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John Trainor / Aaron’s, Inc.   

John Trainor is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Aaron’s, Inc., an Atlanta-based specialty retailer that leases furniture, electronics, and appliances. Since 1999, he has helped Aaron’s grow from 450 to over 2100 stores with almost $3B in revenue. Prior to joining Aaron’s, he worked in technology roles at the Southern Company and the United States Senate. He has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

John serves as the founding Chairman of the Mobility Society Board and on the Board of Directors for the Technology Associate of Georgia and is the Membership Chairman for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association. He volunteers and raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Georgia.

John lives in Roswell, GA with his wife, Heather, and 3 sons, Jack, William, and Phillip. When not working, he shuttles his sons back and forth from football and wrestling practice and tries to squeeze in some swimming, biking, and running (and, sometimes all at the same time).

Jay Ferro / American Cancer Society

Jay is currently Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the American Cancer Society has more than 900 local offices nationwide and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Jay is responsible for the people, strategy and operations of the Global Information Technology organization.

Prior to joining ACS in 2012, Jay served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a rapidly growing and recognized innovator in health care facility management. Jay spent the previous 7 years at AIG (American International Group), most recently as VP and CIO for AIG Aerospace, a leading global aerospace insurer. At AIG, Jay implemented numerous improvements that have delivered substantial value to the organization while managing significant organizational change in a turbulent market environment. In addition to his role as AVP of Information Technology with AIG Personal Lines, Jay was selected as CFO for Operations and Systems in 2006 and led multiple global IT Finance and Governance Standards initiatives that resulted in millions of dollars in savings for the organization.

Jay continues to be a thought leader in the Information Technology arena and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist, both in Atlanta and Nationwide. In recognition of his accomplishments, Jay was selected as Georgia CIO of the Year in 2011, and is currently serving as Chair for the Georgia CIO Leadership Association.

His commitment and dedication to community involvement is evidenced by the time and energy he contributes. In 2007, he founded the non-profit group, Priscilla’s Promise, in honor of his late wife, which raises funds for cervical cancer education and research, and currently serves as its Executive Director. In 2011 he was elected to the Board of Directors for TechBridge, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization which helps other nonprofits use technology to improve their capability to serve the community, and in 2013 was named Board Chair.

Jay earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Masters of Business Administration from The University of Georgia. Jay continues to be involved with his alma mater, both as a mentor for young alumni and as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for the Terry College of Business.

Jay lives in the Metro Atlanta Area with his 3 sons: Trey, Connor and Alex.