Winners' Circle

Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle
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Winners’ Circle is where the spotlight shifts from the awards stage to the real conversations that keep the momentum going. It’s where past winners, volunteer judges, and the marketing and PR pros behind the scenes gather for frank, relevant business discussions that pull back the curtain on how recognition turns into results. We talk about the campaigns that worked, the leadership choices that mattered, and the strategies that kept a win from being a one-day headline. You’ll hear how cybersecurity innovators secure industry credibility, how customer service champions turn feedback into loyalty, how marketers and PR teams turn a press release into a pipeline, and how judges see the standouts from a mile away. This isn’t theory—it’s practical, in-the-trenches insight. Some episodes might feel like a quiet conversation in the hallway after a conference panel; others like a strategy session that’s just missing the whiteboard. And because our guests are the ones who’ve actually done it, you’ll get the kind of context and candid stories you don’t hear in official acceptance speeches. For companies, it’s about finding fresh ways to leverage recognition for growth, investor trust, and team morale. For individuals, it’s about personal branding, career momentum, and the satisfaction of having your work recognized by industry peers who get it. For marketing and PR folks, it’s about amplifying every ounce of value from a win. If you’ve ever wondered what a win really does for a brand—or how to make it do more—pull up a chair in the Winners’ Circle. This is where the award’s afterglow turns into the next big opportunity.

  1. Dirt Meets AI: Building the Future of Data Centers at Scale | Alex Walker, Aligned Data Centers

    3D AGO

    Dirt Meets AI: Building the Future of Data Centers at Scale | Alex Walker, Aligned Data Centers

    In this episode of the Winner’s Circle, Russ Fordyce sits down with Alex Walker of Aligned Data Centers, a 2026 BIG Innovation Award winner, to explore what it takes to build the infrastructure powering the AI era. From major construction projects in Phoenix to the demands of hyperscale computing, Alex shares how data centers evolve from raw land into critical assets supporting global connectivity. Alex discusses her path from traditional construction into the fast moving data center space, where collaboration and speed are essential. She explains how projects must align real estate, engineering, and power availability often before a tenant is identified. Flexibility has become a core principle as AI workloads rapidly reshape infrastructure needs. The conversation dives into the realities of building at scale, from site selection and power constraints to evolving cooling strategies like liquid cooling at the chip level. Alex highlights that many of the biggest gains come not from radical redesigns, but from better coordination, earlier partner involvement, and stronger execution. Russ and Alex also explore the human side of infrastructure. Managing diverse teams requires a collaborative leadership style and the ability to navigate high pressure environments. Even in an AI driven world, success still depends on people across every phase of the project. Looking ahead, Alex shares how data centers are becoming more powerful and adaptable. As AI accelerates demand, designing for uncertainty while maintaining speed will define industry leaders. This episode offers a clear view into where construction meets cutting edge technology. Episode Chapters [00:01] Welcome and Introduction to Aligned Data Centers [01:04] From Warehouses to Critical Infrastructure [01:27] Inside the Data Center Construction Lifecycle [03:02] Why Data Centers Are a Team Sport [04:09] From General Contractor to Data Center Leader [06:28] Leading Cross Functional Teams Without Ego [07:52] Managing High Pressure Personalities in Construction [08:45] Site Selection, Power, and Design Strategy [10:45] How AI Is Changing Data Center Design [12:36] The Shift Toward Liquid Cooling [14:16] High Density Computing and the Future of Space [15:31] Innovation Through Better Collaboration [16:30] Prefabrication and the Next Efficiency Frontier [17:49] Old School Fundamentals That Still Win [19:22] The Future of Aligned and the Industry Key Takeaways Collaboration Is the Real Innovation: The biggest gains come from getting the right experts involved early and solving problems together. Flexibility Is Critical: Designs must adapt to unknown tenants and evolving AI demands. More Power in Less Space: Data centers are delivering greater compute density without massive footprint increases. Fundamentals Still Matter: Scheduling, safety, quality, and commissioning remain essential. AI Is Reshaping Infrastructure: Cooling, density, and power needs are rapidly evolving.

