George Firican

💬 Founder of LightsOnData.com and LightsOnData YouTube Channel
Focused on providing informative content such as ONLINE COURSES, templates, guides, best practices, articles, white papers, and other useful resources to help you with your data governance and data management questions and challenges

💬 Creator of online courses that are engaging, new, and thorough. 
Courses: Building an Award-Winning Business Glossary, Data Governance Maturity Models, Data Governance Fundamentals, etc. - check them out here: https://www.lightsondata.com/courses/

💬 Providing LinkedIn content strategy for data-focused companies and products, as well as those with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), business intelligence (BI, data science, data management, and data governance areas.
Connect with me today and ask how I can help you reach the data audience.

💬 Host of Lights on Data Show - a podcast and LinkedIn Live weekly show that provides insights into the data world and showcases people that help to shape it.

💬 Get some fun data merchandise here: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/lightsondata/all

💬 International key note speaker, conference speaker, and panelist (spoken at over 60 different conferences).

💬 I love being on camera, hiking, surfing, filming, and video editing
YouTube: @LightsOnData


🏛 My experience and specialties: 
• Expertise in data governance, information quality, business intelligence & data management
• Extensive background in web and application development with experience of the full life-cycle of a project
• Strong leadership capabilities, organizational and communication skills

Specialties: 
• Enterprise information management: Information quality, data governance and stewardship, master data management, business intelligence, business process improvement
• Development: Web and application development, relational database design and development
• Planning: Budget and resource planning, agile and waterfall project management, team development and leadership
• Tools and Applications: Collibra, Tableau, MS Visio, MS Project, Premiere, Photoshop

Director, Data Governance & Business Intelligence

George Firican 💡

Pst…there’s a raffle coming up for a chance to snag a cool grand prize!

Join me at Data & Analytics After Hours on Monday, March 9th, 5:00–6:30 PM in the Exhibitor Showcase at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit! 

I’ll be there with the wonderful:

💡Kate Strachnyi 
💡SCOTT TAYLOR  
💡Ravit Jain 
💡Aditi Jain  
💡Andreas Welsch 

Let me know if you can join.

Still need to register? Use code DATA2 to save $450 off registration: https://lnkd.in/gZh6rfQC

#GartnerDA #DataCommunity #DataSummit

💡 Award Winning Data Governance Leader | Content Creator & Influencer | Founder of LightsOnData | Podcast Host: Lights On Data Show | LinkedIn Top Voice

How do you scale AI without increasing risk at the same time?
Well…

Many organizations are still trying to figure this out.

Moving AI into production isn’t just a technology challenge.
It’s an AI and data governance challenge.
A risk challenge.

And often a coordination challenge between data, data science, and risk teams.

If this question is on your mind, this session at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit should be an interesting one to attend.

Join Ali Can Toprak (Enterprise Data Governance Manager at ExxonMobil) and Felix Van de Maele (CEO & Co-Founder of Collibra) as they discuss how data management is evolving into a unified AI governance discipline.

What you’ll learn:
✅ How to bridge the gap between data, data science, and risk teams
✅ The secret to building a shared semantic context to scale AI
✅ How ExxonMobil strengthens accountability across the enterprise

⏱️ 1:15-1:45 PM 
📍 Sun 4, Level 2

See you there!

#data #AI #datagovernance #partnerpost

Collibra Gartner 2026 George Firican Felix Van de Maele

There was a large exodus from ChatGPT lately.
So which is your go-to LLM?

Graphic Source: Amit Rawal  

#llm #AI

No alternative text description for this image

Italy is known for many things: culture, incredible food, beautiful landscapes.
But during my visit, I also discovered something else:

Innovation.

At the Italian Pavilion I met Donato De Ieso (Co-Founder and CEO of dillium), who showed me what they are building with spatial computing and the Apple Vision Pro.

One example that stood out: creating interactive 3D models from simple photos.
Imagine being able to:

✅ Take a photo of a product and instantly turn it into a 3D model
✅ Zoom in, rotate it, or even explore inside it
✅ Break it apart piece by piece to understand how it works

This has huge implications for training, maintenance, design, and product visualization. Instead of transporting large equipment or complex machinery, you can interact with it digitally in a shared spatial environment.

It felt a bit like stepping into a "Tony Stark style" interface.

What I find fascinating is how technologies like spatial computing move us from just looking at data and models on a screen to actually interacting with them.

And that opens the door to entirely new ways of learning, collaborating, and making decisions.

Sometimes innovation shows up in the places you least expect it. Even between a cafe latte and a plate of pasta in Italy.

What industries do you think will benefit the most from spatial computing?

#innovation #VR #technology

Would you like one of these modular phones/ gadgets?

Why do you think these aren’t taking off?

Note: video not mine

#technology #tech #gadget

One of the most valuable things you get from the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit is perspective.

Not just from the sessions.
From the people.

At this summit there are hundreds of conversations happening between data leaders, architects, analysts, and governance professionals.

Some will be about AI.
Some about data platforms.
Some about governance and trust.

