Visionary Author, Branding Guru to Address 2005 Conference
Visionary author Richard Florida and Harley-Davidson branding guru Ken Schmidt have signed on to deliver keynote addresses at Build Business: Beyond Boundaries, the 2005 SMPS/PSMA Conference, in New Orleans this August.

Richard Florida researches, writes, and consults with government leaders on fundamental societal and economic shifts driving future design and construction development and is the author of the best-selling book The Rise of the Creative Class: How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life.

Cities and regions across the United States and the world have embarked on new creativity strategies in urban design based on Florida’s revolutionary ideas. The theory behind The Rise of the Creative Class encourages companies to tap into their communities’ “creative class,” those individuals in business who create and develop ideas. It addresses the creative class’s desire for a holistic quality of life, versus a life focused solely on economic gains. Florida posits that successful communities will develop an appealing environment that draws and retains this creative class, with less emphasis on direct development of companies.

New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp hailed Florida’s book as “an important book for those who feel passionately about the future of the urban center.” It was awarded the Political Book Award for 2002 by the Washington Monthly; the Harvard Business Review named it one of the top breakthrough ideas for 2004.

Florida will appear at Build Business on Thursday morning, August 11.

Former Harley-Davidson executive and communications expert Ken Schmidt has lived a life that most can only imagine. As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, he played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history—and got paid to ride motorcycles.

The long-time motorcycle enthusiast’s formal association with Harley-Davidson began in 1985. As a specialist in corporate positioning and media relations, he was asked to work with the then-struggling Harley-Davidson to help restore the company’s image and create demand for its motorcycles. Within a few short years, Harley-Davidson became one of the most visible and frequently reported-on companies in the world while sales of its motorcycles rocketed upward.

In 1990, Schmidt became director of Harley-Davidson’s corporate and financial communications and served as its primary spokesperson to the media and the financial communities. He appeared numerous times on network news programs and was frequently called upon by business media to share his insights on non-traditional communications and customer relations. Speaking engagements around the world soon followed.

In 1997, Schmidt left Harley-Davidson to take an ownership position with a highly successful Chicago-based marketing firm, VSA Partners. In addition to Harley-Davidson, VSA serves many other best-known brands including General Motors, Coca-Cola, IBM, and Campbell’s Soup. In July 1999, he sold his portion of VSA to start his own business, Ken Schmidt Company, and slow the pace of his life.

Schmidt will address the Build Business audience on Saturday, August 13.

To access developing details about Build Business, visit www.buildbusiness.org. [ return to top ]