December 4th Meetup with John Thompson, The Hackett Group Inc. [Nerds Like Me]
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December 4th Meetup with John Thompson, The Hackett Group Inc.

Dec
04
Thursday
Thursday, December 4th, 2025 • 7:15PM (CDT)
Address Info
Available on RSVP acceptance

Event Ended

This event has already taken place.

Attendees 66+ registered
Attendees include a Microsoft Kaggle Master, a Microsoft MVP, and CTOs, focusing on AI/ML, Data Science, and Python across companies like AbbVie, Amazon, and ServiceNow.

Nerds Like Me – December Meetup

Welcome to our next gathering of AI, data, and product enthusiasts. Expect lively conversation, hands-on demos, and plenty of opportunities to grow your network.

Event Details

  • Date: Thursday, December 4
  • Time: 7:15 PM to 9:15 PM
  • Location: Northbrook, IL (exact venue shared after you RSVP)

(Photo) This is a photograph of an indoor gathering where a man is standing and speaking to a seated audience of approximately 30 people. The room has mustard-yellow walls, a wooden lattice ceiling, and three tall windows showing a dark outdoor scene. A speaker addressing a large audience during an indoor event or meeting. | Indoor meeting room or restaurant space, during the evening or night. | A projector is mounted on the ceiling, a large framed photo of a dog is on the wall, and many attendees are holding drinks. | Candid, event documentation, low-light setting. | Colors: #d6b34a, #4d4e4e, #7f3b3b, #2c2c2c Note: The image is a realistic capture of a real-world scene involving people attending an event or presentation, classifying it as a photograph.

Featured Speaker: John K. Thompson

(Photo) A professional headshot of a smiling middle-aged man with light brown hair, wearing a light blue collared shirt, against a plain white background. person | indoor | single man, smiling, headshot, light brown hair | portrait, professional headshot | Colors: #FFFFFF, #A0C0E0, #B4804E, #E0C7A9, #6A4E3A Note: The image is a realistic depiction of a person captured by a camera, characterized by its photographic quality and focus on a human subject.

Bio:
John K. Thompson is an international technology executive with over 38 years of experience in data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence. He is currently SVP of AI Products and Services at The Hackett Group and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Information, where he teaches courses on AI, entrepreneurship, and product management. Previously, he served as Global Head of AI at EY, led AI and advanced analytics at CSL Behring, was an Executive Partner at Gartner, and headed the advanced analytics business unit at Dell Software Group. Thompson is the author of six books, including his most recent The Path to AGI, Causal Artificial Intelligence, Data for All, the bestselling Building Analytics Teams, and the co-authored Analytics: How to Win with Intelligence.

Discussion:
John K. Thompson will share lessons from speaking with more than 400 companies over the past three years on the state of AI in the enterprise. He will compare what organizations say they are doing with what is actually working in practice, highlighting common patterns of success and failure. Expect a concise survey of where value is being created today, where initiatives stall, and how leaders can recalibrate plans for 2026. The session is designed for candid questions and practical takeaways.

(Photo) A photograph capturing an indoor gathering where an audience, seated in rows of red bar stools, faces a speaker standing against a mustard-yellow wall decorated with two framed pictures of animals. Text: Goods Group of people attending a presentation or meeting | Indoor, likely a private room in a restaurant or bar, at night | Warm, low lighting; red leather bar stools; two prominent framed animal photographs on the wall (a wolf/husky and a dog); snowy outdoor view through large windows. | Candid/event photography | Colors: #A52A2A, #EEDD82, #2F4F4F, #1C1C1C Note: The image is a realistic capture of a moment in time, documenting a group of people attending an event or presentation in an interior setting.

Sponsorship: HELP!

A single round of drinks—or even light snacks—goes a long way toward fueling conversation. If your company can underwrite refreshments, we’ll highlight their support in event remarks and follow-up communications. Reply to this message or DM Jonathan to explore options.

What You Can Do Now

  1. RSVP – reserve your seat HERE
  2. Subscribe for updates: https://nerdslikeme.dream.page
  3. Complete your profile – we’ll use it in an upcoming session to spark deeper conversation.
  4. Whitelist us – add [email protected] to your contacts so you never miss an invite.
  5. Help spread the word – like, comment, or reshare this post on LinkedIn to help others discover Nerds Like Me and grow the community.

See you soon, both familiar faces and first-timers alike.

Jonathan Shertok
Organizer, Nerds Like Me

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