Wouldn’t it be smart if we could get leading IT thinkers and practitioners together in one place, to brainstorm about how IT can transform every kind of business, catapulting each into places it didn’t know possible?

That’s exactly what happens at the annual Gateway to Innovation conference with “the impact of a national conference, the convenience of the Gateway City.” This year, STL Communications was a conference sponsor, and was represented by  Avaya Major Account Manager, Carl Yow. The event was held in late April at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, with over 800 attending.

In addition to being a meaningful forum for IT professionals to network, conferences such as this one and STL’s upcoming Technology Fair (July 23, https://stlcom.com/blog/?p=895) are especially helpful for anyone, “IT” or not, who needs to see first-hand what advances are coming, so they (and their companies) can harness technology to save money and provide better service, regardless of industry.

The Gateway to Innovation (g2i) conference featured four keynote speakers, each bringing his unique perspective to innovation, breakthrough thinking techniques, logistics and humor. The speakers were followed by participants’ choice of breakout track speakers and a panel presentation.

All things considered, savvy business people should invest time in technology fairs. The time spent meeting key people and learning about  effective use of technology can help transform businesses.