    20 min
  2. The "Light Bulb" Moment for Trust: Revolutionizing Risk Assessment with Clearspeed | Scott Moore

    MAR 26

    The "Light Bulb" Moment for Trust: Revolutionizing Risk Assessment with Clearspeed | Scott Moore

    In this episode of the Winner’s Circle, Russ Fordyce sits down with Scott Moore, a leader at Clearspeed, to discuss their Big Innovation Award-winning voice technology. Unlike traditional AI that predicts behavior based on historical data or social profiling, Clearspeed uses a unique, language-agnostic approach to measure real-time neurophysiological responses—essentially a "fight or flight" signal—to determine if a person’s inputs can be trusted. From its high-stakes origins in military screening to its current applications in banking and insurance, Scott explains how this "trust technology" is clearing the path for honest consumers while pinpointing anomalies that legacy systems miss. Episode Chapters[00:01] The Elevator Pitch for Clearspeed [03:01] Solving the "Inelastic Tension" [05:37] Beyond the Claims: Real-World Use Cases [08:49] Trust Tech vs. Generative AI [11:59] Military DNA and Language Agnosticism [13:57] Eliminating Bias in Risk Assessment [16:04] The 97% Accuracy Barrier [29:24] Ripping Out the "Candle" for the "Light Bulb" Key TakeawaysClearing the Hay to Find the Needles: Clearspeed is designed to "clear" the majority of people whose inputs can be trusted, allowing human resources to focus only on the anomalies.Universal Human Signal: Because the technology measures a neurophysiological response rather than language or tone, it is culture and language agnostic.Privacy-First Design: The tool does not require personally identifiable information (PII); it only needs 300 milliseconds of a "yes" or "no" to function.A Signal, Not a Determination: Scott emphasizes that the tech provides a signal of an anomaly; it does not take negative determining actions on its own. More on Clearspeed https://www.clearspeed.com/ Like and subscribe to the podcast https://www.bintelligence.com/podcast

    33 min
  3. From Signals to Sales: How Anteriad Uses AI and Intent Data to Drive 32X ROI | Anna Nielsen

    MAR 24

    From Signals to Sales: How Anteriad Uses AI and Intent Data to Drive 32X ROI | Anna Nielsen

    In this Winners Circle episode, host Russ Fordyce sits down with Anna Nielsen, VP of Product at Anteriad and a multi award winner, to explore how B2B marketing is evolving through AI, intent data, and smarter campaign execution. Anna shares how Anteriad’s marketing cloud platform connects data, activation, and analytics to help marketers reach the right buyers at the right time. You will hear how the shift from traditional CRM systems to account based marketing and buying groups is changing how companies approach demand generation. Anna explains why today’s buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders and how marketers must engage entire groups, not just individual leads. The conversation dives into intent data and how Anteriad processes billions of signals each week to identify which accounts are actively researching solutions. By combining intent data with firmographic insights, marketers can prioritize outreach, reduce wasted spend, and engage prospects when they are most likely to convert. Anna also discusses how AI is applied in practical ways across the platform, from identifying buying group members to cleaning and validating data. Instead of chasing hype, Anteriad focuses on using AI where it drives measurable impact, helping marketers cut through noise and improve targeting. The episode highlights real world results, including a case where a client achieved 32X ROI and generated significant net new business by layering intent data onto existing campaigns. Anna explains how better timing and smarter targeting lead to stronger engagement and higher returns. The conversation wraps with a look ahead at the future of AI in marketing, including more intelligent workflows, deeper personalization, and tools that help match the right message to the right decision maker at scale. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and Introduction 01:30 – What Anteriad Does 03:00 – From CRM to ABM and Buying Groups 05:00 – The Challenge of Reaching Buying Committees 06:30 – The Role of AI in Modern Marketing 07:00 – Understanding Intent Data 08:30 – Processing Billions of Signals 10:00 – Sales and Marketing Alignment 11:30 – Smarter Campaign Targeting 12:45 – Using AI Where It Matters 14:00 – Cleaning and Validating Data 15:30 – Platform Plus Managed Services 17:40 – Case Study: 32X ROI 19:30 – Timing the Market Right 20:30 – The Future of AI in 2026 21:30 – Personalization at Scale 23:00 – Real Time Reporting and Insights 24:30 – Moving Beyond Cookie Based Targeting 26:00 – Targeting in a Hybrid World 27:00 – Final Thoughts and Takeaways

