IoT Texas

Update on the 2026 IEEE-USA Congressional Day Visit per Larry Horner

Tue, Mar 24 · 11:30 CDT

3000 Waterview Pkwy, 3000 Waterview Parkway, Richardson, TX, US

Please join us for our March 24, 2026 IEEE CVT meeting.

This is an IEEE CVT luncheon event that will be held at UTD on March 24 from 11:30 to 1 pm.

You do not need to be an IEEE member to attend. Come join us each month if interested in great networking and thought-provoking meeting topics.

Register at:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/544676

Meeting details and cost to attend are below
and at: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/544676

Reservation at IEEE site (vTools) is required by Friday (3-20-26) noon if you'd like lunch. Free to attend if not having lunch.

Come join us on Tuesday March 24th:

Larry J. Horner, IEEE CVT Chair and recently retired Intel Principal Engineer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryjhorner/ ):

will present:
Update on the
2026 IEEE-United States Congressional Day Visit

and

Saurabh Yadav, IEEE Dallas Section Secretary
Will present:
"2026 plans for IEEE Dallas Section"

Abstract:

Larry will be part of a nearly 300-person delegation that descended on Washington, D.C., on 17-18 of March 2026. The purpose of this ‘fly-in’ will be to bring the voice of constituents to Capitol Hill.

Come learn about what IEEE-USA is, what is the importance of bringing it before Congress at the ‘fly-in’, why this is important to North Texas and our members, and how all this comes together.

Most importantly, come to network with your fellow IEEE CVT members, other technologists, business execs, entrepreneurs, etc.

Larry J. Horner - Bio:

Is a retired Principal Engineer and Senior Solution Architect at Intel, an IEEE ComSoc Region 5 Director, and the General Co-Chair of the IEEE NFV SDN International conference.

Since 'retiring' from Intel in November 2024, Larry's become more active with the OpenLab on the UT Dallas Campus. His occasional visit has become more of a 3-4 day a week adventure, where he helps, coach, support and encourage the young talent taking shape as many work to complete their PhD, and others strive to finish their Undergrad in Engineering before moving on, into industry or further study.

Larry's career has focused on the digital transformation of the Communication Service Provider industry, from Network Equipment Manufacturer to the operating company. The network transformation toward 5G pulls this transformation and in Larry's role at Intel he was deeply involved in that effort.

Meeting Date: March 24, 2026
Location: UTD Synergy Park North Building; 3000 Waterview, Richardson, TX
Directions: NE Corner Synergy Park Blvd and Steward Dr.
Lunch Cost: see below.

Most importantly, come to network with fellow technologists, business execs, entrepreneurs and IEEE CVT members.

You do not have to be an IEEE member to attend.

Registration: Please pre-register at:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/544676

(If you're not an IEEE member, you are welcome to use the "Register as Guest" button at the bottom of the page - be sure to click and check the "I accept the IEEE Privacy Policy" box).

Please pre-register by Friday (3-20-26) 1 pm CDT if you plan on having lunch. The lunch order must go on at noon Friday prior to the meeting on Tuesday (3-24-26).

Lunch will start at 11:30 am and the program runs from 12 to 1 pm.
You do not need to be a member of IEEE and the meeting is free if you do not intend to eat.

Location:
UTD Synergy Park North Building; 3000 Waterview, Richardson, TX
Directions: NE Corner Synergy Park Blvd and Steward Dr. (map and more details below)

Prepay via the IEEE website by noon Friday (3-20-26 ):
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/544676

IEEE Members $10.00
IEEE Life Members $5.00
Non-IEEE Members (Guests) $15.00
UTD students: $2.00 (First 5 Students who have registered in vTools as recorded within vTools date/time stamp on the registration will be given their $2 back at the event, provided they attend. All students must show UT Dallas ID at the desk the day of the meetings.)

Feel free to sign up using the "Register as Guest" button at the bottom of the page. You do not need to be an IEEE member to attend and the meeting is free to attend if you are not eating.

Pay in person the day of the meeting:
IEEE Members $15.00
IEEE Life Members $10.00
Non-IEEE Members (Guests) $20.00
UTD ECE students with ID $2.00

Anyone who has not pre-registered for lunch will be asked to wait until all pre-registered folks have had a chance to go through the buffet line.
Anyone not pre-registered will be charged the ‘Guest’ rate.

There is No charge for "No Lunch, just attending the talk".

Parking passes will be available to those that register, and lunch for a fee.

Future meetings (subject to change but most likely):
March 24, 2026
April 21, 2026
May 19, 2026
Summer break/no meetings: June, July, Aug.
Sept. 15, 2026
Oct. 20, 2026
Nov. 17, 2026
Dec. 15, 2026

The Pilot Trap: How a Structured Approach Can Turn AI Pilots Into Success

Thu, Apr 2 · 18:30 CDT

SpringHill Suites Dallas Richardson/Plano, 3251 E President George Bush Hwy, Richardson, TX, US

START TIME CHANGED TO 6:30 PM.

These IoT/Technology Meetups are held on the first Thursday of each month (except July and January when we'll meet the following Thursday after the holiday) and are free to anyone interested in the business of high technology.

