AITP Chicago upcoming events

2nd 2026 CISO of the Year Event - Meet the Nominees (Tue, June 16, 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The CISO of the Year Committee and the Chicago Chapters of AITP, ChicagoFIRST, InfraGard, ISSA, ISACA, ISSA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM are excited to welcome you to our 2nd In-Person Mixer of 2026.

The purpose of the CISO of the Year program is to recognize the top CISOs in the greater Chicago area and provide a higher level of awareness and recognition to the CISO (or equivalent in authority) position.

Join us for the 2nd of four events leading up to the Awards Breakfast of October 14th. The four events are Private, intended to support CISO’s and their direct reports, 2024 CISO Nominees, the Program Judges, our CISO Program Sponsors and delegates from esteemed industry partners-AITP, ChicagoFIRST, Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM (limit of up to 2 Board Members from each Industry Partner per event without special approval).

Click Here for More Information on the Program

Click Here to Visit the New CISO of theYear Website

This is a great opportunity to recognize the exceptional talent we have in the Chicago Region, to network with security professionals and to meet the candidates and judges for the 2026 CISO of the Year Program. Great Food and Drink Too.

Click Here to Register

Prior CISO of the Year Award Winners:

2025 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, ShefaliMookencherry, CISO, UIC
2025 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Nitin Raina, CISO, Thoughtworks

2024 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Dan Manley, CISO, CME Group
2024 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Angela Williams, CISO, UL

2023 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Darin Hurd, CISO, Guaranteed Rate
2023 - CISO of the Year MID-CAP, Neil Witek, CISO, Oak Street Health

2022 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Mahmood Khan, CISO, SVP& CISO, CNA
2022 - CISO of the Year MID-CAP, Walter Lefmann, Director of Security, Chicago Trading Corporation

2021 - CISO of the Year, Ricardo LaFosse, CISO, The Kraft Heinz Company

2020 - CISO of the Year, Paige Adams, Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

2019 - CISO of the Year, Jill Rhodes, CISO, Option Care Health

2018 - CISO of the Year, Bradley Schaufenbuel, VP & Chief Information Security Officer, Paylocity

2017 - CISO of the Year, Erik Decker, Chief Security & Privacy Officer, University of Chicago Medicine

2016 - CISO of the Year, Todd Fitzgerald, CISO, Grant Thornton International Ltd

2015 - CISO of the Year, Kevin Novak, CISO and Technology Risk Officer for Northern Trust Bank

2014 - CISO of the Year, Arlan McMillan, CISO, Department of Innovation and Technology, City of Chicago

2013 - CISO of the Year, Jason Witty, SVP & CISO, US Bank.

Please Thank Our 2024 Program Sponsors:

ISSA-CHICAGO 2026 SecureX Annual Cruise (Thu, June 18, 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

ISSA-CHICAGO 2026 SecureX Annual Cruise

SecureX is a full day event and our premier event of the year ! It's a great learning experience and networking opportunity for industry professionals, business & security leaders, and students.. Earn 5 CPE's and network with 200+ cybersecurity leaders, practitioners, professionals & students. Gorgeous views of Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan, enjoy delicious food, and fun cruise aboard the Odyssey. Boat stays docked until 2pm for speakers & sponsors tables, and includes breakfast, lunch, and 3-hour cocktail cruise on Lake Michigan.

SecureX 2026 is our 18th Annual Cruise at Navy Pier Chicago aboard The Odyssey.

As CTC members, AITP folks get the member price: $125pp for early birds by May 31, and $175 pp June 1 - June 16. Guests & non-members are $200 early bird and $250 after May 31

*Register Today at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/issachicago/2006049 - Early Bird Pricing is for advance online registration by May 31.

AI for Next-Gen SOC - Official Cybersecurity Summit (Wed, June 24, 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT

AI for Next-Gen SOC

Official Cybersecurity Summit

We’re excited to partner with the Official Cybersecurity Summit for the AI for Next-Gen SOC Virtual Summit on June 24, 2026!

Join us for a full day of expert insights, interactive sessions, and high-value networking with leaders across the financial cybersecurity community.

Don’t miss expert discussions across today’s most pressing cyber topics and earn CPE credits while you learn - all from the comfort of your own desk!

️ Register FREE with code: CSS26-AITP

https://cyberriskalliance.swoogo.com/soc-2026/register?code=CSS26-AITP

The volume and velocity of alerts overwhelm human analysts, while adversaries themselves weaponize AI to automate attacks. SOC teams need machine learning and intelligent orchestration to keep pace and focus on what matters.

