Is the word "ideator" acceptable in public communication; is there a better word?

I can't find "ideator" in traditional dictionaries, but I've found it on urbandictionary.com and with an unfortunate definition on Medical Dictionary (related to suicide).

Urban Dictionary

Ideator A person who creates productive ideas, a conceptualist.A person that processes and passes on their ideas and inventions to others to help sell or publisize a commodity. A solutions person, problem solver, think tank.

Medical Dictionary

A person experiencing suicidal ideation

So, my question is twofold:

1. If I use this in public communication such as articles, white-papers, etc., does this word harm my credibility or the quality of my writing?

2. Is there a better word that means the same thing?

Here is an example of the word in-context in an article about leadership and the workforce:

Marcus is an ideator, but, generally, current corporate structures and cultures do not know what to do with an ideator; there's no processes or expertise to identify, encourage, nurture or leverage ideators within the workforce. Frustrated, ideators leave organizations to join other organizations or to strike out on their own when most businesses could greatly benefit from the presence of ideators within their ranks...

Solution 1:

Because of the strong negative connotations created by the specialized medical use, using ideator in a serious positive context is a tough decision. A person imagining suicide is actually a denotation of ideator :

A person experiencing suicidal ideation
medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com

On the other hand, that derivative is based on a broader definition of ideate:

verb

[WITH OBJECT] chiefly Psychology
1.0 Form an idea of; imagine or conceive.

1.1 [NO OBJECT] Form ideas; think.
ODO

Consistent with the definition on Urbandictionary.com, Wiktionary offers a general definition of ideator:

One who ideates; one who holds or generates an idea, or synthesizes a concept.
Wiktionary.com

There is significant evidence that ideator continues to be used in positive non-slang contexts. One example from pages 262-264 of Creative Leadership: Skills That Drive Change by Gerard J. Puccio, Marie Mance and Mary C. Murdock:

This indicates that, as the Ideator score goes up, so does an individual's tendency to produce many original ideas. [discussion omitted]...
Meanwhile, the Ideator scale showed a strong negative relationship with Steadiness. This finding reveals that individuals with high Ideator tendencies have a degree of comfort with change, seek variety,and are willing to challenge prevailing thought [discussion omitted]...
For example, effective ideation may not only depend on one's ability to think like an Ideator but also to experience feeling like an ideator.
Emphasis mine

Apparently, some creative people are convinced that the positive connotations of ideate, overcome the negative connotations of the medical usage.

Solution 2:

Marcus is an innovator, but, generally, current corporate structures and cultures do not know what to do with an innovator; there's no processes or expertise to identify, encourage, nurture or leverage innovators within the workforce. Frustrated, innovators leave organizations to join other organizations or to strike out on their own when most businesses could greatly benefit from the presence of innovators within their ranks...

innovator:

noun

A person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products:
ODO Emphasis mine

An article from Forbes Magazine, by John Hall, articulates why many corporate cultures discourage ideators and their innovative ideas:

10 Barriers to Employee Innovation

1. Closed-Mindedness...
2. Traditions...
3. Jealousy...
4. Money...
5. Generational Differences/Age...
6. Communication...
7. Size...
8. Education...
9. Thought Leadership...
10. Resources...

Solution 3:

We used the word, 'ideator' almost 30 years ago in advertising business for the creators such as copy writers, art directors and storyboard writers who always come up with fresh and selling idea and ad concept, though I'm not very sure if it still applies today or not.

Solution 4:

I'm posting just to say that I like originator as well.

originator - someone who creates new things or ideas

The originator of something such as an idea or scheme is the person who first thought of it or began it. [definition] definition 2

In this way he became the originator of that genetic or historical method which has since been applied to all human ideas and institutions.