BE LIKE SAM

Written By Michael Powell

I’ve been feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as I prepare for the IAITAM ACE conference in Las Vegas next week. This will be my first time attending such an event. I am stepping into a new chapter of my career with fresh credentials, big goals, and much to learn.

While I was preparing for my trip, I found something I hadn’t seen in years—a small Elemental green pin that reads Be Like Sam. It immediately took me back to my time at Elemental Technologies, and it's CEO, Sam Blackman.

If you knew Sam, you know the kind of person he was: visionary, humble, generous with his time, and deeply human. He didn’t just lead—he inspired. Just one week after I started at Elemental, I was invited to join the company’s Hood to Coast relay team. Suddenly I found myself in a cramped van with Sam, his wife, and three other coworkers I had yet to meet, running a grueling 200-mile race across Oregon, and I felt like I truly belonged. That kind of leadership really sticks with you.

Rediscovering this pin is reminding me that the path I’m on isn’t just about gaining technical knowledge, checking off certifications, or advancing my career—it’s about who I want to be in this field. In my future SAM roles, I want to live out the same core values that shaped Elemental; Integrity, Customer Centrism, and Innovation. I want to:

  • Lead with integrity, even when decisions I have to make are tough

  • Stay curious, because the technology landscape is always evolving

  • Empower others, not just enforce policy

  • Build processes that last, not just patch problems

  • Show up with empathy, because the people matter just as much as data

I plan on taking this pin with me to IAITAM ACE. It will be a quiet reminder to myself to show up every day as my whole self, lead with my heart, and stay grounded in the kind of values Sam embodied.

To my fellow former Elementals—how does Sam still inspire you in your work today? Do you still wear your pins? I’d love to hear your stories, too.

#BeLikeSam #ElementalTechnologies #LeadershipMatters #SAMPro #SoftwareAssetManagement #IAITAM #ITAM #IAITAMACE2025

Michael Powell