Meet the BIF-5 Storytellers

Melissa Withers
July 22, 2009

Each year we produce a book of stories to accompany the BIF-5 Summit.  This collection of short narratives introduces the BIF-5 storytellers and gives readers an inside look at what makes each so unique. Here’s a sneak peek at the first few to roll off the presses.

Bob Schwartz, General Manager of Global Design, GE Healthcare
Closing the Gap Between Doing Good and Being Good
A pioneer in advancing the application of user-centric design to the development of products and services, Bob Schwartz has learned many lessons in life. Schwartz doesn’t hesitate when asked to distill the common theme that ties all of these lessons together. “Do something that means something. And remember that even simple things can improve a person’s life.” Read more

Jonah Lehrer, Author and Editor-at-Large, Seed Magazine
Human Folly and the Fickle Brain
The human brain is an amazing piece of work. Many of the things we value most—creativity, reason, problem solving—are derived from the dense orb of tissue tucked within our skulls. But however amazing and ‘genius’ the brain is, it is not without its foibles, says author Jonah Lehr, who has written extensively about our beloved (and imperfect) cerebral computer. Read more

Michael Samuelson, President and CEO, The Health & Wellness Institute 
The Disruptive Mountaineer
Ten years. That’s how long Michael Samuelson has been cancer-free. In that time, he has trekked to mountaintops in Europe, Asia and Africa, shared biannual lunches with President George HW Bush, authored three published books on health and human behavior, built a national health and wellness institute and, is currently planning for an autumn visit to Havana where he will discuss public health policy with Cuban officials. Read more

Stephen Trachtenberg, Authority on Higher Education, former President of George Washington University
An Innovating Traditionalist
Steve Trachtenberg likes to tell a story about his mother, who once suggested to her husband that “if one of us were to die first, I think I’d like to take a trip around the world.” And she did. When she got to Egypt, she sent Steve a picture of herself riding a camel. Read more

Helmut Traitler, Vice President of Innovation Partnerships, Nestlé
Harnessing the Global Opportunity of Open Innovation
It is no exaggeration to say that Helmut Traitler is fearless about embracing the new world order of open innovation.  Traitler is not alone in this conviction, but as Vice President of Innovation Partnerships at Nestlé, Traitler has done what many have failed to do: re-oriented a behemoth multi-national corporation around the proposition that “sharing-is-winning.” Read more

It's Not Too Late to Register for BIF-5

There are still ~80 seats left for the BIF-5 Summit, so it is not too late to register. You can check out the roster of storytellers and see who is already registered here. Hope to see you there.