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HARVEY NASH’s James Youngman Named a Finalist for The 2026 National Staffing Employee of the Year Awards American Staffing Association Honor Highlights Top U.S. Staffing Employees   Alexandria, VA, September 2, 2025—Harvey Nash’s James Youngman, a Supplier Performance Engineer from Illinois, has earned national recognition from the American Staffing Association as a top staffing employee, Harvey Nash announced today.   The National Staffing Employee of the Year program recognizes the most outstanding temporary and contract workers in the country. In 2023, U.S. staffing companies employed 2.2 million temporary and contract workers; James Youngman is one of just nine finalists to be recognized in the country.   We are thrilled to hear James Youngman has been named 2026 American Staffing Association Employee of the Year Finalist for the Engineering, Information Technology, and Scientific Sector. James is a contractor for Harvey Nash and we are proud of his accomplishments. More about his journey to Harvey Nash and career path. After more than twenty years as a schoolteacher and coach, James Youngman was ready for a new chapter. […] Through Harvey Nash, Youngman got his foot in the door at Caterpillar and gained the skills needed to become a Supplier Performance Engineer.  He’s excelled in the role, working RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action), as well as helping to develop new processes that could save the client company millions annually. Youngman’s story shows how partnering with a staffing firm delivers career-changing opportunities for workers and measurable returns on investment for client organizations.    “I’m deeply honored and incredibly grateful to receive the ASA National Agency Employee of the Year Award. To be recognized by such a respected organization, among so many dedicated professionals across the country, is truly humbling. This award is a reflection of the amazing people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside; teammates, mentors, and clients, who inspire me every day. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Harvey Nash, the agency that believed in me and placed me in my full-time role with Caterpillar. A special thank you to Morgan Morris and Rachel Hutto for their unwavering support throughout my journey at Caterpillar, your guidance has meant the world to me. Thank you, ASA, for this extraordinary honor. ” said James Youngman when asked about winning this honor.   As a National Staffing Employee of the Year Finalist, James Youngman and Harvey Nash will be recognized at the 2025 Staffing World convention and expo, held in Oct. 6-8, in Orlando, FL.     # # #   About the American Staffing Association The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.   ContactBrenna Barnett Senior Marketing Manager Brenna.barnett@harveynash.com  

The AI Wave in IT Leadership This month feature of Harvey Nash’s CIO Voices, a series where we spotlight the perspectives of technology leaders shaping the digital future. CIOs, CTOs, and senior decision-makers bring their unfiltered views to the table perspectives forged in real boardrooms, data centers, and innovation labs. This month, our focus is on a topic that has dominated board agendas and coffee-break conversations alike: Artificial Intelligence in IT Strategy. Three leaders we connected with, Steven Wolk (CTO, PC Richardson & Son), Ramesh Lekshmynarayanan (Managing Partner, Green Catapult), and David Williamson (ex CIO, Abzena) joined this conversation, and each offered thoughtful reflections that go far beyond hype. Their experiences highlight both the possibilities and paradoxes of AI adoption. And honestly, if you’ve ever wondered whether AI is really transforming IT or simply creating more noise, their insights will resonate. Let’s step inside their world and unpack how AI is reshaping IT strategy.   AI as the New Interwoven Thread One of the strongest themes that emerged is that AI is no longer viewed as a “bolt-on” technology. It is becoming a central component of IT strategy. Steven put it plainly: “AI is woven into everything we’re doing, from customer interactions to operational processes. It’s not an add-on, it’s a lens we look through when we think about strategy.”  Instead of asking where AI can be applied, organizations are beginning to ask how AI should influence the way they define and approach problems. That marks a clear shift in mindset. Ramesh echoed this perspective, noting that “AI isn’t just a tool we deploy; it’s becoming part of our organizational DNA.” His point underscores that AI has moved beyond experimentation into core operations. David added another angle: “AI is changing how we think about efficiency and scale,” he shared. For him, the focus is on reducing the pressure on IT as a cost center and repositioning it as a driver of capability. Here’s the reality: Tech leaders who still treat AI as a side project risk falling behind. The organizations that integrate AI into their strategies as a foundational capability are the ones best positioned to compete.   Unlocking New Value Of course, strategy isn’t just about and philosophy. At some point, boards and executives will ask: Where’s the value? Steven didn’t hesitate on that front: “AI allows us to automate repetitive tasks and enhance decision-making. It’s about freeing up our people to focus on higher-value work.” Efficiency is the most immediate, tangible win. But Ramesh framed value differently. “AI’s real power lies in creating personalized customer experiences at scale.” That’s not about saving money that’s about making money. It’s about shifting from reactive IT to proactive growth. David struck a middle ground, describing how “Predictive capabilities allow IT to be proactive rather than reactive.” That shift is significant. While IT has long carried the weight of keeping systems running and resolving issues, AI opens the door to something different, anticipating challenges before they surface and steering the organization ahead of disruption. Now, here’s the contradiction: some leaders push AI for efficiency, others for innovation. Both are true, and both can co-exist. It depends on the lens you choose. Imagine AI like a Swiss Army knife. For some, the value is in the corkscrew (customer personalization). For others, it’s the blade (cost efficiency). The key is knowing which tool matters most to your organization and when.   