Michael J. Menard

Michael J. Menard’s journey from a childhood marked by complex trauma to a successful adult is a story of post-traumatic growth. Labeled as "non college bound" he was placed in a trade school program, and at the age of twenty-one Menard joined Johnson & Johnson to operate the blueprint machine. Twenty-five years later he was named the company’s first VP of engineering and an officer of the company with responsibilities in forty-four countries. Now labeled as an "exemplary creator", he has received fourteen US and multiple international patents including the inventions of infant disposable diapers with elastic legs and sanitary napkins with wings for women. His inventions are now responsible for over $50 billion in annual sales.

Menard went on to co-found The GenSight Group, a company helping corporations find a systematic approach to strategic choice and resource optimization. Through GenSight, Menard has advised senior leadership at institutions such as the US Department of Energy, Pfizer, Coca Cola, NASA and the United Nations.

Menard has contributed to numerous professional publications including Harvard Management Update, Gartner Research, and The Journal of the American Management Association.

He is also the author of two best-selling business books and remains the president of GenSight. Living in Tennessee with his wife, Emilie, he is a proud father of five daughters and grandfather to nine.