Innovators | Access to Innovators | High Point University

Steve Wozniak

Innovator in Residence

Co-Founder of Apple

Access to Innovators

Innovator in Residence

Steve Wozniak

Apple Co-Founder

Apple co-founder, or “The Woz”, has been connected with HPU since 2013. Woz meets with students in many majors including computer science, entrepreneurship, communication and more.

Entrepreneur in Residence

Marc Randolph

Netflix Co-Founder

Randolph works with students in a variety of majors, such as entrepreneurship, business and communication. He first visited HPU in 2015, when students pitched their business plans.

Sports Executive in Residence

Cynt Marshall

Dallas Mavericks CEO

Marshall has been CEO of the Dallas Mavericks since 2018. Before joining the professional basketball team, she served as the president of AT&T North Carolina for more than six years.

Journalist in Residence

Byron Pitts

American journalist and author working for ABC News

Byron Pitts is an American journalist and author working for ABC News. Until 2013, he served as a chief national correspondent for The CBS Evening News.

Executive Coach in Residence

Dr. John C. Maxwell

Bestselling author and internationally renowned leadership expert

Dr. John C. Maxwell is a New York Times best selling author and motivational speaker. His titles include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.

Actor in Residence

Dean Cain

American Actor, Producer and Televison Presenter

Dean Cain is known for playing the role of Superman in the TV series Lois and Clark, hosting Ripley's Believe it or Not, and starring in many other television series and film productions.

Corporate Executive in Residence

Russell Weiner

CEO of Domino's

Weiner oversees the global centers of excellence teams responsible for marketing, store growth and development, franchise relations, analytics and insights, and e-commerce.

Talent Acquisition Expert in Residence

Dee Ann Turner

Chick-Fil-A Former Vice President for Talent

As CEO of Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, and a two-time bestselling author, Turner is an expert in understanding how employers identify and attract talent to help lead their organizations.

Global Leader in Residence

William "Bill" E. Kennard

Former U.S. Ambassador and FCC Chairman

Kennard served as the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union from 2009 to 2013. He currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors of AT&T, Inc.

Broadcaster in Residence

Joe Michaels

Director of the NBC "Today" show for 22 years

Joe Michaels joined HPU in 2015 after retiring from a career at “TODAY." The eight-time Emmy award-winning director works with students in the School of Communication.

Sports Reporter in Residence

Bob Ryan

Retired sports columnist for the Boston Globe

Ryan has been writing for the Globe since 1968, covering all of Boston’s sports teams. He is well-known for his coverage of basketball and the Boston Celtics in the 1970s.

Artist in Residence

Ben Owen III

Studio Potter

Owen currently works in Seagrove, North Carolina, and was born into a traditional pottery family. Works created by Owen are included in numerous museum collections including the Smithsonian.

Dental Innovator in Residence

Dr. Rick Workman

Founder of Heartland Dental

Workman serves as Heartland Dental’s executive chairman. Before founding the company in 1997, Workman practiced dentistry for nearly 20 years. Today, Workman provides leadership advice to the more than 1,500 dental offices nationwide through various speaking engagements.

Health Care Executive in Residence

Dr. Ellen Zane

Former CEO of Tufts Medical Center

Zane is a nationally renowned health care leader who previously served as the president and CEO of Tufts Medical Center in Boston. She currently holds two faculty appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine and a faculty appointment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Personal Development Expert in Residence

Dr. Willie Jolley

Hall of Fame Speaker and Bestselling Author

Dr. Willie Jolley is an author, radio host, and motivational speaker. He is know for his motivational book, It Only Takes A Minute To Change Your Life. He has been named one of the outstanding five speakers in the World by Toastmasters International and was also inducted into the 2012 Speaker Hall of Fame by the National Speakers Association.

Trust Expert in Residence

David Horsager

CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute

Horsager is the bestselling author of The Trust Edge and CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute. His clients range from Fortune 100 companies to pro sports teams to global governments.

Leadership Expert in Residence

Mark Sanborn

President of Leadership Development Idea Lab Sanborn & Associates

Sanborn was ranked No. 5 in Global Gurus World’s Top 30 Leadership Professionals for 2019. He also holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the NSA.

