Georgia Tech-Savannah has announced its fall 2016 lineup for the Learners and Leaders Breakfast series. Each session will include breakfast, networking, and special guest speakers, with topics covering logistics, coaching and mentoring, innovation, and the Internet of Things.

“We’re excited to bring campus and community leaders together to discuss issues of importance to area businesses,” said Diane Lee, director of Georgia Tech-Savannah. “These workshops, designed with input from the Savannah business community, reveal ways companies can maintain a competitive edge to survive in today’s economy.”

All sessions will take place on the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus. Breakfast and networking will begin at 7:30 a.m.; programs will run 8-9:30 a.m. Cost for each is $15. The following sessions will be offered throughout the rest of the year:

Collaborative Logistics - Leveraging Savannah’s Assets in a Changing Environment
August 18, 2016
In today’s global marketplace, companies can’t compete and win in a silo, making them view collaborative logistics management a key element for success. Join Georgia Tech faculty members Martin Savelsbergh and Natashia Boland to learn how Savannah’s multimodal supply chain can enable optimal use of resources while being more efficient and cost effective. These professors will make innovative freight logistics ideas relatable to our industry in Southeast Georgia. An audience of professionals in logistics or logistics-related industries; supply chain directors, managers, and supervisors; warehouse and transportation directors and managers; professionals tasked with distribution network evaluation and design; industrial engineers; and logisticians will benefit from this session.

Making the Most of Coaching and Mentoring
September 15, 2016
Effective coaching and mentoring doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all strategy. Each person has different skills, experiences, motivations, and professional and organizational circumstances, so perceptiveness and adaptability are paramount. In this session, you will learn about these guidelines as well as common considerations and roadblocks. Kevin Jackson, founder and president of EnviroVac Holdings, LLC, will share coaching stories and tips. David Paddison, president of Seacrest Partners, Inc., will discuss the power of mentoring. Those who are middle and upper management professionals who work for mid- to large-size companies, as well as those who are about to transition to management roles, will benefit from this session.

Innovation in Savannah
October 13, 2016
As an entrepreneur or business owner, you know the key to success is innovation. But moving from beyond the buzzword to actually implementing creative and successful ideas involves more than creative minds and good luck. This session will teach you about this iterative process and the history, and you’ll hear three local entrepreneurs talk about their visions, struggles and recommendations. Presenters will include Howard Morrison, advisor to entrepreneurs and catalyst for community development; Blake Ellis, CEO and founding partner of CommerceV3; and Yvonne Jouffrault, founder and chief product nerd at Tour Buddy Apps and entrepreneur-in-residence for the Advanced Technology Development Center, a technology incubator at Georgia Tech. Entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, middle and upper-management professionals who work for mid- to large-size companies, as well as those who are about to transition to management roles, will benefit from attending.

Internet of Things - What It Is, Why You Should Care, and How It can Boost Your Business
November 10, 2016
The Internet of Things -- such as connected devices, vehicles, buildings, appliances, and wearables -- is a network of physical objects that is discussed constantly in the technical community. However, most business leaders know little about it. During this session, presenters Russ Clark, co-director of the Georgia Tech Research Network Operations Center, and Bill Eason, research scientist at Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology, will demystify IoT for you. They’ll describe the incredibly rich, real-time customer and business operations data you can gather, as well as highlight fundamentals of IoT that organizations must think through. Professionals from small to mid-size businesses interested in how mobility and the Internet of Things can transform their business operations will benefit from this session.

The Georgia Tech-Savannah Learners and Leaders Series is an initiative launched in an effort to help companies in the coastal region stay up-to-speed on new technology, leadership issues and more. For more information, contact William Astary at 912-963-6976 or [email protected] or visit pe.gatech.edu/savannah-campus/courses/learning-series to register.