– Engineer, Designer, Artist
– Author of Course “Growing the YOU of Innovation Power” (online at Learnworlds)
– Passionate Connector of Ideas, People and Trends
I appreciated growing up on a dairy farm with plenty of opportunities for hands-on “making and fixing things”. My father also taught H.S. Math and Science, then Industrial Arts. My mother’s degree was in Agricultural Engineering and my grandfather was involved in installing the first automatic telephone switching stations as an electrical engineer for Western Bell in NYC and Washington DC. My own career took me on a path of mechanical engineering and grain combine design and R&D management, to styling/industrial design, to founding my company Integrated Vision — linking styling, engineering and prototyping with corporate consulting. With over 80 programs for the top of Ag and Industrial Equipment industry, and with IV projects, I’ve enjoyed opportunity to be lead inventor on over 60 patents. I also appreciate connections to development resources and corporate leadership across industries.
In addition to projects I support with industrial design/styling for clients of Integrated Vision, I study trends and tech developments and develop concepts across market sectors for myself and Integrated Vision. In all of this, it is exciting to observe the wide-ranging opportunities for innovation, often seemingly right in front of us! There’s always potential to create a “next step”. There are always new and creative ways to differentiate ourselves — as individuals and as organizations.
As example, one now long effort development program identifies and addresses challenges within national security and defense. This program already impacts programs at US Marine Corps and DARPA, yet the larger objective faces the toughest of challenges — disruptive innovation within a system the least structured for such. The positive: new concepts and tech apply to other projects also. And, a 5-year study relative to this defense challenge opened interface with top universities and cities — bringing forward new ideas and big opportunities (noted on Home Page).
It is a crazy life. So, join me as we celebrate the joy of creativity and seek to break barriers and chart bold actions in developing future products
Awards:
In 2002, Russ Strong won the BusinessWeek and IDSA Gold Award for Design Excellence in Vehicle Category, and in 2009 was the inaugural recipient of the University of Idaho’s Outstanding Alumni Innovator Award. Russ is designer of tractors and ergonomics having won Tractor of the Year Awards at Europe’s Bauma, SIMA, IEMA andAgriTechnica annual shows. 
For Russ Strong’s 2013 views to the future in Ag and Heavy Equipment industry — many of which you will see coming out now — see page 66 and 67, of IVT’s 2013 20th Anniversary Edition article “The Future is Now”
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Contact Russ Strong for Design, Ideation Session or Speaking