Come and connect with other like-minded technologists, business execs, entrepreneurs, etc. or join us online at:
https://meet.google.com/qjq-aaoe-xdj

This month's presenter will be:

Kenneth Lowe
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethlowe/)

• Startups.com - Strategy Advisor
• Common Ground - Strategic Solution Design - Principal Consultant
• Austin Technology Incubator - Mentor

He will present:

The Pilot Trap:
How a Structured Approach Can Turn Pilots into Successful Initiatives

Abstract

If your organization is building AI experiments but struggling to translate them into real value, this session will show why the problem is more predictable—and more solvable—than it appears.

Something strange is happening inside many organizations right now.

Proof-of-concept projects are everywhere. The prototypes are impressive. The demonstrations work.

And yet… almost none of them become real products.

Instead, companies accumulate a growing collection of successful experiments that somehow lead nowhere.

The problem is rarely the technology. In fact, the technology usually works exactly as expected.

The real issue lies in how organizations design and interpret innovation experiments.

In this talk, we’ll examine why proof-of-concept projects so often fail to produce real outcomes—and how a structured approach to experimentation can turn promising pilots into successful initiatives.

If your organization is building AI experiments but struggling to translate them into real value, this session will show why the problem is more predictable—and more solvable—than it appears.

Bio

Ken Lowe is a technology strategist and consultant with over 30 years of experience helping organizations turn ambitious ideas into working systems. His focus is the intersection of strategy and execution—especially in high-stakes, zero-to-one initiatives where traditional planning often falls short.

He began his career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), building large-scale software systems for global telecommunications clients. That early exposure to complex, mission-critical environments shaped a career spent leading product strategy, guiding innovation efforts, and correcting course on struggling engagements.

Ken is known for his ability to stabilize teams, restore shared understanding, and deliver results under pressure. He has led globally distributed teams across the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, working with professionals representing more than 35 nationalities.

His consulting work currently focuses on helping organizations build internal innovation labs—enabling them to expand beyond their core competencies and take practical advantage of AI.

Beyond client work, Ken is deeply committed to developing future leaders. He serves as a mentor at the University of Texas at Austin Technology Incubator and as a coach for the Mandela Washington Fellowship. He is a frequent speaker on technology strategy, innovation, and leadership.

Ken holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an executive CTO certificate from The Wharton School, where his studies focused on technology strategy.
---------------

The meeting is now held at SpringHill Suites (east Richardson) near the intersection of Geo. Bush and E. Renner Rd. (2 blocks south on Shiloh from the Methodist Hospital at Renner and Shiloh - see below for details).

Come early and stay late if you can. Bar opens at 5 pm (self-paid).

Program runs from 6:30 to 7:45 pm.

***
1st Thursday IoT Happy Hour:

These are hybrid and free events. For those that can attend in person, it allows us to come together and network with other IoT and technology professionals, business execs, entrepreneurs, etc... and help us find resources, talent and solutions to our issues... and learn about new trends and tech in the industry.

Come early and stay late if you can (bar opens at 5 pm. - self paid. Leave whenever you like... or when the bar closes.)

The folks that attend have technical and business expertise in many varied segments of the IoT/tech industry... from end device/sensor/actuator builders, to connectivity gurus (wired, wireless, satellite), to backend computer systems/platforms and analytic tools specialists... and even edge computing/processing, security and AI/ML/ChatGPT/Agentic AI and Quantum experts.

1st Thursday IoT Happy Hour @ SpringHill Suites ((3251 E. Geo. Bush Tpke, Richardsson, TX))
Each 1st Thursday of 2025 · 6:30 – 7:45pm

Google Meet (a Zoom-like platform) joining info:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/qjq-aaoe-xdj
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 443-399-3866‬ PIN: ‪891 528 379‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/qjq-aaoe-xdj?pin=8679601782853

A sincere thanks to our sponsors:

4.0 Solutions (www.iiot.university/)
- founded by Walker Reynolds (www.linkedin.com/in/walkerdreynolds/)
4.0 Solutions was created around the concept of the restructuring the way we think about systems integrators, suppliers, hardware & software manufacturers, and distributors in a way that is compatible with the 4th industrial revolution.

ObjectSpectrum, LLC (www.objectspectrum.com)
- founded by Eric Lenington (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlenington/):
"ObjectSpectrum was founded with the sole purpose of making the Internet of Things an Internet of useful, efficient, cost-cutting, ROI-maximizing things."

James Brehm & Assoc. (https://www.jbrehm.com/)
- James Brehm, Founder and Chief Technology Evangelist
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbrehm/)
James Brehm & Associates is a consulting and market intelligence firm providing project based and retained strategic advisory services to technology companies worldwide focused on IoT and digitial transformation.

Chuck McCoy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chmccoy/),
Founder of: TechTargets - Smart Targets. Smarter Shooters.
(https://techtargets.com/)
TechTargets uses modern IoT components to bring low cost interactive target systems to Law Enforcement live fire training environments.

If you'd like to support these meetings through a one-time donation, or ongoing monthly support, contact Ed Hightower at ed.hightower@iotandbeyond.com. I can send an invoice via PayPal and you can pay/ donate via credit card. Thanks.

This link takes you to many of the presentations that have been presented at our IoT Texas meetings over the last 6+ years. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69LBjxiKDx8tVkkVs9T0NA/videos