One Man’s Heretic is Another Man’s Change Agent

Heresy Dayton did not come out of the blue, nor from some high-powered ideation session. In 2008, as Collaboratory founder Peter Benkendorf was networking in advance of moving to Dayton, he had an opportunity to have coffee with Dr. Dave Ponitz. Peter says he cannot recall the specifics of the conversation, but if you know Peter, he was probably pontificating passionately about something he had observed in Dayton that could be improved. At one point Dr. Ponitz interjected, “Peter, someone should hire you as Vice President of Heresy.” To which Peter responded that he keeps looking under H in the job listings but has not found any openings. Heresy Dayton is an acknowledgement to Dr. Ponitz’s visionary leadership. May we all find inspiration from his commitment to our community.

 

Supporting the Community

The t-shirts, hoodies and mugs aren’t just a symbol—they’re also a way to give back. Proceeds from Heresy Dayton sales will be reinvested directly into Dayton Collaboratory initiatives. When you spend money on heresydayton.com, you’re not just sharing a smile, a chortle or a snort —you’re helping to build a better Dayton.

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Addressing Concerns

We understand that humor can be a sensitive tool. Heresy Dayton isn’t about ignoring the challenges we face as a community; it’s about using laughter to bring us together, to create space where we can connect over shared experiences and build the bonds that make us stronger. Our aim is to remind Daytonians that even in tough times, a little humor can go a long way in sparking hope and optimism. 

 

Yes We Will

At The Collaboratory we have embraced the philosophy of designer and futurist Buckminster Fuller, “You never change things by fighting against the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete.”

 

So we can celebrate the past, without Celebrating the Status Quo.