How do you keep your CI programs and product innovations moving forward despite challenges from both internally and externally to your organization?
Thursday, Optima is proud to welcome Steve Heinecke of 3M and Sam Landers of Goodyear to share how they pushed their game-changing innovations through to fruition despite many obstacles, challenges, and resistance.
You will learn the tools, methods, and thinking to apply to your own projects and programs to accelerate change and innovation for the benefit of your customers, colleagues, and communities.
Meet the presenters
Sam P. Landers, retired R&D Fellow at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., graduated from The University of Akron with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1969. During his 42 years at Goodyear, Sam has been granted more than 60 patents and has directed cross-functional teams in the successful development and release of more than 30 new passenger tire products including the award-winning Aquatred and the Assurance featuring TripleTred technology.
During Sam’s career he has received many of Goodyear’s highest honors for a technology associate. He won Goodyear’s Dinsmore Merit Award for original thinking and cooperative action in the development of better products in 2001 and was twice named Inventor of the Year. Other notable awards include being named a Distinguished Inventor by the Intellectual Property Owners and Distinguished Corporate Inventor by the American Society of Patent Holders in 1993.
Steven Heinecke retired as a Division Scientist in the Critical and Chronic Care Solutions Division at 3M. He served in the United States Navy and served at 3M for over 37 years. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stout, with a degree in Industrial Engineering.
He is the original inventor of Tegaderm Transparent dressings and many of the products in the Tegaderm family. Steve has been conducting laboratory and clinical research on adhesion to skin since 1978. Other areas of research have included accelerated wound healing and reductions in the risk of infection for catheter lines. He continues to work with key research experts in many universities around the world.
He is past chair of the Division Scientist Committee at 3M. Steve is a member of the Carlton Society (the hall of fame for 3M research and innovation), inducted in 2005 for his accomplishments on Tegaderm technology.
