2023 Board of Directors

Angela Venuk

Chair

Technology Executive

Angela Venuk has over 25 years of experience in leading technology teams to achieve business goals. She has spent much of her career in retail and telecommunications. Most recently, she was the Chief Information Officer for GameStop.

Core to Angela’s leadership approach are three words: Coach, Change Agent, and Connector. She is passionate about building diverse teams that are motivated and inspired to be great! Angela is married with two active boys, ages 16 and 14. It is her goal to be a well-balanced leader who can focus on career, family, friends, and personal growth without sacrifice.

Angela received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. Angela balances her life with a passion in pickleball, youth hockey, reading, and volunteering in organizations such as SIM that supports her personal and professional community.

Blake Holman

Vice Chair

Blake Holman is currently Chief Information Officer at BBG Inc., a Commercial Real Estate Appraisal and Assessment Firm, in Dallas, Texas.

Blake has over 30 years of experience leading Information Technology Strategy, Development and Operations for several public and private companies in the Consulting, Telecommunications, Electrical Manufacturing, Financial Services, Real Estate Services and Non-Profit Healthcare industries.

Blake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University, a Strategic IT Management Certificate from the Scandinavian International Management Institute and a Master of Science degree in Information Security and Assurance from Western Governor’s University. Blake has achieved a number of industry security certifications including C-CISO, CISM, CISSP, CDPSE, CEH and CHFI.

In 2011 and 2012, Blake’s efforts as CIO of Ryan, LLC were recognized in the InformationWeek 500 listing of the most innovative business technology companies in the United States. In 2011, Ryan was ranked 130th, and in 2012, Ryan’s ranking rose to 98th. In both cases, Ryan was the highest ranked corporate tax services firm on the list.

In December 2012, Blake was named by Computerworld magazine as one of its 2013 “Premier 100 IT Leaders.” The Computerworld Premier 100 IT recognition is an international lifetime award that shines a spotlight on technology and business leaders from a broad range of organizations.

In November 2017, Blake was recognized by the Austin Chapter of the Society for Information Management as the Public Sector IT Executive of the Year in Austin, Texas.

In October 2017, Blake co-authored the second edition of “What Every Engineer Should Know About Excel”, a work that was originally published by his late father, Dr. Jack Holman, a world-renowned professor of Mechanical Engineering at SMU. In 2018, Blake published his second work, “Information Security JumpStart Guide for non-profit organizations” aimed at providing non-profit organizations guidance on the vital first steps to initiating an Information Security program.

Outside the world of Information Technology and Security, Blake is a retired Rugby player and a hobby Beekeeper.

Ayotunde Gibbs

Secretary

Mark Johnson

Treasurer

Application Product Owner, Revolution Retail Systems

Mark Johnson is a Technology Executive with over 25 years experience in Project and Portfolio Management. He is highly knowledgeable in all aspects of Business Process Improvement from initial Planning to Implementation and Control. He is a results-oriented leader with excellent interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Mark has acted as the liaison between Technology and Business leaders by establishing strong professional relationships in the Financial Services, Government, Gaming, and Manufacturing industries.

Mark is married and has three children, ages 26, 20, and 10. He is a devote family man who has worked hard to cultivate a positive work life balance.

Mark has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Corporate Finance. He is very active with his Church and volunteers with multiple agencies participating in the service to his community. In his spare time, Mark enjoys playing golf, tennis, and bowling.

Mark Urbis

Past Chair

Jason Adams

Membership

Chief Technology Officer, Lanvera

Jason Adams is the CTO for Lanvera, a leading customer communications management outsourcing and technology company specializing in the design, production and delivery of secure communications to any delivery channel. In this role, Jason is responsible for the areas of software development, enterprise architecture, user experience, PMO and product management. He develops and executes an enterprise-wide technology strategy focused on delivering innovative products and service excellence to Lanvera’s clients spanning multiple vertical markets.

Jason has 17 years of software product development and delivery experience across multiple industries (Financial Services, Retail, Security and Insurance). Prior to joining Lanvera, Jason held several executive leadership roles at Populus Financial Group where he focused on eCommerce and digital products.

Jason holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University. Jason has served as a board member of HeROs, a men’s auxiliary for Genesis Woman’s Shelter of Dallas, since 2016. In his free time, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, is a wine enthusiast, and an avid tournament bass fisherman.

Nellson Burns

Sponsorship

Destination IT

Most of Nellson Burns’ career has been focused on downstream oil and gas, but Nellson spent the last 4 years in consumer product manufacturing and distribution. He began his career as a management consultant focusing on SAP and M&A activity, and in 2007 he was hired to lead Holly Corporation’s IT organization, his first CIO job.

Nellson is by nature a problem solver and he loves to build things and people. He built the IT organization for Holly from the ground up, and he has transformed the IT function for Dal-Tile, North America’s largest ceramic tile manufacturer. Nellson is married with two beautiful children, ages 6 and 8. Nellson believes that you can have an incredible career and engaged family life, and he coaches most of his children’s sports teams.

Nellson graduated with honors from Texas A&M University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. Nellson continues to be active in A&M’s “other education” mentoring current students on leadership and life in general. Nellson has two Big Green Eggs and he loves to cook for others; he also loves the outdoors, including spending time on the water at Cedar Creek Lake.

Janya Kieffer

Programs

Vice President IT – Acme Brick

Janya Kieffer is a collaborative IT leader, business partner and solution visionary and excels at driving value through strategic and transformative business projects. Janya has spent 20 years in the B2B Sales / Distribution / Manufacturing space where she has fused supply chain, procurement and sales business objectives with technology solutions to drive strategic and operational value. Janya has deep expertise in tech centered on digitization, business intelligence, business applications, cybersecurity and cloud solutions. Colleagues describe Janya as a logical thinker and strong communicator noted for building IT organizations with focus on people, processes and systems via alignment with business goals. Janya is a change agent with a passion for learning and mentoring. In her personal life she stays busy with twin 14 year old daughters, 2 dogs and a great husband. Cooking, gardening and dreaming about beach life keeps her balanced outside the world of business.

Brad Lamar

Marketing

VP Information Technology, Concentra

Brad Lamar is a transformational IT executive with multi-industry experience in Healthcare, Retail, Financial Services, Marketing & Advertising, and Insurance. Brad currently serves as Vice President of Information Services for Concentra where he leads software development and application architecture, business intelligence, quality assurance and business analysis. He uses his years of experience and multi-industry exposure to deliver company changing solutions while leveraging his background in user experience, IT transformation, application modernization, strategy & planning, and delivering business capability.

Brad has over 24 years of software and product development experience and has previously served in leadership roles for Citigroup, Capital One, RAPP, and Cash America.

Brad has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from the University of Texas at Arlington. In addition to serving with organizations like SIM, Brad has served on the board of the Experience Driven (XD) Leadership Alliance and the DFW CIO Retail Roundtable. Brad has a passion for serving in his church and for Young Life which is a ministry for high school kids. In his spare time, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife and four sons, loves being in the outdoors whether hiking, playing golf, or participating in shotgun shooting sports.