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 magazine designer who has designed or redesigned hundreds of publications. He will discuss how the Internet has changed the way we consume media today, and how information designers are shaping how we'll read in the future.

Ping Fu, CEO of Geomagic and Inc. Magazine's 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year, will talk about how advances in rapid prototyping and mass customization are transforming the manufacturing industry.

Charles Landry, author of The Creative City and the forthcoming The Art of City Making, will discuss how cities and towns with limitedresources and big ideas can create distinctive places that people love.John Maeda, world-renowned graphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist at the MIT Media Lab, will share his latest thinking on user-centered design from his latest book, The Laws of SIMPLICITY.Henry Myerberg, principal with Rockwell Group and design director for the Robin Hood Foundation's LIBRARY initiative, will discuss how his team of volunteer architects and designers reinvented the libraries in New York City's 650 public elementary schools.

John Remington, vice president of Target Corp., will share how the massive retailer's mission to provide "design for all" transformed its brand.

Clive Roux, design research and new business development senior director, Philips Design USA, will show how global corporations are using design research to create solutions to business issues in the area of innovation and future strategy development.Bill Strickland, chief executive of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and the BidwellTrainingCenter, will describe how he uses arts and design to transform the lives of at risk youth and communities.

Helen Stringer, design director for Procter & Gamble, will talk about how the massive consumer products company has integrated design into every aspect of the business.

Susan Szenasy, editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS magazine, will interview leaders from diverse disciplines who are engaging in efforts to build using sustainable development practices.

Jennie Winhall, senior design strategist of the UK Design Council's RED Unit, will share her team's success in re-thinking the possibilities for design within a new and rapidly changing social and economic context.

Dr. Larry Thompson, CEO of Ringling School of Art & Design, will provide an overview of the Summit and discuss new approaches to design education and expanding opportunities for design students today.Tickets may be purchased online. Full conference registration fees are $795 from September 16 through October 9. Special discounts apply for Fast Company readers, EDC of Sarasota County members and Ringling alumni, faculty and students. For more information, visit www.sarasotadesignsummit.com.About Ringling School of Art & Design

Ringling School of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit, fully accredited college offering the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) in six disciplines: Computer Animation, Fine Arts, Graphic & Interactive Communication, Illustration, Interior Design, and Photography & Digital Imaging. For more information visit www.ringling.edu

Source: RinglingSchool of Art and Design For additional information, contact Mary Craig of RinglingSchool of Art & Design, (941) 359-7595 or [email protected]