But many of the most interesting insights is also happening in the hallways, between sessions, and during those spontaneous meetups with people who care about the same challenges you do.

These are the conversations that spark ideas.
The ones that turn into collaborations months later.
The ones that remind you how strong and passionate this data community really is.

Looking forward to reconnecting with friends and meeting new people over the next few days.

If you are here as well, come say hello.

What is one topic you are most excited to discuss or learn about this week?

#Data #AI #GartnerDA

At the Zoho Analytics booth, we had a really interesting discussion about where analytics is heading across industries and…

…what it takes to turn data into decisions that actually shape how organizations operate.

And of course, there was a live demo.
It’s always fascinating to see how it approaches the journey from data → agentic insight → decision.

I also had the chance to sit down with Sailas Sundaram, Head of Product Strategy at Zoho Analytics, for a conversation about the evolving role of analytics and what teams should be thinking about as AI becomes more embedded in how we work with data.

(The full interview will be coming next week so watch out this space.)

I’m curious:
“What do you most want to see when a vendor gives an analytics demo at a conference?”

#data #analytics #AI

How many of you have run into these problems when trying to move AI into production?

⚠️ Governance and access issues
⚠️ Missing business context
⚠️ Data that can’t be trusted

This is where many promising AI initiatives stall.
The model works. The pilot looks great.

But connecting AI to real enterprise production data turns out to be the hard part.

If you’re here at Gartner D & A Summit 2026, this session tackles that exact challenge:
“AI Has a Production Data Problem. Here’s How Teams Are Solving It”

⏱️ Monday, March 9 | 1:40 - 2:00 PM
📍 Theater 1, Exhibit Showcase

The session explores how organizations are moving AI into production with Simba Intelligence, giving AI governed access to enterprise data without copying data, breaking pipelines, or losing control.

If you're curious how teams are solving this, it’s worth attending.

And if you'd like to start or continue the conversation, visit Simba Intelligence from insightsoftware at Booth 329.

#data #artificialintelligence #AI #partnerpost

Did you know the Inca civilization managed one of the largest empires in the Americas without a written language?

Instead, they used quipu. A system of knotted cords that allowed them to record numbers, track resources, and manage logistics across thousands of miles of roads.

All of that… centuries before spreadsheets, databases, or dashboards.

Sipping a cafe latte in an old Inca town made me think about how humans have always tried to bring order to information. Whether through knots in rope or modern data platforms, the goal has not changed much.

Understand what you have.
Organize it well.
Use it to make better decisions.

Different tools. Same mission.

Sometimes data history goes back further than we think.

Let’s keep putting the LightsOnData.
-George Firican 

#data #history

At conferences, I usually ask vendors one question:
“How does this help shape a decision?”

Not a prettier or quicker dashboard. A decision.

This year, I’m curious how analytics platforms are handling the shift toward AI-assisted and agentic experiences.

When a platform talks about AI-assisted or agentic analytics, I’m especially interested in:
✅ How it sits on top of a real data foundation
✅ How the semantic layer holds up
✅ How it helps shape decisions in practice 

That’s the lens I’m bringing to the Gartner floor this year.

Zoho Analytics is at Booth 428 and offering on-site demos, so if you’re evaluating BI or analytics platforms, it’s a chance to explore how they’re approaching this shift.

You can book a demo slot here:
https://lnkd.in/ekEpps8g 
Now I’m genuinely curious:

When you visit analytics booths at Gartner, what do you actually want to see demonstrated?

#data #analytics #partnerpost

Turning retail data into real business results can be a tough problem, but the solution isn’t more tech. It starts with grounding your data strategy in business outcomes and building from there.

In this article, I break down how retail teams can move from disconnected dashboards and siloed analytics to a practical, value-focused data strategy. 

Key lessons include: 
1️⃣ Start with the business problem not the tools + Clarify the goal first (like reducing churn or improving customer experience)
2️⃣ Empower better questions across teams so insights actually lead to action
3️⃣ Put data governance in place early to build trust in your numbers
4️⃣ Balance pace with capacity so you deliver wins without burning out
5️⃣ Build data literacy and ownership so everyone speaks the same language 

I also cover where the retail data push usually starts, how AI fits in practically (not hype), and what future trends are shaping smarter operations. 

If you work in retail or data and want strategies that actually move the needle, I hope this will help you:
https://lnkd.in/gEubetHW

Battaglia Industries, Inc.

Administrative Assistant

Omdena

This company offers paid and unpaid projects that use technology and machine learning skills to create data products. Most projects last four to six weeks and result in outcomes that have social impact. 

I completed one project last year. It was called "Detecting Bias in Climate Change Articles in the German and American News Media". A task called "Coding for Bias" led to the completion of two web applications. I became familiar with a large language model called BERT (Bidirectional Encoders Represented on Transformers). I also was formally introduced to the use of machine learning. 

Now, it's time for machine teaching to monitor and instruct machine learning. Generative AI and newer technology has provided humanity with an opportunity to learn that will benefit the community and local and global levels. My  journey continues with a new project that involves the ideas of blue zone living behavior and health care factors found in United States. Stay tuned for more details.

