 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
General Sessions listed in alphabetical order by title - click here for BREAKOUT SEMINARS | |||||||||
| Opening Keynote: Blowing the Doors Off Business as Usual: Creating Pockets of Excellence (All Attendees) Speaker: Dr. Kevin Freiberg (bio), marketing consultant, coach and co-author, Boom!, Guts!, Nuts! and the newly-released Nanovations It doesn't matter what industry you are in, someone, somewhere right now is building a product, process or business model designed to kick your butt. How? By producing the NEXT GENERATION of people, technology, trends and tactics that disrupt the competition and amaze customers. If it's you, then you define the rules by which others must play the game. If it's NOT you, then you had better get comfortable playing by someone else's rules. Someone is going to start a revolution that will change your world. Why can't it be you? In this session, Kevin Freiberg takes you on a "deep dive" into the kind of leadership that inspires ingenuity, accelerates innovation and makes you indispensable to your customers. Find out how gutsy, go-for-it leaders in some of the most creative companies "de-commoditize" their businesses, radically differentiate themselves from their competitors and stand out in an overcrowded market. Then, build your own strategy for blowing the doors off business as usual! |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Closing the Generation Gap: Leading Today's Multi-Generation Work Force (All Attendees) Presenter: Nancy Barry (bio), best-selling author of When Reality Hits Who are these people and why can't they all get along?! For the first time in history, there are four generations in the workplace. During this lively program, Nancy Barry provides insight into each generation – who they are, what they want and what makes them different from other generations. She shares simple solutions on how to get all the generations to work well together and create an environment filled with open communication, mutual respect and collaboration. A round table workshop discussion for all attendees is included.. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Economic Outlook 2011 and 2012: How the Fed Sees It (All Attendees) Speaker: William Strauss (bio), senior economist of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank The "Great Recession" of 2008 and 2009 ended in the middle of 2009 with significant impacts on the economy. The economy experienced outsized losses in housing, manufacturing and jobs. Yet, what should be a robust recovery is not occurring, nor expected. Consumers are saving at an increased pace, limiting the growth of consumer spending. Credit conditions, while significantly improved from what existed during the recession, remain relatively tight and will act as a headwind to growth. Bill Strauss looks at the performance of the overall macro economy with specific attention paid to key economic sectors and indicators. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| New Ways of Thinking about the Next Generation of People, Technology, Trends and Tactics (All Attendees) Speaker: Gordon Hunter (bio), Chairman and CEO of Littelfuse, Inc. One of the industry's most sought-after speakers and respected CEOs wraps up the conference program with an insightful and optimistic look into the future of the global electronics enterprise and your business. Some of his projections may be surprising, and all of his observations are sure to be thought-provoking. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Principals' Growing Demands on Reps: What Are the Satisfactory Solutions for All? (All Attendees) Moderator: Bob Terwall (bio), former president of Cherry Electrical Products Panelists: Keith Bandolik (bio), of Switchcraft; Paul Nielsen, CPMR (bio), of Brainard-Nielsen Marketing; David Norris (bio), of Norris Associates; Greg Pace (bio), of Ohmite Manufacturing and Bill Romick (bio), of The DNA Group Are the increasing demands on reps just a normal raising of the bar that is typical of most business relationships today? Or are they genuine "scope creep?" What duties are and are not included in a commission payment relationship? What can reps do (and not do) effectively for their principals, and how do they receive adequate compensation for their time and efforts? In this session, learn what others are doing to better define the terms of the rep-principal relationship that enhances the relationships for the partners' mutual benefit. Learn what works (and does not work) in pay-for-services arrangements that are outside the scope of the traditional selling function. And take away practical tips on how to address the subject of expanding time demands and payment for same. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Tracking (and Keeping) Business When It Moves Off Shore: Who Does It Best and How (All Attendees) Moderator: Mark Conley (bio), of O'Donnell Associates North, president of ERA; Panelists: John Janis (bio), of Cooper Bussmann; Steve Mathis (bio), of SynQor; and Al Wright (bio), of Laird Technologies "Chasing" business when it goes off shore remains a huge headache for many companies, reps and manufacturers alike. In this session, executives of three manufacturers – all credited by reps with doing a good job of both tracking and keeping their off shore business – describe how they do it. The questions to be addressed cover: scenarios in which design, protyping, NPI and production occur in multiple locations; different profit centers and how they impact design registration; communications and information flow between design and ship-to territories; and the types of CRM systems manufacturers are using. