Growth Agents 2026

{“blockType”:”mv-grid-block”,”data”:{“columns”:3,”items”:[{“imageId”:91601491,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/SAP-1.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”1×1″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdam Schneider\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”SVP Digital Strategy, Victrola\u003Cbr\u003EDenver”,”dek”:”More than a century after introducing recorded music into American homes, Victrola is finding new life in the vinyl revival. “,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:”READ MORE”,”overlayImageId”:91601713,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/victrola-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”More than a century after introducing recorded music into American homes, Victrola is finding new life in the vinyl revival. As a new generation of listeners rediscovers records—not as a replacement for streaming but as a more intentional way to experience music—the company has evolved from a maker of entry-level turntables into a global audio brand serving everyone from first-time vinyl buyers to serious audiophiles. \u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIn recent years, Victrola has expanded across Europe and into Japan, South Korea, and Australia, while acquiring premium audio brand KLH. Its direct-to-consumer business has grown 26% since 2021, significantly improving profitability. According to Adam Schneider, senior vice president of digital strategy, the company has focused on blending the warmth of analog listening with the convenience of connected technology. “We’ve never believed nostalgia alone was a strategy,” he says. \u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESchneider has led initiatives including modernizing Victrola’s ERP, expanding digital commerce, and introducing productive, time-saving AI tools. He sees those efforts as a way to make the company more adaptable rather than simply more efficient. “The future isn’t humans or AI,” he says. “It’s humans \u003Cem\u003Eand\u003C\/em\u003E AI, each doing what they do best. My job is to make sure that partnership creates better experiences, stronger businesses, and, ultimately, sustainable growth.””,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″},{“imageId”:91602546,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/imax.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”1×1″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENatasha Fernandes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”CFO, IMAX\u003Cbr\u003EMississauga, Ontario”,”dek”:”For most movie theaters, box office sales never rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. That’s not the case for IMAX, which posted a record $1.28 billion in ticket sales last year.”,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601715,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/imax-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”For most movie theaters, box office sales never rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. That’s not the case for IMAX, which posted a record $1.28 billion in ticket sales last year. The company’s specially designed theaters, high-end projection technology, and unique partnerships with filmmakers and studios are designed to delight moviegoers. “Audiences are increasingly choosing premium experiences, and IMAX has become the destination for the films that matter most,” says Natasha Fernandes, IMAX’s chief financial officer.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDelivering this kind of high-end experience isn’t cheap. Since 2020, IMAX has invested heavily in expanding its footprint, signing deals for nearly 600 new or upgraded IMAX systems and growing to nearly 1,900 locations in 91 countries. The company continues to expand in the U.S., while gaining stronger footholds in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of The Odyssey, the first feature-length film shot entirely with IMAX cameras, has totaled more than $457 million globally on IMAX screens at the time of publication—the highest grossing release in the company’s history.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAs CFO, Fernandes sees her role as providing the financial flexibility to allow the company to pursue its growth objectives. Recently, that’s meant strategic debt refinancing and share repurchases to bolster the company’s fiscal strength. “My responsibility is to ensure we have the capital, resilience, and discipline to invest when opportunities arise,” she says. “The role of finance isn’t simply to measure growth—it’s to make growth possible.\u0022″,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″},{“imageId”:91601493,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/SAP-3.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”1×1″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELyle Honig Mojica\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”CFO, AIDS Healthcare Foundation\u003Cbr\u003ELos Angeles”,”dek”:”Over the past few decades, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has grown into the world’s largest HIV\/AIDS healthcare organization, providing care and services to more than 3 million people across approximately 50 countries.”,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601718,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/AIDS-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”Over the past few decades, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has grown into the world’s largest HIV\/AIDS healthcare organization, providing care and services to more than 3 million people across approximately 50 countries. Its annual operating scale has reached roughly $2.9 billion, reflecting the continued expansion of its programs.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThat growth has been driven by a clear mission—expanding access to healthcare regardless of a person’s ability to pay—along with an integrated care model that combines medical services with prevention, testing, housing, food support, and advocacy. “Growth is not simply about becoming larger,” says Lyle Honig Mojica, AHF’s chief financial officer. “It’s about creating the infrastructure that allows the organization to deliver more impact.”\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAs CFO, Mojica aims to help leadership make faster, better-informed decisions that ultimately direct more resources toward patient advocacy and care. To that end, his focus has been on building the financial and operational foundation needed to support a global organization, including standardizing business processes, strengthening data governance, and implementing systems that provide leadership with real-time visibility across clinics, pharmacies, housing programs, and international operations. “Going forward, I believe the organizations that will thrive are those that combine mission, technology, and operational discipline,” he says.”,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″}]}}

