Society of Innovators

Brandon Griffin is a distinguished Board Member at the Society of Innovators, an organization dedicated to celebrating and fostering innovation across Northwest Indiana. His journey with the Society began with a groundbreaking achievement. Being inducted as a Fellow in 2006 for launching FyeBye Magazine, Brandon was the first person to be inducted into the Society of Innovators under the age of 18.

Brandon also became the organization's youngest elected Board of Governor in 2016, significantly contributing to the Society's evolution. He played a pivotal role in the Society's entry into the realm of social media, creating its first website and establishing initial social media channels. Brandon's innovative strategies in content marketing spotlighted the stories of over 100 recognized innovators in Indiana, contributing significantly to regional economic development.

Brandon's visionary approach was evident in the conceptualization and management of the "What's Your Idea" video challenge, a campaign designed to inspire innovation in Northwest Indiana among youth.

A cornerstone of Brandon's tenure as a Board Member was participating in Purdue University Northwest's acquisition of the Society from Ivy Tech Community College.

Instrumental in the Society's growth trajectory, Brandon's implementation of digital marketing and membership engagement strategies furthered the mission to promote creative and innovative thinking as an economic catalyst across Indiana's seven-county region.

Brandon Griffin's dedication and innovative leadership at the Society of Innovators have been pivotal in championing innovation, fostering growth, and transforming communities across Northwest Indiana.

In this video, Brandon Griffin, the youngest inductee into the Society of Innovators, delivers a compelling speech at the "Indiana by 2024" Society of Innovators event hosted in 2014. He emphasizes the significance of innovation in meeting evolving needs and expectations. Brandon discusses how innovation differs from invention, highlighting its role in doing things differently and leveraging existing ideas.

Brandon draws a parallel to the historical context of rail systems in England and their relevance in present-day Northwest Indiana, underlining the essence of innovation in utilizing existing technologies to connect the region for greater opportunities. He emphasizes that innovation isn't about inventing something new but about using existing resources innovatively to enhance the region's potential.

Brandon underscores the importance of creating promising environments for Millennials, citing the impact of social media in fostering a generation of creators and collaborators. He advocates for leveraging diversity, not just in ethnicity but also in communication between generations, stressing the need for bridging the gap between Millennials and retiring generations.

In addition, Brandon discusses the criticality of embracing social technologies for improved communication at various levels - person-to-person, business-to-business, and locally to globally. He emphasizes the need for Northwest Indiana to provide resources and tools to the next generation to compete globally.

Brandon concludes by sharing how his business leverages social technologies to empower regional businesses in enhancing social communications, emphasizing the role of conversations, relationships, and community-building in fostering innovation.