Meet Ron Guerrier, Chief Technology Officer at Save the Children, a four-time Fortune 500 chief information officer (CIO), CIO Hall of Fame inductee, a board member for various organizations, and former Illinois Secretary of Innovation and Technology.
Now joining HTEC’s Advisory Board, a group dedicated to helping HTEC decision-makers identify business opportunities and scale strategically, Ron sat down with us to discuss what attracted him to the role and how he plans to contribute to HTEC’s future.
What values should a board member bring to the table?
Having served on multiple boards, Ron believes advisory board members should possess three key things: trustworthiness, a strong network, and honesty.
According to Ron, a good board member should, above all, be a trusted advisor — the person an executive team can turn to when they need to discuss ideas. Their job is to work with the C-Suite and provide guidance drawn from their considerable experience. In Ron’s words, it’s about “sharing the battle scars you’ve accumulated along the way.”
Board members also serve as the concierges to new relationships. An advisor’s role is to identify potential connections, explain their value, make a warm introduction, and hope that a meaningful relationship blossoms between the CEO and the new contacts.
In addition to trust and connection, Ron adds that an advisor should be honest and transparent. “It’s about providing honest feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
What drew Ron to HTEC’s Advisory Board?
For Ron, there were four key strengths at HTEC that made the Advisory Board member role attractive: humility, a hunger for success, intelligence, and a unique blend of engineering excellence and strategy.
Humility above all
During his conversations with the HTEC founders, Alex and Dusan, Ron says he sensed a profound humility in their approach.
“I believe humility is the foundation for building a collaborative environment where individuals can openly discuss different perspectives and make better decisions. Whatever you do, never forget who you really are,” says Ron.
Hunger for success
Ron is amazed by HTEC’s hunger to accomplish its goals and the leadership’s contagious passion to push boundaries and continue moving forward — each team’s success is a stepping stone for new opportunities and wins.
HTEC’s team is wicked smart
HTEC’s intelligence is another thing that caught Ron’s eye.
“HTEC’s approach to innovation is awe-inspiring. These people are visionaries and tech masterminds focused on helping companies reinvent what their businesses could be through the power of cutting-edge technologies”, explains Ron.
A unique blend of engineering excellence and strategy
According to Ron, CIOs and chief technology officers (CTOs) often operate in a bubble, refusing to listen to outside advice and failing to recognize their limitations. This isolation means that CIOs and CTOs often fail to fully leverage innovative technologies such as generative AI, which is currently reshaping industries and opening new horizons for businesses worldwide. In other words, adaptability is imperative.
In his view, HTEC’s commitment to open-mindedness and push for leaders to consider external perspectives sets the company apart from others. While most organizations offer engineering capabilities or strategic insights, HTEC does both — helping companies understand, strategize, and execute projects correctly and efficiently.
“HTEC does not only offer engineering excellence. They also challenge companies to consider different ways to leverage HTEC’s engineering power to their greatest advantage. It is a sweet spot that many CIOs worldwide struggle with.”
Setting the right goals for HTEC
Ron’s mission is to empower HTEC to achieve three key goals: foster brand recognition, identify new opportunities, and gain a deeper understanding of customers’ needs.
Fostering brand recognition
A part of Ron’s mission is to elevate the brand’s profile, making sure HTEC gets the recognition it truly deserves.
“When I heard about HTEC, I was amazed by all the impressive things they do. I thought, ‘Wait a minute, the world needs to know about HTEC, and it needs to know it now!’” explains Ron.
Guiding opportunities, navigating pitfalls
As a Forbes Technology Council member, Ron participates in transparent industry discussions on macro and micro metadata. He plans to bring these insights to HTEC, advising the company about new opportunities and how to avoid potential pitfalls.
Insights and trends for tomorrow
Ron recently became a contributor for Information Week Magazine, granting him access to diverse perspectives and trends, which will allow him to help HTEC gain a deeper understanding of customer needs.
“You have to know your customer and start the right dialogues to thrive in today’s world.”
Ron’s take on transformative tech trends
AI is on everyone’s radar these days, including Ron’s. But unlike those who stop at AI’s current use cases, Ron believes that quantum computing, a specialized technology that blends computer hardware and algorithms with quantum mechanics, is poised to transform AI and the world.
“Quantum computing is “Terminator” on steroids. Just picture AI operating on a quantum computer compared to the slower machines we have today. It’s both thrilling and unnerving; it presents a unique opportunity, and it’s approaching faster than many of us realize. There are billions of dollars being invested in the Chicago area — the United States’ quantum computing hub. It is an undeniably exciting moment, but the pressing question is: Are we ready for it? I don’t think we are quite ready, but only time will tell.”
Raising the bar on diversity, ethics, and integrity
One of the most important issues in the current healthcare system is the widening gap between those who can afford quality healthcare and those who cannot. There is much talk about how digital health solutions can bridge the digital health divide, and this is only possible by being aware of it, being proactive, and engaging with all relevant stakeholders from day zero.
Ron has a strong track record of advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the tech sector. He feels his perspectives can contribute to HTEC’s efforts to address various concerns of different communities worldwide through innovative solutions and the latest technologies. He’s especially interested in wearable tech:
“Wearable telehealth products help women and their clinicians remotely monitor vital parameters of the fetus and mother during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It has enormous potential to help women who can’t easily get medical care during pregnancy, particularly for African American women who face higher childbirth risks due to racial disparities.”
Ron’s passion for DEI speaks to the broader shift in many companies looking to spark positive societal change. In his discussions with the HTEC leadership team, Ron appreciated the team’s overarching goal of positive innovation and authenticity — including HTEC’s refusal to work on a project or in an industry that conflicts with its core values.
In joining the Advisory Board, Ron has also taken the time to gain a better understanding of HTEC’s role in addressing AI-related challenges for clients while supporting their usage of the technology by creating cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions. HTEC already plays a critical part in making positive changes across many industries — from creating a greener future to building a working environment where everyone celebrates one another’s strengths and diversity — a mission Ron aligns with.
“I think a crucial focus for HTEC is remaining a workplace where people really want to work as the company scales. As an Advisory Board member, I’m excited to help them keep this balance,” continues Ron.
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Connect with Ron to learn how HTEC can empower your company’s digital tomorrow.
