Conversations with Corporate Innovators

Open Innovation Wins through Evolution not Revolution

Interview with Kurt Schneider, VP, Product & Process Innovation Center at Quality Ingredients Corporation (QIC)
Nov-05-12. By Paul Arnold
Kurt Schneider is an open innovation thought leader who advises companies of all sizes on how to best engage with external sources of knowledge to find creative solutions.

Syngenta Thoughtseeders™

Interview with Joseph Byrum, Global Head of Soybean Seeds and Traits Research and Development, Syngenta, about their Thoughtseeders portal
May-15-12. By Vern Burkhardt
"Companies that have a deeply embedded 'not invented here' culture are less likely to be successful at innovation."

Innovation is a Process

IdeaConnection Interview with Mike Colucci, Owner of The SDG Group
Apr-02-12. By Vern Burkhardt
"When you identify a possibility you challenge people. You challenge their imagination. You set a bar or a goal that is higher than what they currently see."

"Cool" Products

IdeaConnection Interview with Derrick James, Design Engineer and Inventor
Mar-19-12. By Vern Burkhardt
"Many people have been burned by invention scam companies in the past and are leery (and rightfully so) of companies claiming to be able to turn your ideas into saleable products.

The Excogitator

IdeaConnection Interview with Yvette Kendall, Lead Excogitator (inventor) at InventHer Solutions LLC
Mar-05-12. By Vern Burkhardt
"There are many dissimilar things which can generate associations and connections. For example, when I'm watching TV sometimes I see components of my products come to life in the commercials. It's almost like chemistry. If two or more things are meant to be together, they will let you know it." Yvette Kendall, Lead Excogitator at InventHer Solutions LLC

Generation 3 Innovation: The Open Collaborative Network

IdeaConnection Interview with Frank Mattes, Founder and CEO of innovation-3
Jan-09-12. By Vern Burkhardt
"Transforming the firm's innovation approach in R&D from a closed to an open one promises huge benefits such as increased agility and effectiveness, lowered risk and revenue growth through new products." "How to make Open Innovation work for your R&D," page 4

Choose A Design

Crowdsourcing Introduced in South America - the Story of Choosa.net
Oct-16-11. By Vern Burkhardt
"Choosa is one of the biggest graphic design contest marketplaces. The idea is really simple; on our website a company can start a contest for any sort of graphic design he needs and our design community will start uploading designs. Crowdsourcing designs as we call it."

The Hunt – An Innovator’s Perspective

IdeaConnection Interview with Fred Thomas, Engineer and Inventor
Oct-06-11. By Vern Burkhardt
"It is not uncommon that the most strategic inventions evolve based on the entrance of a new material or technology being available that, if combined with an existing product, improves the utility." Fred Thomas

An Open Source Business Model

IdeaConnection Interview with Psion Teklogix Inc.: John Conoley, CEO; Mike Doyle, Chief Technology Officer; and Todd Boone, Director of Market Development
Jan-21-11. By Vern Burkhardt
"We all know that statements of Corporate values and most CEO statements are… platitudes because the leadership teams don't try to live up to and honour the values, i.e. 'lead'…

Spend a Little, Learn a Lot, Change Direction

IdeaConnection interview with Bill Knowles, Training and Organizational Development Manager for Syngenta
Jul-16-10. By Alice Bumgarner
If you've bought flower seeds at Lowes, eaten a mini watermelon, or teed up on a weed-free golf course, you've probably benefited from Syngenta's work.

Daring to Disrupt Centuries-Old Tradition

IdeaConnection Interview with Romi Haan, founder of South Korea-based Haan Corporation
Jul-02-10. By Alice Bumgarner
Looking at it one way, Romi Haan simply invented a mop. If you look more deeply, though, you’ll see that Haan’s initial invention carved out a new product category in the marketplace, revolutionized the way South Korean women manage their homes, and helped break down gender bias in the South Korean business world.

The Great Disruption

Interview with Scott Anthony, Author of The Silver Lining
Nov-01-09. By Graham Duncan
Times are tough. Innovation is a corporate necessity for survival. In The Silver Lining Scott Anthony makes the case that today's turbulent times make mastering innovation a competitive necessity.

Co-design of Products and Services

Interview with Deborah Szebeko, Founding Director of thinkpublic
Oct-25-09. By Vern Burkhardt
"Take one action now to improve your services."

Justin Jarvinen Lets the Music Play

A conversation with Justin Jarvinen, founder and CEO of VerveLife.
Jun-28-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Say you want to reward customers who buy one of your products, by allowing them to download or stream a song through your web site.

