Unlocking Innovation

After three decades in his industry, Marc Adams of Verizon, has seen a rapid advancement in technology that has led him to where he is now– driving one of the nation’s largest telecommunications companies IoT development efforts. As a leader in his field, he specializes in developing commercial synergies to advance technological growth. During one of the most unprecedented times in America, Marc is proud to be a part of “an industry and company that keeps us all connected.”

P33, embodies the past, present, and future of Chicago. Its name refers to “purpose, plans, people, and progress” as well as the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and their hope to accomplish their company’s mission by 2033. In this episode, P33’s SVP of Ventures, Brandi Bridges, joins us to discuss how her organization is helping build up Chicago’s tech ecosystem and promote inclusive growth in our city. If you’re curious about Chicago’s role in the tech ecosystem today, there’s no one better to turn to than Brandi.

The job of a Chief Wagon Officer at one of the world’s most iconic brands, Robert Pasin says, is to “lead a team of flyers… an incredibly creative group of people who design and develop awesome products that inspire active play.” Creativity is at the heart of Radio Flyer’s purpose and after 100 years in business, they have perfected the balance of innovation and tradition. He joins us on #UnlockingInnovation to share his company’s continually inspiring story.

Northshore HealthSystem – The world of healthcare has completely transformed since we last spoke to Dr. Nirav Shah, Infectious Disease Physician and Medical Director of Quality Innovation and Clinical Practice Analytics at NorthShore University HealthSystem. Dr. Shah joins us again to talk about how the challenges of this year have shifted his focus of work, how healthcare systems are using emerging technologies and the shocking effectiveness of potential COVID-19 vaccines. He also shares positive news about how NorthShore is using data to fight healthcare disparities.

Noodle.ai – “Shareholders need it, customers need it, the planet needs it… every part of your organization should have some type of machine intelligence,” says Stephen Pratt, CEO of Noodle.ai. His San Francisco-based startup is working to create a world without waste by helping corporations adopt AI into their manufacturing and supply chain operations. In this episode, he discusses the possibilities, dangers, and responsibilities that come with the increasingly complex world of artificial intelligence.

“Are we maximizing our decision making opportunities by ensuring we have different perspectives around the table?” asks Melissa Donaldson, Chief Diversity Officer at Wintrust. Roles like hers aren’t new (as she points out, diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace began in the 1940s), but it comes with new challenges in the modern workplace. Melissa approaches each challenge, she says, by asking “what if we looked at things another way?” She discusses this approach as well as the close relationship between D&I and innovation.

“I can’t think of an industry that has a greater impact on the future of our society,” says Phil Nevels, Director of Innovation and Partnerships at Exelon. He joins us on #UnlockingInnovation to share how his company’s mission to provide reliable, clean, affordable and innovative energy products is helping to create a brighter and more sustainable future. Phil also provides insight into how his team uses an incremental approach to change within the 34,000 person organization.

“There’s disruption happening around us all the time… it’s about understanding how quickly that’s going to happen and how fast you need to respond,” says Shannon Gilmore, Managing Director at KPMG. In this week’s episode, she breaks down KPMG’s approach to innovation, how she evaluates enterprise investment opportunities, and keys for leading remote teams.

Molson Coors Beverage Company – “I don’t take it for granted that things will work out… you have to be ready to pivot,” says Sofia Colucci,VP of Innovation at Molson Coors Beverage Company (formerly MillerCoors). She is responsible for transforming the beer giant’s innovation approach during a time where more and more consumers are looking for hard seltzers and other novel products. On this week’s episode, Sofia explains how she has managed to shift from the traditional, while keeping consumer needs at the forefront.

RioTinto – “After 132 years of research and development, we have finally cracked the code,” says Paramita Das of Rio Tinto’s carbon-free aluminum process. She joins us on #UnlockingInnovation to discuss her company’s groundbreaking green initiatives among other surprising innovations in mining that impact the daily life of each and every one of us.