Roger von Oech

 Since 1977, his seminars, workshops, and presentations have enhanced the creative skills of more than a million participants. In addition, his two creative thinking books, A Whack on the Side of the Head, and A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, along with his Creative Whack Pack, card deck, have activated the creative juices of many millions around the world. His new book, Expect the Unexpected (Or You Won't Find It), promises new insights for those looking to improve their own creative skills.

Roger received his bachelor's degree from Ohio State in history and philosophy. He also won various honors there, including Phi Beta Kappa, the President's Scholarship Award, and the Scholar-Athlete Award. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in a self-conceived interdisciplinary program called the "History of Ideas."

Upon graduation, Roger went to work for IBM as a marketing representative selling data base and data communications applications. While there, he learned two important lessons: (1) You can have a great idea, but if you can't sell it, it won't get very far; and (2) Many people develop tunnel-vision and thus miss a lot of good ideas around them. He incorporates these lessons and their implications into his presentations and keynotes.

Roger and his wife Wendy have two children, Athena and Alex. His hobbies include Masters swimming and collecting old television commercials.

Programs:

A Whack on the Side of the Head

A Kick in the Seat of the Pants