    26 min
  4. Hear Better, Live Better: How Starkey Turns Hearing Aids into AI Wellness Tech | Brandon Sawalich

    MAR 20

    Hear Better, Live Better: How Starkey Turns Hearing Aids into AI Wellness Tech | Brandon Sawalich

    In this Winners Circle episode, host Russ Fordyce talks with Brandon Sawalich, President and CEO of Starkey and Innovation Award winner, about how a small basement startup founded in 1967 became a global leader in hearing health and AI powered technology. Brandon shares his journey from a 19 year old repair lab intern to CEO and why Starkey remains a caring technology company focused on helping people hear better and live better. You will hear how Starkey is transforming hearing aids from once stigmatized devices into advanced, multifunctional tools. Brandon explains how engineers pack hundreds of components into devices small enough to sit in the ear, including Bluetooth, rechargeable batteries, sensors, and powerful processors. These systems can separate speech from background noise, adapt in real time, and deliver a more natural listening experience. Brandon also discusses the growing global challenge of hearing loss, often described as a silent pandemic. While tens of millions of older adults are affected, younger generations are increasingly at risk due to earbuds and loud environments. He explains why Starkey treats hearing as a superpower and why early awareness and prevention matter. The conversation then turns to Starkey’s investment in artificial intelligence. Brandon shares how the company built deep neural network capabilities and introduced the Omega AI platform to better understand sound environments. These systems can prioritize important sounds and give users more control in complex listening situations. Beyond hearing, Starkey devices are becoming wellness companions. Features like fall detection and activity tracking can alert loved ones, while tools like translation and voice queries point toward a future where hearing technology acts as an everyday assistant. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and Starkey Origin Story Russ introduces Brandon and Starkey’s journey from a 1960s basement startup to a global leader in hearing technology. 02:20 – From Repair Lab Intern to CEO Brandon shares how starting in the repair lab shaped his leadership and customer perspective. 05:19 – Staying Close to the Customer Why Brandon continues to engage directly with users and encourages teams to do the same. 07:02 – Hearing as Superpower Not Stigma How Starkey is changing the narrative around hearing loss in an aging and noisy world. 08:01 – Redefining the Hearing Aid Packing advanced technology into a small device that functions like a personalized hearing computer. 11:06 – Betting Big on AI Building deep neural networks and shifting toward AI driven breakthroughs. 13:25 – Deep Neural Networks and 3D Hearing How AI adapts to environments and improves clarity in real world situations. 17:26 – Health Features and Fall Detection Turning hearing devices into wellness tools that can detect falls and notify loved ones. 19:35 – Voice, Translation, and What Comes Next Exploring in ear assistance with voice queries and translation. 20:40 – Balancing Innovation and Care Managing product releases to ensure features add real value. 22:53 – Privately Held and Patient First How Starkey prioritizes long term quality and mission driven decisions. 24:28 – Philanthropy and Culture Inside Starkey CARES and a culture built on hiring for attitude. 27:47 – Early Signs of Hearing Loss How to recognize hearing challenges and take the first steps toward care.

