SteveWynn Chairman & CEO Wynn Resorts

Steve Wynn is a casino resort developer. He is credited with spearheading the dramatic resurgence and expansion of Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1990s.

Wynn graduated from The Manlius School, a private boys' school in upstate New York, in 1959. Wynn's father, Michael Weinberg, ran a string of bingo parlors in the eastern United States, and died shortly before Wynn graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963 where he became an active brother of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. Wynn took over running the family's bingo operation in Maryland. He did well enough at it to accumulate the money to buy a small stake in the Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where he and his wife, Elaine, moved in 1967.

Wynn managed to parlay his profits from a land deal in the early 1970s (the deal involved two established titans of the Las Vegas casino business, Howard Hughes and Caesars Palace) into a controlling interest in a dusty downtown casino, the Golden Nugget Las Vegas (he also owned The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City). Wynn renovated, revamped and expanded the Golden Nugget with enormous success, in the process attracting a new upscale clientele to downtown Las Vegas.

Wynn had previously acquired interests in various existing casinos. His first major Strip casino, The Mirage, set a new standard for size and lavishness, with construction costs to match. The Mirage featured an indoor forest and an outdoor "volcano," and with high-quality room appointments and an emphasis on service, the Mirage was another great success. The Mirage was the first project in which he was involved in the design and construction of a casino. Financed largely with junk bonds issued by Michael Milken it was considered a risky venture by the standards then prevailing in Las Vegas because of its high cost and emphasis on luxury. It proved to be enormously successful and made Wynn a major part of Las Vegas history.

Wynn expanded further on his concept of the luxury casino in the later Bellagio resort, including an artificial lake, indoor conservatory, and an art gallery in which Wynn displayed museum-quality artworks, and branches of high-end boutiques and restaurants located in Paris, San Francisco or New York. The Bellagio is credited with starting a new spree of luxurious developments in Las Vegas. Among these developments include The Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and Paris Las Vegas.

Mirage Resorts was sold to MGM Grand Inc. in 2000, to form MGM Mirage. With the money he made on that deal, and with his ability to secure ever-greater financing, Wynn built a new resort, his most expensive yet, the Wynn Las Vegas, which opened on the former site of the Desert Inn on April 28, 2005. Wynn is building a casino in Macau, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. This property, known as Wynn Macau, is scheduled to open in September 2006.

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ChrisAnderson Author The Longtail

Chris Anderson is editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, which has won a National Magazine Award under his tenure. He coined the phrase The Long Tail in an acclaimed Wired article, which he expanded upon in the book The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More (2006). He currently lives in Berkeley, California with his wife and four young children.

Before joining Wired in 2001, he worked at The Economist, where he launched their coverage of the Internet. He also has a degree in physics from George Washington University and did research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has also worked at the prestigious journals Nature and Science.

Check out Chris' blog: www.thelongtail.com

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FredReichheld Author The Ultimate Question

Fred Reichheld joined Bain & Company in 1977, was elected to the partnership in 1982, and in January 1999 was elected the firm's first Bain Fellow. His consulting work and research have focused on helping clients achieve superior results through improvements in customer, employee, and partner loyalty. In the June 2003 edition of Consulting magazine, Mr. Reichheld was included on the list of the world's top twenty-five consultants.

Mr. Reichheld's work has been widely covered in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fortune, Business Week, and the Economist. The Economist refers to him as the "high priest" of loyalty; the New York Times declares, "[He] put loyalty economics on the map." He is the author of eight Harvard Business Review articles on the subject, and his two previous books, The Loyalty Effect (1996) and Loyalty Rules (2001), were published by Harvard Business School Press.

 Check out Fred's blog: http://netpromoter.typepad.com/fred_reichheld/

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LynHeward Author and Former President of Creative Content Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil is widely recognized as one of the most innovative and creative companies in the world today. The person who developed and managed that creative fire for much of the company's history is Lyn Heward.

As the President of Creative Content for Cirque du Soleil, Lyn was responsible for managing, guiding and channeling the incredible creative force of the company's designers, performers, artisans, and technicians into a product that was both breathtakingly original as well as commercially successful. Her range of experience in this regard touches on virtually all aspects of management. In addition to the specific areas of creativity and innovation, she can speak with authority on such issues as finding and developing talent and fostering an open and dynamic corporate culture. She draws on her Cirque du Soleil experience to provide valuable ideas and lessons for virtually any audience.

