AI Symposium 2026
June 10th, 2026 – Texas A&M University
An invitation-only forum where a select group of executives gather to confront the most consequential technology decision of the decade together.
Beyond the Buzzwords: About the Symposium
Most AI conversations happening today are either too abstract or too tactical. This one is neither. The Applied AI Symposium brings together a curated group of C-suite executives and senior leaders from across industries for a single, focused afternoon: what does it actually take to move AI from promising experiment to enterprise capability, and what separates the organizations that get there from those that don’t?
Hosted by the Applied AI Consortium and Texas A&M University, and supported by NAW, this is a closed-room conversation. No vendor pitches. No keynotes designed for an audience of thousands. Just rigorous, peer-level dialogue among leaders who are navigating the same inflection point from different vantage points, and who have a lot to learn from each other because of it.
Partners:
How Your Organization Benefits
The most valuable thing you will take home is not a slide deck. It is a sharper strategic perspective, shaped by the people in the room.
Cross-industry intelligence
Actionable frameworks
Peer-level candor
A network worth having
Industry Voices & AI Pioneers
Malini Natarajarathinam
Leonard and Valerie Bruce Leadership Chair & Professor
Texas A&M University
Nick Pericle
Founder
Tenexity AI
Konrad Konarski
Trustee
AI Applied Consortium
Martin Gonzalez
Trustee – Director of Innovation BP
AI Applied Consortium
Fazleena Badurdeen
Director of Graduate Studies – Manufacturing Systems Engineering
University of Kentucky
Elias Brown
Data Manager
Vallourec North America
Bart Tessel
Chief Information Officer
NAW
Maxx Silvan
General Manager
NAW
Adam Berg
Manager of Learning Solutions
Technip FMC
Satyam Priyadarshy
Former Chief Data Scientist
Halliburton Company
Greg Kiihne
Director of Process Safety
BASF
Patrick Garcia
Chief Digital, AI & Innovation Officer
SRS Distribution
Ron Dowdell
Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired)
United States Navy
Amit Shah
Founder
InstaLILY
David Wascom
Industry Executive Advisor
SAP
Holten Stringer
Associate Vice President and AI Policy Advisor
Van Scoyoc Associates
Tony Sauerhoff
Executive Director and State of Texas Chief Information Officer
Texas Department of Information Resources
Teesee Murray
Trustee
AI Applied Consortium
Sam Hamilton
Trustee – Retired SVP Visa
AI Applied Consortium
Program Overview
Dr. Malini Natarajarathinam | Leonard & Valerie Bruce Leadership Chair & Professor | Texas A&M University
Konrad Konarski | Trustee & Chairperson | Applied AI Consortium
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a foundational capability for modern organizations. This keynote will explore how leading companies are integrating AI into the core architecture of their businesses and what that shift means for organizations navigating the next decade of technological change.
Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy | Trustee | AI Applied Consortium | Retired Chief Data Scientist, Halliburton
Bart Tessel | Chief Innovation Officer | NAW
Public policy discussions around AI often focus on long-term vision. For industry leaders, the immediate challenge is translating those priorities into practical readiness across organizations, talent pipelines, and regional economies. This conversation brings together policy leaders, industry practitioners, and academic voices to examine how regions and organizations can position themselves to lead in an AI-driven economy.
Maxx Silvan | Manager of Government Relations | NAW
Tony Sauerhoff | Executive Director & State of Texas Chief Information Officer | Texas Department of Information Resources
Holten Stringer | Associate Vice President and AI Policy Advisor | Van Scoyoc Associates
Much of the early conversation around generative AI has focused on productivity tools. The deeper transformation lies in how organizations redesign workflows, decision-making structures, and leadership roles as AI capabilities expand.
Nick Pericle | Founder & CEO | Tenexity.ai
Patrick Garcia | Chief Digital, AI & Innovation Officer | SRS Distribution
Amit Shah | CEO | Instalily.ai
Ron Dowdell | Managing Director | Pilko
Adam Berg | Manager of Learning Solutions | TechnipFMC
This cross-industry roundtable will explore what it takes to scale AI beyond pilots and embed it into an organization’s operating fabric.
Room A — Captain: Bart Tessel | Chief Innovation Officer, NAW
Room B — Captain: Dr. Malini Natarajarathinam | Professor, Texas A&M University
Room C — Captain: Konrad Konarski | Trustee & Chairperson, Applied AI Consortium
Room D — Captain: Nick Pericle | Founder & CEO, Tenexity.ai
Room assignment indicated on your name tent card.
A moderated conversation among speakers and participants, reflecting on the day’s insights and examining the leadership decisions organizations must begin addressing now as AI capabilities accelerate.
Konrad Konarski | Trustee & Chairperson | Applied AI Consortium
David Wascom | SAP Industry Executive Advisor, Wholesale Distribution | SAP America
Sam Hamilton | Trustee | Applied AI Consortium | Retired Senior Vice President, Visa
Elias Brown | North American Data Manager | Vallourec
Teesee Murray | Chief Strategy Officer & President | Turtle
Bart Tessel | Chief Innovation Officer | NAW
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum | 1000 George Bush Drive West, College Station, TX 77845
The museum will be open for exploration during cocktail reception. Bus returns to Rudder at conclusion of event.
Confirmed Participating Companies
