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Winning in Vegas!
by Rex Miller
Dean Strombom - Gensler, Mark Iammarino - Turner, Rex Miller - Mindshift and Bill Black - Haworth
Last week CoreNet Global held their Global Summit in Las Vegas. More than 1700 corporate real estate executives and firms serving the industry came to learn a few new tricks for surviving the economic meltdown, listen intently to experts projecting the future, commiserate with colleagues who still have jobs and build relationships Las Vegas style.
On the first night of the event CoreNet held their awards banquet. We were entertained by a Las Vegas hypnotist. Three Mindshift members went forward on stage, two were rejected and sent back while one stayed and danced like Elvis. Two Mindshift members were happy with the outcome.
Mindshift was one of seven finalists for the H. Bruce Russell Global Innovator’s Award. We presented our story to nine judges at Emory College in August. The judges included:
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Frank Robinson, McKesson Corp.
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Roy Black, Emory University, Goizueta Business School
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Sam Hunter, General Services Administration
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Ed Nolan, Hewlett Packard
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Trex Morris, Ernst & Young
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Sam Unger, Ernst & Young
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Roger Gaudette, Ford Land
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Charemon Tovar, Sprint/CBRE
Haworth, Turner and Gensler represented the Mindshift team. We also saw the case studies for the other contestants and met them at a dinner in Atlanta. Our conclusion was that you had to have a pretty darn good business case to make it to the finals.
During the banquet in Vegas all of the finalists were called to the stage to receive their trophies. As they handed out the trophies the presenter whispered: “Just take whatever one we give you and we’ll sort out the right ones later.”
The finalists stood in a long row, looked into the stage lights and received applause from an audience no one could see. Then Sam Hunter, with GSA and one of the judges, walked to the podium to announce the Global Innovator award. I had a clue when I saw him stick a copy of our book on the podium shelf. Sure enough Mindshift won the grand prize. Sam called me up and said to the audience I could say 25 words. After three years and the kind of work everyone put into the effort 25 words isn’t enough. At the same time it was past 10:30 at night, the lighting was such that it was hard to tell if anyone was out in the audience.
I was able to thank the team and especially Haworth for underwriting the effort and believing that it was possible to make a positive difference in our industry. That alone was 22 words. “Thank you very much!” put me over my limit. I might have or at least thought about thanking the many people we met with at CoreNet. They did a very professional job, treated us wonderfully and held the secret until the last announcement.
Here are the firms who deserve recognition for the award:
- Haworth
- Turner
- Gensler
- AIA
- GSA
- Metropolis Magazine
- Aardex
- Solidus
- Acoustic and Strategic Dimensions
- Lucchesi Galati
- Transwestern
- Kyle V. Davy Associates
- Lean Practices, Inc.
- KPMG
- Walter P Moore
Haworth deserves special recognition. They provided the engine and the fuel to start and keep Mindshift going for three years. Their leaders set a tone of collaboration and lived it out.
In the next blog I’ll share some of the feedback the judges provided and insights from some very good presentations.
14 Responses to “Winning in Vegas!”
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Rex, you must be on cloud 9 !
We’re delighted with your recognition & share your joy. FYI, just saw the video stream yesterday … it will be another great tool you can add to your toolbox. Bravo Rex and our deepest thanks. Jill
Congratulations to all!
Rex, congratulations! I know how hard you have worked over the past few years to bring all of your thoughts and connections into focus. Well done!
John
So Great!!
Rex,
Congratulations; I saw the write-up in this week’s MMQB as well and had intended to write. Great job, and keep on doing this great work. PS–I’m about 1/2 way through your book (Dan Brown’s “Lost Symbol” interrupted!).
GS
Rex, this is quite an accomplishment. We will be anxious to hear more on November 2nd. Congratulations.
Rex
Congratulations – well deserved award – you are bring new thinking to issues.
Pris
way to go mark–uncle don
Well done Rex! Walter P Moore is pleased to be a part of a group that is so dedicated to “Changing the Game.”
[...] If you haven’t found something inspirational to watch and listen I’ve attached this Youtube introduction to Susan Boyle. She is the British singer who surprised and shocked an audience on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent. It has some personal meaning for me. A little over two years ago I was given an opportunity to tackle a project that many felt was valuable but few thought would accomplish much. That all changed on Monday, October 12th. [...]
[...] If you haven’t found something inspirational to watch and listen I’ve attached this Youtube introduction to Susan Boyle. She is the British singer who surprised and shocked an audience on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent. It has some personal meaning for me. A little over two years ago I was given an opportunity to tackle a project that many felt was valuable but few thought would accomplish much. That all changed on Monday, October 12th. [...]
On behalf of the sporadically cerebral Breakfast Club, Congratulations! We knew you when …. -DD
From an old SWARM member, congratulations! How wonderful and inspiring. I see God is blessing you in a mighty way!
Angela
[...] Rex Miller. Author of two groundbreaking books, The Millennium Matrix and The Commercial Real Estate Revolution, and winner of the 2009 CoreNet Global Innovator of the Year Award. [...]