Alexander Blass

Biography

Wharton and Oxford-educated, Alexander Blass is an internationally acclaimed American entrepreneur and innovator. He has traveled to over 40 countries and appeared in hundreds of media outlets, including multiple cover stories. Now 36, he is the youngest grand prize winner ever of the Daily Record`s Top Innovator of the Year Award, which credited him with "revolutionizing charitable giving" in 2007 for inventing person-to-person giving technology on the Internet. He presently serves as CEO of Alexander Blass International, an executive consulting and training firm.

Alexander keynotes some of the world`s most prestigious conferences on innovation/creativity, leadership/change, business development and entrepreneurship. Examples include the 2011 Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum in the United Arab Emirates, the 2011 European Conference on Creativity and Innovation, EPIC 2010 in New York, and IBM`s INNOVATE 2010 in India to an audience of 2,000 people, to name a few.

Frequently interviewed by the media, Alexander is a highly sought after and inspirational keynote speaker, Master Class presenter, invited expert and consultant. Through his high energy, dynamic and inspirational presentation style, he enjoys sharing his vast expertise, passion, vision and fascinating experiences with top corporate business audiences at Fortune 500 and Global 1000 organizations, as well as associations, non-profits, and university students.

Alexander is also the recipient of the Daily Record`s Influential Marylanders Award, as well as the Baltimore Business Journal`s Top 40 Under 40 Executives Award. He was also honored as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Wharton School of Business. Previously, Alexander was a venture capitalist, strategy consultant, senior government executive, and software developer, beginning his career at KPMG Consulting. During his tenure as a venture capitalist, one of the fund`s portfolio companies went from a $500,000 fund investment to a nearly $500 million all-cash acquisition by a Fortune 50 corporation. He has worked with leading organizations worldwide on opportunities totaling over $1 billion, as well as serving on boards of various for-profit and non-profit organizations in the U.S. and overseas. Alexander has been an invited expert at the National Science Foundation on a dozen occasions, making investment recommendations on over $100 million of emerging technologies for the U.S. government.

He has appeared in numerous media outlets globally including the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, Associated Press, BusinessWeek, Globe & Mail, International Herald Tribune, The Independent, The Guardian, Melbourne Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, FOX, Forbes, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, The Sun, Information Week, Internet Evolution, Daily Record, South African Broadcasting Corporation, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Voice of Africa, Khaleej Times, Al Ittihad, Dubai Eye, and many more.

Alexander received an MBA from Oxford University in England. He also holds a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where he concurrently studied at the Wharton School of Business.

Titles

PRICELESS STRATEGIES FROM AN INNOVATOR: HOW TO THRIVE IN CHALLENGING TIMES
Themes: Innovation, Leadership, Inspiration, Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Change, Future
In a constantly evolving world and today`s challenging economic climate, leadership through innovation and creativity are no longer optional, but essential. Alexander Blass, now 36 and the youngest grand prize winner of the Daily Record`s Top Innovator of the Year Award, which credited him with "revolutionizing charitable giving" in 2007, recounts the journey that led him to become an acclaimed entrepreneur and innovator. In this keynote, he reveals how you can reinvent yourself and get on the path to innovation today. Discover the essential characteristics of successful leaders, innovators, and innovative organizations; grasp some of the challenges you must overcome, and learn how to generate international buzz and excitement for your innovations with increasingly limited resources.

FINDING YOUR PASSION: YOU TOO, CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Themes: Social entrepreneurship and change, Motivation, Corporate Social Responsibility
As a child, Alexander Blass often gazed at the black and white photos on his parents` piano of his father`s family members who perished in the Holocaust. The lessons he learned as a boy about the preciousness of human life, combined with world events, ultimately led him to a "lightbulb moment." He left a career in finance to make a difference, inventing and patenting a new way to make philanthropic contributions in dozens of countries through the power of the Internet. Blass draws from his experience and the lessons learned as a social entrepreneur to inspire and motivate, ensuring audiences that by finding their passion, maximizing their unique abilities, and embracing change, one person can indeed change our world.

FUNDRAISING 2.0: REVEALING AND RAISING THE INVISIBLE MILLIONS
Themes: Fundraising, Technology, Social Networking, Creativity, Marketing
Blass, credited with "revolutionizing charitable giving," offers an evocative and eye-opening look into human nature, delving into the psychology of giving as well as the power of social networks and grassroots activism. Blass explores how technological innovation is changing the face of philanthropy, and offers thought- provoking strategies for fundraising success.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING SECRETS AND WEB 2.0: HARNESS THE POWER OF COMMUNITY
Themes: Social Media Marketing, Business Development, Customer Service, Strategy
Over 70% of the global Internet population visits social networking or blogging sites. Companies and organizations are rapidly playing "catch up" to adapt to this user-generated, customer-centric wave of social computing by scrambling to adopt both external and internal social media marketing and Web 2.0 strategies. Learn how to harness the power of your customers and community. Develop a game-winning social media marketing strategy. Beat the competition by employing best practices for success. Learn how to foster deeper relationships with your customers, promote your programs, and leverage your exuberant customer base to evangelize your brand and take it global.