Lyn has distilled her experience at the company into a wonderful new book, The Spark: Igniting the Creative Fire That Lives Within Us All. The book is an inspiring tale that draws on behind-the-scenes stories from the most creative people in entertainment, and is an unparalleled guide on how to make creativity a part of everything you do. It was published to great acclaim in 2006.

Beginning as an acrobatic scouting coordinator and creation studio director, Lyn's responsibilities evolved as Cirque do Soleil grew in scope. In 2000 she was named President and COO of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Content Division, a position she held until 2005. In that period the hit shows "Varekai" (2002), "Zumanity" (2003) and "KÀ" (2004) were created under her guidance. Her understanding of the demands and the multiple facets of creating a show, as well as her managerial talents, brought her to this position. She has been the guiding force behind activities related to creation, production and artistic and technical follow-up for all Cirque du Soleil shows and other creative ventures. Her command of five languages—English, French, German, Russian and Spanish—helped her open direct lines of communication with Cirque du Soleil's artists and partners all over the world.

Still deeply concerned by the development of young athletes and performers, She is presently working as an ambassador and Executive Producer for Special Projects for Cirque du Soleil; in this new capacity her first mandate was to create and produce the opening ceremonies of the 2005 FINA World Aquatics Championship in Montreal. She has also lent her creative expertise to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organizing Committee as a member of its creative team and associate producer of an eight-minute segment presented during the closing ceremonies of the 2006 Torino Olympic Games.

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DanPink Author A Whole New Mind

Dan Pink is a best-selling author and an expert on innovation, competition, and the changing world of work.

His latest book, A Whole New Mind, charts the rise of right-brain thinking in modern economies and explains the six abilities individuals and organizations must master in an outsourced and automated world.   Reviewers have described the book as "an audacious and powerful work," "a profound read," "right on the money," and "a miracle."  Several publications – including strategy+business, The Miami Herald, and Fast Company – named it one of the best business books of 2005.   A Whole New Mind is being translated into 12 languages – and will be published across Europe and Asia in 2006.

Dan's first book, Free Agent Nation, about the rise of people working for themselves, was a Washington Post nonfiction best seller and a business best seller in the U.S. and Canada.   Fortune Small Business cited it as one of "ten milestones in management thinking" in the last century.  Publishers Weekly said that the book "has become a cornerstone of employee-management relations."

His articles on work, business, and technology appear in many newspapers and magazines—including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Slate, Fast Company, and Wired, where he is a Contributing Editor.  He also writes "The Trend Desk" column for Yahoo! Finance.  Dan has provided analysis of business trends on CNN, CNBC, ABC, NPR, and other networks.  And as an independent business consultant, he's advised start-up ventures and FORTUNE 100 companies on recruiting, innovation, and work practices.

A free agent himself, Dan held his last real job in the White House, where he served from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore.  He's also worked as an aide to United States Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich, an economic policy staffer in the United States Senate, a legal researcher in India, and a latrine builder in Botswana.

He received a BA, with honors in linguistics, from Northwestern University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a JD from Yale Law School. 

Dan lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and their three children.

Check out Dan Pink's blog: www.danpink.com

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MichaelMacDonald President, Global Accounts and Marketing Operations Xerox Corporation

Michael C. Mac Donald is president of global accounts and marketing operations for Xerox Corporation, Stamford, Conn. He was named to this position in October 2004 and was appointed a corporate senior vice president in July 2000.

Mac Donald is responsible for directing the company's largest global accounts, improving the customer experience, corporate marketing, xerox.com, advertising, worldwide public relations and marketing communications.

He joined Xerox in 1977 as a field sales representative and has held several senior positions in sales and marketing management. Most recently, Mac Donald was president, North American Solutions Group responsible for all products, services and solutions sold by Xerox direct sales force in the United States and Canada. Prior to that, he served as the group's senior vice president of marketing and chief of staff.

After receiving a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Rutgers University in 1975, Mac Donald attended Iona College's John C. Hagen Graduate School of Business in 1976-77. He completed executive business and management programs at Columbia University and Harvard in 1992 and 1998, respectively.

