Seven leaders. Seven industries. One city.
This unique event brought together seven Grand Rapids companies from diverse industries to share their tech takeaways from this past year. Each company delivered a concise, 7-minute presentation, offering insights into the technological advancements and innovations that have shaped their industry over the last 12 months.
This one-hour session of rapid-fire talks was followed by a networking happy hour with drinks and appetizers where attendees had the opportunity to make new connections, continue conversation about the changing tech landscape, and explore the Twisthink space.
Meet the speakers.
Gain insights from key leaders driving Grand Rapids’ transformation into a tech hub.
Jason Joseph
Chief Digital and Information Officer at Corewell Health
Jason leads strategic and operational information services with a primary focus on simplifying and enhancing the health care experience for the system’s patients, health plan members, teams and communities. Through easy-to-use digital platforms, applications, technology and medical devices, Jason and his team aim to make health more accessible and equitable. An able communicator and agile problem-solver, Jason also leads the system’s efforts in cybersecurity, data and analytics, clinical technology and emergency preparedness.
Brad Comment
Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at The Right Place
In his role, Brad is responsible for the The Right Place’s strategic projects and initiatives, business intelligence, fundraising, and public policy. Brad engages with various partner organizations, leading projects that align with The Right Place’s Strategic Plan. Brad is also responsible for strengthening relationships with The Right Place’s public and private stakeholders. He serves as a conduit between The Right Place and the region’s elected officials and their staff, representing The Right Place during discussions relevant to our regional economic development strategies.
Beth McGough
Senior Manager of Global User Research at Yanfeng
Beth has decades of experience in leading all aspects of uncovering relevant and actionable end user insights for B2B and B2C organizations. In her role, Beth leads a global research team serving up insights to traditional auto manufacturers and new mobility organizations as well as direct collaboration with innovation, design and engineering teams. She is agile in adapting to changing requests, with a high attention to customer satisfaction and speaks the many languages of different disciplines.
Matt Inbody
VP of Global Execution Excellence at Dematic
Matt is a leading technologist from Dematic and has spent the last decade focused on finding software and solutions for high-speed, high-volume distribution centers. From the Senior Director of Engineering Technology to the Chief Disruptor and into his current position as Vice President of Global Execution Excellence for Dematic, there is simply very little in the tech industry that Matt has not been involved with over his 30-year career.
Mike Troupos
Vice President at Foresight Management
Mike holds Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Procurement Professional (CEP) designations from the Association of Energy Engineers. A self–declared “energy nerd,” Mike has spent the last eleven years learning everything he can about the industry. He thrives off complex, rapidly innovating nature of energy and sustainability. Mike is in his element when empowering industrial companies to develop plans to reduce energy consumption, cut utility costs, and decrease GHG emissions.
Mary Brown
Senior Culture Consultant
Dr. Mary Brown is Steelcase’s Senior Culture Consultant with expertise in culture and inclusion, organizational behavior, learning development, and change management. Her extensive experience spans manufacturing, education, and the healthcare sectors, where she has focused on learning and development, organizational culture transformation, workplace design and innovation adoption, and change management. Additionally, she is an adjunct professor in the Psychology and Business departments at Grand Rapids Community College.
Bernard Ibrahim
Director in the Manufacturing Industry at Microsoft
As a Director in the Manufacturing Industry at Microsoft, Bernard leads transformational engagements with strategic customers. With over 25 years of experience in the manufacturing industry, Bernard has held a variety of operational roles and has led teams to create new products and develop new business offerings both in the US and internationally. In his own words, “From my perspective, the advancements in manufacturing that will be realized within the next decade by applying digital technology will be nothing short of revolutionary.”
A monthly newsletter focusing on the intersection of global macro-trends, strategy, and technology.
