OpTech Insights

As valued listeners we invite you to join industry leaders at this year’s OpTech 2023. Explore the latest in supply chain trends and uncover modern technology that is revitalizing the space. Stay in the know about all the opportunities, problems, and decisions that are going to influence you this upcoming year and beyond.Click here for OpTech 2023 Registration SustainabilityCybersecurityEmerging Technologies State of the Supply Chain Economic Outlook and Trends...and much more

Operational downtime costs thousands of dollars and creates unnecessary headaches. To reduce downtime stress and expand asset control, we’re diving into the benefits of SOTI’s new Xsight Platform – the MDM solution set to maximize asset visibility and empower remote troubleshooting with real-time support. Learn how to transform operations with SOTI & Heartland, and stay ahead of complex integration and supply chain challenges.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shash Anand is SOTI’s Vice President of Product Strategy and has built strategicalliances and support systems. Equipped with an academic foundation of an MBA in Computer Engineering and years of professional experience, Shash has cultivated a reputation for being a passionate, supportive leader, eager to tackle business problems and dive into the smallest details.    Todd Greenwald is our OpTech Insights host and Heartland’s dedicated automation specialist with over 25 years of experience. As Heartland’s President, Todd has always been passionate about empowering solutions with adaptable technologies, redefining innovation with fervent eagerness, and improving communities with quality service and expertise.  Want to learn more about Heartland and SOTI’s partnership? Reach out to our teams at https://heartland-usa.com/contact-us/

Are you looking to find out more about financing technology in this market? If so, you are not alone and that's why OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald recently interviewed Bryan Spence, Vice President - Global Strategic Marketing of DLL Group, asking the questions our listeners are looking to have answered. From the types of technology commonly financed to the different financing options available to acquire enterprise technology solutions, host Todd Greenwald discusses with Bryan Spence what the benefits of financing are for businesses looking to modernize their organization and the factors they should take into consideration when evaluating financing providers and their programs.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Bryan Spence, Vice President - Global Strategic Marketing of DLL GroupBryan has spent over 20 years in the vendor finance space with a focus in technology and office equipment. For the last four years, he has been the Head of Global Strategic Marketing for the Tech Solutions Global Business Unit at DLL Group — an international asset finance business. Bryan is responsible for managing Tech Solutions’ global business development and marketing strategy and supporting the development of new strategic program relationships in over 30 countries.   Prior to DLL, Bryan was Vice President of Major Account Programs with LEAF Commercial Capital and held a variety of sales and sales management roles at CitiCapital and Fidelity Leasing Corporation. He’s passionate about helping technology companies integrate financial solutions into their sales stack to help drive customer outcomes. Todd Greenwald, Host of OpTech Insights

As the supply chain in 2022 continues to face disruptions in product availability, labor shortages, and the threat of cyberattacks, IT leaders are now being tasked to increase their workloads by up to 30% this year while only receiving a modest 6% increase in their budgets to complete these tasks according to a recent study! Join OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald as he speaks with industry leading expert Justin Griffith, CTO with StayLinked about how StayLinked's new product Evolve is helping IT leaders quickly and easily integrate new technologies into their existing warehouse management system (WMS), improving productivity and efficiencies. Learn why integrating new, money-saving technologies, such as robotics, is no longer difficult, time-intensive, expensive, or risky.   From Optimized Workflows and Intelligent Automation to Time-Saving Technology and Actionable Insights, Augmented Displays and Visual Validation to Real-Time Alerts and Maximizing Efficiencies, Todd will ask the questions that get you the answers your business needs to stay competitive!Whether you're looking to take advantage of the latest technology without upgrading your WMS or you want to deploy new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions to increase productivity and combat labor shortages, this episode of OpTech Insights was made just for you!To find out more about  StayLinked's new product Evolve, visit https://info.heartland-usa.com/staylinked-evolve - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Justin Griffith is the CTO of StayLinked and is responsible for driving StayLinked’s overall product roadmap and strategy. A proven leader and a major contributor to StayLinked’s recent global expansion, Griffith joined StayLinked as a technical support specialist in 2004. Shortly thereafter, he implemented the company’s first channel technical enablement program. His close interaction with customers and the partner channel fueled the feedback he leveraged as Product Manager for the next decade, and in 2014, he led the company’s release of modernized terminal emulation, StayLinked SmartTE. In 2017, Griffith conceptualized and directed the implementation of the industry’s first terminal emulation hardware automation framework.Griffith is regarded as an important voice in the areas of technology adoption and migration, and he has emerged as a thought leader in a market facing the challenges of Android migration and IoT disruption. His guiding principle—to always remember the human element—has reinforced StayLinked’s reputation as an innovator in helping companies move to new technologies and optimize productivity.Todd Greenwald    OpTech Insights Host 

