Winners' Circle

Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle

Winners’ Circle is where award winners and volunteer judges step out from behind the recognition and tell the stories that made the win matter. Hosted by Business Intelligence Group, each episode brings together the people behind standout work in cybersecurity, customer service, sales, marketing, sustainability, AI, innovation, and business excellence. Our guests share what they built, what they learned, what changed after being recognized, and how their teams turned achievement into momentum. You will hear from winners who used recognition to build credibility, open doors, strengthen team morale, earn customer trust, and create new growth opportunities. You will also hear from judges who have reviewed countless nominations and know what separates a strong story from a forgettable one. These are not acceptance speeches. They are honest conversations with the people doing the work. Winners talk about the campaigns, products, decisions, setbacks, breakthroughs, and lessons that shaped their success. Judges share what stands out, what gets overlooked, and how companies can tell clearer, stronger stories about their impact. For companies, Winners’ Circle offers practical ideas for turning recognition into real business value. For leaders and teams, it highlights the people behind the results. For marketers and PR pros, it shows how awards can become more than a headline. Pull up a chair in the Winners’ Circle. This is where winners and judges tell the stories behind the recognition.

  1. 5d ago

    Safety Network: Adding a Fast Lane to 911 | Zach LaValley, RapidSOS

    Zach LaValley, CTO and EVP of Product, Data and Engineering at RapidSOS, joins Russ Fordyce to talk about the 2026 Stratus Award win and how connected phones, cars and smartwatches are reaching 911. Zach explains why RapidSOS adds a fast lane next to existing systems instead of replacing them, and how humans and AI share the work. He closes with two practical tips: enable the emergency health profile on your phone, and ask your vendors whether your car is connected. Guest InfoGuest: Zach LaValley, CTO and EVP of Product, Data and EngineeringCompany: RapidSOSAward: 2026 Stratus Awards, Solution / Platform as a Service (Product)Chapters[00:00] Welcome to the Winners' Circle[00:50] What RapidSOS does[02:46] Software, hardware and the redundancy backup[04:22] Why 911 infrastructure is slow to change[06:05] What happens when a device is not on the network[08:21] Ending the game of telephone[09:59] Better responses and the Cass County crash[11:52] Layering on top instead of replacing[13:58] Synthetic data and privacy[15:14] Earning trust with a fast lane[20:27] Humans in, on and over the loop[23:28] Call metadata and intelligence[24:51] Better decision support for dispatchers[26:36] The next three to five years[28:13] Check your emergency health profileKey TakeawaysThe 911 call is only one signal now. Cars, phones and smartwatches can all send location and context, and RapidSOS connects them into 911 and out to responders in the field.Add a lane, do not rip out the road. Zach's team layers on top of existing systems so agencies can shift traffic at their own pace and always be able to go back.Choose the right human and AI relationship for each use case. Humans can be in the loop, on the loop or over the loop, depending on the job and the comfort level of the agency.ResourcesRapidSOSZach LaValley on LinkedIn2021 911 Profile Database ReportNHTSA publication DOT HS 809 896AARP guide to smartphone emergency info and Medical IDNomination video on YouTubeAward PromotionCongratulations to RapidSOS on winning a 2026 Stratus Award. Know a team that deserves the same recognition? Learn more and nominate at the Stratus Award for Cloud Computing. SubscribeSubscribe to the Winners' Circle podcast: www.bintelligence.com/podcast

    Safety Network: Adding a Fast Lane to 911 | Zach LaValley, RapidSOS

  2. Oct 6

    Rebuilding Customer Support Around AI: Inside Lenovo's Sub 5% Transfer Rate | Jack Zhang, Lenovo