    29 min
  5. How BlackCloak Protects the 12 Hours Corporate Security Misses | Brian Hill

    MAR 19

    How BlackCloak Protects the 12 Hours Corporate Security Misses | Brian Hill

    In this Winners Circle episode, host Russ Fordyce talks with Brian Hill, Field CISO at BlackCloak and Innovation Award winner, about one of the biggest blind spots in corporate security: the executive’s home. BlackCloak’s mission is to “protect the other 12 hours of the family’s day,” closing the gap between hardened corporate environments and vulnerable personal lives where executives, spouses, and kids all live and work online. ​ Drawing on his background in law enforcement and digital forensics, Brian explains how attackers now treat home Wi‑Fi, smart devices, and family members as the “soft underbelly” that leads back into the enterprise. He walks through BlackCloak’s Digital Executive Protection (DEP) framework, modeled on NIST, and why a concierge style approach is often the only way to change busy executives’ habits. ​ You will hear real world examples of password reuse, eight year old Wi‑Fi credentials shared with half the neighborhood, cheap IoT devices phoning home, and data brokers plus AI supercharging highly personalized phishing and deepfakes. Brian also discusses how BlackCloak partners with firms like World Wide Technology, builds a tiered SOC and early career talent pipeline, and the three practical steps any executive family can take today to reduce risk. ​ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and Why BlackCloak Exists Russ introduces Brian and frames the “other 12 hours” problem in executive and family security. ​ 02:15 – From Law Enforcement to Field CISO Brian’s path through law enforcement, digital forensics, and building security operations at BlackCloak. ​ 04:10 – Digital Executive Protection and the Home Attack Surface What DEP is, how it mirrors NIST, and why homes, phones, and families have become prime targets. ​ 06:30 – Wi‑Fi, IoT, and the Soft Underbelly How stale passwords and insecure devices let attackers move from a thermostat to cameras, alarms, and beyond. ​ 09:05 – Data Brokers, OSINT, AI, and Deepfakes How data brokers, open source intelligence, and AI enable targeted scams and “faked to perfection” impersonations. ​ 13:55 – The DEP Framework: Privacy, Devices, and Home Networks Key pillars: data broker removal, device protection, dark web monitoring, and home network testing. ​ 16:40 – Partnerships and Market Momentum Why firms like World Wide Technology are embracing digital executive protection. ​ 17:55 – Life After Onboarding How clients start using BlackCloak as their “bat phone” before clicking, buying, or connecting. ​ 19:40 – Password Reuse and Family Dynamics Common patterns Brian sees and why external guidance often lands better than parental advice. ​ 21:35 – Team, Culture, and Growing Talent Inside BlackCloak’s tiered SOC, mentoring model, and internal training programs. ​ 24:15 – Three Steps to Take Today Brian’s quick wins: check your digital footprint, fix password and MFA hygiene, and audit logged in devices.

    28 min
  6. Your Company Is Bleeding Money Right Now. AI Can See Exactly Where | Terrence McCrossan

    MAR 17

    Your Company Is Bleeding Money Right Now. AI Can See Exactly Where | Terrence McCrossan

    Guest: Terrence McCrossan, CEO of Oversight | 2026 BIG Innovation Award Winner Most CFOs think they know where the money is going. They don't. Terrence McCrossan runs Oversight — the AI platform that monitors 100% of corporate transactions in near real-time and surfaces the fraud, errors, and waste that manual audits have been missing for years. From AI-generated fake receipts to $500K fat-finger payments no one noticed, the things hiding inside your financial systems will surprise you. Chapters[00:01] Introductions [00:39] What Oversight Does — Real-time AI monitoring across card spend, T&E, accounts payable, and procurement. Every transaction. Not a sample. [01:52] Why Traditional Audits Fail — Manual, infrequent, superficial. Terrence explains why throwing more people at the problem actually makes it worse. [04:59] Pattern Recognition Is the Machine's Superpower — Humans can't correlate across thousands of transactions. Machines do nothing but. [06:53] The Three Buckets of Financial Risk — Egregious fraud, honest errors (like a $50K invoice becoming a $500K payment), and everyday waste. Plus: AI-generated fake receipts are now a real problem. [08:39] The First 90 Days — Whether companies come to Oversight proactively or after a regulatory scare, the first look at their own data tends to reveal seven-figure exposure nobody knew was there. [11:02] When Weird Spend Is Actually an Opportunity — Not every flag is bad. Sometimes it's a signal to renegotiate vendor rates or fix supply chain gaps. [13:06] Human-in-the-Loop vs. Auto-Resolution — How much should the machine decide alone? Terrence walks through Oversight's agentic AI strategy and where human judgment still belongs. [14:30] Flipping the 80/20 Problem — Right now 80% of finance labor goes to gathering information. Oversight is built to reverse that — so teams spend time on strategy, not spreadsheets. [16:58] Where AI Goes Next in Finance — Analysis is mature. Process automation is the next wave. Terrence explains why agentic AI is where the real efficiency gains finally show up. [18:34] One Fix Every CFO Should Make Today — Get curious about the technology, not just the outcomes. The buyers winning now understand what the AI is doing well enough to build their people and processes around it. [22:52] Nobody Wants Alerts. They Want Outcomes. — The sharpest moment in the episode. How Oversight is built around action plans and measurable results — not another list of exceptions to ignore. About Oversight: AI-powered spend intelligence for large enterprises. oversight.com The Winners' Circle is hosted by Russ Fordyce, founder of Business Intelligence Group. New episodes feature the people behind BIG's award-winning honorees. bintelligence.com

