Last evening, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the CIO Council of South Florida hosted the State of the CIO Appreciation Dinner at Del Frisco’s Grill in Fort Lauderdale. The event brought together 35 South Florida CIOs and senior IT executives for an evening dedicated to recognizing the contributions of the SCIO event team and introducing new initiatives, including the official CIO Council membership program. The gathering also marked the first major event hosted by Joe Hernandez as the new President of the CIO Council.
Honoring the SCIO Team
Joe Hernandez, who recently succeeded Tony Casciotta as President, opened the evening with a warm and heartfelt introduction. In his address, Hernandez emphasized the purpose of the dinner—to express deep gratitude to everyone who played a role in the success of the State of the CIO event. He praised the community effort and acknowledged the valuable input from both current and past council members. Hernandez made it clear that the council’s mission of building collaboration and community remains at the forefront, and he thanked every member who contributed to the event’s success.
Hernandez gave special recognition to Steve Earle, describing him as the ‘heart and soul’ of the organization. Earle’s continued dedication to coordinating CIOC events and building community relationships was acknowledged as a fundamental part of the council’s ongoing success.
Hernandez also made special mention of the SCIO event chair, Jim Finger, who was instrumental in securing the SCIO keynote speaker, Gary Brantley, CIO of the NFL.
New Membership Initiative and Community Focus
Looking to the future, Hernandez highlighted the council’s continued focus on giving back to the community. He stressed the importance of maintaining the CIO Council’s legacy of service, emphasizing that while other organizations may focus on personal branding, the CIO Council is firmly rooted in community support. Hernandez expressed his commitment to reinforcing the council’s mission of giving back through initiatives such as scholarships, internships, mentorship, and community engagement.
One exciting new development is the introduction of the official CIOC membership program, a structured approach to strengthening community bonds and offering CIOs and IT leaders a more formal way to engage. The membership initiative will directly fund the CIOC scholarship program, providing members with the opportunity to participate in mentoring, internships, and other scholarship-related activities.
Celebrating the Impact of Scholarships and Community Involvement
During the evening, Scholarship Committee chairs Joe Robens and Pete Koltis delivered an insightful presentation highlighting the profound impact of the CIOC scholarship fund on students and their families. They emphasized how crucial the contributions from members and the wider community are to sustaining these opportunities. Their message reinforced the council’s commitment to nurturing future technology leaders through education and mentorship.
In addition, Alex Funkhouser gave a special shout-out to GetMyInterns.org, an organization that has placed thousands of high school students into summer internship programs across Miami-Dade and Broward County. His recognition underscored the value of practical experience and community-driven career development for students.
Looking Ahead: Thought Leadership and Collaboration
Hernandez also announced the next CIO roundtable event on June 11, sponsored by OZ Digital, focusing on AI use cases and challenges facing CIOs today. This exclusive gathering will foster dialogue on emerging technologies while also reinforcing the council’s commitment to peer-driven thought leadership.
To conclude, Hernandez invited attendees to share their thoughts and ideas about the council’s direction. He introduced several proposed mission statements that underscore the council’s commitment to mentorship, scholarship, and community service. These statements, drafted with the help of AI, were meant to inspire reflection and foster collaboration among members.
The evening served as both a celebration of past achievements and a rallying call for future initiatives. As Hernandez takes the helm, the CIO Council looks forward to reinforcing its role as a pivotal community for South Florida IT leaders, grounded in philanthropy, service and collaboration.