this forum has grown to include point solutions. This matter alone is why a standards peers about challenges, successes, and areas for understand the value of technology in construction.
14 of the largest construction companies in the nation group could be significant at this time. As human improvement. There is an unspoken confidence and By tapping into a larger network, I gain a 360-degree
and has become a popular event. What started out beings, it is very easy to get distracted by all the understanding amongst every attendee that, when perspective on anything I’m trying to accomplish and
as a simple gathering of minds has morphed into options in the market and succumb to “shiny object discussions are of a sensitive or confidential manner, vice versa. This is powerful!
something much bigger. syndrome.” As CIO’s, we need to stop the madness we are doing so in a private setting. The willingness

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