{“blockType”:”mv-grid-block”,”data”:{“columns”:2,”items”:[{“imageId”:91601494,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/SAP-4.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Lehanski\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”Executive Vice President of Innovation and Growth Strategy, National Hockey League\u003Cbr\u003ENew York”,”dek”:”In June, a record number of viewers tuned in to ESPN for the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Rising revenues, lucrative new media deals, and a slew of new corporate partnerships suggest that the state of the NHL is indeed strong. “,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601719,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/nhl-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”In June, a record number of viewers tuned in to ESPN for the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Rising revenues, lucrative new media deals, and a slew of new corporate partnerships suggest that the state of the NHL is indeed strong. “We’ve seen the growth; it’s been unbelievable,” says David Lehanski, executive vice president of innovation and growth strategy at the NHL. “But there’s still so much growth opportunity.”\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ELehanski cites technology as one such opportunity. Sensors placed in jerseys and built into pucks provide real-time positional data for every movement on the ice. High powered cameras capture the skeletal and stick movements of every player. Automated data analytics help players, coaches, and general managers better understand every play of the game. And technology is enabling the cultivation of new hockey audiences and a richer experience for die-hard fans with new insights and stories from game to game.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMuch of the NHL’s action happens in North America, but the league is investing heavily in building its global audience. That includes bringing NHL games to European arenas and leveraging technology to create customized content to generate interest in international markets. “Hockey is one of the most popular sports in many areas of Europe, and it’s growing significantly in other areas of the world,” Lehanski says. “How do we build on that to grow the audience of NHL fans and overall hockey participants in those areas? Technology is a means for being able to do that.””,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″},{“imageId”:91601704,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/Boos-16-9-1.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBritt East\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”CIO, John Boos \u0026amp; Co.\u003Cbr\u003EEffingham, Illinois”,”dek”:”For more than 140 years, John Boos \u0026amp; Co. has supplied butcher blocks, worktables, and stainless steel equipment to professional kitchens. Today, the challenge isn’t simply building premium products—it’s delivering the speed, transparency, and responsiveness customers expect from a modern manufacturer.”,”ctaUrl”:”https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/91615516\/”,”ctaCopy”:”Read \u0026 Watch”,”overlayImageId”:91601720,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/boos-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:””,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″}]}}

{“blockType”:”mv-grid-block”,”data”:{“columns”:2,”items”:[{“imageId”:91602547,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/medtronic.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Laura Mauri\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, Medtronic\u003Cbr\u003EMinneapolis”,”dek”:”Last year, Medtronic earmarked nearly $2 billion for strategic investments aimed at developing new healthcare and medical technologies.”,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601722,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/medtronic-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”Last year, Medtronic earmarked nearly $2 billion for strategic investments aimed at developing new healthcare and medical technologies. As the company’s chief scientific and medical officer, Laura Mauri plays a key part in helping to ensure that those investments drive growth—and lead to better patient outcomes. “My role is to bring the patient, medical, and scientific perspective to how we invest and innovate,” she says.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhether through robotic-assisted surgery or algorithm-driven implants to treat atrial fibrillation, Medtronic aims to address today’s pressing healthcare challenges with decidedly high-tech solutions. Mauri notes that data and AI are unlocking new clinical insights and driving better healthcare results. But understanding patients’ needs is still a critical piece of the puzzle. “The combination of more data and more patient input gives us the opportunity to do more, do it better, and do it faster in discovery, development, and impact,” she says. \u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedtronic is reaping the rewards from that work: In June, the company reported its strongest annual revenue growth in 10 years and continues to see rapid growth in key business areas. But Mauri’s role goes far beyond simply boosting top- or bottom-line results. “Being a growth agent is not about growth for its own sake,” Mauri says. “It is about ensuring that innovation is guided by patient needs and creates lasting impact. When we do that well, we help more patients benefit from innovation—and sustainable growth follows.””,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″},{“imageId”:91601706,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/AustinCutlery-16-9-1.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMegan Klag\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”Finance Director and Controller, Austin Cutlery \u0026amp; Tool\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgetown, Texas”,”dek”:”Austin Cutlery \u0026amp; Tool’s steady growth since 2024 has been driven by new product categories, new retail programs, international expansion, and additional business with existing customers—including an expanding relationship with Costco, which has recently started selling the company’s home kitchen products.”,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601725,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/austincutlery-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”Austin Cutlery \u0026amp; Tool’s steady growth since 2024 has been driven by new product categories, new retail programs, international expansion, and additional business with existing customers—including an expanding relationship with Costco, which has recently started selling the company’s home kitchen products. Behind that growth is a three-brand portfolio serving customers across the kitchen market. Cangshan specializes in premium knives, New Star Foodservice supplies durable tools for commercial kitchens, and Artaste offers functional kitchen products aimed at everyday home cooks. Together, the brands give Austin Cutlery a foothold with customers ranging from professional chefs and restaurant operators to home cooks.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ELed by finance director and controller Megan Klag, Austin Cutlery has been strengthening its forecasting, financial planning, supply-chain relationships, and production capabilities so it can continue to expand without sacrificing product quality or customer focus. “The common thread is our willingness to invest ahead of growth,” Klag says.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EKlag has also been preparing the company for a potentially significant next step: manufacturing knives in its home base of Georgetown, Texas. The planned expansion will reduce global supply-chain risks while giving the company more flexibility to respond to demand. Klag is helping translate this vision into a financial plan that connects the required investment and funding strategy with their expected effects on cash flow and profitability. “I think of a growth agent as someone who helps an organization move from ambition to disciplined execution,” she says. “,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″}]}}

