Join us for GACC Midwest’s November Webinar Series! This 4-part series will provide you with insights on various employee immigration and compensation topics useful to German and International subsidiaries in the US. This November Webinar Series covers the following topics:
- November 7: International Work Experience: Bringing on Qualified Expats & Interns US ⇔ GER
- November 13: Innovation Initiatives in SMEs: The Real Risk Is To Not Innovate
- November 19: Open Enrollment Season: Creating Competitive Employee Benefits & 401k plan
Innovation Initiatives in SMEs: The Real Risk Is To Not Innovate
- Discover the importance of investing in innovation as an SME by hearing how Bucher Hydraulics, a 100-year old German company, successfully reinvented and renewed their business model. Bucher Hydraulics is a worldwide, innovative provider of hydraulic components and systems.
- Prioritizing the least amount of risk and resistance can be harmful to an SME in the long run - the real risk is to not innovate!
- Christian Eitel, Head of Sales and Product Management and former Vice President of Engineering at Bucher Hydraulics' Elgin subsidiary, will share his experience on how the company has developed into a modern and global engineering enterprise for hydraulic solutions.
- Bruce Vojak, an experienced innovation practitioner, executive, researcher, and advisor, will share the top three actionable insights and best practices for repeatable innovation success in a constrained environment. He has helped various companies in mature industries survive and thrive with his vast experience and in his current role as Managing Director and Founder of Breakthrough Innovation Advisors, LLC.
- Finally, we will open the conversation for your questions during a 15-minute Q&A session with our experts following the dialogue.
Our Speakers
Christian Eitel, Head of Sales and Product Management - Bucher Hydraulics
Christian Eitel is Head of Sales and Product Management at Bucher Hydraulics, a worldwide, innovative provider of hydraulic components and systems. Currently assigned to Bucher’s headquarters in Klettgau, Baden-Württemberg, Christian was formerly Vice President of Engineering for the company’s US business.
Bruce Vojak, Managing Director and Founder - Breakthrough Innovation Advisors, LLC
Bruce Vojak is Managing Director and Founder of Breakthrough Innovation Advisors, LLC—helping mature companies in mature industries survive and thrive—and a Senior Fellow with The Conference Board. Formerly Director of Advanced Technology at Motorola and Associate Dean and Adjunct Professor in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has served on the boards of Midtronics, Inc., JVA Partners, and Micron Industries Corporation.
Bruce has co-authored two highly-regarded books on innovation in mature companies.