Mac Donald is on the board of directors of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Medifast, US LEC, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Jimmy V Foundation. He is also a board member of the CMO Council North American Advisory Board.

 

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JohnFluevog Founder and CEO Fluevog Shoes

Most of what you see at Fluevog are John's own original designs. Sometimes, however, they come to him in dreams, so the design credit technically goes to God. In some cases, there is a celestial music and new designs float into the design office on little fairy wings. In other cases, John leaves work very late at night, returning the next morning to find brilliant new shoe designs waiting, with no trace of authorship. As you can understand, the only explanation possible is that God is responsible for the latter two methods, whether directly or through elvin delegation. So, at John Fluevog Shoes, they claim to officially have two designers: John and God. Sometimes they fight over who's head designer.  Visit www.fluevog.com

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ElisabethVanzura Global Marketing Director, Cadillac General Motors Corporation

Liz began her career in 1982 as a GMI (General Motors Institute) engineering intern and worked in sales, marketing, engineering and design departments within General Motors.  After graduation from GMI with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with honors, she became a product planning manager with GM.  She received a scholarship from GM in 1988 (known as a GM fellowship) to pursue an MBA at Harvard University.  Following graduation from Harvard in 1990, Vanzura served in a variety of product planning, market research and marketing roles, including the position of assistant brand manager for the Pontiac Sunfire in 1994.  She joined Volkswagen of America in 1996 as director of marketing, charged with relaunching the brand with five new car launches over a four-year period.

Highlights of Vanzura's career include 2005 AAF Advertising Hall of Achievement Inductee,  three-time Automotive News All Star for Advertising in 1999, 2000 and 2003, a 2004 Gold ADDY Award/Best in Show TV finalist, 2003 Brandweek Top Marketers of the Next Generation Award, 2003 Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune Best Ad of the Year, Advertising Age 2003 Highest Recalled and Most Likeable Advertising, 2002 Business 2.0's 20 Young Execs You Need to Know, 2001 Advertising Age Top Women to Watch Award, 1999 Best Overall Client Clio Award (any industry), Advertising Age 1999 Top 100 Marketing Professionals, 1998 Cannes Grand Prix Winner, 1998 USA Today Best Overall Advertising Campaign and 1998 Advertising Age Marketer of the Year.

Among the achievements of which she is most proud, Vanzura recently initiated and developed a six-year partnership between HUMMER and the American Red Cross that resulted in a $4 million donation of HUMMER vehicles and cash to support the Red Cross relief and recovery infrastructure.

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JayaKumar Chief Marketing Officer Frito Lay

Jaya Kumar joined Frito-Lay in 2005 as Vice President of Consumer Strategy, Insights and Growth and more recently was Group Vice President of Insights, Innovation and Shopper Marketing. In this role, he accelerated the innovation agenda, developed consumer and customer insights and leveraged the company's megabrands in the retail environment. Prior to Frito-Lay, Kumar had 18 years of both international and domestic brand management and sales experience. In June 2006 he was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer of Frito Lay.

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TriciaConahan SVP, Head of Brand Marketing ING Americas

Tricia Conahan manages the growth of the ING brand in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.  She is responsible for branding strategy, internal activation and creation of integrated marketing programs that bring the ING brand to life.

Mrs. Conahan brings a wealth of marketing and branding experience to her role at ING.  Previously, she was the Chief Marketing Officer at RealEstate.com, an Atlanta-based interactive start-up. She spent 18 years in New York City in a variety of roles in the media business. She was Director of Marketing and Communications at McGraw-Hill Inc. where she developed worldwide marketing programs for Business Week magazine.  She also served as Director of Advertising/Sales Promotion at Times Mirror Magazines, and as Director of Custom Marketing at Time Warner. 

Mrs. Conahan sits on the ANA Brand Management Committee, the GSU Senior Marketers Roundtable, and the AMA-Atlanta Advisory Board. She is a board member for Cool Girls, an Atlanta based charity dedicated to the self-empowerment of girls in low-income communities. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two dogs.

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RogerAdams SVP Marketing The Home Depot

Roger Adams was executive director of corporate advertising and marketing for GM before joining Home Depot. He was promoted to the post, one of the car manufacturer's top marketing jobs, last January from his position as marketing general manager for the Buick division of GM and general manager of the company's customer network. He had been with GM since 1996 and was instrumental in introducing Buick's first SUV and signing Tiger Woods to endorse the brand.