{“blockType”:”mv-grid-block”,”data”:{“columns”:2,”items”:[{“imageId”:91602545,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/propio.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Pesce\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”CFO, Propio Language Services\u003Cbr\u003EOverland Park, Kansas”,”dek”:”As hospitals, banks, and government agencies serve increasingly multilingual populations, language access has become a critical part of doing business and delivering care. “,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601728,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/propio-popup-16-9_ee04e1.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”As hospitals, banks, and government agencies serve increasingly multilingual populations, language access has become a critical part of doing business and delivering care. That shift has fueled rapid growth in remote interpretation and translation, and Propio Language Services is one of the industry’s fastest-growing players. Since 2020, the company has expanded from $15 million in annual revenue to more than $600 million by pairing strategic acquisitions with continued investment in cloud-based interpretation technology. Along the way, it has broadened its capabilities in video interpretation, American Sign Language, and document translation, contributing to the consolidation of a fragmented industry.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAs CFO, Christopher Pesce helped build the financial and operational engine behind Propio’s expansion. In addition to overseeing finance, he leads legal and risk management, balancing calculated risk-taking with the systems and processes needed to integrate acquisitions at speed. “My job is largely to enable the systems and processes that allow for those integrations and the subsequent growth,” he says. \u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThat work spans everything from billing infrastructure and compliance to the technology platforms that support a rapidly growing global business. Looking ahead, Pesce expects Propio to continue combining organic growth with carefully targeted acquisitions while deepening its technology advantage, citing the company’s cloud-based platform, its proprietary app, and its continued investment in language-access innovation. “Remote interpretation is undergoing a very fast technological change,” he says. “We view ourselves as the leader of that change.””,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″},{“imageId”:91601707,”imageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/syskoplan-16-9-1.png”,”imageAlt”:””,”imageCaption”:””,”showCaption”:true,”imageRatio”:”16×9″,”eyebrow”:””,”hed”:”\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERick Place\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E”,”subhed”:”Partner, Syskoplan Reply\u003Cbr\u003EMalvern, Pennsylvania”,”dek”:”For midsize companies, the challenge of digital transformation is increasingly not whether to embrace cloud computing, AI, and data analytics, but where to begin. “,”ctaUrl”:””,”ctaCopy”:””,”overlayImageId”:91601730,”overlayImageUrl”:”https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2026\/09\/syskoplan-popup-16-9.png”,”overlayImageAlt”:””,”longDescription”:”For midsize companies, the challenge of digital transformation is increasingly not whether to embrace cloud computing, AI, and data analytics, but where to begin. Syskoplan Reply works with companies to answer that question, combining technology expertise with business-process consulting across areas including finance, supply chain, operations, and analytics. Over its roughly 25-year history, the consulting firm has generally grown 10% to 20% per year while expanding the range of services it provides. More recently, demand for cloud adoption, finance and supply-chain modernization, and emerging AI initiatives has fueled the company’s growth.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EPartner Rick Place argues that businesses can get more from emerging technologies when they first strengthen the processes and data underneath them. He points to fragmented systems, inconsistent data, and inefficient workflows as common obstacles. “AI can magnify those issues if the foundation is not in place,” he says.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAs companies explore AI and other emerging technologies, Syskoplan Reply plans to keep investing in its consultants and expanding its expertise. Place’s job is to connect clients’ business challenges with the people who can best address them while cultivating relationships that can extend across multiple transformation projects. “I view my role as creating conditions for growth, both for our clients and for our organization,” he says.”,”calloutText”:””,”backgroundColor”:”#ffffff”,”backgroundColorOpacity”:”20″,”hoverStateColor”:”#1FF0C0″,”ctaButtonColor”:”#2D3D78″,”ctaButtonTextColor”:”#1FF0C0″}]}}

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Sarah Walker Send an email 44 minutes ago

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