This eSummit explores how AI transforms detection, investigation, and response. Through keynotes and fireside chats, experts will demonstrate how to operationalize AI within SIEM, SOAR, and EDR ecosystems — reducing fatigue, improving accuracy, and elevating the SOC’s strategic value.

Chips for Charity (Sat, July 11, 2026)

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:00:00 GMT

On July 11, 2026, we’re hosting Chips for Charity — a black-tie-casino gala at the Union League Club in downtown Chicago. The goal is simple: bring CISOs, security leaders, and CIOs together in a relaxed, memorable environment where partners can actually talk — not just shuffle past another booth.

The event is presented in partnership with Allison Miller (UnitedHealth), Devon Bryan (Booking), Kenneth Townsend (Ingredion), and Erik Hart.

Chips for Charity brings the security community together for an evening of networking, friendly competition, and support for a great cause. Whether you are a CISO, security executive, practitioner, partner, or advocate, this event is a chance to connect with peers, strengthen relationships, and give back alongside others who understand the challenges and opportunities facing today’s security teams.

Space is limited, so we encourage you to register early and secure your spot by signing up at - https://luma.com/chipsforcharitychicago

We look forward to seeing you there.

AITP Chicago Meeting - Applying FinOps best practices to Modern IT. (Thu, July 16, 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 22:30:00 GMT

You're Invited to an Informational presentation and discussion.

Host: Alden Hutchison, Principal, Cyber Risk & Data Protection, RSM US LLP

Topic: Applying FinOps best practices to foster a cost-conscious culture in modern IT.

Summary

In today’s AI-first and Cloud/SaaS-driven enterprises, organizations often struggle to balance speed with financial accountability. They frequently lack visibility, ownership, and cultural alignment around costs. In this session, Shyam Kumar, CEO of CloudNuro and FinOps Certified Practitioner, shares how FinOps best practices help build a cost-conscious culture across modern IT. Drawing from real-world experiences across enterprises, we will discuss how to operationalize cost transparency, establish shared accountability across engineering, finance, and business teams, and build a sustainable culture of cost awareness.

Attendees will gain practical insights into implementing FinOps frameworks, leveraging data to drive behavior change, and aligning technology investments with measurable business outcomes.

By attending this session, you will leave with concrete, actionable strategies to implement FinOps best practices and successfully build a cost-conscious culture in your organization.

Specifically, you will:

Master practical methods to operationalize cost transparency across your cloud, SaaS, and AI infrastructure, giving you and your teams clear, real-time visibility into spending.
Establish shared accountability frameworks that align engineering, finance, and business teams so cost management becomes a shared responsibility rather than a point of friction.
Drive sustainable behavior change by leveraging data and proven techniques that shift organizational mindset from “speed at all costs” to intelligent, financially disciplined decision-making.
Learn how to align technology investments directly with measurable business outcomes, ensuring every dollar spent on cloud, AI, and modern IT delivers clear value.
Apply real-world lessons from enterprises that have successfully adopted FinOps, including pitfalls to avoid and winning tactics that deliver results even in fast-moving environments.

You will walk away equipped with immediately usable insights, frameworks, and approaches that help your organization balance innovation speed with financial accountability—reducing waste, improving efficiency, and fostering a culture where cost consciousness becomes a natural part of how modern IT operates.

This is a high-impact, practitioner-led session designed for professionals who want more than theory—they want tangible ways to drive meaningful change in their organizations.

Presenter: Shyam Kumar, CEO, CloudNuro Corp | https://www.cloudnuro.ai

Shyam Kumar is the Co-Founder and CEO of CloudNuro Corp, a Chicago-based AI-driven Unified FinOps platform that helps organizations gain visibility, governance, and accountability across cloud, SaaS, and AI spending. A recognized technology leader and member of the Forbes Business Development Council, Shyam founded CloudNuro to help enterprises and public-sector agencies optimize technology investments through AI and automation. He works closely with enterprise customers to apply FinOps best practices that improve transparency, strengthen security and compliance, and ensure technology delivers measurable value. CloudNuro was the winner of the Chicago Innovation Awards 2025. Shyam is a FinOps-certified professional and industry thought leader.

