OSN Appreciation & Kickoff Happy Hour
In appreciation of past support and to kickoff #osn2026, please join us for a complimentary happy hour on Thursday, November 20.
Join us! This year's OSN Appreciation Happy Hour is on Thursday, November 20. We host this complimentary happy hour in appreciation of past support and to kick off #osn2026.
This event is always well-attended and a great opportunity to learn, share, and connect™. Drinks and appetizers provided. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Space is limited, so register early!
The happy hour is hosted at Brookview (Basset Creek Room) in Golden Valley from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
As part of the happy hour, OSN will have a 30-minute, moderated panel discussion from 6:00 to 6:30 pm -
"AI Disruption: Addressing the Impact on Employee Career Growth and Satisfaction"
The panelists are:
- Tyler Patterson, Global Engineering Director, C.H. Robinson
- Meena Jambulingam, VP Data and Architecture, RB Global
- Neal Sample, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Best Buy
Again, space is limited (200). No cost to attend, but registration is required.
Schedule
Panelists
Tyler Patterson
Global Engineering Director
C. H. Robinson
Tyler Patterson is a Global Engineering Director at C.H. Robinson with 16+ years of experience scaling technology teams across multiple countries. He currently leads 35+ engineers in FinTech/HR, driving practical AI implementations. Having grown from developer to director while staying hands-on technically, Tyler brings a unique dual perspective on engineering excellence and leadership. His recent work focuses on agentic AI solutions and building high-performance engineering cultures. Tyler speaks internationally on engineering practices and team scaling strategies that deliver measurable business impact.
Meena Jambulingam
VP of Data and Architecture
RB Global
I am a data strategy influencer who accidentally entered the amazing world of analytics about 20+ years ago and decided to stay and learn! The learning has never stopped but I’ve managed to build a few high performing teams and deliver critical data platforms along the way. I’ve spent time making friends and wrangling data at Target, UnitedHealth Group, and Chewy. I currently lead Data Engineering, Analytics, and AI solutions for RB Global, in addition to Enterprise Architecture. RBG is on an engineering transformation journey, and I am driving data democratization as part of this evolution. On a personal note, I live in the Twin Cities SW burbs with my husband, a menagerie of two dogs and two cats, and way more plants than I need!
Neal Sample
Chief Digital and Technology Officer
Best Buy
Neal Sample is the executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer at Best Buy Co. Inc. He is responsible for leading the company’s product management, experience design, data, AI, engineering and platform teams. He also oversees Best Buy India in Bangalore.
Neal joined Best Buy in 2025, bringing more than three decades of experience in data and technology. He previously served as executive vice president and chief information officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA), where he led all technology strategy and delivery across WBA’s physical and digital properties.
Neal’s career has been focused on using technology to create transformational change. Prior to WBA, Neal was chief information officer at Northwestern Mutual. He previously held technology and commercial leadership roles at several large organizations, including Express Scripts, American Express, eBay and Yahoo.
Neal serves on the board for Wellfield Technologies, Inc., and University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis.
He received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming and a master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University.