IT in the D

Hosted by Bob Waltenspiel & Randy Walker

Technology Business Entrepreneurship NewsInterviews guestsExplicit

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Episodes

596

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

IT in the D is your insider look at the tech scene in Detroit. Started in 2007 as a meetup group in Metro Detroit for IT professionals, the IT in the D podcast was born in 2013 as an extension of those conversations. Host Bob Waltenspiel and co-host and producer Randy Walker are IT industry veterans, but IT in the D is intentionally more conversational and less instructional. Each weekly show has guests ranging from CIOs and local rock stars, to subject matter experts, local event organizers, and everyone in between. We hope you enjoy listening to us as much as we enjoy recording the show.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 15, 2026Episode 56557 min

Maria Haight of Joyson Safety Systems on Surviving the Vendor Barrage – IT in the D 565

In this episode, we sit down with Maria Haight , Global Information Security Officer at Joyson Safety Systems , to talk about security, governance, and AI. Maria shares her path in tech, and discusses the difficult shift from hands-on technologist to strategic leader. She also covers her community work with CIOs Against Cancer , the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT) gala , and SIM Detroit . On security, she explains why recovery and resilience matter as much as defense and why AI-enabled phishing, fake IT and HR calls, and spoofed messages from the boss are getting harder to spot. We dig into AI governance, including whether AI agents should get their own identities, the cost reality of AI in 2026, and the data privacy and IP limits customers put in their contracts. We also take on vendor sprawl and bad sales demos, tech debt and shadow IT in manufacturing, and the looming threat of post-quantum encryption. Help Maria and the Michigan Council of Women in Technology fundraise for Michigan women and girls in tech .

September 17, 2026Episode 56438 min

Alec Bantel on His App for Coordinating Family Activities – IT in the D 564

This week, Alec Bantel joined us to discuss his new app, ACTIQO that helps families organize their kids’ activities. We talk about what it takes to go from idea to launch, including user testing, hiring, and figuring out what people actually want versus what they say they want. The conversation also covers the realities of raising funding while staying rooted in Detroit, and why building locally matters more than chasing Silicon Valley.

September 10, 2026Episode 56339 min

J Chris Newberg’s Upcoming Comedy Show – IT in the D 563

Comedian J Chris Newberg has a show on September 18 at Royal Oak Music Theater . We talk for a bit about his comedy style, what’s on his bucket list, and other projects he’s worked on. He tells us what draws him back to Detroit and compares the local comedy scene to other cities. He’s giving away two tickets to the show! Listen to find out how you can claim one.

September 3, 2026Episode 5621 hr 15 min

Matt Busch, Visual Storyteller – IT in the D 562

Bob was super-excited for this guest! This week, we were joined by Matt Busch, artist, illustrator, filmmaker, YouTuber, professor, and entrepreneur. He’s worked on projects for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things, and so many more. Check out his website to find out all about him: MattBusch.com . Matt tells us about his work as an illustrator, how he got started, his movie Aladdin 3277 , his work as a professor, and lots more.

August 27, 2026Episode 5611 hr 8 min

Jackie Lutz of Auto Care Association on Right to Repair – IT in the D 561

Jackie Lutz is back ! She’s the Content Director at the Auto Care Association . We follow up on how the Right to Repair fight is going. She also tells us how things are going on the Auto Care ON AIR podcast , where she hosts Carpool Conversations. This is a longer episode, but we had a lot of fun, even though we wandered off topic a few times.

August 13, 2026Episode 5601 hr 14 min

Eddie Eadeh of E&E Tech on Small Business IT – IT in the D 560

Eddie Eadeh , CEO of E&E Tech is back, and we chat about cybersecurity practices, the future of enterprise IT, and Michigan’s economy. We discussed phishing simulations, identity management, and AI-related security incidents, along with predictions like 5G-connected devices, zero trust network access, and passkeys replacing passwords. We wrapped up by comparing Detroit’s economic diversification to cities like Austin and Chicago and Michigan’s reliance on the auto industry.

August 6, 202651 min

Travis Bradburn on Reentering the Job Market after 40 Years – IT in the D 559

After 40 years, Travis Bradburn is back on the job market. We hear about what he’s done, what he’s looking for, and what challenges he’s encountered. This one gets to the heart of what our IT in the D networking events are about.

July 23, 2026Episode 55856 min

Jason David of Gym Force on Startup Funding and Growth – IT in the D 558

Bob and Randy caught up with returning guest Jason David of Gym Force , a platform that helps independent gyms with member acquisition, retention, and upselling — solving problems Jason ran into as a former CrossFit gym owner. The conversation covered how AI has accelerated his build, the realities of startup funding versus traditional business valuations, and lessons learned from years of testing and tough feedback. They also touched on the differences between Detroit’s startup scene and the IT community, plus the role community plays in gyms, martial arts, and entrepreneurship alike.

July 9, 2026Episode 55739 min

Josh McDonald and Robotic Mowers – IT in the D 557

Bob and Randy took a break from AI conversations. This week the guest is Josh McDonald , Regional Sales and Business Development Manager of RC Mowers . He talks all about remote-operated and autonomous robotic mowers. These mowers are used for safety and efficiency. Have you ever seen a remote-operated mower trim along the highway? Check out the size of this brush mower!

July 2, 2026Episode 5561 hr 3 min

Zander Van Gogh on Travel, AI, and Reinvention – IT in the D 556

Zander Van Gogh , founder and CEO of No Translation , joins Bob and Randy to discuss his leap from a seven-year career at LinkedIn into entrepreneurship, sparked by a year spent traveling to 50 countries in a year. The conversation covers how Xander used AI tools to plan travel, learn languages, and build a global network, as well as his current work helping mid-market companies actually adopt AI rather than just buy licenses. They also dig into networking philosophy, prompt-writing tips, balancing authenticity with automation in content creation, and broader questions about which tech innovations are genuinely useful versus tech for its own sake.