Presenter: Khan Tran

Khan Tran is the CTP-Advisory at CloudNuro. He is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience leading IT and engineering organizations across diverse sectors. Renowned as a transformative leader, he has spearheaded mission-critical initiatives at Fortune 100 companies and mid-market private-equity-backed enterprises. His expertise spans product innovation, technology start-ups, new product introduction, M&A integration and divestiture, organizational transformation, and go-to-market strategies for AI products. Khan brings FinOps expertise to customers and partners.

Click Here to Register

Water, Soft Drinks and Lite Refreshments will be Served

Registration will close 2 days in advance of the event. Bring an ID for building security - The elevator will go to floor 33 reception, then you'll walk up the stairs to floor 34

Registration is required - No walk ins allowed.

3rd 2026 CISO of the Year Event - In Person - Meet the Candidates (Tue, July 21, 2026)

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The CISO of the Year Committee and the Chicago Chapters of AITP, ChicagoFIRST, InfraGard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM are excited to welcome you back to our third In-Person Mixer of 2026.

Join us for the 3rd of four events leading up to the Awards Breakfast of October 13th. The events are Private, intended to support CISO’s and their direct reports, 2024 CISO Nominees, the Program Judges, our CISO Program Sponsors and delegates from esteemed industry partners-AITP, ChicagoFIRST, Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM. (Limit of up to 2 Board Members from each Industry Partner per event).

Click Here for More Information on the Program

Click Here to Visit the New CISO of theYear Website

This is a great opportunity to to recognize the exceptional talent we have in the Chicago Region, to network with security professionals and to meet the candidates and judges for the 2026 CISO of the Yea Program. Great Food and Drink Too!

Click Here to Register

Prior CISO of the Year Award Winners:

2025 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Shefali Mookencherry, CISO, CME Group
2025 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Nitin Raina, CISO, Thoughtworks

2024 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Dan Manley, CISO, UIC
2024 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Angela Williams, CISO, UL

2023 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Darin Hurd, CISO, Guaranteed Rate
2023 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Neil Witek, Oak Street Health

2022 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Mahmood Khan, CISO, SVP& CISO, CNA
2022 - CISO of the Year MID-CAP, Walter Lefmann, Director of Security, Chicago Trading Corporation

2021 - CISO of the Year, Ricardo LaFosse, CISO, Kraft Heinz Company

2020 - CISO of the Year, Paige Adams, Global Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

2019 - CISO of the Year, Jill Rhodes, CISO, Option Care Health

2018 - CISO of the Year, Bradley Schaufenbuel, VP & Chief Information Security Officer, Paylocity

2017 - CISO of the Year, Erik Decker, Chief Security & Privacy Officer, University of Chicago Medicine

2016 - CISO of the Year, Todd Fitzgerald, CISO, Grant Thornton International Ltd

2015 - CISO of the Year, Kevin Novak, CISO and Technology Risk Officer for Northern Trust Bank

2014 - CISO of the Year, Arlan McMillan, CISO, Department of Innovation and Technology, City of Chicago

2013 - CISO of the Year, Jason Witty, SVP & CISO, US Bank.

Please Thank Our 2025 Program Sponsors:

4th 2026 CISO of the Year Event - In Person - Meet the Candidates (Tue, August 18, 2026)

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The CISO of the Year Committee and the Chicago Chapters of AITP, ChicagoFIRST, InfraGard, ISSA, ISACA, CSA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM are excited to welcome you to our 4th In-Person Mixer of 2026.

Join us for the 4th of four events leading up to the Awards Breakfast of October 13th. The events are Private, intended to support CISO’s and their direct reports, 2024 CISO Nominees, the Program Judges, our CISO Program Sponsors and delegates from esteemed industry partners - AITP, ChicagoFIRST, Infragard, ISSA, ISACA, CSA, PAABC, WiCyS and SIM. (Limit of up to 2 Board Members from each Industry Partner per event without special approval).

Click Here for More Information on the Program

Click Here to Visit the New CISO of theYear Website

Click Here to Register

Prior CISO of the Year Award Winners:

2025 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Shefali Moolkencherry, CISO, UIC
2025 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Nitin Raina, CISO, Thoughtworks

2024 - CISO of the Year, ENTERPRISE, Dan Manley, CISO, CME Group
2024 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Angela Williams, CISO, UL

2023 - CISO of the Year, Enterprise, Darin Hurd, CIO, Guaranteed Rate
2023 - CISO of the Year, MID-CAP, Neil Witek, Oak Street Health