The W. Frank Barton School of Business is the home of real and applied learning, a
place where students apply knowledge gained from faculty and business leaders while
developing professional and life skills. The Barton School is among the top 1% of
business schools worldwide due to its double AACSB accreditation in business and accounting.
The school is housed in an award-winning building, Woolsey Hall, which features remarkable
artwork, sculptures, gardens, and The Promise Bridge, a 300-foot-long pedestrian bridge
over the water in front of the building.
The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is thrilled to
welcome Byron Knight, president of Koch Disruptive Technologies, as its distinguished
keynote speaker. This exciting fireside chat, titled “Harnessing Disruption: Pioneering
the Future of Innovation and Growth in the Business World,” will take place on Wednesday,
October 23 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Woolsey Hall auditorium. The event is open
to the public and will include a networking opportunity for attendees afterward.
“Under Byron Knight’s visionary leadership, Koch Disruptive Technologies is at the
forefront of investing in groundbreaking innovations that are reshaping industries
globally,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “Hearing
Byron share his insights on current investments and future industry trends will provide
invaluable knowledge for anyone interested in business and the evolving landscape
of innovation.”
Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT) serves as the venture capital arm of Koch, Inc.
In his role as president, Knight oversees the organization’s vision, strategic development,
operations, and investments across key focus areas. Since joining KDT, he has spearheaded
approximately 20 investments in sectors such as supply chain and manufacturing, cybersecurity,
and fintech. Prior to his tenure at KDT, Byron was Vice President of eCommerce for
Georgia-Pacific’s North America Consumer Business, where he held a variety of leadership
roles since 2005. He was the first employee at TechDiscovery, a company specializing
in technical due diligence and custom software development. Currently, Knight serves
on the boards of Trackonomy, Outrider, Automox, Strider, and Dragos.
“Our mission is to invest in transformative technology companies that disrupt the
traditional paradigms and provide impactful solutions to make the world a better place,”
said Knight. “I look forward to discussing our investment themes, evaluation processes,
and the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career.”
The discussion will be expertly moderated by Tom Gentile, CEO of Hexcel Corporation,
who is a member of the Dean’s “Fabulous 50” Advisory Board and previously served as
the Barton School’s Executive-in-Residence in 2021. “Embracing disruptive technology
is about shaping the future,” said Gentile. “The more our students and community grasp
the principles of innovation through technology, the more they can become the pioneers
of tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”
Event Details & RSVP:
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Location: Woolsey Hall Auditorium, Wichita State University
Time: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by a networking session in the Atrium
