Meet The Innovators Forum April 5, 2011

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EDISON AWARDS ANNOUNCES THE 2011 MEET THE INNOVATORS FORUM

Forum Brings Together Top Innovators for a Dynamic Discussion

Chicago, IL (March 9, 2011) – The Edison Awards (http://www.edisonawards.com) has announced the panelists for the Meet the Innovators Forum, which takes place Tuesday, April 5, 2011 from 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM at the New York Academy of Sciences.

The Meet the Innovators Forum is designed to showcase the innovation process as it relates to the Edison Award finalists and experts within their respective disciplines. The forum is comprised of four panel discussions and a series of product presentations allowing attendees to learn, network and share ideas. The intimate yet prestigious setting for the forum, coupled with some of today’s brightest innovators, sets the stage for a dynamic conversation and highlights the innovation efforts of the finalists attending the evening’s awards ceremony.

Notable presenters at the Edison Awards include Alan Mulally, CEO Ford Motor Company, John Hendricks, Founder Discovery Communications and Sir Martin Sorrell CEO WPP, among others as listed below.

The Edison Awards symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Alva Edison, inspiring America’s drive to remain in the forefront of innovation, creativity and ingenuity in the global economy. Winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be announced April 5, 2011 at the historic Capitale ballroom in New York, following the Meet the Innovators Forum.

“Thomas Edison pioneered four industries that are crucial to modern life: electric lighting, electric power generation, recorded sound and motion pictures,” said Dr. Paul Israel, Director of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University and member of the Edison Awards Steering Committee. “Edison also made important contributions to a host of other industries, many of which are reflected in this year’s Meet the Innovators Forum and finalist pool.”

The Edison Awards Steering Committee is comprised of senior executives with diverse marketing, scientific and business backgrounds. The Steering Committee monitors the development and successful launch of innovative products each year and annually reviews all nominations for potential placement on the Edison Awards ballot. The Committee is also responsible for bestowing the annual Edison Achievement Awards.

Welcome and Why Edison?

Product Presentation-Inno360

Dr. Paul Israel, Director and General Editor The Thomas Edison Papers and Ms. Sarah Caldicott, Chairperson Edison Awards

The industry’s first integrated platform for sourcing talent and innovation solutions

Product Presentation-

Nielsen

Getting It Into the Marketplace: From Inception to End User

Moderator:

Randall Lane, Editor at Large

The Daily Beast and Newsweek

Mr. David Parma, President Nielsen Consumer Research

Dr. Howard Moskowitz, CEO I-Novation Inc.
Mr. Gene Farrell, Vice President and General Manager Coca-Cola Freestyle
Mike Docherty, President Spencer Trask

· Mr. David Balter, CEO, Founder, Bzz Agent

· Mr. Shawn Stad, Staff Engineer Johnson & Johnson

Experiential Education

Moderator:

Mrs. Diane Barrett, Vice President Education USA TODAY

Mrs. Donna Deeds, Executive Director CAPS
Mr. Jonathan Cropper, Managing Director, Craven Hall
Mrs. Paula Gangopadhyay, Director of Education, The Henry Ford
Mr. Andrew Whitman, Experience Point
Dr. Jason Kovacs-Executive Director, Academic Affairs and Achieving the Dream, Johnson County Community College

Service Presentation-Edison Universe

Luncheon

Tom Stat, Edison Awards Steering Committee

Product Presentation

Sustainability: Transportation’s New View

Moderator:

*Deborah Adler Myers

GM and EVP, Science Channel or Jim Simpson Director, NJDOT

Johnson Controls

Mr. Bob Leonard, CEO Earth Garage
Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Co-Founder Terreform One
Dr. Carl Ratti, Director of City Innovation Group and Senseable City Lab, MIT
Mrs. Britta Gross, General Manager Chevy VOLT

Craig Rigby, Global Vice President of Engineering

The State of Innovation in the Global Economy

Moderator:

Dr. John Kao

Chairman, Institute for Large Scale Innovation

Mr. Alan Mulally, CEO Ford Motor Company
Mr. John Hendricks, Founder Discovery Communications
Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO WPP
Dr. Lee Buchanan, Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition
Ms. Susan Whiting, Vice Chairperson AC Nielsen

Wrap-up

Dr. Paul Israel and Mr. Tom Stat

*Presenters are not yet confirmed

The 2011 Edison Awards are sponsored by The Nielsen Company, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Spencer Trask, USA Today and Buzz Agent. The Edison Awards are granted under the aegis of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University, a globally recognized research network dedicated to the study of innovation and its application in the 21st Century. For more information about the Edison Award finalists, please visit www.edisonawards.com.

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