Podcast

#212: From COBOL to Salesforce: Washington State Liquor Board’s 9-Year, Multi-Million Modernization + Army Leadership Lessons

Written by Joe Toste | Aug 7, 2025 4:46:45 AM

 

 

 

Listen now: YouTube x Apple x Spotify

 

Brought to you by:

SentinelOne—Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.

Verizon FrontlineThe advanced network that keeps first responders connected when it matters most.

Carahsoft—The Trusted Public Sector IT Solutions Provider™, supports government agencies and education/healthcare markets. Contact your Carahsoft rep today to access special discount pricing exclusively through the TechTables + Carahsoft partnership!

 

Featuring:


What You’ll Learn:

  • How a 42-year-old COBOL system from 1983 finally got retired — and why a 70-year-old contractor stayed on just to see it die

  • Why George paused the entire project for a year and restructured the whole team — and how that bold move led to a successful go-live after two failed attempts spanning nine years

  • The critical moment George stopped outsourcing ownership to contractors and put actual agency employees in charge

  • How battlefield leadership lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan shaped George's approach to managing massive licensing operation

  • Why “success” nearly broke the system — and how the agency handled 30,000+ phone calls in just three months post-launch

  • How George built a cross-division data governance team to prevent inaccurate AI answers — and what every CIO should learn from it

  • Why Salesforce developers are solid gold — and how George is fighting to keep them in the public sector with training budgets and team loyalty

  • The one job George believes every CIO must do: take the heat round so their team can thrive

 

Timestamps

  • (00:35) From Army Combat Vet to Cannabis & Liquor Board CIO
  • (03:00) Basketball to Military: “Too Slow for Forward, Too Short for Center”
  • (06:00) Iraq 2004: Getting Blown Up and Building Resilient Teams
  • (12:00) 9-Year Project Nightmare: Firing Teams and Rebuilding from Scratch
  • (16:00) 42-Year-Old COBOL System: The 1983 Legacy That Wouldn’t Die
  • (23:00) 7 Legacy Systems to Salesforce: The Technical Transformation
  • (26:30) 20,000 Liquor + 1,900 Cannabis Licenses: Managing Complex Customer Operations
  • (33:00) CIO as Translator: Making Tech Make Sense to Non-Tech Leaders
  • (38:00) 30,000 Phone Calls Post-Launch: When Success Creates New Problems
  • (44:00) Leadership Lessons: Taking the Heat and Supporting Your Team

 

Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can connect with TechTables:

 1. 📬 The TechTables Newsletter: Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

Join now: https://www.techtables.com/

2. 🤝 The Collaboratory: The Exclusive Peer Network for Senior Technology Leaders in Public Sector, nationwide. The Collaboratory is a 100% Public Sector, Vendor-Free Private Community where you can connect, share strategies, and drive innovation alongside peers through monthly virtual meetings and our annual national event.

Learn more: https://techtables.com/collaboratory 


3. 🤝 The Better Together Series: a virtual podcast series where TechTables partners with leading CXOs and vendor partners for candid conversations that showcase real-world solutions, spark innovation, and drive industry action.

📧 Interested? Email Joe at joe@techtables.com

 

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Join our thriving community of senior technology leaders by subscribing to the TechTables Newsletter. Gain early access to the latest episodes, industry insights, and exclusive event updates.

 

CONNECT

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn

🐦 Connect on Twitter

🏛️ Follow on LinkedIn Company

📽️ Subscribe on YouTube

 

SAY THANKS

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify