Nick Lippis is an authority on corporate computer networking. He has designed some for the largest computer networks in the world. He has advised many Global 2000 firms on network strategy, architecture, equipment, services and implementation including Hughes Aerospace, Barclays Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Eastman Kodak Company, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Liberty Mutual, Schering-Plough, Sprint, WorldCom, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks and a wide range of other equipment suppliers and service providers.

Mr. Lippis is uniquely positioned to comment, analyze and observe computer networking industry trends and developments.

Tom Gillis is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Infrastructure & Security, at Cisco. A respected industry leader with strong executive management skills and in-depth knowledge of the challenges surrounding secure integrated networking, Tom is responsible for leading the company’s efforts to build secure infrastructure and extend it to the campus and branch. These efforts enable customers to reduce risks, streamline management, and adapt more effectively to modern threats. He previously led Cisco’s Security Business Group (SBG).

Prior to Cisco, Tom was the SVP/GM of the Network and Advanced Security Business Group at VMware, where he led the endpoint, networking, load balancing and network security businesses. He was also the CEO/co-founder of Bracket Computing which was acquired by VMware.

Before Bracket Computing, Tom was the GM of the Security Technology Group at Cisco where he led the company’s businesses for security management, appliances, applications, and endpoint services. Tom was also part of the founding team at IronPort Systems and served as senior vice president of marketing when the company was acquired by Cisco. Under his guidance, IronPort grew an average of 100 percent year-on-year for seven years. During his tenure, IronPort rose to become the leading provider of antispam, antivirus, and antimalware appliances for organizations ranging from small businesses to Global 2000.

Tom has also worked at iBEAM Broadcasting, Silicon Graphics, and Boston Consulting Group in various technical and leadership roles. He is also a noted advisor to startups and venture capital companies and is a member of several boards of directors.

Tom holds an M.B.A. degree from Harvard University, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with an M.S.E.E. degree from Northwestern University and a B.S.E.E. from Tufts University.

Kevin is the senior vice president of Networking at NVIDIA, joining from Mellanox Technologies where he was senior vice president of Marketing. He has been a founder or senior executive at five startups that have achieved positive outcomes. Combining both technical and business expertise, Deierling has variously served as the chief officer of technology, architecture, and marketing at these companies, where he led the development of strategy and products across a broad range of disciplines including networking, security, cloud, big data, virtualization, storage, smart energy, and DNA sequencing. Deierling has contributed to multiple technology standards and has over 25 patents in areas including wireless communications, error correction, security, video compression, and DNA sequencing. He is a contributing author of a text on BiCmos design. Kevin holds a BA in Solid State Physics from UC Berkeley.

As Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Services, Mike Taylor oversees WWT’s Global Engineering and IT organization and Services segment to position WWT as a single-source provider to accelerate digital transformation. Mike aligns WWT’s unparalleled technical capabilities with its collective business acumen to both advise and execute customers as they seek to become more agile and innovative.

As business and technology become more complex, it is crucial organizations use technology investments to drive strategic initiatives. Mike is responsible for connecting business strategy into the IT organization, and simplifying the sales and services process to create a more seamless experience for both customers and partners.

A member of WWT’s executive leadership team, Mike joined WWT in 2000 and remains committed to fostering a culture of innovation across engineering and technology, and maintaining WWT’s status as an unparalleled partner for customers to evaluate, architect, integrate and operate complex technology solutions.

Mike serves on the board of directors for Nurses for Newborns, a non-profit organization that sends nurses to the homes of pregnant women or parents with infants who face medical, social or environmental risks in order to prevent infant mortality, child abuse and neglect. Mike and his wife have four children and live in St. Louis, Missouri.