Miloš Topić is Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Digital Officer at Grand Valley State University. As vice president, Topić is the senior technology leader for the university and is responsible for the entire IT portfolio ranging from digital capabilities, infrastructure, security and application management across all of Grand Valley’s academic and administrative areas.
Topić joined Grand Valley State University in August 2020 after serving as Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Saint Peter’s University, where he was responsible for setting the strategic direction and overseeing the day-to-day operations of two divisions, information technology and operations. He has over twenty years of experience in positions of increasing responsibilities focused primarily on technology, innovation, strategy, operations and leadership. His experiences range from startups to Fortune 1000 companies to contributing across multiple public and private universities. Additionally, Miloš is a frequent speaker on leadership, innovation, and building high-performing teams across a wide range of national professional networks and industries. Finally, Miloš has been advising corporate boards and C-suites on business strategy, digital possibilities, and innovation since 2008.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CIO Magazine, Miloš shared his professional trajectory, insights on authentic leadership, personal hobbies and interests, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Miloš. How did you first become interested in technology and what propelled you into it?
Fell into it by accident in a sense. In late 1990’s someone I knew was starting a business and needed someone to help with “tech stuff” and I said, why not, I’ll give it a shot. Furthermore, in high school, when I moved to the US, Computer Science was the only major I somewhat understood, and which had one open slot. As they say, the rest is history.
What do you love the most about your current role?
I enjoy helping people grow, advance and watch them develop into leaders in their own right. Secondly, I enjoy the unpredictable nature of my work and how it has potential to positively impact lives of people across disciplines, organization, and communities.
What skills and expertise do you believe are essential for data professionals to develop in the next 2-3 years?
It’s always important to continue improving one’s people skills first. Ability to lead, speak, present, influence, negotiate and sell are of the utmost importance and are those ever-lasting skills in my opinion. Technical, functional skills change and evolve which is why it is important to learn how to learn, to be open minded and to explore new opportunities with excitement, and courage.
How do you stay current with emerging trends and technologies in data and analytics, such as AI, machine learning, and cloud computing?
Test, fail, learn, and do it all over again. While I have a vast network of remarkable friends and colleagues, and I attend conferences and events, watch and read about the latest developments, nothing can replace hands-on experience.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
Oh, there are so many, too many to mention out of fear that I will miss someone. On a personal level, my family has sacrificed a lot to provide me with opportunities and support our journey. From my wife and kids to my parents and many others who help in their way for me to keep exploring what’s next and what’s possible.
What does the term “authentic leadership” mean to you?
As the saying goes: “be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” Be who you are based on your upbringing, your values and beliefs, your experiences, education and bring all of that authentically to exchanges you have with other people. Listen to them, learn from them, share what you know, but don’t change who you are simply to fit in or pretend to be someone you are not. This means that you will encounter opposition, challenges, even treachery along the way, but all of that should serve you as a reminded that there is only one you.
What are some of your passions outside of work? What do you like to do in your time off?
I love spending time with my family, the center of my universe. We also love to travel and are fairly athletic and active family (I’m working my way back into “fighting shape” 😉)
Which technology are you investing in now to prepare for the future?
AI is the obvious answer even though it has its ebbs and flows. We are focused on intelligent automations where possible to speed things up, reduce errors, and free people to do the amazing, creative, and empathetic work they do best.
What is your biggest goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
Professionally, I would like to finish my first book this year. I have ideas and have drafted sections of a number of them, and hope to complete my first leadership book in 2025. So many things could happen in 5 years, but I would like to keep helping people lead, grow, improve as I keep on taking on new challenges. I would love to write books, give talks across the world and perhaps even venture into a CEO type of a role. Now is that 5 or more like 10 years away, time will tell.
What advice would you give to aspiring technology leaders who aim to make a positive impact in their organizations and the industry as a whole?
Invest time to understand who you are, what you are great at and what does the market need. Then go all in. Be courageous, take risks and figure out what keeps your boss up at night – solve that! Furthermore, get as close as you can to the major transformational strategic initiatives and provide value. Go above and beyond your current job description and you will see how your name begins to ring across hallways of your organization.