Chairman's Newsletter: April 2024
In this news
Greetings WWT family and friends,
I pray this edition of the Chairman's Newsletter finds you well and enjoying the beginning of a new season. As Thelma and I take in the beauty of the blossoming season, we are reminded just how precious life is, how truly blessed we are, and to experience every day as the gift it is from our gracious heavenly Father.
We pray our WWT family and friends also know the gift of His amazing grace and love, and live each day to the fullest.
WWT Board and AI
This year, I am excited to report we will have a WWT Board of Directors meeting to specifically address strategic planning, as we have done the past two years. Our board and management team are ever mindful of the evolving technology marketplace, and we are focused on capitalizing on the many opportunities for us to continue our strong growth.
Nowhere is growth more evident than in the exciting artificial intelligence space. AI has become a board- and CEO-level priority for all of our clients — and WWT will seek to exceed their expectations.
During the February board meeting, we discussed the importance of our presence in the AI market as well as margin expansion. Both were primary topics at the very successful recent WWT Global Sales Kick Off (SKO) in Orlando.
WWT is very well positioned to help our clients and partners accelerate their AI strategies, which will continue to evolve as the market develops. I am excited to report that WWT was named NVIDIA's Americas AI Enterprise Partner of the Year for the sixth consecutive year. NVIDIA is a world leader in AI computing. And the work we are doing with other important AI partners such as Intel and AMD will also drive growth for us moving forward.
We have a huge opportunity to impact our customers and the overall market by focusing on driving alignment and growth through this very important and strategic partnership.
The momentum we all worked so hard to generate in 2023 is indeed continuing into 2024, which is off to a very strong start. I look forward to another year of robust performance because of all your hard work!
We are equally focused on how AI can enable productivity gains internally, within our own operations.
The high-performance teamwork I have seen across sales, services, IT, marketing and the ATC is why we were able to launch our beta version of our first digital assistant — WWT GPT — so quickly. The product is very impressive, and I hope you are all leveraging the capability and providing your feedback so we can build a scalable and valuable platform that benefits us and our clients.
AI will continue to amplify every aspect of our go-to-market strategy — across hardware, software and services. This, too, was evident at our Global Sales Kickoff (SKO) earlier this year, where many of our strategic priorities centered around the transformational technology.
The priorities and projects discussed at SKO will undoubtedly have a direct impact on our ability to continue delivering on our mission to be a profitable growth company that is also a great place to work for all!
Great Place to Work
Speaking of being a great place to work for all, I am absolutely thrilled that WWT has been named a Great Place to Work by Fortune® and Great Place to Work for the 13th consecutive year!
What an amazing accomplishment, and I thank all of our tremendous employees who have made this recognition possible. It is because of your hard work and dedication to our inclusive culture that we have once again achieved this distinction.
Thank you for continuing to make WWT a great place to work for all!
Inclusive Workforce
The recognition we receive from outside organizations such as Great Place to Work is directly related to our commitment to building an inclusive and equitable culture that drives innovation and growth.
A great example of how we foster an inclusive environment is showcased in our involvement with the BEYA Conference. WWT's partnership with BEYA continues to grow and is highlighted through the recognition given to some of WWT's best and brightest.
This year, we recognized the "Great 8" WWT team members who have helped advance WWT and STEM fields as a whole.
The 2024 WWT Modern Day Technology Leaders included:
- Andrea Jordan, Program Manager, PM-GSP MSO
- Carlos Giles, Senior Manager, Strategic Engagement
- Cassandra Jacques, Manager IS PMO, IS OH Allocated Public Sector
- David Hunter, Senior Advisor, SLED
- Eric Murdock, Senior Engineer, IT Infrastructure and Operations Personnel
- John King, Senior Advisor, Federal Solutions Consultant
- Madelyn Marks, Senior Project Manager, IT Sales Solutions Product Management
- Ray Sanders, Lead Software Engineer, AS Agile
In addition, Joe Koenig and I had the extreme honor of meeting with some of the nation's best and brightest military leaders. I am always humbled, inspired and forever grateful for the men and women who have made tremendous sacrifices to preserve our freedom.
Thank you, General Bob Ferrell, for enabling this opportunity through BEYA!
