Romano Ugolini

Brainstormer, Business leader, Entrepreneur, Idea generator, Life mentor, Performer

I was born in 1956 in Milan, Italy. Grew up in a family wich owned Hotels in Rimini, a major Tourist resort on the Adriatic coast of Italy. English, German and French speaking tourist were common customers at our hotels therefore I have developed from a young age an interest in languages and getting to know people and countries all over the world. I took my High School Diploma at ITI Cesena in Electronics in 1975, I had the feeling back then that the world was about to experience a new dawn : IT. Personal computers, Smart phones and internet were not even imaginable in 1975 but I had the feeling that something revolutionary was about to happen. In 1976 I start University in Bologna, Italy, one of the oldest Universities in the World. I have chosen Political Science because I was thinking of working in Foreign Embassies and explore the World. In those years Bologna and Italy in general, was plagued by by political terrorism: extreme left and extrem right clashed and caused hundreds of deaths in many Italian public spaces. It was a similar situation of what is happening today with ISIS in European Countries. Therefore I decided to continue my studies part time and start working for SCM www.scmgroup.com. This company, leader in woodworking machinery offered to me an opportunity which allowed me to travel first in Middle East and later in Far east, Australia and South Africa. In 1981 I was sent to USA , in Atlanta GA with the objective of opening the american branch for SCM. I became General manager in 1983 , at 27, one of the youngest executives of the company. I continued my studies at Georgia State University and attended dozens of specialized training course on business, economics, controlling, public speaking, creative thinking, networkin, PNL, etc. At the time I was attending classes and meeting Business Gurus like John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends or Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence. Knowing these people in person gave me a great motivation and drive for my career. In 1985 I marry my first Wife , Mitzi Concklin in Atlanta GA, in 1986 Alexander , my first child is born in Atlanta. At the end of 1989. I resigne from my position of GM and VP at SCM in good terms and decide to become an entrepreneur. I bought shares in a tooling company in Italy in 1990 and decided to move back in europe. Meanwhile I started a consulting company and started to do consulting to German companies like Holz Her ( directly to the Owner Mr. Reich ) and later to Koch Machinery. In 1993 I started Koch Machinery Italy in Treviso. In 1996 I decide to move with my future second wife (and last) , Kerstin Koch-Ugolini in Germany, where our daughter Victoria wass born in Bielefeld. I took the position of Sales Director and expanded the Koch Dealer network from Japan to South East Asia, from South Africa to South America and Southern Europe. In Year 2000 my third and last child is borned in Bielefeld Germany were we still live today. Luca is now 16 years old and keeps me very young ! In 2001 I decided to join Survey Marketing and Consulting a German Company specialized in Exhibition organisation, I worked with this company untill 2010 Organizing ehibitions like ZOW, Forum Maschinenbau, Domuslegno, Fokus Kitchen and Bath, Biofuel Summit and Expo, Furnifab, etc. These exhibitions were taking place every year in : Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Poland and China. The Company was sold in 2010, and I decided to build my own exhibition location and we build it indeed, from scratch , please see the building at www.ecoarea.eu The building has won many awards including the short list for best commercial building at the World Architectural Festival in Barcelona in 2012. It is our current italian headquarter for the exhibition developments, events and conventions. The main areas of our focus are : Sustainability, Architecture, Design, Energy efficiency, for which we have created a specialized exhibition (Condominioeco.eu) Organic food, Innovative Tourism consulting. With Ecoarea we are promoting the philosophy of "Better Living" at all facet of Society b2b and b2c. At Ecoarea we are hosting an average of 200 meetings and events per year, therefore we have an excellent exposure for the trends and new ideas that stem from the positive energy of these gatherings. In a world that is more and more "virtual" it is important to meet people in person and face to face. We are proud of what we have created with our beautiful building ,a meeting point, a permanent platform for inspiration and thinking in terms of Better Living. www.ecoarea.eu

Keeping our Planet as good as we have it now, or better, for the new generations. Sharing innovative ideas. I started a BussinessExhibition Show called I.D.E.A. Acronym for Innovation Design Expo Area. It took place on April 2016 in Bergamo, Italy ( 40 Km. east of Milano). At the same time with the world famous Milano Design Week.

Get people involved with Sustainability in a mode of Edutainment = Education and Entertainment.

Energy efficiency, Exhibition Organization, Industrial machinery, Organic food., Sustainability

I am a newcomer, therefore I need to create my own story. But willing to organize my first TEDx event in 2017. The world needs a good instrument to spreads IDEAS and TED seems the right platform to do it. I want to do my share.

Listening. Analyzing trends. Adapting rapidly in an ever changing world.