DAMA-Chicago DAMA-Day 40th Anniversary Celebration
SAVE THE DATE.
It’s our 40th anniversary! The DAMA-Chicago chapter was formed in 1986 by data professionals seeking to learn and advance the field of data management. Forty years later, we’re one of the oldest chapters internationally – we formed two years before DAMA-International existed. To recognize this notable achievement of longevity, we’re celebrating with a full-day DAMA-Day at a special venue.
Join us on August 12th, 2026, at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL. Cantigny is on 500 acres of the former estate of Robert R. McCormick, former owner and publisher of the Chicago Tribune and founder of WGN radio and WGN TV. It’s a fitting venue for us when you consider that McCormick was in the business of information acquisition, integration, and publication (read: data management). We have an agenda planned to make this a memorable day in our chapter’s history.
We’ll have three DAMA-International speakers coming in-person to present important topics on managing data in today’s organizations. Park admission and lunch are included. After lunch, we’ll have time to enjoy Cantigny Park. Tour the beautiful gardens guided by a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardner. Tour the McCormick mansion or visit the military museum and tank park. TANKS? Yep, they have nine of them. The museum encompasses multiple eras of the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division and was created in honor of McCormick’s service as a U.S. Army Colonel who commanded a battalion in the Battle of Cantigny, France, the first U.S. major victory of World War I. Following the last presentation, we’ll have a networking happy hour with a complementary beer, wine, or soft drink courtesy of our sponsor – Data AG.
This meeting will be conducted as an in-person only event and will not be locally broadcasted. We have Cantigny’s Education Center booked for our meeting and networking.
AGENDA:
8:30 – 9:00am Check-in and continental breakfast
9:00 – 9:15am Welcome & DAMA-Day opening
9:15 – 10:30am “Data Strategies as a Cornerstone to Using AI in Advanced Analytics”
10:30 – 10:45am Break
10:45 – 12:00pm “Data Privacy in the World of AI”
12:00 – 1:45pm Lunch & Cantigny touring
1:45 – 3:00pm “Generative AI for Data Management Professionals”
3:00 – 3:30pm Happy Hour Sponsor Presentation – Data AG
3:00 – 5:00pm Networking Happy Hour & 40th Anniversary Celebration
DAMA-Chicago’s DAMA Day is free for current members with paid-up Individual, Corporate, and Student memberships. You can participate in DAMA Day as a Trial Member or Partner Chapter Member with a $25 event charge paid when registering – but it’s worth considering joining as an Individual Member for the annual membership fee of $50. With a paid membership, you get this event plus three additional quarterly meetings, special interest group invitations, and access to members-only content on our website.
REGISTRATION OPENING IN EARLY MAY
Data Strategies as a Cornerstone to Using AI in Advanced Analytics ‘
Most organizations face pressure to extract value from their data. They often jump straight into implementing MDM initiatives, moving to the cloud, adopting advanced analytics, and now, integrating AI, without a solid understanding of the problems they need to solve or the priorities involved. However, there is a growing awareness of the importance of managing data more effectively, even though the path to achieving this remains unclear. A Data Strategy is essential for setting priorities and guiding resource allocation effectively. This session explains how to develop Data Strategies using the PAC (Pragmatic, Agile, and Communicable) Data Strategy Method. Create your Data Strategies with the right stakeholders in a very pragmatic and agile way and communicate them effectively using a Canvas.
Presenter: Marilu Lopez
Marilu, CDMP® Master, is the owner and CEO of SEGDA®, a Mexican company focused on helping organizations through Data Management training, coaching on Data Strategies, and the implementation of their Data Management Operating Models. She is co-founder and past president of the DAMA Mexico Chapter; former DAMA Regional Coordinator for Latin America; former Presidents’ Council, chair; former Chapter Services VP, and is currently serving DAMA International® as Corporate Secretary. She worked for 32 years in the financial sector at one of Mexico’s leading banks, dedicating more than 15 years to Data Management practices. Marilu is the author of “Data Strategies for Data Governance”.
Data Privacy in the World of AI
AI is becoming ubiquitous in the world of tech. However, one item that is not discussed is data privacy. It is well known that Nvidia GPUs are having security issues because they were originally built for gaming. Nvidia is busy trying to bolt on security to existing hardware instead of creating new secure devices. This presents a security and privacy issue in cloud AI, not to mention the environmental and cost issues. This presentation will introduce the idea of “local” AI with smaller models. These models can be run locally on NPU processors and exist within the infrastructure of an organization, which helps organizations better commit to privacy and security. Research continues to show that smaller models are producing the same or better results while performing much more efficiently. Due to generative AI and large language models dominating the press and coverage, many are not aware of the effectiveness of small models.
Presenter: Frank Kadwell
Frank Kadwell, PhD, is a data management specialist with over twenty years of experience in the IT industry. Frank is Co-Founder of D3 Information Services, a small boutique consulting firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota. D3 assists companies with many data management challenges, including strategy, architecture, and development. Frank is a member of the DAMA International® board, serving as treasurer.
Generative AI for Data Management Professionals
Artificial Intelligence isn’t replacing data professionals—it’s empowering those who know how to use it. As the saying goes, “Your job won’t be taken by AI, but by someone who uses AI better than you.” The sooner you begin to use various AI capabilities, the more effective will be your data practices. This presentation explores Generative AI (GenAI) through the lens of data management (specifically focusing on monetizing, data leadership, and data governance). Participants will gain a practical understanding of how GenAI amplifies human expertise rather than replacing it. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on integrating GenAI responsibly and effectively into their professional toolkit. Whether you’re a data steward, architect, or governance leader, this session will show you how to leverage GenAI to elevate your practice and stay ahead in the evolving data landscape.
Presenter: Peter Aiken
Peter Aiken, PhD, is an acknowledged Data Management (DM) authority, an Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and the current President of DAMA International®,
For more than 35 years, Peter has learned from working with hundreds of data management practices in 30 countries, including some of the world’s most important. Among his 10 books are the first on CDOs (the case for data leadership), the first describing the monetization of data for profit/good, and the first on modern strategic data thinking. International recognition has resulted in an intensive schedule of events worldwide. Peter also hosts the longest-running DM webinar series (hosted by dataversity.net). From 1999 (before Google, before data was big, and before data science), he founded Data Blueprint, a consulting firm that helped more than 150 organizations leverage data for profit, improvement, competitive advantage, and operational efficiencies. His latest venture is Anything Awesome.
REGISTRATION OPENING IN EARLY MAY