Information Technology (IT) Network
Virtual Roundtable

Members: Free | Non-Members: $45

The first-ever TRSA Information Technology Virtual Roundtable, the inaugural event for TRSA’s New IT Network, takes place at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 9. This free-to-TRSA-member event will foster discussion among participants on IT issues including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).

Through use of Zoom’s gallery view capability, TRSA virtual roundtables simulate the networking of a small TRSA face-to-face meeting, with participants sitting at a round or hollow square table, seeing everybody in the room. Attendees present the subject matter, answering moderators’ questions, unlike webinars, in which the reverse is true. The variety of perspectives presented provides attendees with networking value and guides TRSA in developing programs to meet their emerging needs.

The roundtable attendee roster will establish the TRSA IT Network, an outgrowth of the TRSA IT Committee, formed in 2023. Network members will be:

• Informed about future roundtables
• Given suggestions for relevant reading/viewing in TRSA and business media
• Advised of in-person TRSA events featuring IT presentations

Cybersecurity and risk management have been high IT Committee priorities. A committee task force surveyed TRSA members last summer to guide TRSA projects in these fields, concluding members would benefit from:

• Templates for IT disaster planning, cyber incident response, vendor risk assessment
• Guidance to prepare for cyberattacks; related impacts, statistics, insurance
• Discussion of backup protocols

About TRSA’s Virtual Roundtables

TRSA virtual roundtables are collaborative sessions. Through Zoom they simulate the networking of a small TRSA face-to-face meeting, sitting at a round or hollow square table, seeing everybody in the room. Attendees share experience as TRSA provides advocacy, certification, research, and linen, uniform and facility services industry data to foster idea exchange. Conversation also guides TRSA in developing programs to meet members’ emerging needs.

These discussions are especially valuable to owner/operators, CEOs, presidents, VPs and staff directors as well as general managers.

Issues to be discussed are selected for their likelihood of affecting your operation’s near- and long-term future—such as examining how today’s techniques are evolving into tomorrow’s systems and solutions.

Flexible agendas strike the needed balance between enabling all participants enough time to fully explore a topic and moving on to other subjects when the group has provided a suitable variety of perspectives on it. This ensures the most crucial and tangible issues of the current economic and social climate are properly vetted. Industry operators’ common pain points are covered. You compare and contrast your practices to those of others in the roundtable so your team can later evaluate alternative approaches. Plus you take advantage of this strong TRSA networking activity to develop/maintain contacts with industry colleagues for future private collaboration.

Roundtables differ from presentations and seminar because there is no single instructor. You benefit from hearing from a variety of peers, not just one individual. Members and other subject matter experts facilitate roundtables, asking simple questions of participants related to the agenda topics that everyone on the Zoom can answer, keeping conversations going. This allows attendees to complete their thoughts and ask questions of each other to maximize the value of participation.

When you register, you receive a Zoom link for your calendar and agenda updates. Roundtables are not recorded.

Comments from 2022 roundtable participants:

• “We get needed information without having to take very much time away from our day.”
• “It was my first time so I did not know a lot of other members other than those from my company but I was able to meet new members.”
• “I enjoy the opportunity to talk openly and receive feedback and valuable input.”
• “Informative with the ability to ask written questions or speak.”
• “I was reminded of resources that already exist when I am working to assist customers.”
• “We get needed information without having to take very much time away from our day.”
• “This was helpful to keep on top of the critical issues facing our Industry.”
• “Everyone gets a chance to discuss agenda and off-agenda items and get a good feel for what folks are thinking.”
• “Keep giving us updates on the governmental actions!”

TRSA Virtual Meeting Code of Conduct

TRSA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and TRSA staff. Please review and abide by this Virtual Meetings Code of Conduct.