Large Enterprise Finalists

Shivani Agarwal leads IT Infrastructure, Operations, Cloud, and Digital Workplace Experience at McLane Company, one of the largest supply chain services leaders in the United States. Shivani is leading McLane’s cloud strategy, building next-generation infrastructure, and delivering AI-enabled digital capabilities that create a superior experience for employees. She has led IT transformations at Fortune 500 companies such as Dell, PayPal, and Schwab. She serves on customer advisory boards for global enterprises including BMC Software and Optiv.

Traditionally, IT Infrastructure and Operations is viewed as a cost center and a background activity. Shivani Agarwal redesigned the model as VP & Head of Infrastructure, Digital & Workforce at McLane Company, and led a measured operating model shift — branding IT Infra & Ops as an innovation engine, not a background activity. She built a service catalog and commoditized routine KTLO work and cost-optimized delivery. The approach has already delivered a 15% headcount redeployment to transformation work and a 13% reduction in OpEx, with the model projected to redirect 60% of the organization to transformation and cut OpEx by 50%.

Linda Albornoz serves as Senior EVP and CIO at Frost Bank, leading 560+ technology professionals across engineering, architecture, infrastructure, and digital transformation. Her career spans leadership roles at Charles Schwab and American Express, with a consistent record of modernizing platforms, scaling agile delivery, and elevating customer experience. A Rice University graduate, Linda is known as a collaborative, values-driven leader who builds high-performing teams and believes technology's highest purpose is improving lives and earning customer trust.

Five years ago, Linda Albornoz set out to transform how technology enables growth at Frost Bank. As CIO of one of Texas's most well-known financial institutions, she built the people, the platform, and the engineering practices to make that real. Agile teams tripled. Cloud adoption scaled. Modern engineering disciplines took root. The result is an organization that moves with speed and intention, delivering first-in-Texas digital experiences, launching new products like a mortgage platform generating $760M in loans, and developing the next generation of technology leaders along the way.

Hari Jayaram is Chief Information Officer of Applied Materials, where he leads the strategy and execution for enterprise technology platforms, infrastructure, and operations, enabling AI, cloud, data, applications, and cybersecurity across a global IT and digital organization. He is known for driving innovation through scalable digital platforms and operational discipline, and is actively engaged in community service supporting the Central Texas Food Bank.

As CIO of Applied Materials, I lead strategy and execution of enterprise technology platforms, infrastructure, and operations, enabling AI adoption, digital capabilities, and operational performance across a global IT and digital organization. Under my leadership, we have modernized our digital backbone by scaling AI capabilities, advancing cloud and data platforms, and strengthening cybersecurity and resilience. These efforts have improved productivity, accelerated engineering and R&D cycles, strengthened global operations, and enhanced cost efficiency, while enabling co-innovation models such as the EPIC platform, which provides a secure collaboration environment that accelerates innovation and time to market of new technologies.

Kerrica Laake has built her career in City government and technology, partnering with leaders, staff, and vendors to deliver innovative, customer‑focused solutions for the Austin community. As Chief Information Officer, she leads digital transformation to modernize the City’s technology portfolio and improve the digital experience for employees, residents, and operations, while overseeing essential IT services. A University of Texas alumna, she also advises SIM Austin and serves on the ACC Continuing Education IT Advisory Board.

We have launched and institutionalized the City of Austin’s annual technology conference, creating a citywide platform for high‑value technical education, collaboration, and networking. We've implemented the Citywide Technology Selection Process, strengthening enterprise architecture, improving solution vetting, and reducing technology sprawl and risk. We're executing a citywide application rationalization effort to eliminate redundancies, reduce unnecessary tools, and ensure every system delivers business value, improving governance, cost visibility, and long‑term sustainability. Under my leadership we retired paper timesheets at the City of Austin and launched the City’s first Human Capital Management System, modernizing workforce processes for all employees.

Glenn Remoreras is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Breakthru Beverage Group, a $9 billion beverage distribution enterprise. A nearly three-decade technology executive, Glenn previously served as CIO at Mark Anthony Group and held senior IT leadership roles at Constellation Brands and CEMEX across four continents. He is a BRM Institute Founding Member and Board Director Emeritus, Forbes and CIO.com contributor, and recognized thought leader on trust-centered leadership in the age of AI.

Within my first year as CIO, I earned the confidence of the Board and executive leadership team to lead Breakthru’s enterprise transformation agenda, including SAP S/4HANA, Data & AI, cybersecurity, cloud modernization, and digital platforms. I secured strategic co-investment to accelerate cloud migration, established an AI Center of Excellence, and advanced the organization toward a product-centric operating model. Beyond technology, I was selected to lead the company’s Global Business Services transformation, targeting substantial operational efficiencies. By prioritizing trust and business partnership before driving change, I delivered early results while positioning technology as a strategic enabler of growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage.