Sarasota, FL (September, 2006) /PRNewswire/ – The Ringling School of Art & Design recently announced that Franco Lodato, vice president of Design Exploration + Research at Herman Miller Inc., has been added to the agenda of the inaugural Sarasota International Design Summit.
The
Summit, which will be held October 9-11 at the Ritz Carlton,
Sarasota, will explore design's transformational impact on people, places and products and show how leading organizations are using design as a strategic approach for differentiation and competitive advantage."We're delighted with the addition of Franco Lodato to this exciting agenda," says Dr. Larry Thompson, president of
RinglingSchool of Art & Design. "His trailblazing work in biomimicry and bionics is leading to fascinating new applications in everything from wearable technologies to office furniture. As a result, he is achieving a whole new level of simplicity, beauty and functionality in the design of things we experience in our everyday lives. His innovations are a great example of how design can create measurable value for businesses and consumers in ways people may never have thought about before."The
Summit will also address topics including education, corporate strategy and operations, healthcare, urban and industry cluster planning, sustainability, product design and consumer experience design. Attendees will explore these topics in keynote presentations, panels, workshops, tours and networking events over three action-packed days.
Other speakers confirmed to date include:
Carol Coletta, CEO of CEOs for Cities and host of Smart City Radio, will moderate the program, interviewing speakers and providing context and synthesis throughout the
Summit.
Ryan Armbruster, director of design and operations at the Mayo Clinic's SPARC Innovation Program, will discuss how Mayo Clinic's extraordinary collaboration with IDEO and Steelcase has transformed the patient experience and improved patient satisfaction.
Arthur Aw, director of
Singapore's JTC Development Corp., will show how his team's massive Biopolis project helped secure
Singapore's future as a major global center for biomedical sciences in
Asia.
Alec Bernstein, director of BMW Group Designworks/USA's Advanced Communications Group, will talk about how his team imagines diverse future design landscapes to create products and experiences consumers fall in love with.
Roger Black, founder of Danilo Black, SA, is a legendary newspaper and
