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Dr. John H. Vanston

Chairman, Technology Futures,  Inc. Author, MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

John H. Vanston, Ph.D., is Chairman of Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) and an internationally-renowned consultant, educator, and award-winning author in the fields of technology forecasting, minitrends, technology/market integration, and technology management in uncertain environments. He founded TFI in 1978, building the Austin, Texas-based company into a leading authority in custom research and forecasting in telecom and other high-technology industries. His MiniTrends concept, designed to increase creativity, innovation, and success, is summarized in MINITRENDS: How Entrepreneurs & Innovators Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends, written in collaboration with his daughter, Carrie Vanston. The book has received several Best Business Book awards, as well as  excellent reviews and endorsements from the media and industry leaders.

During Dr. Vanston’s career, he has managed multimillion-dollar high-tech R&D projects, fashioned a computer-based program for planning and managing complex research activities, and developed a formal system for promoting and targeting innovation activities. He is the leader in the development of TFI’s popular technology forecasting concepts “Five Views of the Future™” and “Technology Advantage Management.”

At TFI, Dr. Vanston has conducted analyses of emerging technologies for a wide range of commercial, government, and academic organizations, including, among many others, Boeing, 3M, Chevron Chemical, DuPont, Coca Cola, Kyocer, Exxon, IBM, Kodak, Nortel, Duke Power, Southern Company, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Georgia Tech, and the University of Texas.

These analyses have assisted his business clients in gaining sustainable competitive advantage and provided his government clients with important new information, insights, and advice that have increased the effectiveness of their operations. Minitrends Session by Dr. Vanston

“Your presentation last week was outstanding! We hope to have you with us again at a future meeting.” —Industrial Research Institute, Inc. 

Dr. Vanston is a popular speaker who gives presentations and conducts workshops and seminars on MiniTrends, technology forecasting, trend analysis, and innovation management to such groups as the World Future Society, the Industrial Research Institute, the Association of Strategic Planners, the University of Houston Futures Studies Program,  Society of Association Executives. Dr. Vanston is Chair of MiniTrends 2014: Insight, Innovation & Strategyscheduled September 26, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Technology Forecasting: An Aid to Effective Technology Management by Dr. John H. Vanston

In addition to the MINITRENDS book, Dr. Vanston has authored or coauthored books including Innovate! Straight Path to Quality, Customer Delight, and Competitive Advantage, Technology Forecasting: An Aid to Effective Technology Management, Emerging Technology Programs, Industrial Electrification in the Information Age, and Introduction to Technology Market Forecasting, Principles for Electric Power Policy.

Dr. Vanston is on the Editorial Advisory Board for the World Future  Society’s World Future Review. Prior to establishing TFI, Dr. Vanston was a professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and deputy director of the University’s Center for Energy Studies, an interdisciplinary organization that he helped establish in 1974. While at the University he conducted a number of forecasts and trend analyses in the energy area.

Earlier, Dr. Vanston served as a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army. Dr. Vanston has a B.S. in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, M.S. and professional degrees in nuclear engineering from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Carrie Vanston

Vice President, Technology Futures, Inc. Co-author, MINITRENDS: How Entrepreneurs & Innovators Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends

Carrie Vanston is Vice President of Communications at Technology Futures, Inc. and Co-Author of “MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.” She excels at helping clients create and grow innovative cultures by finding and profiting from emerging trends with maximum engagement by all stakeholders. Carrie is a consummate connector, who enjoys bringing like-minded people together to share, learn, and grow, In this regard, Carrie is Conference Director of TFI’s annual MiniTrends Conference, now in its 4th year.

In addition to directing the MiniTrends Conference, presentations include Product Camp; Morgan Stanley’s Investing with Impact Conference; WorldFutures 2013 and 2013 Master Courses; RISE Conference; BiG AUSTIN’S Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development – Latin America Regional Project and Women in Technology Multi-Regional Project; The University of Texas’ SAGE Program; and TFI’s Communications Technology Asset Valuation Conference.

She has written or co-written articles for Texas CEO Magazine and the Austin Business Journal.

Carrie’s earlier tenure as TFI Marketing and Media Relations Director have resulted in a continuing and growing awareness of TFI and its MiniTrends Project as a highly qualified forecasting and trends leader in the high-technology and telecom industries. Business and industry publications including The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo.com, Telephony, America’s Network, About.com, and The Futurist cite the views of TFI’s staff members and the results of TFI’s marketing research reports.

Ms. Vanston has a bachelor degree in geography from the University of Texas at Austin.

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