The Leo V. Ryan Center for Creativity & Innovation at DePaul University, in collaboration with Barnes & Noble Bookstore, will launch The Innovator’s Bookshelf, a new series of author talks about business creativity and innovation, at DePaul’s Loop campus on May 24.

Surinder Kumar, chief innovation officer of the William Wrigley Jr. Co., will kick off the series with a discussion of his new book, “Riding the Blue Train: A Leadership Plan for Explosive Growth,” (Penguin USA), co-authored with Bart Sayle. The free, public event, which includes a book signing, will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 8012 of the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd.

Management Professor Lisa Gundry, director of the Ryan Center, said the book series expands the center’s mission of offering innovative programs and tools for breakthrough thinking to serve business and non-profit professionals, as well as business school students and faculty.

“The Innovator’s Bookshelf will present authors who have recently published books on innovation, creativity, leadership and change,” Gundry said. “These topics are of great interest to managers and employees across industries and economic sectors. Some of the authors that we will host are researchers and consultants who have studied innovation in many organizational settings; others are managers or entrepreneurs who practice innovative strategies daily.”

“Riding the Blue Train” explores the following questions confronting companies: How can an organization accelerate business growth and innovation by transforming its people? How can managers lead an organization to achieve extraordinary results through inspiration and personal power? During the program at DePaul, Kumar will probe these questions and reveal innovative leadership strategies that can help companies move to the forefront of their industries. One of the author’s primary messages is that business needs to cultivate a culture of creativity within the organization to drive company strategy.

Kumar was appointed chief innovation officer at Chicago-based Wrigley Co., the world’s largest manufacturer of chewing gum and a confectionery industry leader, in 2001. He is responsible for leading innovation strategy, global research and development, engineering, quality assurance and regulatory affairs to provide business growth opportunities through innovation. Prior to joining the Wrigley Co., he led the research and development efforts of many consumer product companies, including the Quaker Oats Co., Frito Lay, PepsiCo, Warner Lambert and Mead Johnson, working in varying capacities ranging from scientist to divisional president. He received a doctoral degree in food science and nutrition from Ohio State University and an MBA in marketing and finance from the University of Chicago.

For more information about the Leo V. Ryan Center for Creativity & Innovation and its future Innovator’s Bookshelf events, call 312/362-8395 or visit the centers Web site: http://creativity.depaul.edu .