In 2023, WWT had many accomplishments through our DEIB program:
- Hosting our inaugural DEIB summit
- Completing our first full DEIB strategic planning cycle
- The addition of "belonging"
- Holding over 100 employee Listening Sessions
- Distributing the first annual company-wide DEIB survey
- The expansion of our Employee Resource Group (ERG) program.
Hats off to our executive team, leaders and employees across the company. We look forward to expanding our reach and efforts to continue to make WWT a Great Place to Work for ALL throughout this year and beyond.
Read more about WWT's efforts in the DEIB 2023 Year in Review.
Ministry
We hosted a special in-person WWT Prayer Breakfast during the 2024 Global Sales Kick Off in Orlando for the first time since the COVID pandemic. This was truly a tremendous voluntary event attended by many of those present for the SKO. Our friend Rick Pina opened with a special message that both challenged and encouraged us all and the event was filled with amazing worship music by BeBe Winans and Margaret Bell.
Executive Vice President Tom Gain provided an incredible testimony of Christ at work in his life. Many thanks also extended to Jay Santiago, Craig Corbin, Steven Bender and the entire planning team for their work to bring the prayer breakfast back as a part of the SKO meeting.
Of course, we are thrilled to be continuing the bi-weekly prayer calls with wonderful guest artists and speakers during the beginning of our fifth year of this amazing ministry, including our very own Steven Bender and his beautiful wife, Sharla. If you did not have the chance to join us for their music and message on Jan. 31, I encourage you to watch the recording of the call on wwt.com.
We have some great guest artists and speakers lined up to encourage and uplift us as we proceed through the remainder of this year. As always, participation in these prayer calls is completely voluntary.
One of the guest speakers we welcomed to the WWT Family & Friends prayer call last month was Jay Strydom, a Leadership Coach at Biblical Business Training. Jay's message centered around the role AI plays in the life of today's Christians.
Jay hosts the Faith For Work Podcast for BBT. He recently interviewed Chet Guess of Kingdom Capital who shared a glimpse into his amazing life story, including his time in the military, his corporate career, how he died while on an operating table, and how God works in one's life when He is invited into that life. Listen here for a great testimony from Chet on the importance of bringing God to work with you.
New York City Partnership
New York City is known for having an energy all its own and is always an exciting place to be. In February, WWT Board of Directors member Priscilla Hill-Ardoin experienced that energy and excitement as she attended a reception to celebrate our Minority and Women Business Entrepreneurs contract hosted by Mayor Eric Adams. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event due to a prior commitment, so Priscilla graciously took my place.
Priscilla accepted a citation from Mayor Adams recognizing WWT as the recipient of the largest contract awarded to a certified minority-owned business in the history of the City of New York! This award belongs to every employee of WWT, and the Board of Directors join me in extending our congratulations and thanks to the entire WWT family on this significant achievement!
I would like to welcome Ralph Ramsey as WWT's new Senior Executive Advisor and SLED Solution Consultant! Ralph is a native of Brooklyn and brings with him extensive technology experience as well as a heart for community service.
Ralph will work alongside the WWT sales team to support the needs of New York City and its constituents and help drive to grow a more inclusive technology ecosystem.
Community Involvement
Late last year, I was approached to participate on a global platform in honor of Black History Month. I was incredibly honored and humbled to have this opportunity to encourage others through a video aired on CNBC during February.
I am very thankful for this tremendous platform on which to share an inspiring quote from the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that emphasizes the importance of honoring God in all we do.
Also in February, my family and I were so excited to be a part of the two-night Swing for Tomorrow's Stars Gala. The event raised over $600,000 and is benefitting student programs offered through the Steward Center for Jazz. The first night included dinner and a concert hosted at the Steward Center with the incredible Branford and Wynton Marsalis. The second evening featured dinner at the beautiful Chase Park Plaza Hotel with entertainment from some amazingly talented local jazz students who are participants in the programs at the Steward Center. The performance was followed by another concert with the Marsalis brothers.
The highlight of the event was the inaugural Steward Center Lifetime Achievement Award in Excellence presented to my good friend and accomplished jazz musician David Sanborn.