    Jack Zhang, Global Head of AI Transformation and Worldwide eSupport Strategy at Lenovo, joins The Winners' Circle to break down how Lenovo pushed its AI chat agent transfer rate below 5%, an industry leading number that covers every kind of customer issue. Jack shares the eight year journey behind that result, why he believes organizational structure matters more than model quality, and a surprising new signal that AI assistants are starting to act as customers themselves. Guest InfoJack Zhang, Global Head of AI Transformation and Worldwide eSupport Strategy, Lenovo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-zhang-535b4733/ Website: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en Episode Chapters[00:00] Introduction: Jack Zhang joins the Winners' Circle[00:50] Jack's role at Lenovo: 17 years, eSupport across 180+ countries[01:49] How the Run AI initiative started three years ago[04:38] Rebuilding the workflow instead of copying it into AI[07:53] Managing AI with AI: alert, notification, and quality assurance agents[09:46] An eight year AI journey, not an overnight build[12:53] Why Lenovo still offers a human first option in premier support[16:59] The metric that matters: transfer rate under 5%[18:12] Inside a touchless service journey, from chat to dispatch[20:41] Touchless, partial touchless, and 80% total automation[27:06] What most companies still get wrong about AI adoption[29:45] Protecting a legacy brand through an AI transition[34:27] Closing thoughtsKey TakeawaysAI transformation is an organizational project as much as a technical one. Lenovo's leadership consolidated three separate product support teams into a single group on one knowledge platform before scaling its AI agent, and Jack argues that the people and structure of an organization are usually the real barrier to transformation, not the technology itself.The numbers behind Lenovo's AI support hold up under scrutiny. A sub 5% transfer rate, roughly 60% fully touchless resolution on hardware issues, and 80% combined automation only work because Lenovo built a chain of specialized sub agents, a knowledge agent, a fulfillment agent, and a dispatch step, rather than one general purpose chatbot, and because every new version is simulated and regression tested before it reaches a real customer.Customer service is starting to shift from person to company interactions toward AI to AI interactions. Jack shared that 3 to 5% of Lenovo's survey feedback now comes from customers' own AI assistants rather than the customers themselves, a signal that companies need to start optimizing content and building direct agent to agent connections now, not later.Resources MentionedLenovo eSupport: https://support.lenovo.com/us/enJack Zhang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-zhang-535b4733/Gartner: 40% of enterprise applications to feature task specific AI agents by 2026Zendesk CX Trends 2026 Report on customer expectations for AI powered serviceAward RecognitionJack Zhang won Executive of the Year at the 2025 BIG Awards for Business. Learn more about the award program and see this year's open categories at BIG Awards for Business. SubscribeNever miss an episode of The Winners' Circle. Subscribe at bintelligence.com/podcast.

    Rebuilding Customer Support Around AI: Inside Lenovo's Sub 5% Transfer Rate | Jack Zhang, Lenovo

  3. Sep 29

    Sustainable Exhibits in a Wasteful Industry | Rhiannon Andersen, Steelhead

    The trade show industry generates roughly 600,000 tons of waste a year, and Rhiannon Andersen has spent 21 years inside it. As CMO and owner of Steelhead Productions, she helped rebuild the company’s economics around rented components and custom overlays, led the business through B Corp certification, and pushed sustainability into all 13 departments. This episode covers what actually worked, what it cost the owners, and why measuring sustainability every month is what makes the program real. GuestRhiannon Andersen, CMO and Owner, Steelhead Productions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannonandersen/ Website: https://www.steelheadproductions.com/ Chapters[00:00] Welcome and the least sustainable industry[00:57] What Steelhead Productions does[01:12] Recognizing bad industry practices[01:50] Renting the base, customizing the overlay[03:30] Becoming a certified B Corporation[04:02] The nine month B Corp application[05:10] From social work to marketing[06:27] Restarting after 9/11 and COVID[08:27] Why face to face is growing again[10:06] What happens when a show ends[11:49] Sustainability across 13 departments[12:19] Binders to iPads and hand dryers[14:37] One water station, 30,000 bottles diverted[15:17] Paying for sustainability from owner distributions[16:03] Cutting energy use per employee by 60%[16:26] Measuring consistently[17:42] Six years as one of Nevada’s best places to work[20:14] Give Happy and paid volunteer time[21:23] Advice for owners[22:56] Congratulations and closeKey TakeawaysTrade show waste is a business model problem, not just a materials problem. Steelhead’s access model rents the structural components and sells customization on top, so booths still look custom while more parts return to inventory instead of the landfill.Sustainability works when every department owns a piece. Printed project binders became iPads, paper towels became hand dryers, and one water station diverted about 30,000 plastic bottles in a year. The individual changes look small, but together they matter.Consistency is the program. Steelhead reports sustainability metrics every month at a company wide meeting, even during the busiest weeks. If leadership lets it slip, the team reads it as optional.Resources MentionedSteelhead Productions: https://www.steelheadproductions.com/B Corporation certification: https://www.bcorporation.net/Trade show waste data: https://www.accesstca.com/blog/waste-reduction-exhibit-program/2025 State of Events report: https://www.bizzabo.com/blog/power-of-in-person-events-2025Award RecognitionSteelhead Productions won Sustainability Initiative of The Year in the Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards for the Exhibit Happy initiative. Submit a nomination: https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/sustainability-awards SubscribeNew episodes of The Winners’ Circle every week: https://www.bintelligence.com/podcast

