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Category Archives: Futurist

An Interview With Ford's Futurist Sheryl Connelly

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Sheryl Connelly is the head of Ford's Global Trends and Futuring Division, where she separates trend from fad and helps the automaker determine what global changes will influence the market in years to come.

Join us to learn Sheryl's insights on how demographics, technology, the environment, and other global issues have shaped today's market, what these trends could mean for our future, and how one company is responding.

A full transcript follows the video.

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Brendan: Hi, folks, I'm Brendan Byrnes and I'm joined today by Sheryl Connelly. Sheryl's the head of Ford's Global Trends and Futuring Division. First of all, thanks so much for your time.

Sheryl: My pleasure.

Brendan: It sounds like a very interesting job. Could you, first, just very quickly describe your job and what, exactly, you do for Ford?

Sheryl: Sure. Informally, I'm often referred to as Ford's "In-House Futurist," which is a bit of a misnomer, because I am the person that spends most of their time reminding people that no one can predict the future.

What I try to do is help give input to strategic discussions. What are the assumptions that are built into our plans? What happens if the assumptions that we have are wrong?

To challenge those things, I look at trends -- global trends -- through the lens of social, technological, economic, environmental, and political arenas, because while we'll never be able to predict the future, we know those are the five things that will shape the landscape.

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An Interview With Ford's Futurist Sheryl Connelly

Healthcare Futurist Jack Uldrich to Deliver Keynote at Wolters Kluwer's Customer Advisory Board Event

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Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

Following upon the success of his well-received speech at United Healthcare's Valued Customer Forum on May 8th in Minneapolis, popular keynote speaker, healthcare futurist, and best-selling author, Jack Uldrich has been selected to deliver a keynote session at Wolters Kluwer's annual Customer Advisory Board meeting in Chicago on June 7, 2013. The title of Uldrich's presentation is "Why Future Trends in Healthcare Will Demand Unlearning."

The presentation, which is based on Uldrichs two most recent books: "Foresight 20/20: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow" and "Higher Unlearning: 39 Post Requisite Lessons for Achieving a Successful Future" as well as his popular article, "Top Ten Trends in Healthcare," will begin by discussing how continued advances in information technologies, biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, genomics, regenerative medicine, social networking and "Big Data" will radically transform healthcare in the decade ahead. (A video of Mr. Uldrich discussing future trends can be viewed here.)

Uldrich will then focus on why these trends will demand unlearning and discuss why participants must embrace the concept of unlearning in order to achieve future success. Uldrich, who has been hailed as Americas Chief Unlearning Officer, will conclude by reviewing specific habits, customs, beliefs and ideas that healthcare professionals canand mustunlearn. Throughout his talks, he will use vivid analogies and memorable stories, drawn from a wide spectrum of industries, to ensure his message of unlearning sticks with his audiences.

In the past year, Uldrich has addressed dozens of healthcare associations and hospitals, including the Alcetel-Lucent/Verizon Forum on Wireless Healthcare, United Healthcare, IASIS Healthcare, Methodist Hospital (Houston, TX), Allina Hospitals, The Healthcare Trustees of New York, The Iowa Healthcare Collaborative, Care Providers of Minnesota, St. Jude Medical, Fairview Hospitals, University Hospitals & Health System of Ohio, and healthcare associations in Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. He has also addressed a number of major, non-health-care-related corporations on the topic of unlearning including PepsiCo, Cisco, IBM, WiPro, Guardian Life Insurance and General Electric. Uldrich also frequently addresses Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and Chamber of Commerce events throughout the country.

Parties interested in learning more about Jack Uldrich, his books, his daily blog or his speaking availability are encouraged to visit his website at: http://www.jumpthecurve.net. Media wishing to know more about the event or interviewing Jack Uldrich can contact him directly at 612-267-1212 or jack(at)schoolofunlearning(dot)com.

Uldrich is a renowned global healthcare futurist, best-selling author; editor of the monthly newsletter, The Exponential Executive, and host of the award-winning websites, http://www.jumpthecurve.net and http://www.schoolofunlearning.com. He is currently represented by a number of professional speakers bureaus, including Leading Authorities, Executive Speakers Bureau and Convention Connection.

