The IT Nerd

With 97% of Canadian consumer goods leaders saying AI agents will be essential within two years, Salesforce’s latest Consumer Goods Industry Insights Report shows brands are turning to AI to survive rising tariffs and growing economic instability.

The report finds that 60% of Canadian consumer good leaders expect profitable growth to be harder to achieve this year, and 63% anticipate more instability. Price hikes and generic promotions are no longer effective, forcing companies to rethink their strategies, especially when it comes to adopting AI and new technologies.

You can read the insights here: Salesforce Consumer Goods Industry Insights Report Announcement 2025 – Salesforce

Today is IT Professionals Day (or IT Pro Day). As you may already know, it was started in 2015 by the tech company SolarWinds to recognize and show appreciation for the often-unsung heroes — all the IT Professionals across the many disciplines — who keep our systems protected, secure, and running smoothly.

Here’s a few fun IT Facts:

1. The first actual case of bug being found – was a real bug (a moth). (https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/september/9/)
2. The first computer password was invented in 1961. (https://cybernews.com/security/first-computer-password/) 
3. The first email was just “QWERTYUIOP.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYn9l1IXTU4) 

I also have some commentary from a pair of executives from Leaseweb:

Richard Copeland, CEO, Leaseweb USA – IT Professionals Day Commentary:

“The best IT people I’ve worked with aren’t just here to fix things — they’re here to make the business stronger. They’re connecting dots the rest of us don’t even see, figuring out how technology can give us an edge. Here’s the thing — if they’re buried in tickets and day-to-day maintenance, they can’t provide their full potential. My job as a leader is to get the noise out of their way so they can focus on the big stuff that actually moves the business forward.

IT Professionals Day is a reminder to give these folks the room to be strategic. They’re not just support — they’re problem solvers, innovators, and a huge part of how we grow. The more we clear the small stuff off their plates, the more they can deliver the kind of results that change the trajectory of a company.”

Roger Brulotte, CEO, Leaseweb Canada – IT Professionals Day Commentary:

“Our IT pros are the people who quietly keep this whole thing running — and when you give them the chance, they can take it to the next level. They’re securing our data, keeping us online, and at the same time, finding ways to make tech work harder for the business. But if all they do is put out fires, we’re wasting their talent. I want them spending their time building what’s next, not just fixing what’s broken.”

“That’s why, especially on IT Professionals Day, I think about how to protect their time. When we take low-value work off their hands, they get to lean into the high-impact, forward-looking projects. And that’s when the magic happens — not just for IT, but for the whole company.”

UPDATE: Bruce Kornfeld, Chief Product Officer at StorMagic adds this: 

“IT professionals are the steady hands keeping systems online when hardware fails, when cloud services slow down or when costs suddenly rise due to shifting trade policies. They help ensure resilient infrastructure and find ways to deliver more with less, even as new demands like AI, virtualization changes and real-time data processing at the edge emerge. 

The reality is that IT teams are often asked to stretch budgets, rethink infrastructure strategies and deliver efficiency without compromising reliability. Whether it’s reducing server sprawl, exploring alternatives to costly software or simplifying management at remote sites, IT professionals are solving problems that most of us never see.

That dedication can even come at a personal cost—systems don’t always operate 24/7 or as smoothly as we’d hope, and it’s not unusual for IT professionals to miss family dinners, weekends or holidays to keep everything running.

Their work is not only technical, it’s strategic. By keeping applications running smoothly, they give businesses the flexibility to innovate and the confidence to face whatever comes next. On National IT Professionals Day, we should take time to recognize the people who keep our digital world moving forward. Today we thank them for their dedication, their creativity and their commitment to keeping organizations running smoothly in an unpredictable world.”