Annual Turner Construction Company Innovation Summit Brings Together Thought Leaders

Turner Construction Company held its second Innovation Summit Nov. 3-5, bringing together a diverse group of employees and business leaders to share knowledge, learn from each other's experience and collaborate to develop and evaluate innovative ideas.

The summit featured discussions and workshops led by prominent innovation leaders, including featured keynote speaker Capt. Michael Abrashoff, expert in innovation leadership and author of New York Time's bestseller “It's Your Ship.”

Additionally, Cary Evert, CEO of Hilti, talked about Hilti's innovation and Lean journey and their leadership strategies around organizational transformation, as well as their focus on improving employee and customer satisfaction.

Rob Mueller, senior technologist at NASA Kennedy Space Center and co-founder of Swamp Works—an innovation facility and Lean method of generating “game-changing” technologies for space exploration and to benefit humanity—discussed the process and results of their recent public challenge: 3D Printed Habitats, which asked participants to design and build a 3-D printed habitat for deep space exploration, including the agency's journey to Mars.

Zack Rosenburg, co-founder of the St. Bernard Project, a not-for-profit organization that rebuilds homes affected by natural disasters in New Orleans, Los Angeles, New York and a number of other cities, discussed the organization's Lean approach to the business of disaster relief and resiliency. Summit attendees also took part in a home build with St. Bernard Project as part of a community service initiative.

Offered in conjunction with Turner's annual Award for Innovation program, the 2015 Innovation Summit is a key component in the framework of the company's broader innovation strategy. The award program recognizes and rewards teams and individuals for implementation of innovative ideas that result in outstanding achievements within the organization. The teams that submit winning entries have been presented with awards and cash prizes totaling $175,000.