    Sustainable Exhibits in a Wasteful Industry | Rhiannon Andersen, Steelhead

  4. Sep 23

    Being the Answer: Rebuilding B2B Marketing for AI Search | Chyna Murphy, S&P Global

    The marketing team behind S&P Capital IQ Pro won a 2026 Sammy Award for CapIQ Reinvented, a repositioning effort that combined a Nasdaq Tower billboard, a first-ever Reddit pilot, and a from-scratch generative engine optimization program. In this episode, Chyna Murphy and four teammates explain what each tactic was meant to do, which ones produced revenue, and how long it really takes for AI engines to reference your brand. It is a candid look at a legacy B2B brand relearning how to earn attention, build trust, and show up in search, social, communities, and AI answers. Guest InfoChyna Murphy, Senior Marketing Manager, S&P Global Market IntelligenceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynamurphy/Company: https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/Also featured: Nicki Brooks, Louise Jeong, Rosario Quesada, and Denise, global marketing strategy leadChapters[00:00] Welcome and the 2026 Sammy Award win[00:27] CapIQ Reinvented as repositioning[02:03] Reddit, SEO, AEO, and GEO[02:53] Extending a legacy brand[05:55] Times Square and the projection mapped room[08:36] SEO is found, GEO is referenced[14:56] Measuring AI visibility[17:21] Reddit results[19:20] Revenue versus attention[22:59] FAQs, Wikipedia, and first-party YouTube[36:45] Why in-person workshops still workKey TakeawaysAwareness and revenue tactics need different scorecards. The Nasdaq Tower billboard, Reddit ads, and Wimbledon activation drove reach. Webinars and thought leadership generated more than a thousand leads and closed opportunities.GEO is not just SEO with a new name. It requires showing up on surfaces you do not fully own, including media coverage, Wikipedia, Reddit, YouTube, and community platforms. The team expects three to six months before results appear.The best content serves people and AI systems at the same time. Short workflow tutorials help students learn the platform while giving large language models a first-party source to reference.Resources MentionedS&P Capital IQ Pro: https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/Chyna Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chynamurphy/AI search citation study: https://searchengineland.com/ai-search-engines-cite-reddit-youtube-and-linkedin-most-study-473138LLM referral data: https://searchengineland.com/what-13-months-of-data-reveals-about-llm-traffic-growth-and-conversions-470115Reddit Q4 results: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/412624/reddit-advertising-surges-in-q4-grows-user-base.htmlLinkedIn video statistics: https://blog.hootsuite.com/linkedin-statistics/Award PromotionChyna and the CapIQ Reinvented team won in the Power Players category of the 2026 Sales and Marketing Technology Awards, also known as The Sammy. Nominations are open: https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/sales-and-marketing-technology-awards SubscribeNew Winners' Circle episodes drop every week: https://www.bintelligence.com/podcast

    Being the Answer: Rebuilding B2B Marketing for AI Search | Chyna Murphy, S&P Global

  5. Aug 25

    Ana-Paula Issa on Demand Response, Grid Capacity, and Encycle’s 21-Year Data Advantage