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JulieRoehm SVP Marketing Communications Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Julie Roehm, credited for helping DaimlerChrysler innovate online, was been named senior VP of marketing communications at Wal-Mart Stores in 2006.  At DaimlerChrysler, Roehm oversaw a number of high-profile online initiatives for the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands. She worked with agency Organic to create online games, such as the Jeep Trail Rated Challenge. Other notable campaigns she's been involved with include the well-publicized Dodge Charger "Unleash Your Freak" campaign and the "Mudds" campaign for the 2006 Jeep Commander. Roehm has 11 years experience in the automotive industry. Since 2003 she held the title of director of marketing communications for the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands. She was also director of communications for Dodge. Prior to Chrysler, Roehm held marketing and sales positions at Ford Motor Co.

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PetervanStolk Founder and CEO Jones Soda

Peter van Stolk began in the beverage business when he founded Urban Hand Ltd., a predecessor company to Jones Soda Co., in 1987.   Urban Hand Ltd. operated until 1995 as the largest independent distributor of New Age beverages in Western Canada.  In 1995, Mr. van Stolk initiated the creation and launch of the Company's own brands, with the launch of its flagship brand, Jones Soda Co. ("Jones Soda" or "Jones"), in 1996.    Initially launched into alternative channels of trade with a unique marketing approach including alternative athletes and sampling of Jones Soda via the roving R.V. program, Jones Soda is best known for its innovative labeling technique that incorporates always-changing photos sent in from its consumers.   Jones Soda Co. was a pioneer in launching its soda to alternative channels as well as creating an interactive soda, which further allows its consumers to create their own personalized case of "myjones" on-line, becoming the first beverage company to provide value-added and personalized packaging at a price which makes economic sense for both Jones Soda Co. and its consumers.  With such a strong emotional connection between the brand and its consumer, Jones has quickly developed a cult-like following in the youth demographic in North America as well as becoming the leader in the premium soda category.  

In 2001, Jones Soda Co. extended its product line into the non-carbonated juice & tea category with Jones Juice, utilizing the ever-changing photo concept as well.  In this same year, Jones Soda Co. launched Jones Energy, its own energy drink, which has rounded out the Jones brand to include premium soda, juice & teas and an energy drink.  The emotional connection between the consumer and the brand is the backbone of Mr. van Stolk's branding strategy and for which he has been recognized by such publications as Advertising Age, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, and People Magazine.

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SilviaCamps Executive Vice President, Brand Marketing Dylan's Candy Bar

Silvia Camps is the executive vice president of brand marketing at Dylan's Candy Bar. A semisweet stream for customers to plunge into headfirst like Augustus Gloop is about the only Wonkaesque thing missing from Dylan's Candy Bar, the supersize candy store in New York City. The brainchild of Dylan (daughter of Ralph) Lauren and Jeff Rubin (an FAO Schweetz co-creator), Dylan's is a dentist's nightmare of custom-colored Skittles and M&Ms, a Pez zone, and custom-made sundaes, from Central Park Zoo to Candy Bar Blast. And if you're determined to take a bath in chocolate, head to the (inedible) Candy Spa, where you'll find Hot Chocolate Bath Salts, Cheeky Chocolate-Milk Bubble Bath, and chocolate candles—with a fragrance some might find more seductive than Polo.

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DavidScacco Director, Vertical Markets Google

David Scacco joined Google in early 2000 and holds the distinction as the company's first advertising salesperson. Since that time Scacco has been responsible for building and managing Google's Vertical Markets Group which provides marketers with industry specific expertise across 12 macro categories including Travel, Finance, Consumer Packaged Goods, B2B Technology, and Retail. In this capacity Scacco and the Vertical team have built successful advertising partnerships with Fortune 100 marketers and their agencies including General Motors, Pfizer, eBay, Sears, InterActive Corp., P&G, Intel, Carat, Olgilvy Mather Direct and hundreds of others. Prior to joining Google, Scacco was Director of Business Development at Ziff-Davis where he created integrated media partnerships with leading Tech and Telecom marketers including Lucent, IBM, Nortel, and Cisco. Prior to that Scacco spent 7 years running sales and marketing for a direct response computer reseller. Scacco is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.