DuPage Children’s Museum Hosts Innovation Event

DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM) invites business and community leaders to join Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Dean of Innovation and Engagement William Kline, Ph. D, as well as a panel of innovators, for a thought-provoking and engaging discussion on how a variety of companies are increasing their organizational competency in the area of innovation. The event, Creativity in the Workplace, will take place on Wednesday, November 6 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Northern Illinois University’s Naperville campus (1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, IL).

As Dean of Innovation and Engagement, Kline focuses his efforts on innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre-Haute, Indiana. As innovation becomes a new organizational competency, businesses of all types are challenged to be more innovative to survive and prosper. Kline, along with a panel of innovators, will explore the innovation skill set and its importance in today’s business world.

Kline’s leadership at Rose-Hulman has included successful efforts to promote a culture of innovation and best practices to prepare its students for careers in an ever-changing, high-tech world. He also serves as Professor of Engineering Management at Rose-Hulman. Prior to joining the Institute, Kline co-founded Montronix, a company in the global machine monitoring industry, where he also served as Chief Operating Officer.

At DuPage Children’s Museum’s Innovation event in 2012, innovation guru and co-founder of the Chicago Innovation Awards, Tom Kuczmarski, addressed and engaged a panel of innovators from CEOs to investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders on how personal risk-taking, creativity, and flexibility ignited their success. The Museum is pleased to bring the same audience of leaders and innovators together for a closer look at how a variety of companies are increasing their organizational competency in the area of innovation.

“Quality learning experiences for young children have a direct impact on the level of success they will experience later on in life, so it is a natural extension for DuPage Children’s Museum to present this discussion,” said Susan Broad, DCM’s President & CEO. “Last year’s event was well received, so we’re excited to continue the discussion of how to create a future workforce of thinkers – those who are curious, creative, and able to solve problems, all factors that ultimately lead to greater productivity and better performance.”

Innovators participating in the panel discussion on November 6 include Brian Krause, Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications, Molex Incorporated; Mary Ann Cervinka, Human Resources Manager, Arrow Gear Company; Ken Malo, Founder and Owner, Swiss Automation, Inc.; Peter Crabbe, Ed. D, Director of Exhibits, DuPage Children’s Museum; and Jeff Basso, Vice President, Information Technology, Fieldglass, Inc.

Creativity in the Workplace is hosted by DuPage Children’s Museum and is sponsored in part by Advanced Data Technologies; Association for Manufacturing Excellence; Chicago Innovation Awards; Crowe Horwath, LLP; Excel Displays & Packaging; Magnetrol International; Molex; RLMAC; and Swiss Automation, Inc.

The cost to attend this event is $15. Pre-registration is required and seating is limited. To learn more and to register, visit http://dupagechildrens.org/setting-the-stage-for-innovation-creativity-in-the-workplace.