January 14, 2016
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, former Ford CEO Alan Mulally to speak at Alltech conference
Press Release
Alltech will welcome Wozniak and Mulally to its main stage on May 24, 2016 at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, an event dedicated to inspiring innovation and offering a topical blend of science, agriculture, entrepreneurship, business and marketing information.
The annual international conference, now in its 32nd year, traditionally draws nearly 3,000 attendees from more than 60 countries to network with peers and discuss world-changing ideas. ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference will be held in Lexington, Kentucky from May 22-25.
Apple technologically set the tone for the world, and began its global revolution when Steve Wozniak, a young engineer with a penchant for computer tinkering, met an even younger guy named Steve Jobs who was interning at his company, Hewlett-Packard. It was a fortuitous meeting of complementary geniuses, computer wizardry and business acumen.
In 1975, Jobs and Wozniak respectively sold off their Volkswagen microbus and Hewlett-Packard calculator for a little more than US$1,000 in capital funds. They set up shop in Jobs'' parents'' garage, effectively launching the company that would forever change the world through personal computers, tablets, iPods and iPhones.
"When you think about the power of innovation, you think of Apple. Few companies have had a more profound effect, and so it is a real treat for me personally, as an entrepreneur who also started my business in a garage, to announce that Steve Wozniak, Apple''s co-founder, will be joining us for ONE," said Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and president of Alltech.
Wozniak has been awarded the National Medal of Technology, the highest honour bestowed on America''s leading innovators, and was inducted into the Investors Hall of Fame. He also received the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy and Employment for his role in single-handedly designing Apple I, the world''s first personal computer, and for dedicating himself to inspiring innovation through education, particularly at the grade school level.
Through the years, he has been involved in numerous business and philanthropic ventures that focus on encouraging creativity in young students through hands-on learning. In particular, Wozniak has adopted the Los Gatos School District, donating state-of-the-art technology equipment, and he founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and the Children''s Discovery Museum of San Jose.
Currently, Wozniak is the chief scientist at Primary Data. He is also the author of the New York Times best-selling autobiography, "iWoz: From Computer Geek to Culture Icon."
Wozniak will be preceded on the main plenary stage by the former president and CEO of Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally. Mulally will join author and businessman Seth M. Siegel and title-winning University of Kentucky Men''s Basketball Coach John Calipari as the opening keynote speakers on Monday, May 23, at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference.
Mulally led Ford''s transformation into the number one automobile brand in the United States. He guided the company through implementation of the One Ford plan, a compelling vision and comprehensive strategy to deliver profitable growth for all of the company''s stakeholders.
Throughout his career, Mulally has been recognised for his contributions, industry leadership, and service, including being named third on FORTUNE''s "World''s Greatest Leaders," and one of "The World''s Most Influential People" by TIME magazine. He was also honoured with the American Society for Quality''s medal for excellence in executive leadership, the "Automotive Executive of the Year," and the "Thomas Edison Achievement Award."
After serving as president and chief executive officer of The Ford Motor Company and as a member of Ford''s board of directors for nearly eight years, Mulally was named to Google''s board of directors in July 2014. He is now a director at Carbon3D, Inc., a 3D printing company that recently introduced an innovative approach to polymer-resin-based 3D printing.
Mulally serves on the President Obama''s United States Export Council. He served as co-chairman of the Washington Competitiveness Council, president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and chairman of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association and has served on the advisory boards of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of England''s Royal Academy of Engineering.
Seth M. Siegel is a businessman, activist and writer. He is a forward thinker on the coming global water crisis, and what to do about it. Siegel''s essays on business, political and cultural issues have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and other publications around the world. Siegel has often appeared on television, radio and has been widely quoted in major print media around the world.
He is the author of Let There Be Water: Israel''s Solution for a Water-Starved World, which has been featured on the New York Times and LA Times Bestsellers lists. Siegel has spoken extensively on water issues, including at the United Nations and the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is a member.
With a JD from Cornell Law School, Siegel, a successful serial entrepreneur, has co-founded numerous companies. He has also produced on Broadway, and has served as branding agent for many celebrities and leading corporations.
Closing ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference will be Riverdance in a special live performance on the morning of May 25. Since a first performance as the interval act at the Eurovision Song contest in 1994, the international Irish dance phenomenon Riverdance has been seen by more than 25 million people in 46 countries.
Registration for the Conference is now open at www.cnchemicals.com/..