News

TMCB 1170

December 5th, 2024

7 Principles of Success – Insights from 40 years in tech

After nearly four decades in tech, I have learned lessons that go beyond writing code or managing systems. I have chosen seven of these lessons, expressed as principles, which I consider the most important not only to our careers but also to our lives. I will share stories and observations from the trenches -- both the wins and the face-palm moments -- that shaped these insights. My goal is to share these ideas in ways that will help you navigate your own professional and personal journeys.

Peter Whiting is the Church’s Chief Technology Officer and leads the Technology and Platform Services Division within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In these roles Peter defines the overarching technical direction of the Church and guides the teams responsible for the underlying technology used by the Church. Peter brings 35 years of diverse technical experience into this role: undersea signal processing, global internet network design and operation, and managed IT outsourcing. He is passionate about leveraging technology to improve the lives of those who live in under-resourced communities. Through extensive world travel, Peter has observed their challenges as well as their aptitudes. Accordingly, his technology interests are focused on enabling their success. Prior to working for the Church, Peter was Sprint’s Chief Technologist responsible for their internet business unit as the Internet transitioned from a government-controlled network to a commercial entity. Before that, he was a research scientist at IBM working on the US Navy’s undersea acoustic platforms. Peter earned a PhD from the University of Kansas in 2001. His dissertation dealt with applying the principles of machine learning and artificial intelligence to network protocol design.