Oklahoma Innovation Speaker Series

In 2012, Phil was asked to rejuvenate the legendary IBM design program, spearheading a broader transformation of how the company’s teams understand and solve complex problems. The program has established a modern standard for the role of the arts in business — adding formally-trained designers into IBM at an unprecedented scale, and reskilling its global workforce in design thinking and agile practices. This transformation has been documented in the New York Times, Fortune and in the documentary film "The Loop", produced by InVision as a part of its Design Disruptors series.

For this work, in 2018 Phil was inducted into the New York Foundation for the Arts' Hall of Fame. In 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt named Phil an Oklahoma Creativity Ambassador for his achievements in the world of creative thinking and innovation. He is also co-chair of IBM's Global Women's Executive Committee, advocating for greater gender diversity and inclusion. Prior to IBM, Phil’s spent 30 years as a start-up entrepreneur, and he speaks regularly on topics of corporate culture and large scale transformation.

Phil grew up in Oklahoma City, threw newspapers for the Daily Oklahoman and Oklahoma City Times starting in the fifth grade, attended John Marshall High School and graduated as a Pe-et (top ten) senior from the University of Oklahoma in 1978. He now lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Lisa, and Basset Hounds Duke and Ella. He has four children, and six grandchildren.

Dr. Terry Neese is a serial entrepreneur, founding both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Her two most successful adventures to date include NeesePersonnel Services, now run by daughter, Kim, and the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women. For her entire career, she has instilled a sense of empowerment into everyone she meets, including empowering women in war torn and developing countries. She has received numerous awards and honors over the years such as her Honorary Doctorate from Northwood University and a seat on the U.S. Afghan Women’s Council alongside Mrs. Laura Bush and Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Most recently she has received the Enterprising Women Legacy Award, the Journal Record’s “Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO’s” and the Sister Cities Global Vision Award. Aside from her great business achievements she has visited all 50 states and numerous countries and is an avid pilot!

Shortly after graduating with a degree from Central State University in education (emphasis on History), Scott Booker met local band the Flaming Lips and began managing them in 1990, creating Hellfire Enterprises Ltd., an artist management company. After 20 years, Booker continues to work with the three-time Grammy Award-winning band. Also on the current management roster is Colourmusic on Memphis Industries and Stardeath and White Dwarfs on Warner Bros. Records. He has also worked with Academy Award Nominee Elliott Smith, and other acts like Wheat and Mercury Prize nominees British Sea Power.

In 2003 Booker co-founded World’s Fair Label Group – a service company that runs record labels for artists, assisting them with self-releasing their own music. World’s Fair Label Group worked with labels such as Rough Trade, Jeepster, Wichita and labels owned by artists like the Dandy Warhols. In 2008, Booker sold his shares in World’s Fair Label Group to focus on the Flaming Lips and a new educational project.

Active in the community, John Kennedy serves on the boards of directors of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum and the O.U. Fred Jones, Jr. Art Museum. He is the current President of the board for deadCenter Film. He is the past board president of Heritage Hall and Westminster School.  Kennedy was the youngest to serve as Oklahoma Secretary of State. 

David Burkus is a best-selling author, an award-winning podcaster, and associate professor of management at Oral Roberts University. His latest book, Under New Management, challenges the traditional and widely accepted principles of business management and proves that they are outdated, outmoded, or simply don’t work — and reveals what does. He’s delivered keynotes to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies and the future leaders of the United States Naval Academy. David is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and Inc.

J. Michael Prince currently serves at Cole Haan providing executive leadership, overseeing 300 global retail stores, digital commerce, international markets, wholesale accounts and licensed product partners.  Michael also provides operational leadership for this iconic brand with $1B in global retail sales and over 2,000 employees worldwide.

Michael has held senior leadership roles in the fashion/sport industry for the past decade, working with world class lifestyle brands including Nike, Converse, Guess?, Hurley and Umbro.  He started his professional career in Oklahoma working for BancFirst, Devon Energy, and PriceWaterhouse.

Michael earned his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and his undergraduate degree from East Central University.  He was raised in the Ada area and is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  He recently established scholarships at both Duke and the Choctaw Nation and is a donor supporting East Central’s new business school.  Michael and his wife Amanda reside in New York City with their two sons.