Agenda

Rockstar Insight:

Greg Rudisill
Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Head of Business Development
Careington International Corporation

Why You Should Listen to Greg:
Greg has more than 45 years of experience cultivating creative solutions within the employee benefits industry. His extensive expertise in developing client relationships and driving product expansion significantly contributes to Careington’s success as an innovative industry leader.

Rockstar Insight:

Kimberly Hanes
Associate Director, Economic Development
Arizona State University

Why You Should Listen to Kimberly:
Kimberly works with community partners and municipalities to drive business relocation and expansion in Arizona. Prior to ASU, Kimberly managed operations, programs, and community partnerships for the University of Arizona’s Greater Phoenix satellite locations.

Rockstar Insight:

David Redfield
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
PetSmart

Why You Should Listen to David:
Bio is forthcoming.

Rockstar Insight:

Sunzay Passari
Senior Director & Head of Innovation & Transformation
UPS

Why You Should Listen to Sunzay:
Bio is forthcoming.

Abstract:

Strategic partnership can drive growth only if there is synergy and sustainability. Both companies (or enterprises) involved must have complementary strengths that create a mutual benefit. To achieve this, it’s crucial to first identify the core motivations and goals each company has for entering the partnership, understanding their “enterprise drivers.”

Action Items:

• Clearly identify what is to be gained from the collaboration, whether it’s market access, technological
  expertise, cost reduction, or brand enhancement
• Determine what your company/enterprise drivers are and your partner’s drivers
• Align objectives for both partners so there is a shared commitment to collaboration and sustainability

Hosted By:

Jeffrey Joyce
Vice President for Research and Innovation
Nuvance Health

Why You Should Listen to Jeffrey:
Jeffrey has led the development of strategic partnerships in healthcare and academic institutions for more than two decades. His understanding of how different enterprises see the importance of partnerships and collaborations through the prism of economic and non-economic motivators has allowed him to successfully navigate complex negotiations and build lasting relationships.

Abstract:

When your organization is looking at innovation from the customer perspective you will often identify gaps in your portfolio (capability, customer/market access, and/or past performance). Deciding how to fill these gaps is incredibly important to the success of your organization. Do you invest in trying to build or grow the capability organically? Do you take the M&A route and go buy it from someone who already has it? Or, do you partner? In this interactive session, we’ll explore what data points we can use to guide us on our journey through partnering with other companies and how to build a partner program that brings innovation to our customers and drives real growth within the organization.

Action Items:

• Make sure you understand the needs of your customer and the capabilities of firms investing in the trends that will help meet those needs
• Identify partners who are willing and wanting to “DO DIFFERENT”
• Collaborate across sales/BD and venture/MA teams to leverage the strength of a partner eco-system

Hosted By:

Lance Allen
Vice President, Products, Partners, & Ventures
SAIC

Why You Should Listen to Lance:
In his role, Lance manages the expansion of SAIC’s global strategic alliances with leading companies that will help SAIC innovate, scale, and drive partner-sourced and influenced deals. Prior to joining SAIC he served as the Head of Global Strategic Partnerships at Leidos, where he managed an expansive network of 82 international partners, significantly enhancing the company’s footprint across 112 countries. Lance credits partners who are willing to “do-different” as critical to the success of any growth strategy.

Abstract:
For many firms, their patent portfolio is exclusively a defensive asset. That is, it functions as a risk management tool and is only utilized to manage adversarial situations. However, patents are one of the few unique measures of innovation, representing a codified solution at a specific point in time based on the business, technology, and customer environment. By taking a more strategic view of their patent portfolio, firms can derive new opportunities and enhanced value both internally and externally to the enterprise.

Action Items:

• Dispel common myths about developing, managing and deploying intellectual assets (it’s harder than you think!)
• Catalyze new opportunities with R&D, product development and innovation
• Establish new business models which support collaboration, partnerships, and dealmaking
• Support and promote a culture of innovation and creativity across the organization

Rockstar Insight:

Ben Taylor
Vice President, Strategy Lead / Patents Team
Wells Fargo

Why You Should Listen to Ben:
Ben oversees patent program design including stakeholder engagement, growth strategy, portfolio insights, and performance measurement at Wells Fargo. He also leads efforts to integrate AI into invention development and enhance patent portfolio value. Previously, Ben managed early-stage innovation at Wells Fargo and co-founded a patent strategy consultancy, advising clients across industries such as financial services, consumer products, and heavy industries on diverse patent insights and development initiatives.

Abstract:

As a worldwide leader in education and innovation, we seldom do it alone. We believe in working with category and industry leaders to achieve faster, more impactful outcomes. This presents many solutions but also comes with communication challenges. How do both organizations depict the partnership publicly and internally to ensure all partners get maximum benefit to their brand?

Action Items:

• Practice flexibility with brand guidelines to allow for unseen opportunities
• Cultivate a community dedicated to identifying areas of conflict and synergy
• Evaluate performance and be open to change to keep up with the program

Rockstar Insight:

Adam Pierno
Managing Director of Brand Strategy
Arizona State University

Why You Should Listen to Adam:
Adam has been navigating multi-brand programs for more than a decade across verticals and geographies. His work in technology, consumer packaged goods and higher education have earned him the ability to navigate the complexities of a multi-brand world.

Abstract:
Unleashing the phenomenal potential of startups through integration into the innovation process is key to staying ahead of competition and disruptive technologies while addressing unmet market needs. Join us for an interactive panel discussion exploring how startups bring unique strengths—agility, innovation, and risk-taking—to the table. We’ll dive into best practices for aligning goals, navigating cultural and operational differences, and ensuring strategic fit to drive co-development, market access, and technology acquisition.

Moderator:

Emil Radulescu
R&D Head, Robotic Instruments
Johnson & Johnson

Why You Should Listen to Emil:
Emil is a global leader with over 20 years of experience developing state-of-the-art medical devices that prioritize the needs of patients and clinicians, helping people live healthier, longer, and happier lives. He currently leads the R&D teams for Johnson & Johnson MedTech Instruments & Accessories in surgical robotics, driving the development of innovative, complex solutions that advance patient care. 

Panelists Include:

Sandeep Bose
Chief Executive Officer & Co Founder
Synapse Labs

Why You Should Listen to Nirit:
Bio is forthcoming.

Douglas Cole
Vice President, Research & Development
Rockline Industries,
Growth Innovation Leadership Council Member

Why You Should Listen to Douglas:
Bio is forthcoming.

Nirit Rubenstein
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Dovly

Why You Should Listen to Nirit:
Nirit, Co-Founder and CEO of Dovly, an AI-powered credit care platform, brings 20+ years of experience leading high-growth organizations like Salesforce and Green Dot. She’s uniquely positioned to share how startups can seamlessly integrate with large enterprises to drive meaningful innovation.

Greg Rudisill
Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Head of Business Development
Careington International Corporation

Why You Should Listen to Greg:
Greg has more than 45 years of experience cultivating creative solutions within the employee benefits industry. His extensive expertise in developing client relationships and driving product expansion significantly contributes to Careington’s success as an innovative industry leader.