As conflict continues between Russia and the Ukraine, increases in cyber security threats remains top of mind for small to medium organizations connected to the cloud as they address a deluge of cyber security threats! Join OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald as he speaks with industry leading expert Michael Sci, a Sr. Solutions Architect with eSentire  about how businesses are protecting their infrastructure and employees from cyber risk as they are managing through a cloud  transformation. From cyber security as a big data problem to learning the benefits of using a security service vs. products,  our host Todd asks the important questions. If you are looking for the criteria to keep in mind when selecting the best MDR or MSSP providers, what MDR / XDR is, and how is it different from MSP and MSSP's, this episode of OpTech Insights was made just for you!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Mike Sci, a Senior Channel Solutions Architect, brings more than 20 years of technology and security experience to his current role at eSentire, a managed detection and response (MDR) security provider. Mike’s specialty is using network, endpoint and cloud security services to reduce the risk of cybercrime on businesses. Mike takes the time to understand each of his client’s unique security requirements to design a security solution that best fits their desired business outcomes. Todd Greenwald    OpTech Insights Host 

Since a child, we have been taught “Honesty is the best policy”.  Little did we know how important honesty would be later in life when adopting a cyber security plan to thwart a myriad of risks.In a time where cyberwars are actively taking place around the world, OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald speaks with industry leading expert Randal Asay  CEO of RCS Secure  about the important trends his team is seeing today in the Security, Risk and Compliance landscape? From Continuous Compliance and how you would position the importance of Continual Compliance to the C-Level in any organization to thoughts on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Todd as gathering the answers to help build a solid cyber security plan!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Randal Asay    RCS Secure ,  Chief Executive Officer Randal Asay has over 20 years of Management/Senior Management level experience in the Retail, Government, and Healthcare industries.  Randal is exceptionally accomplished as an information technology and security management professional with extensive experience in both government and public sectors including professional services, security, regulatory compliance, and retail.   Randal has served in high profile, global roles with responsibility for establishing strategy and implementation of communication/security mechanisms and measures to protect highly sensitive and critical data and operations all while being highly client-focused with an exceptional relationship building, program leadership, project management, development, and execution record.Todd Greenwald    OpTech Insights Host 

If the past two years have taught us nothing else, it is that change is inevitable.  And with each new challenge presented comes the opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow your business.  Whether your business is struggling with labor shortages or looking for a way to accelerate your growth, integrate automation to increase efficiencies or thwart off the ever-looming cyber security threats, Optech Insights 2022 will bring you the industry thought leaders facing these challenges, asking the tough questions to get you the answers your business needs!As we jump into 2022, recording is back in session with our host Todd Greenwald and an exciting line-up of guests.  Stay tuned over the next several weeks as we publish some of the recently recorded OpTech Insights interviews:RCS SecureStayLinkedeSentireSoti and More! Subscribe now and keep your finger of the pulse of Heartland's Optech Insights!

Organizations continue to look for ways to keep their employees productive and their business environments safe. As the transition from Windows-based operating systems to Android continues, the companies see vast improvements in security and operations. Honeywell’s Mobility Edge platform is designed to enhance these benefits and provide a platform to support your mobility devices today and in the future.Join our host Todd Greenwald and guests Stan Zywicki, Director of Marketing Honeywell, and Jack Weixel, Head of Global partnerships for Android Devices, Google, as they discuss how Android and the Mobility Edge platform can enhance your organization’s productivity and bottom line.In this episode, you will hear how organizations can: improve security and enhance privacy,accelerate deployments for mobility devices,enhance the customer experience, andoptimize your business performance.Guests:              Stan Zywicki – Honeywell; Marketing Director, Enabling SoftwareJack Weixel – Google; Head of Global Partnerships, Android Dedicated Devices   

More and more, consumers worry about the source, quality and safety of the food they consume.   Food and beverage organizations are challenged to deliver the traceability needed to inspire greater consumer trust and confidence while enabling improved business operations. Furthermore, the global COVID-19 pandemic has increased the focus on wellbeing and the food supply chain's health, increasing the demand for food traceability.Join host Todd Greenwald, General Manager, Heartland, and Joe Leucht, Director Sales, Heartland as they discuss the challenges of food safety throughout the supply chain with Susan Flake, former Director RFID Business Development, Zebra Technologies, and Colin Goodwin, Manager, Business Development Retail and Hospitality Zebra Technologies.Guests:Susan Flake -  Director, RFID Business DevelopmentColin Goodwin -  ISV Business Development Manager Retail & HospitalitySupporting DocumentationZebra Food Safety StudyFood Safety for TransportationFood Safety for ManufacturingAdditional LinksHeartland Podcast on Heartland-USA.comFood Safety on Heartland-USA.com

Businesses face challenges every day to keep their enterprise running efficiently. Rapidly increasing customer expectations, productivity challenges, and pandemic conditions are real-life scenarios. Additionally, organizations must address the growing challenge of protecting company assets against cybersecurity attacks.In this OpTech Insights podcast, join Emil Man, formerly of Honeywell, Andy Rehm, Productivity Solutions Engineer, Heartland, and Todd Greenwald, General Manager, Heartland, as they discuss the latest in cybersecurity practices. Listen to learn how:Bad Actors continue to evolve their approach and what that means for cybersecurity solutions.Why the best method to cybersecurity solutions is a team approach.How cybersecurity solutions can impact your employee's productivity – and what you should do about it.Are you interested in learning more? Visit us at www.heartland-usa.com, or call 888-708-7226 or visit Honeywell's Cybersecurity Blogs  here. 