Unconventional Wisdom

Interview with Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of "What Were They Thinking? Unconventional Wisdom About Management"
Apr-15-09. By Graham Duncan
Why do so many companies misstep even when led by hard-working, smart and serious people who expend large amounts of time and effort trying to do the right thing? In What Were They Thinking? Jeffrey Pfeffer provides engaging answers for business leaders.

Push Beyond Barriers Like an Endurance Athlete

A conversation with Steve Owens, CEO of Colorado Premier Training
Apr-08-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Steve Owens and his team coach endurance athletes – cyclists, triathletes, and runners from all over the world. His innovative, state-of-the-art training equipment measures athletes' heart rate, power output, and energy expenditures, as well as a score of bike computations, such as speed and distance. His team then creates customized training programs.

Let the Music Play

A conversation with Tim Westergren, founder and chief strategy officer of Pandora.
Mar-27-09. By Alice Bumgarner
When Tim Westergren started the Music Genome Project in 2000, the goal was to analyze the musical details of thousands of songs by studying them one at a time. The result was Pandora, free Internet radio that plays music specifically suited to your taste, without commercial interruption. Start by picking a band or better yet, a particular song you adore, and it scans a massive trove of music to play other tunes you'll like. The company continues to grow like a weed, with practically every metric doubling year over year.

For Innovation to Stick, It's Got to Come From the Top

A conversation with Lisa Bodell, CEO of research and consulting firm futurethink.
Mar-21-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Futurist Lisa Bodell believes anyone can innovate. Step one: Use the diagnostic tool on her firm's website to see how well you're doing in each of these four key capabilities: strategy, ideas, process, and climate. Step two: Tap into a slew of tools and practices from futurethink, designed to prop up your innovation efforts. Before you know it, you'll have more than a single innovative project in the works. You'll know how to sustain innovation within your organization.

A Prescription for Health-Care Industry: Value Innovation

A conversation with John Fong, Vice President and Senior Medical Director for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Mar-09-09. By Alice Bumgarner
The health-care system – plagued by skyrocketing costs, lack of access, and disparity of quality care – is one industry that could benefit from a dose of innovation. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is among the more forward-thinking players in the field today. The health insurance company has already been honored by Harvard Medical School researchers for its efforts toward tackling the epidemic of obesity, and it continues to push for change through initiatives such as ePrescribe.

A Disruptive Player Who’s Changing the Ad Game

A conversation with Brad Brinegar, chairman and CEO of McKinney
Mar-02-09. By Alice Bumgarner
During Brad Brinegar's tenure, McKinney has had one of the best new-business records in the advertising agency industry, attracting such marquee brands as Sony Electronics and Virgin Mobile USA. Advertising Age, citing the agency's forward-looking business model as a paradigm for the world ahead, recently ranked McKinney one of the nine best agencies in the country. Before coming to McKinney in 2002, Brinegar served as CEO of Leo Burnett USA, the world's second largest advertising agency office.

Tom Szaky Believes It’s All Garbage

A conversation with Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of Terracycle
Feb-19-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Most of the things in your room right now will eventually become garbage. That simple concept drove Tom Szaky to launch Terracycle, a company that turns tossed-out Caprisun juice packets into backpacks and used newspaper into pencils.

Innovative Hits, Not Home Runs

A conversation with Joe Colopy, founder and CEO of Bronto Software
Feb-13-09. By Alice Bumgarner
To stay competitive, Joe Colopy of Bronto Software, an e-mail marketing service provider, must keep innovating – or meet the same fate as his company's namesake.

Solving 'The Riddle' of Innovation

A conversation with Andrew Razeghi, professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Feb-08-09. By Alice Bumgarner
In addition to teaching innovation at Northwestern University, Andrew Razeghi works as an adviser to organizations on innovation and growth. In both roles, he helps tackle complex problems like, "How can a particular country reposition itself to appeal to changing tourism trends?" or "How can a global food manufacturer navigate the challenges and opportunities of obesity?" While the problems he sorts out may appear to be vastly different, he says, the principles that drive successful innovation are much the same.

Breakthrough Solutions for One of Earth's Biggest Challenges

A conversation with Richard Fuller, president of Great Forest Inc. and the Blacksmith Institute.
Jan-27-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Even as Richard Fuller was running Great Forest Inc., one of the top sustainability consulting companies in the U.S., he wondered what sort of tangible environmental impact his work made: Was it reducing the amount of deforestation? Was it aiding biodiversity? Was it reducing the level of pollution that causes health problems?