In March, WWT hosted its 9th Annual STEM Student Forum, which helps develop the next generation of STEM leaders through education and activities. Participating students were challenged to create a technical solution that leveraged AI responsibly and ethically while addressing a problem at their schools or improving the academic experiences of students and staff.
An inclusive group of students developed solutions that addressed real-world challenges, from keeping students safe in schools to providing guidance on courses that will help them identify their career-focused calling in life.
The entire event confirmed for me that the future is bright!
Community drives connection, belonging and progress! Take a look at WWT's newly released Global Community Impact Program Annual Review to learn more about how we're positively impacting communities around the globe! And don't forget to sign your teams up for May of Caring as we come together as a WWT community to care for and serve our communities together! Contact globalcommunityimpact@wwt.com if you're looking for ways to give back!
When I think about great community leaders, two people come to mind immediately – Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife, First Lady Teresa. Governor and First Lady Parson have a passion for serving the State of Missouri and the entire United States, and know the importance of "serving the least of these" in our communities. That is why I am so pleased to share that these two wonderful people will be the honored at the 2024 Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner.
They are amazing role models who exemplify Scouting morals and servant leadership. WWT is honored to be a presenting sponsor of this dinner.
NASCAR
We are gearing up to welcome the third annual NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Series race the first weekend of June. It is sure to be another heart-pounding, adrenaline-filled weekend at the WWT Raceway!
We are excited to also welcome back the Confluence Musical Festival, and this year's lineup features more than 30 bands over the two days of racing, including Ludacris, Riley Green, Gretchen Wilson, St. Louis' own Adam Wainwright and many more spectacular artists.
WWT will once again sponsor STEM Lane. Please be sure to stop by and witness all the great technology and racing-related activities we offer to students in our community.
WWT Raceway is offering our employees a 20 percent discount on tickets. You can purchase yours here by entering the code WWT20. We hope to see everyone there!
Family Matters
In February, Thelma and I had the privilege of attending the 2024 St. Louis American's Salute To Excellence Awards Luncheon. It was a very special time for us for many reasons. We cheered as Michael Kennedy, Sr., of KAI Enterprises was presented with the Lifetime Achiever in Business Award; Steven L. Harris, RubinBrown's managing partner, received the Corporate Executive of the Year Award; and Cheryl Jones, President and CEO of Girls Inc. St. Louis, received the Non-Profit Executive of the Year Award.
Our heartfelt congratulations go to each of these wonderful community partners.
My dear friend and former Chairman and CEO of Centene Corporation Michael Neidorff was posthumously honored with a special award for Champion for Civic & Business Inclusion. In addition to growing Centene into a multinational $125 billion healthcare enterprise serving 25 million members, Michael was an amazing servant leader and advocate for "the least of these."
I can think of no one more deserving of this award, and it was a true pleasure to congratulate Michael's wife, Noemi, and his son, Peter, on this tremendous recognition.
The highlight of the day, however, came as we watched our son, Dave II, accept the award for 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year! We are so blessed to have watched Dave II's original mission to "publish comics and graphic novels with content for everyone, regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, or cultural background" expand significantly to include animation and other forms of content. Witnessing his accomplishments recognized by many different and distinguished awards is a blessing to Thelma and I.
This past weekend, Thelma and I gathered with several members of our family to celebrate our daughter, Kimberly's, birthday in the Big Apple! We had an incredible time making memories that will last a lifetime!
Kimberly is focused on doing tremendous work in the development of kids from all walks of life within the film industry — both nationally and on a global scale. We are so impressed by her devotion to "pay it forward," and the success she has experienced by embracing her responsibility to nurture talent found in the next generation and beyond.
Dave II and Kimberly: Mom and Dad love you both and are so humbled and honored to be your parents!
In closing
This year is certainly off to a wonderful beginning, and I am so grateful to all WWT employees, customers, partners and friends for all the support you have provided to bring us to 2024.
I know there is a bright and prosperous future ahead for our company. With that in mind, I invite you to read the opening prayer and devotion from our most recent board meeting.
Continue to let your light shine for all to see!
Thank you for your faithfulness and dedication. To God be all the glory!
God bless,
Dave