November 2018 Chairman Newsletter

published on Wednesday, November 14th, 2018
Greetings to you WNY Technology Community!!
 
Last month was so busy that I am just catching up with writing my monthly newsletter to you.
Our amazing month had so much going on, from AI and Machine Learning, to learning about  Blockchain for Supply Chain and creating Data Lakes using Amazon Web Services, plus our annual Technology and Cybersecurity Forum and many other events too! I hope you got out to one or more of these events. Thank you to all who helped, sponsored or attended! 
 
In November, the board has been working on next year’s calendar of events with our Winter Bash on January 16, our annual BETAS on May 2 and some very interesting educational events throughout the year, we can say 2019 is going to be a great year!! 
 
On the weekend of November 9, we were lucky to have been asked to Co-Sponsor with our friends at AT&T and WNYSTEM Hub to run the Queen City High School Game Jam at Buffalo Game Space. Wait, you have never heard of a Game Jam or the Buffalo Game Space?!? Buffalo Game Space is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to expanding local game development in Western New York. Its mission is to bring local game developers together and provide classes and an open space to work and collaborate in efforts to keep local talent here, making Buffalo an epicenter for game development and building upon the innovation and technology resurgence of the region. It is located on the 4th floor of the Tri-Main building. The event helped high school students develop a functional video game that had an overarching theme of ideas for making Buffalo better and highlighting the many remarkable attributes of the Queen City. The students were challenged to use creative ways to incorporate ideas of making Buffalo better or enhance one of its well-known treasures into their video game. If you want to see what the students came up with, check out this 3-minute video I made of the event. Special thanks to Ben Roberts of AT&T, John Futscher of Buffalo Game Space, and Dr. Michelle Kavanaugh of WNY STEM Hub, this was a great event and you all deserve praise for the hard work to put this event together.  THANK YOU!!! 
Here is a recap video if you want to see what games were created - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuyQaFvmU4g
 
 
We also held our InfotechWNY’s Annual meeting where our corporate members vote for open board seats. I am happy to announce the following have been elected to a two-year term starting January 1, 2019:
• Peter Ronca, President of Data Sure 24
• Tim Finney of Alcott HR
• Darrick Kristich Founder/CEO of Sedera
• Jill Martucci Manager of the Bonadio Group
• Mike Grimaldi Director of Enterprise Architecture at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of WNY
• Liz Sujka, Director of Marketing for Ronco Communications
• and our newest addition, Julie Bastian, Attorney for Beckage, PLLC. 
 
If you see any of these fine volunteers out and about, please congratulate them. Without these board members, we would not be able to put on the great events and bring relevant content to you, our members. 
 
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pcimino@bnar.org if you have questions, ideas or if you want to meet. I am usually at DIG at the Innovation Center on the BNMC on Mondays and Fridays so come and find me if you want to meet me in person. 
 
Wishing you all a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving. I, for one, am thankful for all of you for being a part of the WNY Technology Community, for my family and friends, and our InfotechWNY Board Members. 
 
Peter Cimino
Chair, InfoTech WNY
 

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