Overview

Managing over 500 vehicles and assets, the city of Elgin, Illinois, is reimagining how local governments can operate more efficiently, transparently and sustainably.

Join Aaron Neal, director of public works, for an inside look at how Elgin is using real-time fleet data to drive measurable improvements in safety, accountability and environmental impact.

Whether you're exploring electrification, evaluating fleet performance or looking to build support for new tech investments, this session will offer real-world strategies you can bring back to your own agency.

We’ll cover:

Building a data-driven strategy: Explore the ways real-time visibility is helping Elgin reduce risk and promote accountability.
Driving transparency: See how operational data is informing decisions — from city leadership to community members.
Scaling sustainability efforts: Learn how Elgin is progressing toward electrification and long-term environmental goals.
Implementing modern tech: Get practical advice for adoption, change management and delivering results.

Speakers

Aaron Neal

Director of Public Works, City of Elgin, Illinois

Aaron Neal is the Director of Public Works for the City of Elgin, Illinois, where he leads a multifaceted department responsible for street maintenance, snow and ice control, traffic signal and lighting systems, solid waste management, fleet services, and a wide range of value added citywide infrastructure programs. Over the course of more than 20 years with the City—rising from seasonal employee to director—Aaron has built a leadership approach grounded in operational excellence, staff development, and community-focused service delivery leveraging technology along the way. In his current role, and among other tasks, Aaron oversees Elgin’s fleet of more than 500 vehicles and assets, directing all aspects of procurement, maintenance, and replacement planning. He has championed the integration of modern telematics, real-time vehicle monitoring, and other operational technologies to improve safety, optimize resource allocation, and enhance transparency for both internal stakeholders and the public. Under his leadership, the City has advanced fleet electrification, expanded data-driven decision-making, and implemented tools that help crews work more efficiently while reducing environmental impact. Aaron’s work reflects a commitment to blending innovation with practical, on-the-ground experience, ensuring that technology serves as a force multiplier for people, processes, and the community they support

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D. — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Government

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D., is a professor and associate director (department chair) of the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement IT and Cybersecurity Program, where he focuses on continually delivering and updating the program curriculum based on innovative and emerging technologies. Before transitioning to academia and higher education, he had a diverse gov tech career delivering value to state agencies, local governments, and law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Mississippi. He has served in CIO, CTO, and CISO roles for local governments and also in various leadership positions within the state of Mississippi’s IT organization as a deputy to the state CIO. Dr. Rials holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belhaven University, a master’s degree in computer information systems and cybersecurity from Missouri State University, as well as a Ph.D. in higher education administration and public administration from Jackson State University. His dissertation research involved the critical factors that affect the adoption of cloud services within the public sector. He is a noted expert in the IT and cybersecurity space and is frequently quoted by national media outlets. He is also a frequent contributor to national IT government organizations such as NASTD and NASCIO.

Webinar

Modernizing Fleet Operations with Real-Time Data in Illinois