PBExpo Keynote Speakers

PBExpo’s inaugural trade show has concluded, yielding results beyond our greatest expectations. With this year’s successful trade show, we here at PartsBase have decided to host another trade show set for March 13th and the 14th of 2019!

Whether it be the wisdom learned from our superb keynote speakers, insightful product demonstrations, unforgettable connections made walking the trade show floor, or the captivating educational sessions … there was much to be learned from attending or exhibiting at PBExpo 2018. We continue to press our noses to the grindstone, because we plan to provide an even more enriching experience for PBExpo 2019 (if that is even possible)!

Keynote Speakers

PartsBase is incredibly proud of PBExpo’s results, and a large portion of our satisfaction comes from our incredible PBExpo Keynote Speakers. Terry Jones, Alex Hunter, Chip Crane, and Mark Fox were incredibly insightful in their respective fields; going in-depth on subjects like Innovation vs. Disruption, Brand Marketing and Global Brand Expansion, Cyber Security and Threat Evaluation, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) as well as AWS Cloud Services.

Terry Jones: Innovation

“The last 25 years it was about who could build the business the cheapest. The next 25 years is about who can build it the smartest … Innovation is key.”

Hitting the nail directly on the head. Terry Jones’ (founder of Travelocity, founding chairman of kayak.com, and chairman of wayblazer.ai) talk on how closely Disruption and Innovation are related was astounding. It is all about perspective! For instance, if you are a large company that has been in a field for 20+ years, you may be accustomed to running said business in a certain manner. Jones speaks on how “new age” businesses are studying these business models, and shaping “smarter and sleeker” companies to compete.

He also stated that this is the future for all businesses, no matter the realm; which is why it is vitally important to shake up the industry. Jones mentioned various management methods which largely included being open to input from various levels of employees … not just upper management. He fully understands that anyone and everyone is capable of having “the next big idea”, and encourages staff to open themselves up to the seemingly limitless possibilities of expansion.

Alex Hunter: Branding

“Providing a product or a service isn’t enough anymore … we must do more.”

As the Former Head of Online at Virgin Group, Alex has plenty of experience building a global brand. This year at PBExpo 2018 Alex’s presentation delved into customer experiences, loyalty development, and of course brand building.

Not only does Alex have an incredible sense of humor and energy about him, but his keen observations on advertising and company branding brings a breath of fresh air to the aviation and aerospace communities. In his presentation, he stated that a ‘one and done’ approach to marketing and branding typically does not work on a global scale. An example he used was McDonalds adapting their menu depending on regional delicacies, which is ingenious. A McDonalds in India (where, because of religious beliefs, a large portion of the population avoids beef) should cater to the population’s needs, instead of conforming to America’s regional menu. They did so by replacing beef options with chicken and vegetable substitutes.

It is these types of ingenuities that take a localized brand to the next level. By developing these new experiences and ideas, it allows companies to hone their craft and provide the best possible “individualized” experience imaginable.

Chip Crane: Security & Transparency

“Culture counts … if it is a trusting culture that is huge in being able to handle (security) problems. If it is non-trusting, it will lock up the entire environment (making it that much harder to work together).”

Chip Crane currently leads the North American Security Integration team for IBM as the North American Security Technical Executive. His presentation on cyber security development was not only brilliant, but brought insights to a sometimes overlooked (yet incredibly important) department. In terms of security, Chip stated that many companies simply aim for “compliant” which … isn’t really cutting it anymore.

As a company’s security grows, so does the hacker’s capabilities. Chip stated that “we need to be able to stop threats” and in order to do that “we need to ensure our organization is based on the risk factor … not compliance.” In a world where malevolent hackers want your company’s hard-earned data, and have access to literal hacking “kits” to help get them inside of the ground floor of your business, you can never be too safe in regards to the safety of your business.

Another topic that Chip Crane stressed was open communications amongst all departments, stating that “all too often, when in sessions with companies, the only departments present (in security meetings and break downs) would be Security and IT”. Chip Crane believes that there should be security within every department to remove the so-called “walls” that prohibit quicker solutions and actions to be taken. This “new age” thought process not only opens barriers within a company, but also develops a stronger sense of community.

Mark Fox: Cloud Technologies & A.W.S.

“AWS can free you up to pursue innovative, high-value business opportunities by eliminating time spent on undifferentiated maintenance and operations. This in turn can allow you to put more resources on creating, testing, and releasing new products faster to drive more customer value and gain more competitive advantages. And, you can do it while simultaneously improving your security posture and compliance efforts.”

Mark Fox is the Senior Manager for Global Defense Programs for Amazon Web Services (AWS), and is currently responsible for the strategy, sales support, business development and relationships with AWS Global Defense Agencies and Partners. His Keynote presentation gave an in-depth analysis of AWS cloud computation, and why companies flock to AWS – because they “…are looking at the cloud as a way to double down on investments that support the core mission of the company and differentiate it from competitors. As a result, they are looking at new ways to innovate that allow for more experimentation and more customer engagement.”

Not only does AWS provide an affordable cloud service for every business imaginable (no matter the size) that charges these businesses for the data consumed, but they also provide a reliable cyber security system with it. Mark stated in his keynote presentation that customers are responsible for security “in the cloud”, and that AWS is responsible for the security “of the cloud”. What this shared responsibility means is that in order to accomplish the most secure system possible, it is up to the consumer to proctor and monitor who has access to their backend (see Chip Crane’s keynote) system while it is AWS’ responsibility to provide ample amount of resources for growth and security on their end. Again, touching on the benefits of open communications on every business level.

The Future of PBExpo

With our recent success in PBExpo 2018, PartsBase has decided to host PBExpo 2019 on March 13th and the 14th in 2019. While our keynote speaker’s lineup has yet to be set in stone, we are extremely hopeful and excited to see what will come within the next year. Our expectations are understandably high, due to the success of our above mentioned keynote speakers.

We have set the bar high with this show, and we cannot wait to surpass these expectations as well. If you attended PBExpo 2018 and did not expect, or did and thoroughly enjoyed your results, please reach out to a PartsBase representative at (561) 953-0700 and find out more on PBExpo 2019 letters of intent. See you there!