Futurist

The 11th installment of First Commerce Credit Union’s Power Forward Speaker Series, in partnership with the FSU Division of Research, will bring Futurist Zack Kass, the former head of Go to Market for OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — to Tallahassee’s Ruby Diamond Concert Hall February 12. Zack will share his experiences working at the epicenter of technological revolution. His 14 years in the field of the emerging technology put Kass front and center building AI strategies with some of the world’s largest companies.

Co-Hosted By

Thank you to our co-sponsor, FSU Division of Research. The Florida State University Division of Research is the administrative arm that supports faculty and student researchers in their scientific and creative endeavors. Managing on average more than $328.6 million in research awards from state, federal and private sources, the Division of Research staff focuses its efforts on helping faculty move their work forward at every stage of the research process from identifying potential funding opportunities to protecting intellectual property to identifying potential industry partners.

They ask the big questions, build partnerships, innovate, solve problems and make an impact. Their faculty and students pursue real-world solutions in sciences and engineering while enriching knowledge and experiences through the arts and humanities.

Florida State is where the life-saving drug Taxol was first synthesized. It’s home to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory where every day, scientists make breakthroughs in materials, biomedical research and energy. It’s where dedicated researchers are working daily to ensure all children are at reading at grade-level by second grade.

FSU pursues knowledge and solutions to make the world a better place.

Learn more at Research.FSU.edu

About the Speaker

Zack Kass

Zack Kass

Zack Kass is the former Head of Go-To-Market for OpenAI, the company behind the massively popular ChatGPT.

Visit Zack's Website
Zack Kass

Zack Kass

Zack Kass is the former Head of Go-To-Market for OpenAI, the company behind the massively popular ChatGPT.

Visit Zack's Website

Previous Power Forward Speakers

Power Forward speakers inspire and motivate our community’s leaders and business owners. Past speakers have included:

Barbara Corcoran & Robert Herjavec - '24

Barbara Corcoran is a motivational and inspirational speaker. She has been an investor/Shark for the past ten seasons on ABC’s four-time Emmy award winning show, Shark Tank, investing in over 80 businesses to date. Fellow Shark and executive producer of the show, Robert Herjavec is a globally recognized business leader and trusted cybersecurity expert.

Spencer Rascoff - '23

Spencer Rascoff is a New York Times bestselling author who co-founded four tech companies, invested in over 50, and was CEO of Zillow for a decade. Zillow is now a real estate colossus, worth around $10 billion.

Chris Gardner - '21

Chris Gardner is an entrepreneur, international bestselling author, and award-winning film producer. His autobiography, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” became a New York Times #1 bestseller and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Peter Diamandis - '20

Peter Diamandis is a global entrepreneur who has launched more than 20 companies during his career in the areas of human longevity, space travel, venture capital, and education. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation.

Kevin O’Leary - '19

Kevin O’Leary, Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” is the highly acclaimed, tell-it-like-it-is investor and entrepreneur who has helped many startup businesses make their first million in sales.

Chip Conley - '18

Chip Conley is the hospitality maverick who helped Airbnb’s founders turn their fast-growing tech startup into a global hospitality brand. He is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Modern Elder Academy, offering a new roadmap for midlife.

Jim Kelly - '16

Jim Kelly is a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback who spent his entire NFL career as a Buffalo Bill. He has led various business and philanthropic ventures, including Hunter’s Hope Foundation, in honor of his son. He’s known for his resilience, as his story is “A Journey of Perseverance.”

Randi Zuckerberg - '15

Randi Zuckerberg is the Founder & CEO of Zuckerberg Media, a New York Times bestselling author, host of “Dot Complicated,” and former Director of Marketing at Facebook. And yes, she is also the sister of Facebook Co-founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Steve Wozniak - '14

Steve Wozniak is an electronics engineer, computer programmer, inventor, and the co-founder of Apple Inc. He has helped fund multiple entrepreneurial efforts dealing in areas such as telecommunications, technology, and pop culture conventions.

Barbara Corcoran - '13

Barbara Corcoran took a $1,000 loan to start The Corcoran Group and turned it into a $5 billion real estate business. She is a star on ABC’s entrepreneurial reality hit “Shark Tank” and the real estate contributor for NBC’s “Today” show.

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