In The News . . .
Why North Texas CIOs need to keep a sharp eye on future
February 13, 2019
Blalock will be giving the keynote address that looks at risk-taking at the Dallas CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards on Feb. 22. The event recognizes executives in that role who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.
Just Like the Flu Shot, Cyber Prevention is No Sure Thing
August 28, 2018
Getting a flu shot doesn’t mean you won’t get the flu. And so it is with cyber breach prevention. Yes, companies and individuals need to be diligent about deploying the latest tools and training to help secure their systems. But let’s face it. For each new technology to prevent a breach, a new one is developed to compromise it. So, it is important to be . . .
Atlanta Cyber Week - Cybercon 2018
August 27, 2018
I am pleased to announce that Becky Blalock, Managing Partner for Advisory Capital, will be joining us as a Panelist at Cybercon 2018. Cybercon is an official Atlanta Cyber Week event and will be held October 9, 2018 at Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta, GA. Be sure to reserve your seat at Cybercon and register now! #ATLCyberWeek #Cybercon18
Building the confidence, courage, and mindset fundamental to making it to the C-Suite, with former CIO of Southern Company, Becky Blalock
August 7, 2018
Becky Blalock talks about her book, DARE, and why it is important for her to help other women successfully navigate their careers. In this podcast, she provides inspiring, concrete advice for anyone struggling to recover from negative experiences at work that has affected their self-confidence. She also shares . . .
BELZ&BOLD OF THE MONTH – BECKY BLALOCK
June 23, 2017
Build your confidence by reaching outside of your comfort zone.
Becky Blalock who is now famous for her book “DARE” worked as a secretary to psychology professors; worked retail in a clothing store, and doing market research for a professor while in college. She rose to be the chief information officer of Southern Company, leading with grace through a disruptive time in energy technology.
Becky shares tips on how to go from “just a job” to the C-suite where. . .
November 6, 2017 by Thornton May
Technology permeates our lives. This is no time for IT to flounder within the enterprise.
I asked the high performers in my network what they thought organizations needed to do to get back on track toward building an Ideal IT organization . . .
Bold Women of Buckhead
June 2017 by Karina Timmel
There is no typical day in the life of Becky Blalock. She may be writing an article for the Wall Street Journal about her book, DARE; attending a customer event for Tech Mahindra, a global IT sourcing company based in India; or speaking to an engaged group of successful women, as one of them. Her first job. . .
17 Inspiring Women to Watch in 2017
January 2017 by Lisa Calhoun
Get the inside track on how to create change.
It's time to get your head around what matters for you in 2017. And to do that, you need not just inspiration, but motivation to deliver on your dreams. No better place to turn than this list of 17 inspiring women. They are each vibrant examples of . . .
2015 Atlanta Technology Who's Who
June 13, 2015 by Patsy Conn
Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Who’s Who in Technology 2015, features 100 people leading the metro area’s growing technology industry.
Statewide, the technology sector employed 272,408 workers in 2014, up more than 10 percent and by more than 25,000 net new jobs...
Fall 2014 by Cara Hergenroether
Corporate Executive and author Becky Blalock challenges JLA leaders to face their fears and dare to succeed.
Fall 2014
When Becky Blalock retired as Chief Information Officer of Southern Co. in 2011, capping off an unparalleled 33-year career as the first female CIO ...
11 Books to Buy People Who Loved Lean In
Kathryn Williams - December 2, 2013
When Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In came out in March, its working girl’s pep talk seemed to be all anyone, XX or XY, was talking about...
Book Review: Dare By Becky Blalock
Holly Bertram - November 10, 2013
In her book, Dare, Becky Blalock, doesn’t shock or bore you with a list of hard hitting facts or ground-breaking, earth-shattering secrets that will change your idea of “career” as you know it but instead, Blalock offers guidance, insight and . . .
Develop the Confidence to Grow Your Small Business
Julie Knudson - December 30, 2013
Nearly everyone suffers from a lack of self-confidence at some point, whether it's a concern about succeeding in a difficult market or a fear that niche skills—negotiating contracts, understanding funding options—are out of reach. Becky Blalock says that self-assurance doesn't have to be the personality trait that got away...
An Eye-Opening Woman's View from the CIO Seat
Don Tennant - October 16, 2013
Far too few CIOs and former CIOs have demonstrated the fortitude to subject themselves to the demanding exercise of writing a book to share their experiences and allow others to benefit from what they’ve learned in what may be the hottest seat in the C-suite...