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Healthcare Futurist Jack Uldrich to Deliver Keynote at Wolters Kluwer's Customer Advisory Board Event

The Future of Music and the Concert Business: Futurist Gerd Leonhard Keynote at Dansk Live 2013 – Video

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The Future of Music and the Concert Business: Futurist Gerd Leonhard Keynote at Dansk Live 2013
Thanks for your interest in my work! Gerd Leonhard Futurist, Author and Keynote Speaker Basel / Switzerland http://www.futuristgerd.com CEO of http://www.thefutures...

By: Gerd Leonhard

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The Future of Music and the Concert Business: Futurist Gerd Leonhard Keynote at Dansk Live 2013 - Video

Present holds half-day Innovation conferences in Montreal and Toronto featuring the world's leading futurist, trends …

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MONTREAL, May 23, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Present, an established firm of IT innovation experts was delighted to provide its customers and partners in Montreal and Toronto with an opportunity to hear from Jim Carroll, a recognized Canadian thought leader and authority on important business and IT trends.

Speaking to an audience of senior IT and business executives, the focus of Jim's talk was to examine: What world class innovators do that others don't. Jim challenged the audience to think differently about how innovation is approached "World class innovators recognize big trends are emerging quickly," he said. "They embrace new ideas and ways of doing things and they don't say, 'that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard'."

Carroll also emphasized how world class innovators get in on new emerging markets faster - and how they constantly think of the next thing to create revenue. Another key take-away was how world class innovators will shift entire industries. For example, the medical field used to focus on treating you when you were sick, now it's changing to knowing when you will be sick, and addressing it.

For information about how Present can help your business become more innovative and profitable please visit present.ca/it-innovation.

About Present In business for 22 years, Present is an established firm of IT experts with a unique and highly skilled team. Present believes innovation is a core driver of growth and their goal is to assist their clients in developing and implementing strategies and tactics to spur growth and profits. They provide solutions based on IBM hardware and software, Apple in the business solutions as well as Cloud solutions.

Video with caption: "Video: Highlights of Innovation Conference featuring Jim Carroll.". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20130523_C9272_VIDEO_EN_26991.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20130523_C9272_PHOTO_EN_26991.jpg&clientName=Present&caption=Video%3A%20Highlights%20of%20Innovation%20Conference%20featuring%20Jim%20Carroll%2E&title=PRESENT%20%2D%20Present%20holds%20half%2Dday%20Innovation%20conferences%20in%20Montreal%20and%20Toronto%20featuring%20the%20world%27s%20leading%20futurist%2C%20trends%20and%20innovation%20expert%20Jim%20Carroll%2E&headline=Present%20holds%20half%2Dday%20Innovation%20conferences%20in%20Montreal%20and%20Toronto%20featuring%20the%20world%27s%20leading%20futurist%2C%20trends%20and%20innovation%20expert%20Jim%20Carroll%2E

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Present holds half-day Innovation conferences in Montreal and Toronto featuring the world's leading futurist, trends ...

Face Time: Ford Futurist Sheryl Connelly

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By Katie Abdilla | Published 05/21/13 6:09pm

Since graduating from MSU in 1989, MSU alumna Sheryl Connelly has worn many hats. With experience in everything from sales to law, Connelly currently serves as the futurist for Ford Motor Co., predicting trends to help the company adapt to future changes in society.

Despite her business focus, Connelly is a self-proclaimed right-brainer, and most recently, was the first woman to make Fast Companys Top 100 Most Creative People in Business list for 2013. John Viera, Ford Motor Co.s global director of sustainability and environmental matters, said Connellys creative edge brings a new perspective to the office.

Im an engineer by nature, and Sheryl and I complement each other really well, Viera said. Left-brained people have a tendency to want to get to the answer right away, and what Sheryl does is takes a creative stand and opens up the blinds for us.

The State News spoke with Connelly on Monday, discussing her career and her time at MSU.

The State News: What was your overall experience at MSU like?

Sheryl Connelly: I have nothing but the fondest memories of my time at Michigan State. Like any college experience, when you get the opportunity to go away, its the time to find yourself. Its not just about the educational journey, its a journey of self-discovery and figuring out who you are away from your friends and family unit.

TSN: Although you focused on business while at MSU, you also were interested in art. What made you pick one over the other?

SC: I was really torn about whether I wanted to study art or business, but in the context of the 80s, it had its recession, and (business) seemed like the safest bet. I remember still today, it was exciting, the subtle reaction when people found out you were in the business college. At times it caught people by surprise, to see young women pursuing that kind of discipline.