The Best New Ideas show "Evidence of Tinkering"

A conversation with Guido Jouret, CTO of Emerging Markets Technology Group (EMTG), Cisco Systems, Inc.
Jan-16-09. By Jo Grogan
Guido Jouret believes that innovative ideas with the greatest chance of success show "evidence of tinkering," that is, "people are trying to use whatever means they have at hand, barbed wire, bubble gum, sticky tape," to make the idea work. Those are the ideas that are worth the investment of time and money necessary to bring it to market, and those are the ideas that get his attention.

Changing Real Estate Consulting From the Inside Out

A conversation with Jeff Zell, president and chairman of real estate consultants JM Zell Partners.
Jan-11-09. By Alice Bumgarner
When he founded JM Zell Partners in 1989, Jeff Zell crafted an innovative, new business model for real estate consulting. Today his multi-disciplinary team of experts address clients' needs in a way that's different from nearly all his competitors. In-house land planners, legal counsel, space planners, marketers, and financial experts bring their own analysis and questions to each transaction to weave comprehensive solutions. His is a two-way innovation – both in the product itself and in the payment structure. JM Zell's list of clients includes the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Time Life, National Gallery of Art, and sanofi-aventis.

It's a Good Time to Be an Innovator

A conversation with Mike Wing, Vice President, Strategic and Executive Communications, IBM
Jan-05-09. By Jo Grogan
The economic downturn is not negatively impacting the innovation climate at IBM. Long a proponent of innovation and a case study in successfully reinventing itself, IBM has turned in recent years to the use of "Jams" for everything from setting company values to identifying the next best thing. Mike Wing was there from the beginning with the Jams, and explains the philosophy and process behind them in this interview.

Innovating Our Way to a Greener World

A conversation with Alfred Hambsch, CEO of Barrie Metals / GEEP (Global Electric Electronics Processing)
Jan-02-09. By Alice Bumgarner
Last year, Americans threw over 2.2 million tons of electronic waste into landfills. Alfred Hambsch believes we need to find a more responsible way to dispose of all that e-waste. Hambsch is CEO of Barrie Metals, one of Canada's largest recycling companies, and he's arguably the best man for a task that requires sustained innovation. The company has been described as a "factory in reverse,” dismantling components instead of assembling them, then finding new uses for the remaining plastic, aluminum, copper and precious metals.

Philosophy and Innovation make good Bedfellows

A conversation with John Del Monaco, Manager, Emerging Technology and Transfer, Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc. (PSEG)
Dec-29-08. By Jo Grogan
John Del Monaco is a practical innovator. His work at Public Service Enterprise Group, Inc. (PSEG) is to transfer technology to use within company operations and as part of the services offered to customers to improve costs, services, or both. Before he implements an idea, he wants scientific proof and an ability to make a common-sense application. In this interview, he describes a collaborative innovation model from an industry-wide perspective, and discusses how he keeps his mind open to new ideas through the writings of great philosophers and thought-leaders.

Saying 'Yes' to Open Networks

A conversation with Arv Malhotra, professor at Kenan-Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dec-22-08. By Alice Bumgarner
With a background in engineering, information technology and business, Arv Malhotra began working with Boeing in the 1990s, which was facing down one of its biggest challenges yet: In light of reduced support from the government and increasing competition, how would it go forward to create new products? Boeing's solution was to form virtual teams across the organization, pairing people of diverse backgrounds together. In the '90s, this kind of cross-collaboration was radical.

Trailblazing Innovation for Fuel Diversification

A conversation with Andrew Littlefair, President and CEO of Clean Energy Fuels, a T. Boone Pickens company
Dec-14-08. By Jo Grogan
Andrew Littlefair founded Clean Energy Fuels with T. Boone Pickens eleven years ago. Since then, the company has been at the forefront of innovation in bringing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to large truck fleets. This has required close coordination and cooperation with trucking companies, industry associations, government agencies, truck manufacturers, and vendors. What comes across in a conversation with Littlefair is that this is a company dedicated to forward thinking and innovation. In this interview, Littlefair sheds light on the innovations that led to Clean Energy Fuels, Inc.'s success so far, and those that will be necessary for continued future success.

Innovation in Plastics

An Interview with Borealis VP Alfred Stern
Dec-10-08. By Sandy Staggs
In the 1967 film "The Graduate," Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) is offered one word of advice, “plastics.” Some 40 years later, “plastics” has become synonymous with another word, Borealis.