Corporate Educator in Residence

Scott McKain

Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author, Sales & Customer Service Expert

McKain is recognized as one of the 50 most influential marketing authors. He is Chairman of the Distinction Institute and a keynote speaker on delivering the Ultimate Customer Experience.

Designer in Residence

Gary Inman

President of Gary Inman Interior Design

Gary Inman devotes his career to advancing the art of fine living in the design of luxury resorts, hotels, homes, and furnishings. As president of Gary Inman Interior Design, his work for clients such as the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Pinehurst Resort, Duke University, Elm Court, the Emily Thorn Vanderbilt Estate, Hilton Hotels, and many of today’s most respected corporate leaders has been recognized with 18 ASID-IIDA awards, and the Elevate Award as the Top Luxury Hospitality Designer.

Strategic Communication Expert in Residence

Christopher Ullman

Founder & President of Ullman Communications LLC

Chris Ullman is a communications professional with 35 years of experience across private, public, and non-profit sectors. In 2018, he established Ullman Communications LLC, a strategic advisory firm, serving the C-Suite, with an emphasis on financial services.

Sales Professional in Residence

Larry Quinn

Chair of the Department of Marketing and Sales

Larry Quinn has mentored HPU students since 2013 after working in the business world as a top executive in sales and marketing for companies including EDS and Xerox.

Clergy in Residence

Rev. Dr. J. Alexander "Al" Ward

Former Senior Pastor of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church

Ward graduated from High Point University in 1974. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary.

Personal Development Expert In Residence

Marilyn Sherman

Hall of Fame Speaker

Marilyn Sherman was was inducted into the National Speaker Association’s CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame in 2018. She is one of 182 members in the world who hold this designation, that is a representation of her body of work in the speaking profession to the clients she has served for over 25 years.

Health Care Expert in Residence

Sue Downes

CEO and co-founder of MyEyeDr

Sue Downes had an extensive career in the eye care industry prior to starting the company, and has worked in almost every area of the eye care field for more than thirty years. Beginning with one office in 2001, she has led the MyEyeDr. brand to over 800 locations across twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia, with more practices joining every month.

Intellectual Property Expert In Residence

JiNan Glasgow George

Managing Director and Founder of NEO IP and Co-founder of Magic Number

JiNan is recognized worldwide for her expertise in Intellectual Property. As an inventor, entrepreneur, patent attorney, and former USPTO patent examiner, JiNan’s background gives her the ability to see intellectual property from the corporate, legal services and government perspectives – a unique personal perspective not common in this industry. Currently, JiNan works with HPU's Entrepreneurship Club and has helped several of our students secure patents for their work.

Mentorship Moments

Words of "Wozdom"

HPU students gather with Woz at HPU’s Innovation Roundtable. During the conversation, students were able to delve into the mind of the man who invented the Apple I and Apple II computers.

Successful Businessman

“When a successful businessman like Marc Randolph tells us what to do with our product and our business, that’s a lesson we can take and apply – a lesson that we wouldn’t have normally thought of. This would not have happened at any other school” -HPU student Reza Moghtaderi Esfahani

Dom Tech Sports

HPU Alum Emily DeLena 16’co-founded her business, DomTech Sports. Netflix Co-founder Marc Randolph changed my life when he told me this simple but impactful thing: Build your prototype!

Driving the Future

Computer science and physics students are developing a driverless vehicle to make deliveries around campus. Wozniak’s wisdom has served as their North star while they navigate the process.

From Blogger to Business Owner

“I didn’t think of myself as an entrepreneur before I met Mr. Randolph; I was just a girl with a blog. But it was a mind-opening experience that changed my perspective on everything.” -HPU student Mandy Engelman

The Future of Pharmacy

Students in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy engage with Wozniak at a Health and Innovation Forum, as they discuss software and applications designed to streamline patient care.

How to Land That Job Series

High Point University Presents: Dee Ann Turner

High Point University Presents: Cynt Marshall

High Point University Presents: Dr. John C. Maxwell

High Point University Presents: Dean Cain

High Point University Presents: Scott McKain

High Point University Presents: Larry Quinn

High Point University Presents: William Kennard

High Point University Presents: David Horsager