Fast is a state of mind.
If you’re fast, you don’t accept the status quo. You plan for your moment to shine and when it comes — pow! — run for daylight and don’t look back. Being fast is taking on an impossible task and bit by bit making it work. It’s imagining a better world (or even one that smells like chocolate). Here are the winners of Fast Company’s fourth annual global readers’ challenge — every one of them an innovator, dreamer, and doer. Just what did you accomplish in 2004?
Peak PerformersSmartly executed great ideas made 2004 a very good year |
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|---|---|
| 1 |
Good Boy! Jeffrey P. Ansell, 45 President The Iams Co., a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble |
| 2 |
Putting Towns on the Map Tom Buxton, 54 President and CEO, The Buxton Co. |
| 3 |
Just Don’t Call Them Time Shares Donn Davis, 42 CEO, Exclusive Resorts LLC |
| 4 |
A School for Us Dennis Littky, 60 Cofounder and codirector, The Big Picture Co. |
| 5 |
Calling the Tune Panos Panay, 32 Founder and CEO, Sonicbids Corp. |
| 6 |
A Brand to Go, With Everything on It Tom Ryan, 48 Executive vice president of branding, Quiznos Sub |
| 7 |
Tasty Trader John Scharffenberger, 53 CEO and cofounder, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker |
| 8 |
The Shoe Fits Nick Swinmurn, 31 Founder and chairman, Zappos.com Inc. |
| 9 |
Homeland Amenity Michael Van Valkenburgh, 53 Founding principal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. |
| 10 |
Future Shock Andrew Zolli, 34 Founder, Z+Partners |
New IdeasMaking their mark with products and services we hadn’t imagined |
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| 11 |
Coming to a Boil Dwight Aspinwall, 43 Cofounder and president, Jetboil Inc. |
| 12 |
Reach Out and Touch Everyone Tony Bates, 37 Vice president and general manager, Cisco Systems Inc. |
| 13 |
Supercharging the Digital Shoebox Stewart Butterfield, 31 Caterina Fake, 34 President and VP marketing and community, Ludicorp Research & Development Ltd. |
| 14 |
Memo to Bugs: Bring It On Richard Lane, 55 President, Buzz Off Insect Shield LLC |
| 15 |
Going to the Mattresses Kurt Ling, 41 Vice president of innovation, Simmons Bedding Co. |
| 16 |
Designing Better Research Thomas Newmaster, 37 Owner and COO, William Fox Munroe Inc. |
| 17 |
Dell-izing Printers Tim Peters, 43 VP and GM, Dell Imaging and Printing, Dell Inc. |
| 18 |
Military Intelligence Steve Roth, 52 Founder and CEO, MAYA Viz LLC |
| 19 |
Soccer Dad Gets Mad Jeff Skeen, 46 CEO and founder, Full90 Sports Inc. |
| 20 |
Nexis for the Rest of Us Patrick Spain, 52 Founder, Chairman, and CEO, HighBeam Research Inc. |
BreakthroughsBig moments, immediate results |
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| 21 |
Cool by Design John Christakos, 40 President and designer, Blu Dot Design & Manufacturing Inc. |
| 22 |
Dollars From Detritus Stampp Corbin, 44 Founder and CEO, RetroBox |
| 23 |
On Best Behavior Dave Morgan, 41 CEO and founder, Tacoda Systems Inc. |
| 24 |
Credit Card Top Cop Sergio Pinon, 54 Senior vice president of security and risk services, MasterCard International |
| 25 |
Internet Video Star Allie Savarino, 33 Senior vice president, Unicast Communications Corp. |
| 26 |
Paging Captain Kirk Rob Shostak, 56 Founder and CTO, Vocera Communications |
| 27 |
The New Joe College Luke Skurman, 24 Cofounder and CEO, College Prowler |
| 28 |
The Firestarter Clay Wilson, 42 Fire chief, SimpleFire LLC |
| 29 |
The Power of O Larry Woodard, 45 President and CEO, Vigilante |
| 30 |
True Person-to-Person Calling Niklas Zennstroem, 39 Cofounder and CEO, Skype Technologies S.A. |
MilestonesThey’re not there yet, but their ideas are thrilling |
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| 31 |
Power on Demand Stephen DeWitt, 38 CEO and President, Azul Systems Inc. |
| 32 |
The Brand Matchmaker Di-Ann Eisnor, 32 CEO, Community-centric Marketing |
| 33 |
World Explorer Juan Enriquez, 45 Chairman and CEO, Biotechonomy LLC |
| 34 |
Fast Cars, Fast Company D. Cole Frates, 36 Cofounder and president, Hydrogen Car Co. |
| 35 |
Really Keeps Going and Going . . . Stephan Godevais, 43 CEO, president, and chairman, Valence Technology Inc. |
| 36 |
Big Ideas Come in Small Packages Dan Rugar, 51 Manager of nanoscale studies, IBM |
| 37 |
You Smell Delicious Caroline Sabas, 30 Perfumer, Givaudan Fragrances |
| 38 |
From Lab to Fab Greg Schmergel, 36 Cofounder and CEO, Nantero Inc. |
| 39 |
Tilting at Windmills Thomas Wagner, 43 General manager of wind technology, GE Energy |
ReinventionsCharting a new course for their businesses and industries through innovation |
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| 40 |
Documenting Magic Bruce Chizen, 49 CEO and president, Adobe Systems Inc. |
| 41 |
In the Bag Mark Dwight, 45 CEO, Timbuk2 |
| 42 |
A More Popular Banco Roberto Herencia, 46 President, Banco Popular North America |
| 43 |
Changing the Debate Ray Lauk, 45 Superintendent, Lyons Elementary School District 103 |
| 44 |
From Pawn to King Steve Mack, 46 Chairman, Ztradingindustries |
| 45 |
More Than a Symbolic Change William Nuti, 41 President and CEO, Symbol Technologies Inc. |
| 46 |
Reloading the Silver Bullet Dicky Riegel, 38 President and CEO, Airstream Inc. |
| 47 |
Ready for a Close-up Shane Robison, 50 Chief strategy and technology officer, Hewlett-Packard |
| 48 |
The Sounds of Service Jeff Stone, 47 President and CEO, Tweeter Home Entertainment Group |
| 49 |
Media Maven David Verklin, 48 CEO, Carat Americas |
| 50 |
Retailing 101 Jenna Whitney, 38 Director of learning & development, Old Navy |