Sustainability and Innovation go Hand in Hand

A conversation with Faith Taylor, Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation, Wyndham Worldwide, Inc.
Dec-07-08. By Jo Grogan
If you want a good case study of how to use innovation and sustainability to cut costs and improve customer service, talk to Faith Taylor. As Vice President of Sustainability and Innovation at Wyndham Worldwide, Taylor is responsible for Wyndham's green and sustainable initiatives for environmental, social, and economic programs. Her responsibilities span the breadth of Wyndham's substantial company, including twelve hotel brands, Worldmark Timeshares and RCI Vacation Exchange Group. Among the innovative technologies she is working to bring to Wyndham locations are solar panels, ozone, clear air allergy-free rooms, and uniforms made of 100% recycled materials.

Employees are the Difference

A conversation with Lloyd Yates, President and CEO, Progress Energy Carolinas
Nov-23-08. By Jo Grogan
Progress Energy Carolinas is at the forefront of innovation. Its recent installation of state-of-the-art LED Street Lights in Raleigh, North Carolina is one example. The installation is a part of a test to determine whether the LED lights are more cost and energy efficient for cities. If the test is successful, it could result in potential cost savings of 50 percent over traditional street lights for municipalities throughout the Carolinas and Florida.

Connect + Develop with Procter & Gamble

An Interview with Jeff Weedman, Vice President, External Business Development
Nov-20-08. By Sandy Staggs
In the United States, 99 percent of all households purchase and use at least one Procter & Gamble product. P&G owns some of the world’s most recognizable brands including American favorites Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Pampers, Ivory, CoverGirl, Tampax, Old Spice, Tide and Crest and has significant stakes in a swath of other markets from Pringles chips to Duracell batteries.

Embed Innovation in Corporate Culture for Best Results

A conversation with Charlie Prather, initial Director of the DuPont Center for Innovation and President, Bottom Line Innovation Associates, Inc.
Nov-16-08. By Jo Grogan
Charlie Prather has been in the innovation arena for a quarter century, having shaped the DuPont Center for Innovation from its inception, and working with Fortune 100 companies to help them develop innovation as a core competency. His view is that innovation is even more important today for companies to survive in the current economic environment.

Royal Bank's Innovation Challenge

An Interview with Avi Pollock, Head of Applied Innovation at the Royal Bank of Canada
Nov-13-08. By Sandy Staggs
As Head, Applied Innovation at Royal Bank of Canada Financial Group—the country's largest financial institution and the fifth largest bank in North America—Avi Pollock leads a team with an enterprise-wide mandate to stimulate innovative activity. With a view to "what's next," "what's new" and "what's different," Applied Innovation identifies and validates emerging technologies and opportunities that have the potential to drive client value and differentiate RBC from its competitors.

Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking

A conversation with Michael Rogers, Futurist-in-Residence, The New York Times Company
Nov-07-08. By Jo Grogan
Michael Rogers is an innovator's innovator. As Vice President of The Washington Post's New Media Division, he ushered The Washington Post and Newsweek into the age of multimedia. Rogers is an expert on the impact of technology in the marketplace and on day-to-day life. He is well known as MSNBC's "The Practical Futurist," and for making technical concepts easily understood. In addition to his work with The New York Times Company and MSNBC, Rogers is a dynamic speaker, consultant and facilitator.

Innovation Consulting at Booz & Company

An Interview with Alexander Kandybin
Nov-05-08. By Sandy Staggs
"At its simplest level, innovation is embodied by a product or service offering that contains a significant element of newness," according to Alexander Kandybin, a Partner and Vice President at global management consulting firm Booz & Company. However, he points out, "new" does not have to mean entirely new to the world line. "Line extensions of existing brands—i.e. Colgate Whitening toothpaste or White Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups—are a frequently profitable form of innovation. True innovation can take the form of a new product, technology, process, content, or even the presentation and marketing of an existing product or service."

Success Drives Adoption of Changes

A conversation with Esther Baldwin, Research Proliferation Manager, Intel
Nov-03-08. By Jo Grogan
Esther Baldwin is truly a global innovator. As Intel’s chief of Research Proliferation, she has led innovation efforts in the United States and in China. She established a culture of innovation while starting the Intel Innovation Center in Shanghai, working closely with the Chinese to embrace the “innovation mentality”. She considers the Chinese to be very innovative and adaptable and has found her work in China to be among the most rewarding of her career.

Design for Delight

A conversation with Roy Rosin, Vice President, Product Management & Innovation at Intuit, Inc.
Oct-29-08. By Jo Grogan
Roy Rosin believes in taking the long view when it comes to company innovation at Intuit. Somehow he has managed to make that long view work in an industry in which new and rapid advances in product creation are necessary for survival. As the Vice President of Product Management and Innovation at Intuit, Inc., a leading software company known for products such as Quicken, QuickBooks, and TurboTax, Roy manages Intuit’s R&D Labs and advises and guides investments in new products and services across the company.

