Lane Major Chief Operating Officer, K2M, Inc.  Emerging Leader Nominee 1. Why do you believe CSR is an important part of your personal brand?  At K2M, corporate social responsibility is an integral element to how we approach business.  It is true that companies often depend upon the support of local communities and stakeholders in order to thrive. That said, this relationship is …

(CVP) Customer Value Partners  Mature Technology Innovator of the Year Finalist Seven Principles of Innovation at CVP  “We’re innovating in technology!”  “Cutting-edge technical innovation!” The word innovation is a hot term these days, but real innovation cannot just be a buzzword. Companies that want to use technology to do things differently require an understanding of the underlying principles that create and foster innovation. …

Inova Health & Life Sciences Innovator of the Year Finalist Franziska Moeckel, Assistant Vice President, Personalized Health In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? The most innovative companies I have followed make failure part of their DNA. They take calculated risk, are not afraid of change, exponentially expand on their successes, and learn from their mistakes continuously. Innovation can …

Stratus Solutions Professional Services Innovator of the Year Finalist Sean O’Keeffe, CTO, Stratus Solutions In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? An innovative company is agile and can quickly respond to changes by moving from “what is” to “what if” to “what wows” to “what works.” These phases can be found in the book “Designing for Growth”, by Jeanne …

Nexus Systems  ​Financial Services Innovator of the Year Finalist Jennifer Coolidge, President & Founder, Nexus Systems In your opinion, what makes a company innovative?  Innovative companies aren’t stuck on the status quo and are always aware of emerging trends and pain points. They’re also agile thinkers who can adapt. This dovetails with a willingness to fail, since big ideas don’t …

Fresh Haystack  Mature Technology Innovator of the Year Finalist Andrew Razumovsky, Principal, Fresh Haystack In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? Exposing your employees to why your company is in business and supporting an environment where all employees have the freedom to contribute new ideas, fail and learn from their mistakes.   What makes your company innovative? Paying attention …

Refraction Community Impact Innovator of the Year Finalist Rachael Stott, Director and Co-founder, Refraction  In your opinion, what makes a company innovative?  I think, and studies suggest, innovation is about connection. Connection to a problem, connection to your end users, connection to collaborators with skills different than yours, connection to the other stakeholders that your innovation will impact, and connection …

RunSafe Security Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year Finalist Joe Saunders, Founder and CEO, RunSafe Security In your opinion, what makes a company innovative? What makes a company innovative is the ability to advance a concept technologically while also creating a practical way to implement it. What makes your company innovative? At RunSafe, we set out to solve the problem that …

How flexibility, technology, culture and professional development will play a role in the evolving workforce in the next five to 10 years To remain competitive in their industries, companies must not only be the best, but hire the best. Acquisition and retention of top-tier employees is important to create a foundation for success, which includes benefits beyond the basics to …

Amy Turner, Innovation Health Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director   Health plan prices for small businesses have been on the rise. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014 many are looking for new solutions to control costs and create more flexibility for employees.   What level funded plans do is create a new plan option …