Teny Gross #BIF8 Summit: The Importance of Being Civilized

On May 1st, I spoke with Julie Anixter and the Innovation Excellence community about the imperative of business model innovation. Of all of the #BIF8 Summit storytellers, Julie found Teny Gross to be the most inspirational. So, I thought I would kick off our BIF curated series with his story.

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence was founded by members of St. Michael’s Church team ministry in 2001 as a long-term solution to violence. Originally a training organization, the Institute hired its first Executive Director, Teny Gross, in 2001 and he introduced the Streetworkers program in 2003.

Since then, a constellation of programs has grown to better serve the community’s most vulnerable youth and families whose lives have been affected by violence. Today the organization has a $1.8 million budget, a board of 30 members and a staff of 32. As a crusader for nonviolence, Teny and his streetworkers are igniting peace in urban Providence. Never shying away from the hard truths about the violence epidemic worldwide, Teny inspires hope while pulling on your heartstrings.

Watch Teny in action and don’t forget to join us at the #BIF9 Summit.

image credit: businessinnovationfactory.com

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Saul Kaplan is the author of The Business Model Innovation Factory. He is the founder and chief catalyst of the Business Innovation Factory (BIF) in Providence, RI, and blogs regularly at It’s Saul Connected. Follow him on Twitter at @skap5.