    Encycle CEO AP Issa joins Russ Fordyce to talk about the energy crunch almost nobody is pricing in yet. She explains why utilities missed the data center wave while preparing for EVs, how 21 years of rooftop HVAC data became Encycle's moat, and why the equipment building owners already have is the only lever they can pull this quarter. Encycle won a 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award from Business Intelligence Group for AI-driven HVAC optimization that requires no new hardware. GuestAP Issa, Chief Executive Officer, Encycle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apissa/ Company: https://www.encycle.com Chapters[00:00] Welcome and the 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award[00:35] Optimization, demand response, and what Encycle does[01:53] From sales floor to CEO[02:17] Machine learning before buildings were cloud-ready[04:16] The capacity gap and grid requirements[05:03] What deployment looks like today[05:40] Why no new hardware changed the model[07:25] Legacy data as the advantage[08:00] AI is only as good as the data[10:59] Customer data quality and tagging[13:36] HVAC lessons from manufacturing automation[14:23] The ignored asset on the roof[15:21] Catching a failure 45 days early[18:31] First 30-day customer surprises[21:14] Nobody has a data problem anymore[22:28] Capacity, California, PJM, and the energy crunch[25:43] Rate increases and utility filings[26:23] EVs, electrification, and data center power[28:00] Opportunity in a constrained marketKey TakeawaysThe energy crisis is arriving as a pricing event, not a blackout. Rates rose about ten percent across the 2010s, then twenty nine percent from 2020 through last year. Utilities have already filed $18.6 billion in increases for 2027, making load reduction and demand response urgent.In applied AI, the model is downstream of the data. Encycle's edge comes from years of controller installs, submetered loads, rooftop unit data, weather zones, and operating history.Commercial HVAC is still too reactive because the equipment is out of sight. Trend data can help teams catch failing units weeks early, order parts before seasonal rushes, and reduce emergency calls.Resources MentionedEncycle: https://www.encycle.comSwarm Logic, Swarm Chorus, and Chorus AIOpenADR and Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryPJM Interconnection demand response programsEIA CBECS: https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/About the AwardEncycle won the 2026 Sustainability Leadership Award from Business Intelligence Group. Nominations are open: https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/sustainability-awards SubscribeWinners' Circle Podcast: https://www.bintelligence.com/podcast Russ Fordyce: https://bintelligence.us/russ.html

    Ana-Paula Issa on Demand Response, Grid Capacity, and Encycle’s 21-Year Data Advantage

  6. Aug 20

    Amanda McGuckin Hager on True Dialog, RCS, SMS, and the Future of Messaging

    Amanda McGuckin Hager is helping brands use business texting as a high-value, high-trust marketing and customer engagement channel. At True Dialog, Amanda works with colleges, universities, retailers, financial services companies, and brands across many industries to connect with people through SMS, RCS, CRM integrations, APIs, and emerging AI-driven messaging tools. True Dialog recently won a SAMI Award for its work in SMS and business messaging. In this episode, Russ and Amanda discuss why SMS has become such a powerful channel. Unlike email, text messaging lives next to messages from family, friends, and the people consumers trust most. That makes the channel incredibly valuable, but only when brands respect the opt-in, keep lists clean, and send messages people actually want. The conversation explores RCS, or Rich Communication Services, and how it is turning messaging into a more interactive, branded, visual experience. Amanda explains how True Dialog built a no-code RCS visual composer so marketing and growth teams can create rich messages without relying on developers or API work. Russ and Amanda also discuss lessons from analyzing more than a billion brand text messages, why customers who opt in usually want to hear from brands, how True Opt Out uses AI-powered sentiment detection to catch non-standard opt-out requests, and why list hygiene is both a compliance issue and a customer experience issue. The episode also covers MCPs, AI agents, TrueConnect, verified sender, first-party data, RCS engagement, publisher sponsorship opportunities, compliance, global opt-out expectations, and why now is the time for marketers to start building their owned messaging lists. Topics Covered: [00:00] Welcome and intro, Amanda McGuckin Hager and True Dialog [00:58] What True Dialog does as a business texting platform [01:30] RCS and the rise of richer messaging [01:51] No-code RCS visual composer for marketers [03:12] Building RCS messages like rich email experiences [04:00] Lessons from more than a billion brand text messages [04:45] Why opted-in consumers usually want brand messages [05:16] MCPs, APIs, AI, and vibe-coded messaging apps [06:19] SMS as a critical notification and communication channel [07:03] True Opt Out and AI-powered opt-out detection [08:46] Sentiment analysis, compliance, and list hygiene [09:46] Why opt-outs are part of healthy marketing [10:28] TrueConnect and using phone numbers as unique identifiers [11:38] RCS as a richer alternative to crowded email channels [12:17] Engagement rates for RCS versus plain SMS [13:23] Early customer results and RCS adoption [14:00] Verified sender and branded RCS messages [15:31] Why verification helps keep the channel clean [16:41] Carrier blocking, TCPA pressure, and opt-out compliance [17:34] Where messaging goes after RCS [18:35] Publishers, first-party lists, and sponsored alerts [20:14] SMS open rates, click-through rates, and return on ad spend [21:26] Advice for marketers getting started with text messaging [22:30] Final thoughts on RCS, SMS, AI, and the future of messaging