The Paradox of Risk Opportunity never comes without risk, and the leaders didn’t shy away from naming the obstacles. Steven zeroed in on governance: “The challenge is not just deploying AI but making sure it’s trusted from data ethics to decision transparency.” AI without trust is like medicine without regulation: powerful but dangerous. Ramesh offered a different tension. “We want to move quickly, but we also need to ensure responsible use. That balance is hard to strike.” This is the paradox CIOs feel most acutely the pressure to sprint ahead while knowing the ground isn’t fully stable. David highlighted the organizational side: “The biggest challenge isn’t the tech itself, it’s the skills gap and whether the organization is ready.” That’s a reminder that tools are only as strong as the hands that use them. Here’s the contradiction worth noting: AI feels both inevitable and unready. Everyone knows it’s the future, but no one feels completely prepared. And maybe that’s okay. The reality with disruptive technology is that it rarely arrives with a neat instruction manual, you learn by doing.   People at the Center For all the talk about machines, the conversation consistently came back to people. David reminded us of the importance of change management and communication: “The biggest challenge would be change management and clear communication on the ‘why’ matters more than the tech itself.” It’s not the algorithm that wins trust; it’s the story leaders tell about why it matters. Change management and people management aren’t side tasks, they are the real work of adoption. Steven emphasized augmentation: “AI should be an augmenter, not a replacement. The goal is to give our people superpowers, not take away their purpose.” That word, superpowers, it captures the emotional heartbeat of AI adoption. Ramesh grounded his response in culture: “We’re investing heavily in re-skilling and making sure the culture is ready to embrace AI.” Technology may be fast, but culture is slow. And if CIOs don’t lead the cultural shift, the tools will outpace the people. This people-first reality is also echoed in the Digital Leadership Report. Despite AI’s rapid spread, more than half of organizations are not yet upskilling their teams on generative AI. The ones making targeted investments in AI literacy and re-skilling are reporting smoother adoption and faster ROI, proof that culture and capability are just as critical as code. So, the big question for every CIO is: Are you preparing your people to drive smarter, or are you hoping the car will just drive itself?   The Road Ahead Looking forward, the leaders painted a vision of AI not as a shiny gadget but as a long-term mindset. Ramesh offered a bigger-picture take: “We’re looking at an industry-wide redefinition of IT leadership itself.” That’s not just about AI, but about what it means to be a CIO in an AI-first world. It’s about evolving from technologist to strategist, from enabler to innovator. Steven’s perspective: “AI will be a seamless part of IT’s Strategy. We won’t even talk about it as a separate thing anymore.” In other words, the best AI will be invisible, like the plumbing in your house. You only notice it when it breaks. David tied it all back to business value: “AI will shift IT from being seen as a support function to being recognized as a strategic growth engine.” That’s the kind of reframing that gets CEOs to sit up and listen. Honestly, if there’s one thread running through all these visions, it’s this: AI is less about tools and more about philosophy. It’s not what we use, but how we think. And maybe that’s the ultimate marker of maturity. When you stop asking, Should we use AI?, and start asking, What would we be without it?, you’ve crossed the line from experimentation to inevitability.   Navigating with Purpose AI is no longer the future of IT strategy, it’s the present. But it’s a present wrapped in contradictions: efficient yet risky, empowering yet unsettling, inevitable yet unready. If there’s one throughline between the insights shared here and the findings of the Digital Leadership Report, it’s this: AI is moving from experimentation to enterprise-wide productivity. Leaders who treat AI as a strategic enabler embedding it into workflows, aligning it with business outcomes, and preparing people to embrace it are already pulling ahead. What unites the perspectives of Steven, Ramesh, and David is a recognition that AI isn’t just about systems. It’s about people, culture, trust, and the courage to lead amid uncertainty. Let’s thank them for their contributions. Thought leadership isn’t just about having the answers; it’s about being willing to share the messy middle the experiments, the challenges, the risks. These CIOs did exactly that.  A note to our readers: reflect for a moment. What role do you want AI to play in your IT strategy? Are you treating it like a side project, or are you ready to make it part of your DNA? Stay tuned — next month’s CIO Voices will dive into another pressing theme: Cybersecurity. If AI is the fuel of modern IT, then cybersecurity is the guardrail keeping us on the road. You won’t want to miss it.