Machine Learning Researcher

Ideal Consumer Events

Consumer Educator / Event Specialist

Analytical Business Services 

ABS offers services in business and data analysis, and accounting. Common services include processing payables and receivables, articles of incorporation, payroll tax, sales tax, business licensing, tax form 990, auditing files, and other miscellaneous projects. 

ABS can assist companies in developing their potential while meeting their financial needs, budgeting requirements, and legal reporting responsibilities. 

Using a lean approach to management, ABS can assist stakeholders in maximizing resources while potentially reducing expenses. 

Customized Excel spreadsheets, Google forms, dashboards,  and reports can be constructed to meet the specific needs of clients. 

Customized forms and applications can be designed to analyze past and present financial and organizational behaviors and performance outcomes. 

Working with company stakeholders, ABS can help form a business problem statement to test in available organizational data that can be collected or complied for analysis by ABS. The insights may assist leaders in making data-driven decisions.

Data Visualizations using detailed charts and tables can also be created to assist stakeholders in the interpretation of an analysis. An oral presentation of the analysis can be given by ABS upon request. 

Using answers grounded in data, ABS can assist business leaders in achieving a greater level of organizational efficiency.  

ABS has experience working with various types of business organizations (ie. non-for-profit, union, publically or privately funded, politically or religious-based.) Please contact Christine Seagrave if you are interested in any services offered by ABS.

Small Business Owner / Staff Accountant 

Springboard

The Springboard learning platform is comprised of a community that assists students in building and acquiring new skills relevant to today's job market. The Data Analytics course includes 400+ hours of hands-on course material, with 1:1 industry expert mentor oversight, and completion of 2 in-depth capstone projects. Students learn to master skills used in analyzing business problems, data analysis, presenting business insights to different stakeholders, SQL, Python, and data visualization.

Students integrate skills acquired in various fields, in this course, while learning software currently used by businesses to perform data analysis. Students learn ways to assist company stakeholders form specific problem statements that can be verified through exploring and testing the data available to a company. These statements are actionable, timely, and measurable. Once a statement has been tested, then stakeholders can make a data-driven decision, or further explore their options using data available to them.

Research Fellow at Springboard in Data Analytics

Robert Half

Worked in collaboration with business leaders to assist them in processing accounts payable and receivable. Used problem-solving skills to troubleshoot accounting issues, then applied corrective action. Used Concur to enter expense reports, after auditing employee receipts. Used different types of ERP software to assist organizations in accounts payable and receivable. Billed inbound freight shipments for a freight forwarding company. Completed other accounting projects assigned.

Accounting Assistant

Webster-Hoff Corporation

Oversee communication between departments. Approve Health insurance bills for payment. Make contact with potential employees to process their employment information. Assist accountant and human resource manager. Manage powder ordering database. Arrange for shipments of inbound powder for production. Approve all related bills for payment.

Office manager 

Analytical Business Services has a mission to help for-profit and not-for-profit organizations respond to the changing landscape of technology, Big Data, and artificial intelligence. 

Efficient data management and a clear business strategy can be useful for organizations of all sizes. The growth of technology has changed how  businesses preform and manage financial planning and accounting  at all levels within an organization. Strategic thinking is essential to successful outcomes. 

Analytical Business Services is a sole proprietorship that can help address the growth of technology may impact their accounting and financial needs. I have maintained this business over a number of years to manage contract work. 

I have over 15 years of experience in accounting and analyzing the financial health of organizations. I am strong advocate of financial and data literacy programs in businesses of all sizes. 

I am always open to opportunities to work on projects involving  event management, data analysis, accounting tasks and business administration. I am knowledgeable in QuickBooks. I have also used many other types of accounting software. I am familiar with how to use the MS Office Suite and Google's Business Applications to achieve results. 

How  AI may assist in productivity is another area that most organizations may want to consider exploring. Does your business have a Data and AI Strategy? 

I enjoy assisting others. I design business initiatives in projects that use clear terminology and concrete goals. I take pride in increasing performance outcomes. I like making people happy with my work. 

Currently, I work full-time in the construction field. My daily routine includes tasks involving business administration and accounting. This administrative position supports project management in for HVAC and electrical subcontractors. 

Analytical Business Services is now open on a part-time basis to serve loyal clients. The strong relationships that have developed over years inspired me to continue to grow my business in new ways. 

Learning is fun for me. I have completed two Masters of Science degrees. In 2015, I earned a degree in Criminal and Social Justice, and in 2020 I earned a degree in Psychology. This second degree led me to pursue my education even further. I want to use this knowledge to grow the reach of business, and what I create for my local and global community. 

Business processes and the financial behaviors of organizations fascinate me. I hope to use my experiences and knowledge to help make the world a safer and happier place for everyone.

taplio

The Battle

George Firican 💡

Christine Seagrave

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreGeorge Firican 💡's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

George Firican 💡

Christine Seagrave

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}George Firican 💡's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreGeorge Firican 💡's LinkedIn Performance