“Innovation is doing something in a NEW way to make life BETTER For the PEOPLE who matter."  --- Joan Koerber-Walker, founder of CorePurpose, Inc. <!--more-->

Noted speaker, author and advisor to business, Joan Koerber-Walker, will present the 12:30 PM  session at the Arizona Technology Expo on August 18, 2004.  The topic of the presentation – Growth Through Innovation.

As the Arizona technology community continues to grow creating a culture of successful innovation will be a key factor in our success.  In this session, Ms. Koerber-Walker will explore –
<ul>
	<li>The difference between invention and innovation</li>
	<li>How to create a culture of innovation in your organization</li>
	<li>Highlight 3 hot Arizona innovators</li>
</ul>
“Having spent two decades in the electronic distribution industry, I saw a lot of great products come and go.  Some were wildly successful while others faded away” explained Joan Koerber-Walker.  “The companies that succeeded long term understood that invention alone was not enough to create true innovation and business success. In this session, we will explore how to create a culture and environment to foster successful innovation.”

<strong>About the Insight Arizona Technology Expo: </strong>
The Insight Arizona Technology Expo is a gathering that supports the growth of the Arizona Technology Community by highlighting te strength and breadth of our technology community.  The conference is being held Wednesday, August 18, 2004 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Phoenix Civic Plaza – Hall D – Admission is free of charge.

<strong>About the Speaker:</strong>
As Founder and Executive Director of CorePurpose, Inc., Joan delivers sustainable results by combining the experience, skills and talents within teams to create focused business environments that maximize innovation, growth, profitability and return on investment.   With over 20 years of experience in technology distribution, Joan has held a wide range of positions in Management, Marketing, Sales, and Operations. Having a track record for delivering substantial results, she develops and implements solutions to business challenges within smaller, focused organizations and within Fortune 500 multi-national corporations. She was instrumental in the development of Avnet’s ASIC/FPGA business and the launch of Avnet’s first Telesales operation. While directing the  Global Supplier Contracts process for Avnet’s three operating groups (Electronics Marketing, Applied Computing and Computer Marketing), Joan worked closely with over 700 technology partners worldwide and is experienced in the challenges and the joys of working in the global business arena from cultural, operational and legal perspectives.

With a focus on matching service expectations to operational processes, Joan brings expertise in the area of industry best practices in business strategy, market development, channel design/optimization, and supply chain solutions.   An accomplished speaker and member of the National Speakers Association and on the Board of Directors of NSA-Arizona, she has guest lectured at Arizona State University and Texas A&amp;M as well as within the professional community.  She is author of Working: a Management Tale of Changing Relationships in Changing Times, and co-author of the first  text on electronics distribution, Connecting Resources, A Primer for Electronics Distribution, for use in advanced undergraduate courses and at the graduate level.  She is currently working on her next book, Impact - Changing Challenge to Success, scheduled for publication in late 2004.

Joan holds an MBA from Arizona State University (2000) and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Delaware (1981).

<strong>About CorePurpose® :</strong>
Headquartered in Arizona, CorePurpose, Inc.,  a consulting and solutions company specializing in focusing companies for greater success through high impact activities that link directly to results.   Together with members of the CoreAllianceSM, CorePurpose® works with companies and organizations to align internal resources to their areas focus while offering resources for mentoring, implementation and outsourcing in non-core areas or areas where additional support is required including: HR, Sales and Marketing, Operations, IT, and Finance