A sharp increase in cyberattacks is putting organizations across industries on high alert. In a recent Computer Weekly article, Jason Pyle, Managing Director of Harvey Nash USA & Canada, highlights new data from the 2025 Harvey Nash/Nash Squared Digital Leadership Report that shows 29% of global tech leaders experienced a major cyberattack in the past two years, up from 23% in 2023 and the highest level since 2019. This rise comes amid a growing and evolving threat landscape, with organized cybercrime, state-sponsored activity, and insider risks all becoming more prominent. Attacks are also becoming more sophisticated, leveraging tools like AI-driven phishing and deepfake impersonation, making detection and prevention more complex than ever. In the article, Jason outlines several ways organisations need to rethink their approach in response to the rise in cybercrime - from strengthening internal cyber capabilities to outsourcing specialized support for areas such as threat detection and incident response. He also addresses the growing talent shortages in cybersecurity, highlighting alternative hiring models that can help bridge the gap efficiently. Cybersecurity is no longer a back-office concern, it’s a business-critical issue. 👉 Read the full article on Computer Weekly

  Brett McMickell, CTO of Kubota, joins David Savage on a new episode of Tech Talks to explore purpose-driven technology that addresses the labor shortage crisis in agriculture. This young workforce siphoning itself towards urban careers makes this labor shortage worse, leaving dwindling numbers rurally.  Traditional mechanization can’t solve this growing crisis since large investments aren’t practical for struggling farmers, and skilled operators are still needed to run heavy equipment. This is where Kubota’s purpose-driven solutions come into play, harnessing machine learning, IoT, and artificial intelligence. Harvey Nash can supply qualified IT talent suited for ag tech jobs to bring these innovative solutions to life, blending artificial intelligence and agriculture seamlessly. Global food security and farm sustainability are at a critical juncture today, with a labor shortage putting the agriculture industry at a unique crossroads. From the earliest civilizations, humankind has taught itself to tend the soil and coax nourishment from nature. But now, fewer workers are available to plant, leaving farmers scrambling to meet productivity needs. This immense pressure has been the catalyst for innovative, newer ways to integrate technology—and more specifically, artificial intelligence—into agriculture and farming practices. In a recent episode of Tech Talks, David Sage welcomes the CTO of Kubota, Brett McMickell, to share how Kubota is reimagining solutions through automation-based solutions. It’s crucial to understand their transformative approach to the labor crisis and the pivotal role of ag tech jobs as we navigate the future of technology-driven agriculture.   A Growing Labor Shortage in Agriculture Agriculture is an industry that’s already plagued by tight deadlines, unpredictable weather conditions, and fluctuating market demands. Add to this mix a rapidly shrinking workforce, and it’s a whole new problem. But this labor gap is more than just a short-term inconvenience for farmers.  Young workers are becoming a rare sight on farms, with the average age of farmers rising as the youth head towards the metaphorical neon glow of urban careers. To compound losses, the manufacturing and service industries claim what little of the rural population remains. While reliable labor is scant, the larger battle of maintaining efficiency can only be won through the integration of artificial intelligence and agriculture.   Moving Past Traditional Mechanization While larger tractors and harvesters were a step forward for traditional agricultural societies, this isn’t a realistic solution for farmers who can’t make significant investments. At the end of the day, even a tractor needs a skilled operator. It’s not enough to simply scale up our existing tools, and Kubota recognized this. This is why they created smarter solutions that reduce our dependency on human labor by leveraging advanced technologies like machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence for agriculture.   Purpose-Built Technology: The Kubota Revolution   Kubota’s approach to technology solutions works because they avoid “bolting on” technology as an afterthought. Brett McMickell emphasizes how Kubota designs purpose-built solutions that are uniquely tailored to challenges in the sector. It starts with a deep understanding of farmers’ needs and how ag tech jobs can fill that gap. Only then can a successful blend of agriculture and artificial intelligence create effective technology that aligns with the end user’s reality. Kubota’s Autonomous Tractors: Reducing Human Oversight Use soil data to adjust planting patterns Optimize fuel efficiency Sensors and machine-learning algorithms make real-time decisions AI-Powered Crop Monitoring Analyze data from drones and IoT devices Deliver actionable insights on irrigation and fertilization schedules Innovations like these address the labor shortage by automating repetitive tasks. But they also enhance precision, which can have a lower environmental impact and improve yields. Something as rudimentary as spraying chemicals efficiently, when handed off to AI and precision tools, has resulted in a 20-40% reduction of chemical use.    The Critical Role of IT Expertise If Kubota’s mission for transforming agriculture is the doorway to a successful integration of agriculture and artificial intelligence, then IT expertise is the keystone holding it all together. A diverse set of tech talent is essential to run any innovative program successfully. Think of this as a Swiss knife of IT specialists, where everyone, from data scientists and software engineers to cybersecurity experts, has a role to play.   Recruiting IT Talent—Harvey Nash Can Help Harvey Nash plays a critical role in connecting companies like Kubota to tech talent. We understand the growing need for IT professionals specializing in artificial intelligence and agriculture. But understanding constraints is equally valuable; limited connectivity in rural areas and the need for weather-resistant hardware are just the tip of the iceberg.  We can support the industry’s shift towards smarter and sustainable practices by fostering a pipeline of skilled technologists for ag tech jobs who can marry artificial intelligence and agriculture. As McMickell succinctly puts it, “People need to eat”, and AgriTech can feed our future. Get Started