Since 1998, the ORBIE Awards have recognized excellence in C-level technology leadership across the country. At Converge25 in New York City, previous winners competed for the prestigious title of National ORBIE Winner in a main event rivaling the Oscars in pomp and circumstance.
The Concord team had the honor of sponsoring the event and participating throughout the three-day conference. Read on to learn our perspective on the exclusive experiences, key takeaways from the conference, and the winners of the 2025 ORBIE awards!
Converge25 took us far beyond the four walls of a giant conference room this year. One of the highlights of the event was stepping into New York City's iconic venues for behind-the-scenes experiences. Our team's favorite parts:
Rajat Relan attended the Major League Baseball (MLB) Headquarters Experience that offered an inside look at the advanced video replay systems and technology powering game-changing decisions. Neil Boland, CISO of MLB, referred to his organization as a technology company disguised as a baseball company.
"MLB is doing an incredible job of applying technology while maintaining baseball traditions. This experience highlighted how the two intersect. I walked away with a greater appreciation for everything that goes into the game, from ballpark connectivity to instant replay and everything in between," shared Relan.
Nate Lefebvre experienced an immersive Broadway performance of The Lion King and a conversation with Shuler Hensley, Tony-award winning singer and actor. "The performance was great, of course, but my group of attendees really made the experience outstanding. I'm grateful for the chance to get out of the office grind and connect with people in such a unique atmosphere," conveyed Lefebvre.
Katie Jones enjoyed the opportunity to step onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for the closing bell. "It was an incredible day at Converge25 with NYSE. There's an electric energy there - it really feels like you're at the center of world finance," described Jones.
Throughout the entirety of the conference, our team noted a few themes that emerged as they spent their time in panel sessions, interviews, hallway conversations, and dinners: the importance of embracing discomfort, learning to lead by harnessing disruption, and prioritizing the human connection in all we do.
We're all familiar with the adage that growth starts at the edge of your comfort zone. A few leaders at the conference shared similar sentiments. Most notably, Mamatha Chaarthi, CDO of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Cindy Taibi, former SVP & CIO of The New York Times, led a candid conversation about the importance of stepping into discomfort as C-suite leaders. They encouraged their peers to focus on taking bold steps, conveying a strong vision to inspire your team, and leading with humility.
It wouldn't be a technology-based conference in 2025 without talking about AI. Yes, of course, it's changing the game and advancing the way teams work. That wasn't the focus of this conference, however. Disruption, in whatever form it might take, is inevitable. Today it's AI, tomorrow it could be something entirely different. The best leaders learn to harness disruption as part of effective leadership.
Above all else, it was clear that human connection was at the center of this event. Each day felt purposefully designed with people in mind by building in natural opportunities for attendees to enjoy new experiences together, connect outside of the conference chairs, and put the devices down. As Lourdes Gipson, InspireCIO Senior Executive Director, shared, "While technology can amaze us, it's people who truly inspire us."
It wouldn't be an InspireCIO event without an impressive awards program! The National ORBIES takes it to an entirely new level - we were deeply impressed with the talent, achievements, and leadership represented by the 2025 finalists for the National ORBIE awards. We'd like to share a special congratulations to the following category winners:
Congratulations again to all of this year's finalists and winners!
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