Description
As IRI and RTI launch their new trends initiative, SPRING, Ted Farrington reviews IRI's recent work on trends and the key findings from those studies.
Jeff Cope and Tom Culver of RTI outline the launch of this exciting new program. RTI highlights the ROI of tracking macro trends and the ways that SPRING will help make it easier for IRI members.
Contributors
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Jeff Cope, Senior Innovation Advisor, RTI International
Jeff Cope is a Senior Innovation Advisor at RTI International, one of the largest private research labs in the world. At RTI, Jeff leads development of new growth initiatives in RTI’s Innovation Advisors practice, and works with a variety of clients, helping inform and inspire, envision and act on business growth opportunities enabled by external innovations. Jeff has over 20 years of experience in commercialization and new product development. He has helped numerous companies, universities and university systems optimize their effectiveness in technology commercialization processes including technology assessment through training, mentoring and implementation of best practices. Jeff has a master’s degree in business management with a focus on technology commercialization, and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, both from NC State University. He frequently speaks at engagements worldwide on topics related to open innovation, technology scouting, and commercialization.
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Dr. Ted Farrington, IRI Emritus
Ted Farrington has been active in the IRI for 20 years and led the IRI2038 futures study that was conducted as part of IRI’s 75th Anniversary Jubilee in 2013. In 2018 Ted retired from Kalypso Consulting where he worked for two years as a Kalypso Fellow specializing in the use of strategic foresight, breakthrough innovation and improved R&D management processes to drive innovation and growth. Previously, he retired from his position as Sr. Director, PepsiCo Advanced Research in 2014 and has spent 35 years in R&D with companies including P&G, Kimberly-Clark, James River, and Johnson & Johnson. Over his career Ted has held positions ranging from R&D researcher to Vice-President of R&D. He was an Assistant Professor of Engineering at the Institute of Paper Chemistry during the 1980’s.
Dr. Farrington has a BS degree in Math and Physics, and an MS in Mathematics from Clarkson University, an MS in Chemical Engineering from Caltech and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maine. He holds 18 US patents and has written a book about leadership in large organizations titled “What Do I Do Now? Becoming a 21st Century Leader”.
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Tom Culver, RTI Advisors
Tom Culver has nearly 20 years of experience in innovation management and technology commercialization experience. He specializes in strategic innovation consulting, helping to facilitate innovation events and presenting on a wide variety of innovation management topics, including technology scouting and market intelligence.
Culver delivers innovation advising and open innovation services to Fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo, PPG Industries, and Newell Rubbermaid, in addition to developing new innovation programs for large government clients like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He has also assessed more than 175 technologies for potential commercialization and provided dozens of customer market analyses.
In addition to engineering expertise in the materials, design, and fabrication of optics and optical coatings honed at Diamonex, Inc., and Litton Itek Optical Systems, Culver has an extensive background in surface modification and coatings; advanced photonics and micro- and nanotechnologies; sensors and sensor systems; and emerging green chemistry and biopolymer technologies.