Please join me in welcoming our new Director of Creative Innovation – Will.i.am.  Yesterday we (Intel) announced a new member of our ‘Blue Badge’ work force… a classification given to our full time, non contract contingent – the most creative member of the group The Black Eyed Peas.  Announced at our annual Sales and Marketing conference to our internal teams, and to the rest of the world through Will.i.am’s Twitter Feed, the news was met with overwhelming kudos from all outlets of the press.  My favorite quote:

“every beat I make is made with intel. And now were partners.”

Well said…and welcome to the team.

Well, I guess we ARE the Sponsors of Tomorrow… last year, Business Week had us ranked as the #33 most innovative company.  After a long year in the middle of the pack, we’ve surged forward.  It’s been a great year.  We’ve released a major brand campaign, a new product line, and have gotten some great press to boost our visibility.  Oh yeah, and we knocked the socks off the Street earlier this week with our Q1 earnings announcement.  Looking forward to cracking the top 10 next year…

Slipping a little from last year, but still making the top 20 – Intel ranks well in Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2010.  Fast Company focuses in on Single Chip Cloud Computing but that only scratches the surface of the innovation going on in this company.  Consider our design wins in Health Care, our new 2010 Core Processor Family and on an entertainment level – our Sponsors of Tomorrow advertising campaign.  All great stuff coming out of the halls of Intel.

Being an employee for nearly 10 years, this makes me proud.  The competitor in me wants us higher on the list.  Why #6 on the Fast Company 50, but only #33 on BW?  And this was after Atom and NetBooks changed the game!  Full article on BusinessWeek.com.

Fast Company’s look at the world’s most innovative companies.  Shameless plug for the company that employs me.  Last year we were #34 so I’ll take the meteoric rise!  Our page here, full article here.