    24 min
  7. Inside Mattermost: Securing Mission‑Critical Collaboration | Bill Anderson

    MAR 17

    Inside Mattermost: Securing Mission‑Critical Collaboration | Bill Anderson

    In this Winners Circle episode, host Russ Fordyce talks with Bill Anderson of Mattermost about what secure collaboration looks like when failure is not an option. Mattermost powers mission-critical workflows for defense, government, and high-security enterprises that need far more than basic chat to keep people, operations, and data safe. Bill explains how Mattermost became the place where distributed teams actually do their work by combining messaging, structured playbooks, integrations, and built-in AI copilots. You will hear how operators can ask a self-hosted, domain-tuned LLM what to do next, trigger workflows, and move aircraft or resources with confidence instead of guesswork. Drawing on his PhD in cryptography, Bill explains why encryption alone is not enough and why threat modeling, authentication, integrity, and zero-trust controls all matter. He also discusses access rules based on clearance, device, location, and network, the shift toward sovereign self-hosted infrastructure, and how post-quantum threats are already shaping long-term security decisions. You will also hear examples of humanitarian teams whose safety depends on anonymity, defense customers who stay operational through outages with “cloud in a box” deployments and local 5G networks, and organizations that now treat LLMs as sensitive assets with tightly controlled access. Bill closes by explaining why many organizations eventually outgrow commodity chat tools and what mission-critical collaboration platforms enable instead. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and Why Mattermost Exists Russ introduces Bill and frames Mattermost as secure collaboration for defense, government, and critical enterprises. 02:00 – How Work Really Happens Now How remote and hybrid work pushed Mattermost beyond messaging toward operational workflows. 04:10 – Logistics, Young Operators, and AI Copilots How staff rely on self-hosted LLMs inside Mattermost to follow the right procedures. 06:30 – Talking to Data in Natural Language How natural-language AI helps leaders quickly summarize feedback and operational data. 08:20 – Integrations and Unified Context How Mattermost connects tools like threat detection systems, JIRA, and Microsoft environments. 09:35 – Beyond Encryption Why encryption, authentication, integrity, and adversary modeling must work together. 11:20 – Zero Trust and Attribute-Based Access Control Rules that limit access based on clearance, device, network, and time. 15:10 – Post-Quantum Risk Why adversaries may store encrypted traffic today to decrypt later. 18:00 – Sovereign Infrastructure Why many organizations rely on self-hosted deployments. 20:20 – Local Clouds and 5G How teams use “cloud in a box” setups and local networks to stay operational. 23:30 – The Cloud Pendulum The shift from on-prem to hyperscale cloud and back toward data sovereignty. 25:40 – Guardrails for AI Managing specialized LLMs and controlling who can access them. 28:10 – Threat Modeling Matching security protections to the real threat environment. 31:20 – When Chat Tools Aren’t Enough Where basic messaging platforms fall short for mission-critical work. 32:55 – The Future of Secure Collaboration What collaboration could look like in the next decade.