Atlanta100 Crossroads with Becky Blalock
100-word stories
100-second videos
on topics of intrigue
Interview and video with Becky Blalock.
I found out I really loved business.” - Becky Blalock
Becky Blalock's Big Dare
Peter High - April 15, 2014
Former CIO Becky Blalock reflects on her decades-long career in IT and offers advice about self-confidence, risk taking, leadership and the lack of women in IT.
Fourth Quarter 2013 - Thought Leadership
From a round-up of new books, insights on reputation, character, career risk, leadership transitions, achieving exceptional performance … and consumers vs. engineers.
Dare to Know Yourself and Your Weaknesses
Becky Blalock - October 28, 2013
Dr. Peter Buckley, the dean of the School of Psychology at Georgia Regents University, told me “the ability to improve your attitude and confidence is directly tied to self-awareness. Having a clear vision of what you want, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and having the ability to hear and be open to feedback are essential elements of a confident...
Failure is Means to Success
Jim Pawlak - November 4, 2013
“How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life” by Scott Adams (Portfolio, $27.95). If you've read Adams's Dilbert cartoons, you've smiled and saw the folly in workplace life. His life's allegory served as inspiration for many of the cartoons; in many situations, he was Dilbert...
Forget 'Lean In' : Dare to Succeed
Ruchika Tulshyan - October 28, 2013
The South can be a tough place to be a successful woman. In the short time I spent as a financial reporter in Atlanta, I rarely met C-level women. I can only imagine how patriarchal the landscape was 35 years ago when Becky Blalock, former CIO of Southern Company, got her first job...
Former CIO Talks New Book and Encouraging Women
Gianna Carme - October 11, 2013
A Conversation with Becky Blalock
Women in the workplace was the main topic of conversation as the Metro Atlanta Chamber welcomed Becky Blalock to discuss leadership, career experience and her new book, “Dare: Straight Talk on Confidence, Courage, and Career for Women in Charge.”
Carla Caldwell - December 16, 2013
More than 700 graduates were honored on Sunday at Georgia Regents University’s first fall commencement ceremony as a consolidated university,
How to #ReadWomen2014 in Genres Other Than Literary Fiction
3/20/2014
Every woman who counts Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In as her business bible shouldn't be lulled into relying on one sole female font of wisdom. That's where former Chief Information Officer of Southern Company Becky Blalock comes in...
Travis Highfield - December 15, 2013
Becky Blalock, the former senior vice president and chief information officer of Southern Co., delivered the commencement address, urging the graduates to set high goals for the future...
Studio 61 Interview with Ricky Steele
Ricky Steele - October 18, 2013
Men will receive just as much as women will by listening to Becky’s success story. I only wish Becky had written this book 30 years ago. I could have been more proactive than I was at promoting, nurturing, and mentoring the women ...
The Grill: Becky Blalock counsels women to get in front of decision-makers
Julia King - November 4, 2013
In her 33-year career with $18 billion Southern Co., IT veteran and first-time author Becky Blalock held positions in accounting, finance, corporate communications, external affairs and IT, where she rose to the rank of senior vice president and CIO before retiring in 2011. Regardless of the department, she continually encountered young women starved for career tips who sought mentors...
The Unconscious Nature of Excluding Women from Workplace Opportunities
Don Tennant - October 23, 2013
Last week I wrote about my interview with Becky Blalock, former CIO at the Atlanta-based energy giant, Southern Company, and her insights on such issues as the dearth of women in corporate boardrooms. What warrants equal coverage is the illuminating information...
Twitter and the Fed: For Women, One Step Forward, One Back
Becky Blalock - October 11, 2013
With her recent presidential nomination to chair the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen moves into once-unthinkable territory for women. As the first female head in the 100-year history of the Fed, Yellen gains a truly inspirational role and one for which she is infinitely qualified...
What Are Your Priorities? Seek Input from Your Kids
Susan Wenner Jackson - November 8, 2013
One of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make was should I return to work after my daughter was born.
I loved my daughter, but I had worked three jobs to put myself through college and I had a very successful career that I loved. It wasn’t easy but I made the decision to return to work. I look back on that decision...
Women Need To Take More Risks To Climb Corporate Ladder
Joshua Stewart - November 7, 2013
Women make up about half of the nation’s workforce and more than half of all professional and manager-level jobs, according to federal data. But they fill just a small percentage of executive-level jobs and corporate board seats. Becky Blalock is trying to change that...
