News and Press

Press Release
January 5, 2019

Applied Underwriters Launches “Great Minds” Lecture Series

Omaha -- January 5, 2019 -- Applied Underwriters, Inc. announced today their collaboration with KANEKO, Omaha’s arts and culture non-profit organization, in producing the 2019 Great Minds Lecture Series. The ongoing speaker series inviting global thought leaders from various fields and disciplines to Omaha, to engage in a discussion about how creativity and innovation impacts their work. Whether science, philosophy, or the arts, Great Minds speakers have demonstrated leadership within their fields and have a record of outstanding creativity and innovation.

“The Great Minds Lecture Series will feature the some of the brightest thinkers from across the globe addressing different topics with fresh, provocative perspectives,” said Steve Menzies, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Applied Underwriters, Inc. “As a Company, we are dedicated to the presentation of public discourse on topics of high intellectual interest and impact. We pride ourselves on the idea-driven corporate culture we have created here on our Omaha campus as well as our other office locations throughout the country.”

Applied’s Omaha-based operations center currently employs nearly 700 people. The series is being provided to Applied employees at no charge.

The first program in the series is presented in connection with KANEKO’s current exhibit “The Human Condition”. The event will take place at the KANEKO gallery in downtown Omaha on February 28th at 7:00 pm. The thought-provoking presentation, performance, and panel discussion will feature Steve Everett, a nationally recognized composer, scholar, and thought leader. He will be joined by one of the world’s leading pianists, Stefano Miceli, in a multi-media presentation that will touch upon perception, mind, and understanding the psychological and physical effects of music.

Steve Everett is an American Composer who served as a visiting professor at Princeton University and a guest composer at Eastman School of Music, Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, and the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève in Switzerland, among others. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Provost at Adelphi University. His popular lectures and presentations have drawn a national following.

Maestro Stefano Miceli has established a reputation as one of the foremost Italian pianists and conductors performing today. As a conductor, pianist, and regular guest artist, he has earned applause at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Berliner Philharmonie, Beijing's Forbidden City Concert Hall, among others. Stefano has led the Salzburg Orchestra, Leipzig Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of La Scala, La Fenice Orchestra of Venice, and many others.

KANEKO is a non-profit, interdisciplinary cultural organization founded in 1998 with the mission of exploring creativity across the whole spectrum of human activity — including art, science, philosophy, entrepreneurship, urban planning, and education. Established in three refurbished historic warehouses in Omaha’s Old Market by internationally renowned sculptor Jun Kaneko and his wife Ree, KANEKO was conceived of as “open space for your mind,” a place where thoughtful examination of others’ ideas through a variety of exhibitions and public programs leads us to new and exciting ideas of our own.

The Great Minds Lecture Series engages visitors with established and recognized thought-leaders within their respective fields or disciplines. Whether science, design, or the arts, Great Minds speakers have demonstrated leadership within their respective fields and have a record of outstanding creativity and innovation. Past Great Minds speakers have included Grammy-winning artist Rosanne Cash, National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence Wade Davis, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof, Pixar animator Josh Cooley, social science researcher Stuart Brown, and biologist Tyrone Hayes. Applied Underwriters is proud to sponsor this very special program.


For further information, contact:
Ryan Gerding, Public Relations, at +1 (913) 602-8531 or at press@auw.com.

About Applied Underwriters
Applied Underwriters® is a global risk services firm that helps businesses and people manage uncertainty through its business services, insurance and reinsurance solutions. As a company, Applied Underwriters has been distinguished by its innovative approaches to client care and by its strong financial strength. Applied Underwriters operates widely throughout the US, UK, EU and Middle East. Its operational headquarters is located in Omaha, Nebraska.

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