TSN: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

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Face Time: Ford Futurist Sheryl Connelly

Global Futurist Jack Uldrich to Deliver Keynote on the Future of Higher Education

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 22, 2013

Following on the heels of his well-received keynote presentation at the Association of Test Publishers 2013 Innovation Conference, popular keynote speaker, education futurist, technology forecaster, change management expert and best-selling author, Jack Uldrich has been selected to deliver the plenary keynote presentation at the Rochester Institute of Technology's year's end Faculty Institute on Teaching and Learning Conference on May 22, 2013.

Beyond addressing educational trends, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), open-source educational platforms (such as Coursera, EdX and Udacity), mobile web communications, interactive and customizable e-books, gaming dynamics, augmented-reality, artificial intelligence, and crowdsourcing; Uldrich will tackle how these trends are transforming the student-teacher relationship and review the changes educational leaders must make today in order to stay relevant in tomorrows changing world.

The material presented in his talk is based on a combination of Uldrich's best-selling book, "Higher Unlearning: 39 Post Requisite Lessons for Achieving a Successful Future" and his latest book, "Foresight 2020: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow." The keynote is designed to provide education innovators a solid and thought-provoking foundation upon which to conduct future strategic planning. (Later this spring, Uldrich will be conducting a more interactive session with leaders from the Rochester Institute of Technology). An overview of many of the coming changes can be found in this article: 10 Quotations of the Future of Higher Education.

In a separate, follow-on session entitled "The Art & Science of Unlearning", Uldrich will elaborate on why these future trends will require unlearning as well as provide an overview of how various technological trends are upending long-standing educational and funding mechanisms. Uldrich, who has been hailed as "America's Chief Unlearning Officer," will use vivid analogies and memorable stories, drawn from a wide spectrum of industries outside the educational establishment, to ensure his message of unlearning "sticks" with his audience. A sample of some his ideas on the future of education can be found in this chapter, The Future of Higher Education: A Cloudy Forecast, from his latest book Foresight 2020: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow.

In the past year, Uldrich has addressed dozens of educational groups and associations, including delivering customized keynote presentations to Indiana University, Cuyahoga Community College, the Association of Test Publishers, the Minnesota Community Education Association, The Council of Great Lakes Schools, The University of Minnesotas Carlson School of Business, Educational Services of America, Belmont University, The Chief Learning Officers Summit, The Minneapolis Public School System, The Teaching and Technology Conference, The League of Innovation, The California League of Middle Schools, and The American Technical Education Association. Later this summer, he will travel to Istanbul, Turkey to speak at the European Association for International Education's annual conference. Uldrich has also addressed a number of major, non education-related corporations and institutions on the topics of future trends, change management and unlearning, including Cisco, IBM, PepsiCo, United Healthcare, Case IH, Guardian Life Insurance, WiPro, and General Electric.

Parties interested in learning more about Jack Uldrich, his books, his daily blog or his speaking availability are encouraged to visit his website at: http://www.jumpthecurve.net. Media wishing to know more about the event or interviewing Jack Uldrich can contact him directly at 612-267-1212 or jack(at)schoolofunlearning(dot)com.

Uldrich is a renowned global educational futurist, best-selling author, and editor of the monthly newsletter, The Exponential Executive. He is currently represented by a number of professional speakers' bureaus, including Leading Authorities and Executive Speakers Bureau.

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Global Futurist Jack Uldrich to Deliver Keynote on the Future of Higher Education

2013 Fiscal Summit: Futurist Juan Enriquez presents A Vision of the Future and the Importance of Now – Video

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2013 Fiscal Summit: Futurist Juan Enriquez presents A Vision of the Future and the Importance of Now
"A Vision of the Future and the Importance of Now" presentation by futurist Juan Enriquez. From the 2013 Fiscal Summit: Facing the Future, held Tuesday, May ...

By: The Fiscal Summit

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2013 Fiscal Summit: Futurist Juan Enriquez presents A Vision of the Future and the Importance of Now - Video

The Future of Content

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The Future of Content Creativity: Gerd Leonhard Futurist Speaker at RSA London April 8 2009
This is the video of my speech I held at the RSA as part of an event on April 8 2009, entitled "New Media Futures: what next for content and creativity" Topi...

By: Gerd Leonhard

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The Future of Content


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