    Amanda McGuckin Hager on True Dialog, RCS, SMS, and the Future of Messaging

  7. Aug 18

    Roger Brown on Allstate Protection Plans, Staples, and Device Trade-In Sustainability

    Roger Brown is helping consumers give phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronics a second life. At Allstate Protection Plans, Roger works at the intersection of device protection, trade-ins, reuse, repair, and sustainability. Allstate Protection Plans recently won a 2026 Sustainability Award for its program with Staples, which makes it easier for customers to trade in old devices and instantly receive value through a Staples gift card. In this episode, Russ and Roger discuss why so many consumers say they want to do the right thing with old devices, yet only a fraction of phones make it into reuse programs. Roger explains that the gap usually comes down to three things: convenience, trust, and incentive. People need the process to be easy, they need to know their personal data will be protected, and they need a clear financial reason to act. The conversation explores how Allstate Protection Plans and Staples redesigned the trade-in experience around customer choice. Customers can use a traditional mail-in process or choose an instant option that provides value up front through a Staples gift card, backed by a short-term credit card hold. Roger explains why offering both options matters, because customer preferences were nearly split between instant value and the traditional process. Russ and Roger also discuss why trade-ins and protection plans are becoming more connected, how device leasing and anytime upgrade programs are changing consumer expectations, why right to repair is a tailwind, and how reuse can extend a device’s life across multiple owners. At its core, this is a conversation about building a sustainability program that works because it also works for customers, retailers, and the business. Roger’s message is clear: the best circular economy programs remove friction, create trust, reward action, and make reuse part of the normal buying experience. Topics Covered: [00:01] Welcome and intro, Roger Brown and Allstate Protection Plans [00:38] What Allstate Protection Plans does [01:14] Why protection plans matter as devices get more expensive [02:11] Why consumers do not always trade in old devices [03:55] How protection plans and trade-ins became connected [05:35] Leasing, financing, and the future of device ownership [07:25] Why trade-in programs were clunky for so long [09:16] Data security, trust, and device wiping [10:29] How phone trade-ins became simpler [11:19] Building the Staples trade-in experience [12:50] Instant value versus traditional mail-in trade-ins [14:10] Staples gift cards and customer convenience [15:01] Using credit card holds to reduce trade-in risk [16:13] Launching nationwide and across Canada [16:55] Measuring trade-ins as part of new device sales [17:46] What surprised the team after launch [18:53] Sustainability and device chain of custody [19:10] How traded-in devices get a second life [20:53] Right to repair as a tailwind [21:30] Extending device life across multiple owners [23:09] Closing the gap between idle devices and reused devices [24:19] E-waste, affordability, and economic value [25:52] Why right to repair may expand in North America [27:08] Making sustainability part of retail culture [28:20] Final thoughts on Staples, customers, and sustainability

