By most accounts, Raymond Kurzweil is a high-tech talent. The products of his company, Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, have enabled the blind to work productively using text-recognizing computers and voice-response systems. He sold his first computer program to IBM while still a teenager, and his laurels include Inventor of the Year honors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1988.
But for Kurzweil, chairman and CEO of KAI, talent has yet to translate into substantial corporate profit. The company didn’t hit the black until last year. To boot, KAI’s net sales in 1990-combined with those of two companies Kurzweil started and sold during the 1980s-amounted to less than $80 million. That’s well below some observers’ expectations for the trio.
Even so, some maintain a Kurzweil vision-computers that create documents in response to voice commands-could turn on the cash flow. Analysts estimate the market for such a product could reach $20 billion. Lured by such prospects, giant IBM and startup Dragon Systems are also pursuing the idea.
The first test for the Kurzweil brainchild, called Voice Report, will be 400 hospital emergency rooms.
Thus far, Kurzweil has found success in starting technology companies and auctioning them off to bidders: His first company, optical scanner maker Kurzweil Computer Products, was sold to Xerox in 1980 for $6 million. Though doubtless aspiring to mass-market impact, Kurzweil nonetheless claims satisfaction with the role of building a company then handing it off.
“My goal is to launch technologies and see them take hold,” he says. “I don’t have to run the organization myself forever.”
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