    31 min
  8. 31 Years in the Cloud: Why Secure AI Infrastructure Is Healthcare's Next Frontier

    MAR 12

    31 Years in the Cloud: Why Secure AI Infrastructure Is Healthcare's Next Frontier

    Marty Puranik has seen every wave of the internet — dial-up, T1s, colocation, cloud — and now AI. As Founder and CEO of Atlantic.net and a 2026 BIG Innovation Award winner, Marty has spent three decades building secure, HIPAA-compliant cloud infrastructure for healthcare and biotech. Today, that foundation is becoming mission-critical as AI agents start making life-or-death decisions in hospital settings. In this episode, Marty breaks down why secure AI infrastructure isn't optional in healthcare, why you shouldn't lock into any single AI model, and what business leaders need to do right now to prepare for the next 18 months. Chapters[00:01] Introduction & 2026 BIG Innovation Award[00:21] Marty's Story — 31 years riding every wave of the internet[01:05] Why Atlantic.net Went Deep on Security — Healthcare, HIPAA, and what comes next[02:51] AI Agents in Healthcare — Ambulance-to-ER AI coordination in real time[04:36] AI in the Hospital Room — What Russ saw on mom's visit[05:47] What Separates Atlantic.net from the Big Guys — Boutique speed vs. enterprise slow[07:20] Biotech + AI — Preparing for the 2025 explosion and the rise of the Chief AI Officer[09:44] The Nvidia Partnership — Chips, InfiniBand, and CUDA: why it's more than just hardware[12:28] Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities — Humans are still the weakest link[14:29] How HIPAA Must Evolve for AI — The need for standardized secure AI data interchange[17:11] MCP and AI Agent Communication — Promising but not production-ready yet[18:53] 2026 Trends — Supply constraints, specialty models, and AI legislation[23:34] Don't Lock Into One AI Solution — Models change fast; your workflow needs to flex[28:35] What Atlantic.net Is Building Next — GPU efficiency, observability, and 3x performance gains Key TakeawaysAI agents in healthcare must communicate securely — the ambulance-to-ER use case is already hereThe human is still the weakest link in cybersecurity Don't lock into a single AI model — they're changing every 4–6 weeks and can break your workflowsGPU infrastructure running at 30% efficiency vs. 100% is the difference between winning and losing competitivelyHIPAA needs a modern equivalent for AI Links🌐 Atlantic.net: atlantic.net🎙️ The Winners' Circle: bintelligence.com/podcast🏆 BIG Innovation Awards: bintelligence.comEnjoyed this episode? Subscribe and leave a review — it helps us keep bringing you conversations with the innovators shaping tomorrow's industries. Know a business leader who deserves recognition? Learn more at bintelligence.com.

    30 min
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About

Winners’ Circle is where the spotlight shifts from the awards stage to the real conversations that keep the momentum going. It’s where past winners, volunteer judges, and the marketing and PR pros behind the scenes gather for frank, relevant business discussions that pull back the curtain on how recognition turns into results. We talk about the campaigns that worked, the leadership choices that mattered, and the strategies that kept a win from being a one-day headline. You’ll hear how cybersecurity innovators secure industry credibility, how customer service champions turn feedback into loyalty, how marketers and PR teams turn a press release into a pipeline, and how judges see the standouts from a mile away. This isn’t theory—it’s practical, in-the-trenches insight. Some episodes might feel like a quiet conversation in the hallway after a conference panel; others like a strategy session that’s just missing the whiteboard. And because our guests are the ones who’ve actually done it, you’ll get the kind of context and candid stories you don’t hear in official acceptance speeches. For companies, it’s about finding fresh ways to leverage recognition for growth, investor trust, and team morale. For individuals, it’s about personal branding, career momentum, and the satisfaction of having your work recognized by industry peers who get it. For marketing and PR folks, it’s about amplifying every ounce of value from a win. If you’ve ever wondered what a win really does for a brand—or how to make it do more—pull up a chair in the Winners’ Circle. This is where the award’s afterglow turns into the next big opportunity.

Information

  • Creator
    Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Business Intelligence Group Winners' Circle
  • Show Website
    Winners' Circle