    Roger Brown on Allstate Protection Plans, Staples, and Device Trade-In Sustainability

  8. Aug 13

    Chris Shyrock on Atlantic.Net, Support Transformation, and Cloud Customer Trust

    Chris Shyrock is helping Atlantic.Net strengthen customer support in one of the most demanding environments in technology: cloud infrastructure and data centers. As Director of Support Services, Chris leads the team responsible for supporting customers who rely on Atlantic.Net for cloud services, colocation, dedicated hosting, managed services, and infrastructure they cannot afford to have fail. In this episode, Russ and Chris explore how Atlantic.Net transformed its support organization while also completing a major data center migration with no customer impacts attributed to the move. Chris explains how the company improved queue ownership, daily governance, shift handoffs, escalation paths, and customer communication while maintaining 24/7/365 service for clients in high-stakes industries like healthcare. They also discuss what it takes to turn technically strong support staff into customer-ready communicators. Chris shares how he reviewed calls and emails, re-onboarded the team, trained people to own the call, and encouraged support professionals to de-escalate concerns, explain issues clearly, and meet customers at their level. Along the way, Chris discusses Trustpilot reviews, customer feedback, team empowerment, regulated customer environments, AI cloud infrastructure, NVIDIA GPU hosting, continuous improvement, and why support is often the trust layer between a technology provider and the customers who depend on it. Topics Covered: [00:01] Welcome and intro, Chris Shyrock, Atlantic.Net, and the Excellence in Customer Service Award win [00:45] Atlantic.Net’s long history in cloud and infrastructure services [01:23] What Atlantic.Net provides for cloud, colocation, dedicated services, and managed infrastructure [02:58] Why Atlantic.Net focused on customer service transformation [04:00] Teaching technical support teams to communicate with customers more clearly [05:21] Aligning staffing, mindset, and shift coverage [06:30] Queue ownership and daily governance in support operations [07:26] Managing customer change, technology change, and internal change at the same time [08:45] Training the team to own the call and de-escalate urgent customer issues [09:25] Why practice matters in customer support training [11:00] Getting support teams comfortable with doing the harder thing for customers [12:10] Why leaders need to be reachable during high-stakes incidents [13:40] Transforming the support team during a major data center migration [14:46] How the support organization contributed to a no-impact migration [16:10] How major operational events can elevate a team [16:44] The hardest habit to change in a long-running support organization [17:44] Using Trustpilot reviews as evidence of support quality [19:34] Why moving review scores is hard and meaningful [20:00] Turning customer problems into trust-building opportunities [22:36] Upskilling support teams for new infrastructure and AI workloads [23:32] Advice for technical support leaders with inconsistent customer experience [27:22] Final thoughts on Atlantic.Net’s transformation and continuous improvement

    Chris Shyrock on Atlantic.Net, Support Transformation, and Cloud Customer Trust
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About

Winners’ Circle is where award winners and volunteer judges step out from behind the recognition and tell the stories that made the win matter. Hosted by Business Intelligence Group, each episode brings together the people behind standout work in cybersecurity, customer service, sales, marketing, sustainability, AI, innovation, and business excellence. Our guests share what they built, what they learned, what changed after being recognized, and how their teams turned achievement into momentum. You will hear from winners who used recognition to build credibility, open doors, strengthen team morale, earn customer trust, and create new growth opportunities. You will also hear from judges who have reviewed countless nominations and know what separates a strong story from a forgettable one. These are not acceptance speeches. They are honest conversations with the people doing the work. Winners talk about the campaigns, products, decisions, setbacks, breakthroughs, and lessons that shaped their success. Judges share what stands out, what gets overlooked, and how companies can tell clearer, stronger stories about their impact. For companies, Winners’ Circle offers practical ideas for turning recognition into real business value. For leaders and teams, it highlights the people behind the results. For marketers and PR pros, it shows how awards can become more than a headline. Pull up a chair in the Winners’ Circle. This is where winners and judges tell the stories behind the recognition.

Information

  • Creator
    Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle