08-10-12 *CO Gov's Office* Coca-Cola Company CEO Muhtar Kent named keynote speaker at 1st Colorado Innovation Network Summit...Aug 29-30

DENVER ­— Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 — The Colorado Innovation Network (COIN), the catalyst for innovation within Colorado, today announced that Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Muhtar Kent, will be a keynote presenter for the inaugural COIN innovation summit event being held in Denver on Aug. 29 and 30, 2012. Kent’s keynote, “The Role of Innovation in Creating Successful Businesses and Sustainable Communities,” will highlight how new technology and greater global access to information and capital helps to make companies and communities more successful and sustainable.

“Muhtar Kent’s experience in helping The Coca-Cola Company incorporate innovative ideas to expand business and revenues throughout the world is unmatched,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper.  ”We are thrilled to have him speak at COIN’s inaugural summit.”

One of the most sought-after speakers on the topic of innovation in the U.S., Muhtar Kent is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company. Previously he was President and Chief Executive Officer and earlier, President and Chief Operating Officer. Active in the global business community, Kent is co-chair of The Consumer Goods Forum, a fellow of the Foreign Policy Association, and a member of the Business Roundtable. He also was recently appointed as a member of the Eminent Persons Group for ASEAN by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton.

“I’m honored to be a part of the inaugural COIN summit, along with so many innovation leaders,” said Muhtar Kent. “Innovation is vital to our sustainable growth, as we now offer consumers more than 3,000 sparkling and still beverage choices. I applaud Gov. Hickenlooper’s leadership in focusing on innovation and bringing business, government and civil society together to ensure Colorado’s continued prosperity and success.”

The inaugural COIN Innovation Summit will be held at the Denver Art Museum on Aug. 29 and 30 and will bring together the most innovative and action-oriented leaders in the Colorado community and beyond. Day one will focus on innovation in action, and on day two, the delegation will turn innovation into action by collaborating and developing solutions to Colorado’s greatest innovation challenges.

Some of the presentation topics include: The Power of Innovation Networks in a Global Economy which will explore two highly successful innovation networks (Kellogg Innovation Network and the Nordic Innovation Council), Colorado’s Start-Up Story which will explore what makes Colorado a great place to start a business and Improving our State’s Climate for Innovation.

Kent joins several other high-profile speakers presenting on topics surrounding innovation:  

·         Gov. John Hickenlooper

·         Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock

·         David Allen, Associate Vice President – Technology Transfer, University of Colorado

·         Jorn Bang Anderson, Director Global Programs/Senior Advisor Innovation at Nordic Innovation, Nordic Council of Ministers

·         Luis Benitez, World-Renowned Mountaineer; Organizational Development, Vail Resorts

·         Peter Bryant, Senior Fellow and Honorary Co-Founder at the Kellogg Innovation Network

·         Anna Catalano, Independent Director at Mead Johnson Nutrition, Willis Group Holdings, Chemtura Corporation, and Kraton Performance Polymers

·         Diane Dimeff, Executive Director of eSpace

·         Tamara Door, President and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership

·         Chas Eggert, President and COO at OPX Biotechnologies

·         Don Elliman, Chancellor at the University of Colorado Denver

·         Brad Feld, Managing Director at the Foundry Group

·         Jason Jennings, Business Thought Leader and New York Times best-selling author

·         George Kembel, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Stanford Design School

·         Aaron Kennedy, Chief Marketing Office for the State of Colorado and Founder of Noodles & Company

·         Mike Long, Chairman, President and CEO of Arrow Electronics

·         Ken Lund, Executive Director at the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade

·         Kim Madigan, CEO of Adamworks

·         Ajay Menon, Chief Innovation Officer for the State of Colorado and Dean of the College of Business at Colorado State University

·         Lesa Mitchell, Vice President Advancing Innovation at Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

·         Kathy Nesbit, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration

·         Michael Raynor, Director at Deloitte Consulting

·         Kristin Russell, Secretary of Technology and Chief Information Officer for the State of Colorado

·         Mark Sirangelo, Corporate Vice President and Chairman of Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems

·         Geoff Smart, Chairman and CEO of ghSMART and Company

·         Teresa Stanek Rea, Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

·         Teresa Taylor, Executive Advisor to the State of Colorado and former Chief Operating Officer at Qwest Communications

·         Stephan Weiler, Professor of Economics and Research and Associate Dean at Colorado State University

·         Robert C. Wolcott, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Kellogg Innovation Network

The Summit promises to be an event to help elevate the state’s innovation climate. It will feature two days of presentations and panels focused on the most innovative strategies that can propel Colorado forward.

To learn more about the Summit, visit www.coloradoinnovationnetwork.com. The delegation is made up of innovation leaders from around the state and country, representing business and industry, not-for-profit, research labs, academia, government and entrepreneurs. This is an invite-only event, with applications and nominations being accepted on the Summit website.

###