The event was hosted by His Excellency, Ambassador Pekka Lintu, and Stig Gustavson, Chairman of Finland's Technology Academy Foundation, a Helsinki-based, public-private organization which awards the world's most important science and technology innovators with a 1 million EURO prize.
The prize is awarded every two years with the next selection to be announced in 2010.
Bio
Stig Gustavson
Stig Gustavson serves as the President of KCI Holding USA Inc. Mr. Gustavson served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Konecranes Plc (formerly, KCI Konecranes Oyj) until June 17, 2005. Mr. Gustavson was Holder of various executive positions at KONE Corporation from 1982 to 1988 and President of the KONE Cranes Division from 1988 to 1994. He held executive positions at Sponsor Oy from 1978 to 1982, Raha-Automaattiyhdistys from 1976 to 1978 and Wartsila Oy Ab from 1970 to 1976.
He has been Chairman of Konecranes Plc since June 17, 2005 and has been its Director since 1994. Mr. Gustavson serves as Chairman of Handelsbanken, Regional Bank Finland, Eltel Group Oy and Arcada Foundation. Mr. Gustavson serves as Chairman of Dynea Chemicals Oy, Dynea Overlays Inc., Dynea Oy and Mercantile Oy Ab. He serves as Chairman and Director of Finland Regional Bank at Svenska Handelsbanken AB. He served as Chairman of Oy Hackman AB and Hackman Oyj ABP. He served as Chairman and Director of Eltel Networks Oy. He has been a Director of Vaisala Oyj since March 23, 2006. He serves as a Director of Helvar Merca Oy AB. He serves as a Member of Supervisory Board of KCI Holding USA Inc. He serves as a Member of Supervisory Board of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company. He serves as supervisory board member of Varma-Sampo, Mutual Pension Insurance Company.
He serves as Board Member of the following organisations and companies: the Federation of Finnish Metal, Engineering and Electrotechnical Industries MET, the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers, Enskilda Securities AB. He served as a Director of Perstorp AB since 2001. Mr. Gustavson served as a Director of Sydsvenska Kemi AB (publ) of Perstorp Holding AB since 2001 and Hackman Oyj ABP since 1997. He served as a Director of Oy Hackman Ab since 1997.
By training Mr. Gustavson holds M.Sc. (Eng.) and Dr. Tech. (Hon.) Tampere University of Technology, 1997.
Ambassador Pekka Lintu
Pekka Lintu (b. 1947) has been the Finnish American ambassador in Washington since 2006. He entered the Foreign Ministry's recruitment in 1972 and has previously worked in Finland in the permanent shore in Geneva and the OECD to in Paris.
He has served as Secretary for Foreign Affairs in several political positions in the trade and development in the Political Department.