As one of America's most respected industry analysts, Cheryl Currid brings rare insight about how people, business and technology can work together.
An IT executive, award winning journalist and analyst to emerging technology companies, Cheryl brings many years of hands-on experience and secrets of tomorrow's inventions. She understands 'Why, When & How' to best use information technology.
Cheryl Currid's understanding of technology trends make her a highly successful forecaster. She shares her enthusiasm on how people can make technology work for them. She challenges people to get smart, do things differently, and can explain technology to people at all levels - from novice to nerd.
An international lecturer, Cheryl's speeches range from topics of organizational efficiency, computer forensics, social networking, and using emerging technologies to get a competitive advantage in business. Cheryl Currid is often among the first to predict the use of emerging technologies while testing products before market distribution.
Cheryl's 14 books and over 1,200 articles, journal papers, and opinion columns span both technical and business topics. Her work has been translated into more than 10 languages. She was named as one of the most influential industry personalities by Marketing Computers and won a Computer Press Association award for her expert 'Opinion.'
Cheryl Currid regularly contributes analysis and opinion to internet, TV, radio, and print media. Her Cyber Bytes segment on ABC has featured great technology solutions and products for business, SOHO, and consumers for more than seven years. Her segments also appear on ten video sites such as YouTube, MetaCafe, and Vimeo. Also, she's lends her views on computer industry trends to business media such as The New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, ABC, CNN, CNBC, and PBS. She is currently working on two books that focus on managing in the information age and disruptive technology.
Cheryl's research organization, Currid & Company, evaluates new technology concepts and products. Her firm frequently develops the educational content for industry conferences, seminars, symposiums and events.
She started using wireless email in 1993 and worked with early Internet search engines the following year. Cheryl Currid was also dubbed a "Digital Mom" for showing parents how to outsmart even tech-savvy teenagers. Today she prepares parents on how to counteract internet predators.
Prior to founding Currid & Company, Cheryl was in charge of applying information technology at a division of The Coca-Cola Company. There, she pioneered an enterprise-wide network that connected the company's people by connecting their computers.
That innovative infrastructure helped open the world of information to corporate computer users and Cheryl Currid was nationally recognized for her successes. Her operating model of the Internet and networked computers has become commonplace in business today.
Cheryl Currid lives in Houston, Texas in a talking automated home that controls lighting, thermostats, drapes and pool cleaner. It is networked with more than 30 computers and 20 cameras which can be accessed over the Internet. Solar panels provide more than 50% of energy used.
“It’s a fast business world, information is critical. People must know their business, get down to the facts, and be right. There’s no second chance and no excuses for not knowing or for being wrong.”
"The goal of technology today is to make people smarter. Sure, automation helps make business processes move faster — but the true benefits of technology come when people can absorb the knowledge, blend it with wisdom, and take action. And, every employee and associate is a knowledge worker that has to act smart. Unless it gets inside your head, information is wasted or ignored."
"Making technology work is the easy part — getting people to change the challenge. No matter how well planned or bug free, computer systems will fail if people don’t accept the challenge of change."
"Have you heard of "smart dust?" Do you use e-mail to confirm appointments? Can you keep yourself and computer busy so you get twice as much work done? Cheryl shares plenty of ways for changing habits to take advantage of technology and save time and energy on the process."