Fostering Innovation at Kraft Foods

An Interview with VP Steven Goers
Oct-27-08. By Sandy Staggs
Innovation does not always lead to solving the world's most complex dilemmas such as reducing CO2 emissions through hydrogen technology or ending world hunger through hardier, genetically-engineered crops. Innovation more often occurs right under our very noses, whether we are aware of it or not, and in the most unlikely of places such as your local supermarket.

Innovation requires enormous Energy, Excitement, and Commitment

A conversation with Mitchell Baker, Chairman and Chief Lizard Wrangler, Mozilla
Oct-22-08. By Jo Grogan
Mitchell Baker is passionate about open sourcing, about the mission of Mozilla, and about the value of the freedom to innovate. Baker, as the Chairman and Chief Lizard Wrangler at Mozilla, organizes and motivates a huge collaborative group of employees and volunteers throughout the world who are working together to breathe new life into the Internet through the development and improvement of the Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird e-mail client.

Innovation and Tobacco at R.J. Reynolds

An Interview with Dennis L. Potter, VP of Innovation in the Growth and Innovation Group at Reynolds American Inc.
Oct-22-08. By Sandy Staggs
While Research & Development has always played a pivotal role in the success and longevity of tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds, parent company Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), has recently synergized all of its units with the creation of the Growth and Innovation Group, anointed with the objective of expanding RAI’s tobacco business model into a more diverse and competitive portfolio for consumers. R.J. Reynolds is America’s second-largest tobacco company and currently claims approximately 28 percent of all U.S. cigarette sales, including six of the top 10 brands: Camel, Pall Mall, Kool, Winston, Salem and Doral.

Collaboration and Co-creation – The Key to Unlocking Value

A conversation with Mehmood Khan, Global Leader of Innovation, Unilever
Oct-13-08. By Jo Grogan
"In today's global economic environment, innovation is more important than ever. The dynamics are changing rapidly, and we must innovate and adjust our offerings based on those changes, while still providing products that are more functional and affordable." Mehmood Khan

Monterey Gourmet Foods VP discusses Innovation

An Interview with Erika Cottrell, Vice President of Innovation, Monterey Gourmet Foods
Oct-08-08. By Sandy Staggs
Erika Cottrell was named Vice President of Innovation in June 2008 at Monterey Gourmet Foods, a manufacturer and marketer of fresh gourmet refrigerated food products with corporate headquarters, distribution, and manufacturing facilities in Salinas (Monterey County), CA; Seattle, WA; and Eugene, OR.

Xerox VP discusses Innovation and Problem Solving

An interview with Hadi Mahabadi, Vice President and Director of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC)
Sep-30-08. By Sandy Staggs
Hadi Mahabadi is vice president and center manager of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC). He was named to this position in September 2004. XRCC is part of the research and technology organization of the Xerox Innovation Group.

Business Model Focuses on Collaboration, Innovation

An Interview with IdeaConnection Founder and CEO, Scott Wurtele
Aug-17-08. By Vern Burkhardt
It is increasingly necessary for small and medium sized companies to rely on open collaboration models to maintain their competitive edge. Even large companies are innovating outside their traditional R&D departments by seeking new ways to connect with world-class experts and leaders in creativity and innovation.

Exceptional Leadership, Part II

An Interview with Peter McCoppin, internationally renowned orchestral conductor
Jun-23-08. By Vern Burkhardt
We exist as a totality—a physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual being. All those aspects need to be nurtured. This is balance. And we need to take this balance into everything we do—including, and especially our work. If we are leaders it is even more important.

Exceptional Leadership

An Interview with Peter McCoppin, internationally renowned orchestral conductor
Jun-16-08. By Vern Burkhardt
Everyone wants to be respected, appreciated, purposeful, significant, understood and intentioned. Trust is what holds all relationships together, including the relationship between the leader and the led. And trust is based on integrity.

Not Leaving Good Ideas on the Shelf

An Interview with Andre Laurin, co-founder and CEO of BrainBank
Feb-18-08. By Vern Burkhardt
BrainBank Inc. is located in Montreal, Canada. It provides systems, implementation consultants and technologists that enable organizations to implement idea and innovation management processes that deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in financial results; and positive cultural change. I recently had an opportunity to interview Andre Laurin, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of BrainBank.