Date: Thursday, June 5, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Location: DoubleTree Hotel, Independence

Description: Open Innovation is an approach for manufacturers to connect with collaboration partners outside their usual circle of relationships. There are two sides to this Open Innovation approach … one side has “needs” and the other side has “seeds”. Charlie Brez, VP of Innovation Alliances at NineSigma will first review the basic concepts of highly leveraged collaboration and then will review their particular model which starts by identifying the “needs” of Global 1000. Then they search the technical and manufacturing community to find the best partners who can provide the “seeds” or solutions. Attendees will learn where they might fit into this innovative approach to business growth as a company that needs solutions or those that can provide the answers. Manufacturing executives will present their success stories in using open innovation. Brez will also provide some action items allowing participants to start exploring how they could immediately use open innovation as a strategy to grow their business.

Register now for one or both events or contact Katharine Boone, (216) 432-5159.

Charlie Brez, Vice President, Innovation Alliances, NineSigma

Brez has been leading “Open Innovation” practices since joining NineSigma as vice president, sales and marketing in 2001 and he is currently Vice President, Innovation Alliances. NineSigma was founded in 2000 and started engaging the marketplace in 2001 with a creative, new innovation-sourcing business model. Brez works closely with Global 1000 clients to implement open innovation strategies and with solution provider communities to collaborate with technology seeking companies.

Brez has corporate management, commercial and technical experience. Prior to joining NineSigma, Brez held executive positions with ABB Automation, its predecessor Bailey Controls Company, Monsanto Company, and its subsidiary Fisher Controls Company. His roles included business management as Senior Vice President/General Manager, VP Global Sales and leadership responsibilities in strategic planning, business development, acquisitions, marketing, and product management.

Brez has been an invited speaker on open innovation practices, technology transfer, and collaborative networks on five continents in the last year.

Brez is a Director of the AIChE Management Division and served on the Advisory Board for their most recent Management Conference on Innovation. Brez was a principal organizer and moderator for a one-day workshop on Open Innovation at the Licensing Executive Society Annual Meeting in NYC in September, 2006.

Brez holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from St. Louis University.