EP 25: Tech Leadership with Mike Simmons & The Future of Parking AI with James Paden

In this episode, Brian interviews Mike Simmons, the Chairman and CEO of Tez Technology, discussing his remarkable journey from a farm kid in Indiana to leading significant technology transformations in the parking industry. Mike shares insights from his early career at IBM, PepsiCo, and GM, and provides a unique perspective on his successful ventures, including founding T2 Systems.

In Segment 2, Brian switches gears to talk with Parker’s new Chief Product Officer, James Paden. James discusses the future of parking technology and how AI can enhance customer service. He highlights the evolution of the parking industry, the importance of integrating various systems, and the role of generative and agentic AI in providing proactive solutions.

Here are some key takeaways from this episode:

• The value of hard work
• Diversity in experience
• Working with integrity
• Parker Technology’s vision of AI

Be sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Mike Simmons:

00:26 Mike Simmons' Career Journey
04:30 Early Life and Engineering Passion
07:57 Transition to IBM and Sales
13:17 Entrepreneurial Ventures and T2 Systems
40:17 Philanthropy and Community Involvement
43:25 Passion for Cars and Silo Auto Club
48:55 Professional Challenges and Triumphs
51:36 Impact of the Pandemic on Parking
53:14 The Future of Parking Technology

Segment 2 with James Paden:

59:06 Introducing James Paden: New Chief Product Officer
01:01:16 James Paden's Vision for Parker Technologies
01:02:55 Innovations in Parking
01:17:26 The Role of AI in Enhancing Customer Service
01:26:14 The Importance of Industry Knowledge
01:33:26 Conclusion

Connect with Parker Technology.

While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getstarted@parkertechnology.com