Tech Legacies

End Fear Culture. It sounds simple. It isn’t. In this powerful final episode, Fanny Dunagan sits down with Shaunna Black, author of Leading With Heart , to confront one of the most overlooked drivers of poor performance in organizations: fear-based leadership. From semiconductor manufacturing floors running at 99% yield to Fortune 500 boardrooms layered in hierarchy and armor, Shaunna makes a comp...

Ever shared a great idea… and watched someone else get credit for it? In this Tech Bytes clip, executive coach and former Fortune 500 leader Shaunna Black shares the strategy that changed her career — building allies outside the room. As one of the few women in leadership at Texas Instruments, Shaunna explains: Why competing in the room doesn’t work How to find safe, trusted teammates The Japanese...

Most leaders focus on goals, metrics, and performance. But executive coach and former Fortune 500 leader Shaunna Black says leadership starts somewhere… deeper relationships. In this Tech Legacies conversation, Shaunna explains why “the relationship is the container” and how leaders shape culture moment by moment through behavior, not slogans. You’ll learn: • Why leaders are “climate makers” • How...

Is AI really driving layoffs… or is that just the story we’re being told? In this Tech Bytes clip, executive coach and former Fortune 500 leader Shaunna Black breaks down what she’s really seeing in today’s tech landscape, and why trust inside organizations is eroding. Shaunna shares: Why tech feels more uncertain than ever How companies are using “AI” as a cover story The impact of layoffs on tru...

Is AI really causing layoffs… or is it just the story we’re being told? In this conversation, executive coach and former Fortune 500 leader Shaunna Black shares what she’s seeing inside organizations today and why trust between companies and employees is quietly breaking. We talk about: • Why companies say “AI” when the real issue is economic fear • The dangerous shift away from training and devel...

What if the most powerful leadership tool isn’t AI… but your heart? In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, host Fanny Dunagan sits down with executive coach, speaker and former Fortune 500 leader, Shaunna Black to explore what it really means to lead with heart in today’s high-tech, high-pressure world. From running global operations and semiconductor manufacturing plants to coaching executives...

What does it really take to move from mid-level manager to VP or C-suite in tech? Ashish Barve shares a deliciously memorable framework, called PIE: Performance, Image, Exposure. Learn how this trio has guided his journey from programmer to executive, and why each slice of the “PIE” matters at every level of your career. Ashish breaks down: Why performance alone isn’t enough How to build a reputat...

What shapes a great technology leader? In this episode, Ashish Barve reflects on the childhood curiosity that sparked his engineering journey and how that same problem-solving mindset carried him from hands-on technical work to executive leadership. Ashish breaks down the PIE framework (Performance, Image, Exposure) and explains why performance alone isn’t enough to reach the VP or C-suite level....

Will AI replace jobs… or redefine them? In this Tech Bytes clip from the Tech Leaders Untold podcast, Ashish Barve breaks down what the rise of AI really means for people working in supply chain and manufacturing. Spoiler: it’s not about replacement. It’s about empowerment. Ashish explains why the companies that thrive will be the ones that train their talent to leverage AI, not fear it. He shares...

How do technology leaders justify million-dollar investments in ERP systems, AI, automation, and robotics? In this Tech Bytes segment, Ashish Barve breaks down a clear, practical framework for building strong business cases that can stand up to executive and board scrutiny. Ashish explains that every successful tech business case comes down to three essentials: • A clear business objective • Stron...

Forget the hype… this is what AI really looks like on the ground. In this Tech Bytes clip from the ‪@techlegacies‬ podcast, Ashish Barve shares what it takes to build analytics teams that actually drive business results, not just dashboards. From his early work at P&G’s Target team to today’s supply chain shifts, Ashish breaks down how data-driven decision-making has evolved and what’s coming...

What happens when technology leaders truly understand the business they support? In this episode, we dive deep into the evolving role of IT and supply chain leadership with Ashish Barve, exploring why being “bilingual” in both business and technology is no longer optional—it’s essential. From demand forecasting and analytics to automation, robotics, and AI, this conversation unpacks how modern IT...

