<p>Vince Gennaro is a seasoned executive with a remarkable career that spans entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and non-profit boards. With a background in economics from Seton Hall and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Gennaro's career is one of constant evolution, driven by a passion for innovation and talent development.</p> <p>We were pleased to catch up with Gennaro recently to learn more about his background, how he came to NYU SPS.</p>

<p>Gennaro's career began at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, followed by a role in consulting. However, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase a franchise in the Women's Professional Basketball League in 1979—an endeavor ahead of its time, pre-dating the WNBA by nearly two decades. When the league folded, Gennaro transitioned into a 20-year career at PepsiCo, where he played a pivotal role in launching iconic products, like Cool Ranch Doritos, and led the company's food service beverage division.</p> <p>In 2007, Gennaro's love for sports led to the publication of his book, Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball, which opened doors to consulting opportunities with professional sports teams and a teaching career in sports business programs. His deep knowledge of baseball analytics also blossomed into a decade-long radio show on SiriusXM, where he continues to share his insights.</p>

<p>Gennaro's move into higher education was a natural extension of his passion for developing talent and leading organizations, experience he honed during his years at PepsiCo, his non-profit board roles, and his role as CEO of a public company.&nbsp;A common theme at every stage of his career has been innovation—from his early conviction about the future of women’s sports, to his concepts for new products at PepsiCo, his leading-edge concepts in his book &quot;<i>Diamond Dollars&quot;</i>, to founding NYU’s Lab for Transformative Leadership.</p> <p>This forward-looking mindset led Gennaro to&nbsp;recognize that the way in which our world is changing, demands a new form of leadership. “When you combine AI and the dramatic tech innovation, with the cultural, geopolitical, and economic changes were experiencing, it’s clear that leadership must evolve.”</p>

<p>The framework that powers the Lab for Transformative Leadership is a fusion of foundational principles adapted to our radically changing world and grounded in Gennaro’s lived experiences. “Our leadership programs speak to three dimensions of leadership—the core mindset, the strategic capabilities, and relational intelligence.” It leads to the delicate balancing act of capturing the value of technology, while elevating humanity. The work of the Lab delves into a wide range of leadership topics, including cognitive agility—the ability and willingness to continuously reframe issues and opportunities as new information emerges.</p>

<p>The Lab’s approach to building the strategic capabilities of leaders, reflects Gennaro’s perspective that the traditional strategic planning process is obsolete. “The world has become too complex and fast-moving to cast a 3-to-5-year strategy. Creating <i>optionality</i>, through positioning, movement, and timing is today’s strategic framework.” One of the most distinctive elements of the Lab’s framework is the heightened importance of relational intelligence—the trust, empathy, and social skills that serve as the foundation of a high-performing organization. As Gennaro sums it up, “Trust is the shortest distance between people and ideas.”</p> <p>Interested in the <a href="/content/sps-nyu/connect/custom-educational-programs/lab-for-transformative-leadership.html">Lab for Transformative Leadership</a> and its programs at&nbsp;NYU SPS?</p>