Springfield Tech Council

STC advocacy committee member Matthew Stublefield recaps Biz 417 B-School’s June 23 panel on data centers.

With significant local interest and discussion around this topic, this recap is intended to share what was presented and help our members and the community stay informed.

What Four Experts Told Springfield About Data Centers:
https://sgftechcouncil.com/news/biz-417-magazine-data-centers-springfield-mo-panel-event

There is still time to sign up for next week's Learning Over Lunch, featuring a panel covering Retention, Upskilling & Reskilling on Tuesday, June 23.

Join us for a panel session where we'll bring together a mix of perspectives including hiring managers and team leads across a range of organization and team sizes. Together, they’ll share real-world insights on navigating today’s workforce challenges, including retention, upskilling, and reskilling. Expect practical takeaways around team structure, leadership approaches, and talent development.

Panel includes:
-Tim Goree, College of the Ozarks and Baton Pass Leadership
-Jason Factor, SpringNet/City Utilities
-Kelly Robertson, CNH Reman
-and more

Thank you to our sponsor, CNH Reman North America! Lunch and networking begin at 11:30, with the program following at approximately noon.
Registration is free for members, $25 for nonmembers. We hope to see you there!

https://sgftechcouncil.com/tech-events-calendar/learning-over-lunch-june-2026

Next week's Learning Over Lunch features a panel covering Retention, Upskilling & Reskilling on Tuesday, June 23.

Join us for a panel session where we'll bring together a mix of perspectives including hiring managers and team leads across a range of organization and team sizes. Together, they’ll share real-world insights on navigating today’s workforce challenges, including retention, upskilling, and reskilling. Expect practical takeaways around team structure, leadership approaches, and talent development.

Panel includes:
-Tim Goree, College of the Ozarks and Baton Pass Leadership
-Jason Factor, SpringNet/City Utilities
-Kelly Robertson, CNH Reman
-and more

Thank you to our sponsor, CNH Reman North America! Lunch and networking begin at 11:30, with the program following at approximately noon.

Registration is free for members, $25 for nonmembers. We hope to see you there! https://sgftechcouncil.com/tech-events-calendar/learning-over-lunch-june-2026

STC had a fun start to Memorial Day Weekend at cyber happy hour with DTG and Zafran, held at Wire Road Brewing!

Really appreciate both teams for making this event happen and for their continued support of the Springfield Tech Community. You may have seen them in the exhibitor hall at STC Squared and many of you likely recognize Brian McClure from DTG, who's been a familiar face and part of the cyber series in the past.

The rain held off just long enough for us to enjoy great conversations, delicious BBQ, and even Donk Toss! Thank you to everyone who shared photos on socials, we grabbed a few to highlight here. We love seeing the community show up and engage!

Keep an eye out for more from DTG throughout 2026 as our Cyber Community Series Sponsor.

STC volunteer Matthew Stublefield explores in the recent Springfield Business Journal column what the shift toward AI‑driven organizations means for decision‑makers, and why asking “who benefits?” matters more than ever. Thanks to Matt for sharing his insight!

Opinion: Before you adopt the tool, ask who built it - Springfield Business Journal Guest columnist Matthew Stublefield writes that we all need power literacy – the discernment to ask who benefits from a tech announcement, product pitch or AI-generated answer.

Join us Thursday, May 21 for a laid-back evening of great food, craft brews, fun, and networking as STC brings the community together for our first cyber series event of the year. Presented by the 2026 series sponsor, DTG | Cybersecurity & IT Solutions Provider and partner, Zafran Security.

We’ll be at Wire Road Brewing with the first drink on us as well as appetizers from Joe Birds BBQ truck.

We’re bringing Donk Toss to the Ozarks for the first time 🫏🎯 You may have spotted this ridiculously fun game on ESPN2’s The Ocho. The rules are simple: toss an inflatable donkey and score points by landing it in increasingly absurd ways. Think co****le + chaos. Whether you participate or watch, this is sure to be a good time!

Members are free, Nonmembers are $25.

Register: https://sgftechcouncil.com/tech-events-calendar/may-2026-dtg-cyber-happy-hour

Register for our next Learning over Lunch held Thursday, 5/14: AI Won't Lead Your Team. You Will. (Are You Ready?)

Most IT leaders are promoted for what they know, not how they lead. This session hits the hard truth about why technical excellence creates a ceiling, not a career, and what it actually takes to build a team that scales.

We’ll also dig into where AI is reshaping the IT leadership landscape, what it means for your team’s decision-making, and why a human in the loop is still needed - especially with the AI noise in the IT landscape today.

Presented by Adam Lopardo, Client Experience Director at Stronghold Data. Sponsored by ESCO Processing and Recycling - Springfield Facility.

Members are free, Nonmembers are $25.

Register: https://sgftechcouncil.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/AnFA5DacVCdCN

Springfield Tech Week 2026 wrapped up with a meaningful milestone for our community. During STC’s 5th Anniversary Celebration, featuring live music by the 80s Tribute Band Members Only, Missouri House Resolution 4330 was presented by State Representative Betsy Fogle, recognizing Springfield Tech Week and the Springfield Tech Council’s role in advancing innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across Missouri.

The evening also included recognition of STC’s founding board members and Codefi's inaugural Springfield Vibeathon winners which is a reminder of both how far our tech community has come and what’s ahead.

Our fifth annual STC Squared conference anchored the week and reached a new registered attendee milestone of 750, along with the more speakers than ever and a welcome by Mayor Jeff Schrag.

We're incredibly grateful to our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, Tech Week partners, volunteers, board, and attendees who made this week possible. Your involvement is what continues to move Springfield’s tech community forward.

We would like to recognize our year-long sponsors for their foundational support: Founding Sponsor: Pitt Technology Group; Cornerstone Sponsor: CNH Reman North America; Visionary Sponsors: SRC Logistics, Inc., Jack Henry, O'Reilly Auto Parts, and ESCO Processing and Recycling - Springfield Facility.

Read the full recap here: https://sgftechcouncil.com/news/springfield-tech-week-and-stc-squared-2026-recap

More photos from the week available on the recap with more still to come!