In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, Ashish Barve, Tech Executive at a variety of Fortune 500 companies including, McKesson, Ecolab, Honeywell and P&G, shares hard-won insights on the intersection of technology, business value, and leadership. From demand forecasting to AI expectations, Ashish pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to drive digital transformation across global org...

What makes a university education relevant in a world where you can Google anything? In this segment of Tech Legacies podcast, Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, explains the irreplaceable role of universities: not just to teach skills, but to develop independent thinkers who can solve tomorrow’s problems, even ones we haven’t even defined yet. He also shares: Why corporate training and...

What does it mean to teach and learn in an AI-first world? In this thoughtful exchange, Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education, the future of work, and our understanding of what only humans can do. From AI’s historical roots to its sudden leap into mass adoption, he shares why we’re now in the “golden age of AI” and why embra...

What happens when a curious kid in New Delhi never puts his hand down? Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, reflects on how growing up in India shaped his leadership style, his love of experimentation, and his passion for bridging academia with industry. In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, Gaurav shares personal stories of fearless curiosity, supportive teachers, and why he now walks...

What if college is preparing you for something deeper than just technical skills? In our interview series Tech Leaders Untold, Fanny Dunagan sits down with Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at the University of Texas at Dallas. He shares what higher education really teaches and why confidence, independent thinking, and real-world connections matter more now than ever. We dive into: ✅ The “confidence...

What if education worked like your smartphone? In this segment from Tech Leaders Untold, former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes lays out a bold, scalable plan to reimagine American education: an Education Operating System (EOS). Just like Apple’s iOS unlocked a world of innovation, Jim argues that EOS could create universal access to high-quality learning tools, individualized education for...

Think 7-Eleven is just cheap snacks and Slurpees? Think again. In this segment of Tech Legacies podcast, former 7-Eleven and Blockbuster CEO, Jim Keyes shares how 7-Eleven Japan quietly became one of the world’s most advanced retail operations… decades before data-driven retail became trendy. Jim explains how, even in the 1990s, 7-Eleven Japan was using real-time data and logistics to deliver fres...

Everyone thinks Netflix killed Blockbuster. But former CEO Jim Keyes says the real story is very different. In this TECH BYTE clip from Tech Leaders Untold, Jim reveals what really happened behind the scenes: how Blockbuster was actually ahead of its time in streaming, why a potential deal with Enron could have changed entertainment forever, and why Netflix’s $50 million offer wasn’t the sure bet...

Host Fanny Dunagan talks with Jim Keyes, former CEO of 7-Eleven and Blockbuster. Sometimes called the Corporate Yoda, Jim discusses his multi-faceted career and vision for technology and education. Topics include: AI and the future of decision-making Lessons from Blockbuster’s misunderstood collapse Empowering frontline workers with tech (not replacing them) The cultural pressures that keep people...

What’s the secret to uniting an entire region’s tech ecosystem for 30+ years? Meet Tech Titans, North Texas’ leading technology trade association. From its telecom roots in 1994 to today’s thriving community of AI, cybersecurity, and innovation leaders, Tech Titans has become the hub for connection, collaboration, and growth. In this episode, you’ll hear from Paul Bendel, Executive Director of Tec...

What does it really take to thrive in the Tech C-Suite today? Gone are the days when CIOs and CTOs were simply the smartest people in the room. Today’s tech leaders must be conductors—orchestrating vendors, partners, and specialist teams across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and beyond. In this conversation, Trude Van Horn and Kris Fitzgerald share why the modern Tech C-Suite is: 🔹 Orchestrators, not...

Top tech executives join host Fanny Dunagan to reveal their untold stories about innovation, the role of IT, managing teams, and using technology to get ahead in your career. Based in the Dallas-Forth Worth area as the CEO of PathLynks, Dunagan talks to CEOs, CIOs, and CTOs from across the corporate universe, from AT&T to Verizon to Hasbro.

Welcome back to our special series of interviews called Tech Leaders Untold! In this episode: The role of the CIO and CTO has transformed from keeping systems running to shaping the future of entire organizations Host Fanny Dunagan sits down with three seasoned leaders to unpack the evolution of the Tech C-Suite: Gertrude Van Horn – SVP & CIO at Cien.ai, Former CIO at NCH Corporation Kris Fitz...