Research, Development, Innovation, and Intellectual Property
Wendell Colson, Director of Research and Development, Hunter Douglas, Inc.
Mr. Colson will recount his early days as a start-up entrepreneur, review some of the setbacks suffered and lessons learned, as well as discuss the critical roles of innovation and intellectual property rights in making a start-up business successful.
Wendell Colson graduated from Princeton University with a degree in architecture. After completing his studies, he founded an entrepreneurial business, Thermocell Ltd., with two partners. Thermocell developed, manufactured and marketed an energy-efficient insulating window covering product. The product featured an innovative and patented “honeycomb” structure. After several years selling this product with modest success, Thermocell was sold to Hunter Douglas, Inc., a large window coverings and home furnishings company. Hunter Douglas converted the Thermocell product into a premium fashion window covering product, which achieved record-breaking sales and won numerous industry awards for design and innovation. After the sale of Thermocell, Mr. Colson became Director of Research and Development for Hunter Douglas and was instrumental in the development of many other highly successful window covering products. Today, with over 100 patents to his name, Wendell Colson is engaged in ground-breaking research and development work in adhesive and lamination technology, structural elements for architectural and construction products, and innovative synthetic and fabric materials.