2026 Thought Series
This year’s series brings 24 world-class visionaries to the stage to explore critical frontiers. From our region’s pivotal role in the Artemis moon missions to advanced tech revolutionizing healthcare to the heated battle over data center development, we’re diving deep into the ideas reshaping our world.
SCHEDULE: DAY ONE
Future Ready:
How Advanced Tech is Changing Higher Ed
THURSDAY, SEPT 17 @ 8:30a
West Michigan’s higher education institutions are reinventing themselves to harness the power of advanced technologies.
-
Joe Chrysler
Accelorator Manager
Atomic Object -
Greg Gogolin
Professor/GR AI Council
Ferris State University -
Samah Mansour
Assistant Professor/Cybersecurity Graduate Program Director
GVSU -
Jonnathan Resendez
Assistant Professor/AI Incubator Faculty Director
GRCC
Smart Medicine:
Advancing Healthcare with AI
THURSDAY, SEPT 17 @ 9:15a
The convergence of artificial intelligence with biomedical research and clinical practice is transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance and driving the next era of digital health.
-
Rob Campbell
VP of Data & Analytics
Instrumentum -
Kristin Jacob, MD
Medical Director/BeWellMED
Corewell Health -
Kevin Maupin, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
GVSU -
Eric Swindell, Ph.D
Chief Academic Office/Dean of Graduate School
Van Andel Institute
Next Stop – The Moon:
Getting Artemis Off the Ground
THURSDAY, SEPT 17 @ 10:15a
West Michigan’s aerospace industry is fueling space missions and more – spurring innovation, investment and jobs.
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Aaron Johnson
President
Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan -
Mark Ignash
Dir. of Strategic Initiatives and Ecosystem Development for Aerospace & Defense
MEDC -
Sara McMurray
Director of Sales & Marketing
DornerWorks -
Stacy Paul
CEO
Array of Engineers
Field Trip: Array of Engineers
THURSDAY, SEPT 17 @ 11:30a
Catered networking lunch and tour of AoE’s new downtown headquarters.
(45 Division Ave S)
SCHEDULE: DAY 2
Sustainability at Scale:
Designing Systems that Work
FRIDAY, SEPT 18 @ 8:30a
Sustainable design is transforming how products are built, packaged and distributed — proving good business can be good for the planet.
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Gayle DeBruyn
Professor/Coordinator of the Wege Prize
KCAD -
Erik Petrovskis
Director of Environmental Compliance & Sustainability
Meijer -
Gabe Wing
Vice President of Sustainability
MillerKnoll
Reclaiming the Grand River: Mapping the Frontiers of Restoration Science
FRIDAY, SEPT 18 @ 9:15a
How human intervention can return ecosystems to a healthy state.
-
Matt Chapman
Executive Director
GR WhiteWater -
Tim Dekker
President & CEO
LimnoTech -
Eric Kehoe
Senior Planner
Progressive Companies
Does It Compute?
West Michigan's Data Center Strategy
FRIDAY, SEPT 18 @ 10:15a
Leaders in economic growth and environmental activism weigh in on data center development – and the fierce debate they inspire.
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Mike Alaimo
Sr. Director, Legislative & External Affairs
MI Chamber -
Steve Skripnik
Senior Environmental Engineer
LimnoTech -
Christine Simon
VP of Government Affairs
GR Chamber -
Janet Zahn
Co-chair
Grand Rapids Climate Coalition
Field Trip: Grand Rapids Chamber
FRIDAY, SEPT 18 @ 11:30a
Catered networking lunch and inside look at the Chamber's efforts to address the region's housing shortage.
(250 Monroe Ave NW)
