GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026 schedule. Use this page to browse sessions, view speaker and session details, and build your personal agenda for June 22–24 in Rogers, Arkansas. Check back through May as additional sessions and details are added.

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7:00am CDT

Conference Breakfast

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Registration and breakfast. Chad Williams and Caleb Williams from Pier Group/Nokia will welcome you with a 15-minute meal speaking opportunity.

Menu:
High on the Hog Breakfast Buffet

Cinnamon French Toast with Whipped Butter & Maple Syrup
Cheese-Filled Omelets
Hickory Smoked Bacon
Sausage Links
Southern Fried Potatoes
Chilled Orange Juice
Freshly Brewed Coffee
Selection of Hot Teas

Speakers

Caleb Williams

Major Account Manager and VP of Contracts, PIER Group

Chad Williams

President, PIER Group

Sponsors

PIER Group/Nokia

PIER Group partners with research and education institutions to deliver expert IT strategy, infrastructure modernization, and long-term technology solutions supported by compliant procurement contracts.
Partnered with Nokia, a global leader in advanced network and connectivity sol... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company Fortinet

7:00am CDT

Conference Registration

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 4:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Registration

Tuesday June 23, 2026 7:00am - 4:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Lobby 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Meal, Breakfast

Company Fortinet

8:45am CDT

Beyond the Campus: Securing Student Data Across Third‑Party Apps and Cloud Platforms

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B @ 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

As higher education institutions expand their digital ecosystems, student data is increasingly shared across third-party applications and service providers, SaaS platforms, and cloud repositories—often outside direct institutional control.
This session explores how campuses can regain visibility and control over sensitive data by monitoring usage, enforcing security policies, and mitigating risk across external applications. Learn practical strategies to address key concerns such as access control, data movement, and application security—without hindering academic innovation.

Speakers

Brian Scharlin

Director of SLED Capture, Higher Education, Fortinet

Sponsors

Fortinet

Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Learn more... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Ambassador A & B 3303 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers, AR, USA

Sponsor Session, Terabit

Company Fortinet
Audience Network Engineers, Security Professionals
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026

7:00am CDT

Caleb Williams

Chad Williams

PIER Group/Nokia

7:00am CDT

8:45am CDT

Brian Scharlin

Fortinet

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