October 20, 2009 (Calgary, Alberta) - The Alberta College of Art + Design is pleased to announce that bestselling author Chip Heath will be the keynote speaker at the fourth annual President's ACAD Smart Night. The President's ACAD Smart Night is a unique black-tie event in Calgary, and was launched in 2007 as a vehicle to challenge ideas and stimulate dialogue within our community. Previous Smart Night events have featured authors Dan Pink, Malcolm Gladwell and Tom Kelley as keynote speakers. The 2009 President's ACAD Smart Night will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Calgary.
“We are at an exciting point in our community, and the question of how we create change, and which ideas will become “sticky” and succeed is an important and timely one” says Lance Carlson, President + CEO. “Smart Night is all about sparking conversation and debate on the future of Calgary and Alberta. We are absolutely certain that Mr. Heath will do just that.”
ACAD’s 2010 President’s ACAD Smart Night keynote speaker, Chip Heath, is the co-author of the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, which has been a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller. His new book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard explores our resistance to change in our business, community and personal lives, and is schedule to be released in February of 2010. Heath is a columnist for Fast Company magazine and a professor at Stanford University, and has been featured internationally for his writing and research on Today, NPR's Morning Edition, MSNBC, CNBC, Time, People and US News and World Report. He has consulted on the topic of "making ideas stick" with organizations such as Nike, the Nature Conservancy, Microsoft, Ideo, and the American Heart Association.
This year, the Honourary Co-Chairs for the President's ACAD Smart Night will be Jim Dinning, and Evelyn Main. As they explain, "Smart Night is a one-of-a-kind Calgary event, a unique reminder that 'smart' is an essential ingredient that makes Alberta so special. Smart Night reminds us that in a world where too much gets 'dumbed-down', it's okay to be smart. We need to embrace it along with all those smart people who enrich our lives. Chip Heath will be a great catalyst for the evening's conversations."
President's ACAD Smart Night
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Hyatt Regency Calgary
Sponsorships and tables on sale now at smart@acad.ca
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ACAD is a leading centre for education and research, and a catalyst for creative inquiry and cultural development. We engage the world and create possibilities.
For more information or to arrange an interview:
AnneMarie Dorland, Director of Communications
t. 403.284.7656 | c. 403.472.2322 | e. AnneMarie.Dorland@acad.ca
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