Insight from the Booth–WM Fireside Chat: Leadership, Innovation, and What It Means for VortEdge

On September 4th, the Chicago Booth Fireside Chat took place in Houston, hosted at WM’s corporate headquarters and drawing more than 60 alumni and friends. The event featured Dean Madhav Rajan of Chicago Booth and Jim Fish, MBA 98, President and CEO of WM, with opening remarks delivered by Bayo Adebogun, Founder & CEO VortEdge Inc.

Dean Rajan discussed Booth’s efforts to refresh its curriculum, highlighting how the school is integrating economics, finance, accounting, and management with emerging fields such as artificial intelligence. His remarks underscored the importance of innovation in education, echoing the type of convergence seen in companies like VortEdge, where semiconductors, AI, and healthcare diagnostics are reshaping access to care.

Jim Fish offered reflections on leadership, emphasizing that it is less about seeking the spotlight and more about consistently putting people first—even when no one is watching. His message resonated as broadly applicable, whether in leading a Fortune 500 company, launching a startup, or navigating change within a community.

For VortEdge, the conversation reinforced the idea that technology has value only when it serves people—those who design it, adopt it, and benefit from it. As the company advances U.S. leadership in semiconductors, AI, and smart healthcare manufacturing, its mission remains rooted in expanding access for rural America and underserved populations globally.

The Fireside Chat ultimately highlighted the role of such gatherings as more than alumni events; they serve as roadmaps for how academia, business, and industry can evolve together to meet future demands. VortEdge call to action: to partner across healthcare, semiconductors, and workforce development in building a more connected and equitable future..