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7:30 – 8:15 am
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Registration and Continental Breakfast
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8:15 – 9:20 am
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Open Keynote Panel
Market Leadership: Evolutionary versus Revolutionary Growth
Is evolutionary or revolutionary change required for your company to succeed? The business headlines focus on "Game Changers": those who not only alter the game their businesses play, but actually conceive of an entirely new success formulas. But is that the only way to succeed in this rapidly changing global economy? Can your organization thrive if you choose an evolutionary pace when it comes to making changes to your business plan? Does the future demand a combination of both strategies? What is clear is that the status quo won’t make you a winner in tomorrow’s market place. Our panelists consist of seasoned CEO's who will share how they have successfully evolved their organizations through these revolutionary times.
Moderator
Ted Feierstein, Senior Vice President, First Analysis
Panelists
Charles Allen, President, Sloan Valve Company
Donna Van Eekeren, Chairman & CEO, Land O’Frost, Inc.
Richard Weiland, Senior Vice President, Ygomi (and former Founder of Navteq)
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9:20 – 9:30 am
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Break
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9:30 – 10:30 am
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Concurrent Panels
Financial Track I: 21st Century Metrics for Management: Process Improvement Tools and Implementation
To succeed in today's highly competitive business world companies must constantly increase productivity and manage efficiency in their operations. A panel of experts from GE Capital, AlixPartner and SAP will demonstrate how they implement and track quality improvement practices for their own businesses as well as client organizations. Learn about the quality tools, management and measurement practices employed by industry leaders.
Moderator
Steve Zuckerman, Vice President, GE Capital
Panelists
Keith Gillespie, Managing Director, AlixPartners
Anu George, GE Master Blackbelt, GE
Daniel Finley, Senior Director, Business Development, SAP Americas, Inc.
Strategic Track I: Innovation as a Primary Driver of Value
Even in difficult economic times, companies can harness innovation to grow and create shareholder value. This panel discussion, to be moderated by Sarah Miller Caldicott, author of Innovate Like Edison, will highlight companies that are growing by innovating and draw out lessons that other companies can apply.
Moderator
Sarah M. Caldicott, President, The Power Patterns of Innovation
Panelists
Alan Dorrian, Principal, Integrated Data Storage
James R. Gagnard, President & CEO, SmartSignal Corporation
William P. Moffitt, President & CEO, Nanosphere, Inc.
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10:30 – 10:45 am
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Break
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10:45 – 11:45 am
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Concurrent Panels
Financial Track II: Financial Strategies for success in 2010 and Beyond
Cindie Jamison, Director of CFO services at Tatum LLC will moderate a panel of seasoned CFOs as they discuss strategies for preparing for 2010 and beyond from a financial perspective. Topics will include: budgeting, liquidity management, accessing capital, etc.
Moderator
Cindie Jamison, National Director of CFO Services, Tatum LLC
Panelists
William A. Caton, Executive Vice President & CRO, Navistar International Corporation
Dennis A. Greenberg, CFO, Fidelitone Logistics
Eileen Kamerick, Senior Vice President, CFO & CLO, TectaAmerica Corporation
Strategic Track II: Leadership in Developing Talent & Engaging the Workforce
Research is clear – leaders that attract, develop and retain top talent, and engage their employees every day consistently out-perform their competition. A workforce that can execute a sustainable growth strategy could be your most critical and under-performing asset. This panel will discuss why the traditional ways of developing your leaders and engaging your employees no longer apply in today’s world. Panelists will share practical insights and ideas on how you can drive organizational growth and profitability by maximizing the potential of your people.
Moderator
William R. Durkin, Vice President, Business Development, The Synergy Companies, Inc.
Panelists
Leonard R. Gray, Americas M&A Business Leader, Mercer
Rob Figliulo, CEO, SPR, Inc.
Thomas J. Walter, CEO, Tasty Catering
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11:45 – Noon
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Break
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Noon – 2:00 pm
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Lunch followed by Keynote Speakers
The Economic Crystal Ball: Numbers & Predictions We Can Trust
Two of the country’s leading economic experts discuss the current and future expectations of the US economy, the global outlook and what all this means to middle market business growth in the coming year and decade. This promises to be an in-depth debate about the future of American business and what it means to you.
Moderator
Mary Kay Plantes, Founder, Plantes Company and Author of Beyond Price
Speakers
Andrew B. Busch, Director, BMO Capital Markets
Brian S. Wesbury, Chief Economist, First Trust Advisors
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2:00 – 2:15 pm
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Break
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2:15 – 3:15 pm
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Concurrent Panels
Financial Track III: Acquisitions and Divestitures as Strategic Growth Strategies
There are a wide variety of reasons to consider mergers and acquisitions and one of the most important variables is how a transaction can achieve strategic goals and strategies. Whether building on innovation, new market development, or more efficient operations, these experts help you understand how to use mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and the like to achieve your goals and improve stakeholder values.
Moderator
Mary Warmus, President & CEO, Kensington Financial Consultants, Inc.
Panelists
Jonathan Y. Hicks, Director, Heico Acquisitions
Phil Reitz, Director M&A Group, William Blair & Company LLC
Saul E. Rudo, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP
Thomas M. White, Operating Partner, Apollo Management, L.P.
Strategic Track III: Planning for the Future Not the Past
Creating sustainable growth and profitability in today’s economy requires organizations and individuals to reinvent their success formulas. Adam Hartung, Author of Create Marketplace Disruption: How to Stay Ahead of the Competition, will lead the closing strategic track session. He will explain why the strategy and planning work of most organizations is designed to protect old game plans that cannot win when the market shifts. He will teach you how to become one of those rare organizations that creates lasting growth and profits. During his closing program, Adam will help you "disrupt" your old way of thinking and create a "new" plan that incorporates your insights from earlier tracks and keynote speeches.
Speaker
Adam Hartung, Managing Partner, Spark Partners
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3:15 – 3:30 pm
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Break
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3:30 – 4:30 pm
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Closing Keynote Panel
The Impact of Changing Markets on Corporate Lending: A Panel of Diverse Funding Sources
There is no question the last year has been one of the most difficult in the last fifty years to raise capital for growth opportunities. A select group of Chicago's key capital providers outline the current market and what to expect for the coming year. Find out how you can take the great ideas from today to reality.
Moderator
Stewart Dolin, Chair, Corporate & Securities Group, ReedSmith LLP
Panelists
Jeffrey S. Armstrong, Vice President, Beacon Funding Corporation
David A. Gezon, Senior Managing Director, Midwest Mezzanine Funds
Gail D. Heldke, Vice President, Wells Fargo Business Credit
Donna N. Smith, Senior Vice President, Bank of America
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4:30 – 6:00 pm
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Cocktail Reception
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