Executive Dinner
Mainframe Modernization: From Legacy Core to Competitive Advantage
The mainframe powers the world’s most critical business operations, and organizations that modernize itstrategically are gaining a competitive edge. Yet many executives face a familiar paradox: the imperative tomodernize is urgent, but so are the risks of disrupting the systems that underpin the business. Cost optimization,regulatory compliance, talent availability, and the need for greater agility are all at stake.
A peer-to-peer dinner roundtable
The most forward-looking organizations are navigating this challenge by modernizing infrastructure, DevOps,data, and security in a coordinated, risk-managed way. They are consolidating their technology stack, unlockingdeveloper productivity, and repositioning the mainframe as a strategic, AI-ready asset that drives. businessgrowth. According to IDC, 47% identifies AI infrastructure as a top 3 priority when it comes to boosting AI’simpact on the business.
Rocket Software and IDC will bring together a select group of senior executives in Chicago for an exclusiveroundtable to address these challenges head-on. Drawing on IDC’s latest research and the IDC ModernizationIndex, participants will benchmark their organization’s modernization maturity, exchange insights with peersfacing similar decisions, and leave with a clear, actionable path forward.
What To Expect
An executive dinner led by a skilled moderator
An intimate gathering of senior IT leaders from diverse industries, grappling with similar issues
A secure, private conversation open only to a carefully vetted group
Agenda
IDC & Rocket Dinner June 24, 2026
One Day Event
Networking Reception
A private reception bringing together senior executives and industry analysts to connect, exchange perspectives, and set context for the evening’s discussion.
Dinner & Discussion
A moderated, off‑the‑record discussion over dinner focused on real‑world execution challenges, emerging industry priorities, and their implications for enterprise leaders.
Event Concludes
The evening concludes with brief closing remarks and informal follow‑up conversations, reinforcing key takeaways and ongoing peer engagement.
Speakers
Mary Johnston Turner
Research Vice President, Global Lead, Digital and Datacenter Infrastructure and Services
IDC
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Mary Johnston Turner
Mary Johnston Turner is Research VP within IDC’s enterprise infrastructure global research domain. She is the global subdomain lead for Digital and Datacenter Infrastructure and Services. She and her team oversee IDC’s research on datacenter facilities, service provider and owner operators as well as tracking enterprise tech buyer sentiment and strategies related to using digital infrastructure to drive business outcomes. Mary collaborates closely with semiconductor, cloud services, and enterprise infrastructure and services teams produce a comprehensive view of the dynamics, competitive positions and market opportunities created by various IT and non-IT technologies influencing datacenter infrastructure and services.
Ms. Turner is a long-time industry veteran who has worked at a range of analyst and vendor firms. During her career she has covered the evolution of infrastructure, infrastructure software, and infrastructure operations vendors and enterprise priorities. Most recently, she helped lead infrastructure research supporting IDC’s AI Council research series, studied the impact of agentic AI on the transformation of infrastructure operating models, and analyzed enterprise digital infrastructure maturity and tech debt modernization priorities including mainframe infrastructure strategies.
Tim Willging
Chief Technology Officer, Mainframe & Rocket Fellow
Rocket Software
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Tim Willging
Tim Willging joined Rocket Software in 2005, bringing over 30 years of experience in developing enterprise software solutions for z/OS. He holds the titles of Chief Technology Officer – Mainframe and Rocket Fellow. Tim oversees the technical development of Rocket’s mainframe portfolio and leads a high-performing distinguished engineers and architects focused on simplifying and modernizing Rocket’s infrastructure software. Throughout his career, Tim has architected and authored several mainframe products, with a focus on backup and recovery, administration, performance monitoring, and change management. He has delivered keynotes at numerous conferences and spoken on various technical and strategic topics related to IBM mainframe and z/OS. Recently, his work has concentrated on AIOps, Predictive and Generative AI, Observability, and Data Modernization solutions for z/OS. Currently based in the suburbs of Chicago, Tim is an alumnus of Northern Illinois University, where he specialized in theoretical computing.
Venue
TBC
TBC
Partner
Sponsored By
Rocket Software
Rocket Software is a global technology leader in modernization and a partner of choice that empowers the world’s leading businesses on their modernization journeys, spanning core systems to the cloud. Trusted by over 12,500 customers and 750 partners, and with more than 3,200 global employees, Rocket Software enables customers to maximize their data, applications, and infrastructure to deliver critical services that power our modern world. Rocket Software is a privately held U.S. corporation headquartered in the Boston area with centers of excellence strategically located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Rocket Software is a portfolio company of Bain Capital Private Equity.