Maria V. Shelton is the CEO and founder of Ardian Group and Ardian Technologies, which have provided smart data engagement technologies for events like the inauguration of President Biden, the NBA All-Star Game, and the Emmy Awards. She's based in Philadelphia.
How she got her start: Shelton and her team have been implementing secure data-driven technology and project-management solutions for global impact events and organizations for over 30 years. "While attending college, I was asked to take part in the 1992 presidential inauguration—and the post-event exhilaration pushed me to pursue more prominent roles protecting large-scale political, sports, and entertainment events in the U.S. and abroad," Shelton says.
"Since then, we founded Ardian Group, a division of Ardian Technologies, after recognizing the need to combine the event resources and smart technology necessary to host secure engagements," she adds. "Today, we support over 30 organizations including corporate, government, and entertainment enterprises."
What innovation means to her: Shelton says that Ardian is constantly innovating, evolving, and establishing a growth mindset to meet ever-changing industry needs. "A dynamic and ever-changing technological world necessitates our constant attention to the most recent developments in order for us to develop cutting-edge solutions that have real impact," she says. "It was critical for me to embrace change in my work, because the security environment has grown increasingly distinctive in the way we process information."
Ensuring diversity and equity across industries is also a key component of innovation, she adds. "The more solutions we develop for a better society, the more experiences of inclusion we create."
Career highlights: Shelton is particularly proud of the product PVTL, or ArdianStack, which she describes as "a secure ecosystem for digital transformations of people, places, and data."
"ArdianStack is a rapidly deployable access and identity data management solution that enables non-technical users to develop and deploy security-driven applications and experiences," she explains. "The PVTL platform is the only unique identity and access management platform designed to meet the unique needs of each customer and client, from the entry point to the security credentials provided. The data management platform allows users to manage and share sensitive information and adhere to the highest cyber security protocols, including those established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Management and Budget, and Department of Homeland Security."
Vision for the future: Venues and attendees are increasingly interested in seeing safety and security measures at events, Shelton notes. "Investing in the appropriate technology can make your security system more effective," she explains.
Shelton hopes that in the future, the event industry takes better advantage of the opportunities that data presents. "Data on event attendees can be easier collected if you have access to the appropriate technology. With tech such as scannable QR codes and RFID, for instance, you are able to measure the behavior of attendees at events," she points out.
She's encouraged, though, by how many industry professionals have improved their skills in event technology. "It is safe to say that we are positively reacting to the current demands that are being placed on the event market, such as shifting demographics, concerns regarding health and safety, and a variety of other factors," Shelton says. "Our traditional framework of curating event experiences will always be there to glean from—but my hope is that we must leverage event technology to keep abreast and grow business."
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