The Cannata Report spotlights 2026 Women Influencers on AI and leadership

The Cannata Report released a video featuring its 2026 Women Influencers — Janene Aul, Jocelyn Gorman and Lauren Hanna — as they discuss leadership, AI, customer service and the future of the office technology dealer channel. The interview series centers on legacy-driven leadership as family business successors navigate industry change.

Why it matters: - The video puts three next-generation office technology executives at the center of a wider industry debate about AI, service, and how dealer-channel businesses adapt without losing their core identity. - The discussion underscores how family-owned companies are balancing legacy leadership with pressure to modernize operations and customer experience. - The feature also highlights the growing visibility of women in an industry that is being reshaped by automation, managed services, and changing customer expectations.

What happened: - The Cannata Report released an exclusive video featuring its 2026 Women Influencers: Janene Aul, CEO of Systel Business Equipment; Jocelyn Gorman, president of DSI; and Lauren Hanna, president of Blue Technologies Smart Solutions. - The Women Influencers theme is "Legacy and Leadership," focused on next-generation executives building on the foundations established by their fathers. - CJ Cannata, president and CEO of The Cannata Report, said the conversations show how the future of the dealer channel is being shaped by leaders who respect the industry’s past while pushing it to evolve.

The details: - Janene Aul discussed moving from a behind-the-scenes leadership role into the CEO position. - Aul said operational efficiency and AI are major opportunities for dealers, with a focus on serving customers faster, more efficiently and in a more streamlined way. - Jocelyn Gorman reflected on carrying a family legacy forward and said the expectations she feels are largely the ones she places on herself. - Gorman urged dealers not to chase every new opportunity and to stay focused on core businesses. - Lauren Hanna talked about leading through rapid technological change and the need for continuous learning as AI and emerging technologies reshape the industry. - Hanna emphasized that office technology companies remain service providers even as their businesses evolve. - The video also covers leadership transitions in family-owned businesses, AI and the future of the office technology channel, preserving company culture while embracing innovation, diversification, managed IT services, customer experience, and the growing influence of women across the industry. - The video includes behind-the-scenes footage from The Cannata Report’s 2026 Women Influencers photo shoot and offers a look at the making of the cover story and portfolio.

Between the lines: - The theme signals that the independent dealer channel is valuing operators who can protect established relationships while adopting tools that improve speed, efficiency and service. - The women featured are framing AI as a practical business tool, not a replacement for the service model that still defines the industry. - The legacy focus suggests succession in family-owned dealers is becoming a strategic issue, not just a personal milestone.

What's next: - The Cannata Report is using the video and photo shoot portfolio to shape the next chapter of its coverage of the independent dealer channel. - The featured executives are positioned as examples of how office technology businesses may navigate continued change in AI, managed services and customer expectations. - Viewers are directed to watch the video for more on how these leaders are balancing legacy with innovation in the office technology industry.

The bottom line: - The Cannata Report’s 2026 Women Influencers package frames leadership succession, AI adoption and service-driven growth as the main forces shaping the dealer channel’s future.