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| What IS a Sales Territory Today? How Can Reps and Principals Build Win-Win Agreements When Traditional Territories Are Disappearing? (All Attendees) Moderator: Chet Zaslow, CPMR (bio), of Zaslow Sales; Panelists: Gerry Gallagher (bio), of GM Nameplate; John O'Brien, CPMR (bio), of Coakley, Boyd and Abbett; Gary Smith, CPMR (bio), of G. L. Smith Associates and Tom Wichert (bio), of TDK Lambda Are "traditional" sales territories becoming obsolete? And if so, what widely varying arrangements are being forged between reps and manufacturers to ensure their mutual success? In this program, reps and manufacturers profile a number of variations now in use, outline the pros and cons of each and share their experiences. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Breakout Seminars listed in alphabetical order by title - click here for GENERAL SESSIONS | |||||||||
| Business Transitions and Second Half Success: What Every Owner Needs to Know (All Attendees) Presenter: Bruce Leech (bio), Co-Founder, Evolve USA Your business has been a big part of your success. At some point, everyone must face the question, "What's next?" It's not a question that can be answered in one mountain-top experience or flash of light. In fact, it's not even a question. It's a lot of questions. How do you create the freedom to do the things you love? How do you gain control over decisions that affect you and your business? How do you build wealth to live the life you want? This seminar provides the critical next steps to increase the value of your business while creating more time to enjoy success. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Cloud Computing for (Pardon the Expression) Dummies (All Attendees) Presenter: Kristi Smith (bio), Kristi Smith Consulting What IS cloud computing ... and why do YOU need to know about it? Regardless of the size of your company and whether it already is or is not yet using a cloud, everyone should be aware of the implications and impacts of this fast-rising new option in information technology. In this seminar, you will learn the basics of cloud computing and about the many choices you may want to explore ... and there will NOT be any sales pitch from one of the many major cloud providers! Bring your questions and ask an expert about the best solutions for YOUR firm. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Creating a Tribal Sales Culture to Help Manage Change (Reps & Manufacturers Only) Presenters: Nicki Weiss (bio), Saleswise; JoAnne McLean (bio), SoulzatWork; and Tom Busher (bio), Digi-Key Corp. Learn the secrets of navigating change and growth. Hear the Digi-Key story about how one leader invited his organization to evolve from "me" to "we" in order to address the increasing complexity his sales team was facing in a global market. Also learn the three most powerful drivers to establish a tribal sales culture that outperforms the competition and creates resiliency in order to steer your team effectively through all types of changes. These principles work for companies of ANY size. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Using Social Media to Boost Your Business: Now That You Know the Basics, You Can Shift (Reps Only) |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| The View from the Other Side: How Today's and Next Gen Reps and Manufacturers See Each Other (All Attendees) Moderator: Gary Lee Smith, CPMR (bio), G. L. Smith Associates, Inc.; Panelists: Bob Evans, CPMR (bio), EK Associates, Inc.; Tom Griffin (bio), Catalyst Sales, Inc.; Dick Neumann (bio), Grayhill, Inc.; and Marcia Weinstein (bio), Arc-Tronics, Inc. Are you curious about how your business and market partners "see" you? Then don't miss this high-energy discussion about reps' and manufacturers' perceptions and MISconceptions about each other. The panelists will share both their own diverse opinions and the views of the next generation personnel in their companies. Will they set each other straight? Be there to find out ... and be ready to dive into the discussion! |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| War Stories from the Rep (Legal) Front (Reps & Manufacturers Only) Presenter: Gerald M. Newman (bio), Schoenberg, Finkel, Newman & Rosenberg, Ltd., ERA Legal Counsel This lively group discussion focuses on several key rep-related cases which Gerry Newman's firm has recently handled and the lessons to be learned from each. Gerry will share both the good and the bad in each case and explain what the rep did right and wrong. While this session is rep-oriented, manufacturers are also invited to attend. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Working with Distribution: Maximizing the Channel (All Attendees) Moderator: Carla Mahrt (bio), JJM Search; Panelists: David Anderson, CPMR (bio), Sumer, Inc.; Chris Beeson (bio), Digi-Key Corp.; Ken Bellero (bio), Schaffner EMC; Cornelius Clark (bio), Cooper Bussmann; Walter Tobin (bio), Future Electronics Join a panel of distributors, manufacturers and a rep to discuss their ideas on both how to WORK with distribution and also how to truly MAXIMIZE the distribution channel. Learn from and ask questions of your peers as they share best practices and biggest faux pas, each from their own perspective in the supply chain. |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||