INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS (IEEE) OREGON SECTION PACE (PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES) MEETING TOPIC: Returning to Prosperity - Restarting the US Economy SPEAKER: John D. Trudel, The Trudel Group DATE: Thursday, January 22, 2003 TIME: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Doors open 6:00PM LOCATION: Oregon Graduate Institute(OGI), Wilson Center Main Dining Room See directions below. COST: FREE and open to the public REGISTRATION: See www.ieee-or.org/events for registration. or go to http://cpd.ogi.edu/class.asp?n=04-IEEE-0122p The U.S. economy is almost entirely dependent on innovation; hence high tech is the driver. While things are getting better, there have been major changes to the underpinnings of our high tech economy. At this PACE meeting of the IEEE Oregon Section, John Trudel, a noted management consultant, will discuss his views on how the US economy (and high tech in particular) can return to prosperity. Abstract: This talk came out of the main track for the National Bureau of Certified Consultants conference (ConConf 2003) in San Diego, which Trudel chaired. It is based on research and the consensus of panel of seasoned management consultants. All market indexes have collapsed since the late 90s, and some good firms lost over 95% of their valuations. Innovation is down, and 1/3 of America’s high-wage jobs will be exported this decade. Despite lip service, neither political party is doing much about this. The past decade has seen a frenzied and desperate quest for operational efficiency. Layoffs, cost cutting, and reorganizations have been continual, as firms tried to preserve their profitability. A growing body of evidence shows that cost cutting alone does not lead to sustainable competitive advantage or even profitability. Many prominent academics and business practitioners are finally going on record, saying, in effect, that the emperor lacks clothing. It's about time! Recent trends are up, but the political rhetoric about recovery misleads. The world has forever changed and we will never get back to what used to be. Increased prosperity is possible, however, as is a better future. This presentation discusses that and suggests a short list of actions that would help. General Q&A will follow the presentation. For more information, see http://www.trudelgroup.com/. Speaker Bio: John D. Trudel is Founder and CEO of the Trudel Group (TTG), a consulting firm that he established in 1988. TTG’s clients range from new ventures to Fortune 100 companies. John has worked for Rockwell Collins, Sanders Associates, E-Systems and Tektronix. He has also helped start several new ventures. He writes a popular column, "Innovation In Sight" for IEEE Engineering Management Review. John has written for Electronic Design, Upside, IEEE Spectrum, Barrons, Analog, and many other publications. John is the author of High Tech with Low Risk and Engines of Prosperity. He gives keynote talks and has been quoted (and sometimes misquoted) by media including Electronic Business, Fortune, and Wall Street Journal. The Trudel Group (TTG) assists clients with technology strategy issues. Deliverables range from strategic plans and developing business models and plans to requirements definition and helping with the specification and implementation of new products. John provides expertise to companies to establish breakthrough results and makes a company's strategy, technology, and implementation come together. All the work by TTG is “full custom” and under nondisclosure agreement (NDA). TTG also assists with judging for the “Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award”, given by an organization called the Product Development & Management Association. Past winners have ranged from U.S. Robotics and Hewlett-Packard Company to Cincinnati Machine; from Maytag and Fluke Corporation to Kodak. John D. Trudel can be reached at 503-538-1169; jtrudel@teleport.com, or www.trudelgroup.com Directions to Oregon Graduate Institute (OGI): The meeting will be held in the main dining room of the Wilson Clark Center on the campus of the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, 20000 NW Walker Rd., Beaverton, OR 97006 (503) 748-1121. See http://www.ogi.edu/maps/ for a campus map. To get to OGI (Oregon Graduate Institute), from Portland, take Highway 26 west, take Exit 64 (185th) and proceed south (left) on 185th. Continue on 185th to Walker Rd. Turn west (right) on Walker Rd. OGI is at the top of the hill on the left. Turn left onto Von Neumann Drive, parking is available in the lot. Wilson Center is opposite the parking area. For further information on the program, contact Ed Perkins at 503-612-9397 or e.perkins@ieee.org