Ann Arbor SPARK Podcasts
Follow Ann Arbor SPARK President & CEO, Paul Krutko's, conversations with Ann Arbor region CEOs.
Ann Arbor SPARK, a public-private partnership whose mission is to advance innovation-based economic development in the greater Ann Arbor region, is pleased to announce the launch of Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity, featuring Paul Krutko, its president and CEO, in conversations with regional business leaders.
“Upon joining SPARK in the spring of 2011, I began an in-depth conversation with the key economic leaders in our region, private sector CEOs, elected and appointed public sector leaders and the executive leadership of key non-profit and academic institutions. These one-on-one conversations now number well over 100. These podcasts capture the flavor of these very rich, insightful talks,” said Krukto. “The podcast series is designed to not only highlight that expertise, but also make it available to others who could benefit from the wisdom those business leaders can share.”
The podcasts will feature successful local businesses, business owners and business leaders. The leaders will share best practices, lessons learned and an “in the trenches” view of Ann Arbor and global economy.
Ann Arbor SPARK will release new CEO podcasts every two weeks through 2012.
Release Date: 2/21/2012
Rich Sheridan Part One
Duration: 22:40
(49.59 MB)
Ann Arbor is full of businesses that are leading Michigan's economic turnaround. Innovative businesses large and small have found success in Ann Arbor. Menlo Innovations, a custom software firm founded by Rich Sheridan in 2001, has helped lead the pack of IT businesses located and growing in Ann Arbor.
In his conversation with Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Paul Krutko, Mr. Sheridan talks about bringing the joy back to one of the most unique endeavors in the history of man-kind: inventing software. He discusses the Ann Arbor region's business climate, the software industry, and the vibrant culture and community of the Ann Arbor region. He also details the innovation leadership techniques that ensure the company's continued success – techniques that helped the company emerge from the recession as a raging success story of the strength of the Ann Arbor business world.
Listen to their conversation and learn more about how business in the Ann Arbor region works in collaboration with the community, the University of Michigan, and the unique business climate here. This is part one of their conversation – be sure to check back next week (March 6) for part two!
Release Date: 2/7/2012
Ken Fischer Part Two
Duration: 19:25
(44.45 MB)
Part II
Ann Arbor is a town with a very robust arts community. It is an international cultural center, with a population that embraces the arts and also uses the arts to enhance its standing as a business community. The establishment of Ann Arbor as a cultural center is vital to its establishment as a business center and a worldwide hub of education.
Ken Fischer has been the President of the University Musical Society at the University of Michigan for over 24 years. During his conversation with Ann Arbor SPARK's CEO Paul Krutko, he emphasizes the positive impact that arts can have on a community, and how they've touched and enhanced the Ann Arbor area. In Ken Fischer's conversation, he describes the strong collaboration with the arts through, among other highly successful initiatives, the Cultural Leaders Forum.
Mr. Fischer speaks about the keys to success for UMS: leadership and embracing diversity in the arts. He discusses his experience in music and the arts and emphasizes its economic impact on the Ann Arbor community.
Click below to listen to Part 2 of this exciting conversation with Ken Fischer!
Release Date: 1/31/2012
Ken Fischer
Duration: 19:32
(42.44 MB)
Part I
Ann Arbor is a town with a very robust arts community. It is an international cultural center, with a population that embraces the arts and also uses the arts to enhance its standing as a business community. The establishment of Ann Arbor as a cultural center is vital to its establishment as a business center and a worldwide hub of education.
Ken Fischer has been the President of the University Musical Society at the University of Michigan for over 24 years. During his conversation with Ann Arbor SPARK's CEO Paul Krutko, he emphasizes the positive impact that arts can have on a community, and how they've touched and enhanced the Ann Arbor area. In Ken Fischer's conversation, he describes the strong collaboration with the arts through, among other highly successful initiatives, the Cultural Leaders Forum.
Mr. Fischer speaks about the keys to success for UMS: leadership and embracing diversity in the arts. He discusses his experience in music and the arts and emphasizes its economic impact on the Ann Arbor community.
Be sure to listen to Part 2 of Ken Fischer's podcast, where he discusses how collaboration in the arts has brought new businesses to the Ann Arbor region and UMS' 2012 national programming.
Click below to listen to Part 1 of this exciting conversation with Ken Fischer! Part 2 will be released next Tuesday, February 7.
Release Date: 1/18/2012
President Mary Sue Coleman
Duration: 23:48
(49.89 MB)
Any discussion of the Ann Arbor region's economic future begins with University of Michigan. Many commentators, like Richard Florida and Tom Friedman, have highlighted that America's economic success in the 21st century is going to depend on the success of dynamic regional economies built around major universities. Ann Arbor is a leading example.
So there is no better way to kick off SPARK's Conversations on Economic Opportunity, then to have our inaugural CEO podcast with the visionary leader of the University of Michigan, President Mary Sue Coleman. President Coleman is the architect of an aggressive strategy to not only integrate the "gown" into the "town's" future economic success but to provide leadership in support of Ann Arbor's, the State of Michigan's and the nation's economic success in the face of intense global competition. President Coleman helped found SPARK, sensing that it was was absolutely necessary to "pull" innovative technologies and the entrepreneurs interested in commercializing them out of the University's rich academic research ecosystem, one of the most well funded in the United States.
Our conversation was wide ranging with President Coleman sharing her views on the importance of the University's involvement in the economic development and growth of our region....on creating a curriculum of entrepreneurship to unleash the power of students and facility...and the University's new program of venture investment.......to her involvement in National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the President's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
So sit back, and enjoy the thoughts and insights of one of America's most influential leaders, Mary Sue Coleman, President of the University of Michigan!
Ann Arbor SPARK's CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity and Comcast Business Class's inaugural iPad2 contest has ended!
Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Paul Krutko randomly drew a winner from a bowl of eligible entrants on February 2 for an iPad2 from Comcast Business Class.
Krutko selected Liza Mundro of Ann Arbor! SPARK was proud to present Liza her iPad2, along with a representative of Comcast Business Class. Special thanks to all who listened to President Mary Sue Coleman's Podcast and entered the contest and especially Comcast Business Class for making it all possible. Check back soon for more information about another iPad contest!