Work-from-home brings a new level of cybersecurity challenges - and these challenges will only grow as people return to the workplace.  In this episode of OpTech Insights, join Heartland's Todd Greenwald and Andy Rehm as they talk with ethical hacker Ivan Paynter, National Security Specialist at Intellysis, a Scansource company.In this episode, you will learn. How the BYOD trend is creating security risks for your enterprise environment. What you should do in the case of a ransomware attackThe value of training your staff on cybersecurity risks, and the best way to identify who needs the training most.The differences between 'consumer-grade and enterprise-grade mobile securityWhy partnering with a managed security service provider is your best bet to keep your environment safe.Ivan Paynter, IntellysisIvan is a Certified Internet Security Specialist Professional (CISSP) and a Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH). He has a passion for network & wireless security and all things IoT.   Currently, Ivan is focused on:Partners and suppliers; Evaluating the efficacy of the various cybersecurity solutions and their overarching value-added managed servicesRisk mitigation programsEnabling cyber technologies within various verticals with consideration towards regulatory standards and compliances. White-boarding, solutions development, problem-solving Assisting organizations with proper systems selection and implementation. 

Throughout the on-going journey to improve warehouse operations, organizations can take incremental steps to experience substantial productivity gains. In this episode, Todd Greenwald, GM, Heartland, and Mark Wheeler, Senior Director Supply Chain Solutions, Zebra Technologies, discuss the Warehouse Maturity Model and how it can positively impact your operation, with technology solutions from traditional warehouse management systems to the implementation of real-time location services, AI and machine learning.

Maintaining your organization’s business competitiveness is always essential – pandemic or not.  Join Todd Greenwald, General Manager, Heartland, and Buckley Brinkman, (twitter: @PBuckley) Executive Director/CEO at Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity, discuss how manufacturers can improve their business operations during turbulent times. Topics include employee safety (social distancing, contact tracing, resource scheduling), process engineering, and post-recovery planning. Are you interested in learning more about Heartland’s manufacturing solutions? Be sure to visit our solutions page here.

Internal communication is critical, no matter your business, and even more so amid the current health crisis. Organizations with distribution centers and warehouses can carry out everyday communication tasks and improve productivity through voice solutions targeted to specific workflows. In this podcast, join Todd Greenwald, General Manager of Heartland, and gain valuable insights on forward-thinking voice technologies from Honeywell’s Senior Project Manager Tim Jackson and James Hendrickson, Senior Offering Manager. Be sure to visit Honeywell AIDC for the latest innovations that are Shaping the Future of Operations, including Operational Intelligence, Smart Talk, and Voice Solutions.

Today, the pressures on organizations to remain agile and adapt quickly when needed, have never been greater. When executed effectively, a mobile-first strategy can help improve your operational success and deliver a greater customer experience. Shash Anand, Vice President of Product Strategy at SOTI, joins OpTech Insights to help you understand how the SOTI ONE Platform can help drive operational efficiency and improve your bottom line. To demo SOTI's solutions click here: Demo the SOTI ONE Platform Host: Todd Greenwald Guest: Shash Anand, SOTI.net 

Gain valuable insights on mobile worker productivity from Honeywell’s Senior Project Manager, Doug Brown. Honeywell's Operational Intelligence help provide a wide range of tasks - including improving worker safety, robust asset management insights and the ability to diagnose network issues from a viewpoint never before possible. OpTech Insights is dedicated to helping you get more out of your supply chain floor. Click here - For access to your free Operational Intelligence trial.

StayLinked CTO, Justin Griffith, shares how you can maximize the mobile technology user experience by replacing the outdated terminal emulation technology with intuitive and flexible interfaces. Leverage StayLinked's powerful platform to reduce training time and enable a wide range of options covering everything from safety reminders to future capabilities. Host: Todd GreenwaldGuest: Justin Griffith

Distribution centers are a dynamic part of every operation. When not properly planned, worker productivity can be greatly impacted on the floor. Hear from Wireless Guru  and Certified Network and Productivity Engineer, Andy Rehm, as he discusses the 5 best things to consider when planning your wireless network - ensuring reliability of the network and ultimately, improved productivity.Host: Todd GreenwaldGuest: Andy Rehm

Seconds count in your supply chain operation. Optimizing technology can make the difference between getting it right or getting left behind. OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald talks about the options and opportunities that can take your business to the next level.Host: Todd Greenwald