Flexible & Intentional Transitions
Keeping Your Business FIT in Uncertain Times
The enormous political changes seen both nationally and in New England will challenge advisors and business owners in 2017 and beyond. With uncertainty in the air, it is more important than ever to be flexible and intentional in gaining new insights for successfully growing and managing your business.
From fast-growth talent acquisition challenges to out of the box approaches in succession planning, our 2017 Summit will be filled with active discussions around value growth and transitions.
This all-day event will host more than 200 advisor and business owner attendees, and feature keynote speakers, CEO forums and panel discussions on the subjects most important to business owners in all stages. New this year is a LIVE CEO Case Study showcase where 3 CEOs will share one of their challenges in front of top level advisors and industry experts.
For all Summit information visit the Summit 2017.
AGENDA
7:30 - 8:00 AM: Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast
8:00 - 8:15: Welcome
8:15 - 9:00: KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Karyn Polito, Lieutenant Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito began her public service in local government, serving as a member of the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen. She then expanded her work to the state level, serving as a member of the State Lottery Commission. Then, in 2001, Polito ran for State Representative and won, proudly representing the residents of the 11th Worcester District (Shrewsbury and Westborough) for five terms.
Polito has also worked hard to promote jobs and economic development, especially encouraging young people to explore careers in science and technology. She served on the Robert H. Goddard Council on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education, and she hosted the annual “Women in Science” conference in Worcester. She is a board member of the Worcester Area Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce.
9:05 - 10:05: CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Session A
FALL RISK: How a CEO’s Near-Fatal Accident Put Life, Business, and the Future into Perspective
On August 17, 2016, The Ariel Group CEO Sean Kavanagh was struck by a pickup truck while bicycling to work. Having suffered multiple broken bones and severe brain trauma, Sean fell into a two-week coma while in intensive care. During his recovery, Sean was designated a “Fall Risk” by his doctors and wore a bracelet to warn the medical staff to keep him in bed.
As Sean recovered, he kept his bracelet on as a reminder of how the accident transformed his entire perspective, revealing that in life, family, and business, we are all “fall risks,” but that we should never let fear or procrastination keep us from taking the next step. Seven months later, Sean is recovered and paying it forward in a big way by opening his home to a Syrian refugee family, as Boston TV station WBZ-TV recently reported.
Join us for an intimate discussion with CEO Sean Kavanagh as he shares how nearly losing it all helped him to realize what not to delay into the future, why relationships matter, and how others can define their own personal “fall risk” and achieve similar perspective.
Sean Kavanagh, CEO, The Ariel Group
Session B
Imugen: Our 27-Year Story – Startup, Growth, Sale and Post-Acquisition
The presenters will discuss the challenges faced and overcome during the various stages of Imugen’s 27-year life with particular emphasis on the business and personal decisions and emotions experienced in the process of selling the company and life in the post-acquisition period.
Kathy Berardi, Founder, Imugen
Donald Burnham, Partner, Eckert Seamans
Tony Fiore, Business Consultant
MODERATOR: Greg Rush, Partner, Dunn Rush & Co. LLC
Session C
The Leader-Leader Model for Fast Growth Companies
The Leader-Leader Model for Fast-Growth Companies
In fast-growth industries, agility and change are the hallmarks of the future. This panel will examine how talent acquisition and retention work for companies in hyper-growth industries like technology and life sciences.
Against the backdrop of Cloudlock’s recent sale to Cisco as a case study, the panel will discuss strategies for leaders to handle vulnerability, trust, constructive criticism and incorporating emotional intelligence in their everyday practice. From the perspective of employees, the panel will explore strategies and best practices for maintaining an engaged, empowered, and acknowledged workforce, all in the face of the unique challenges that define fast-growth industries.
Attendees will come away with practical leadership strategies and techniques unique to companies operating in fast-growth industries.
Regina Hufnagel, EA to CEO, ZappRx
Jessica Miller Noj, Director of Human Resources, Cloudlock
Nettie Nitzberg, Founder and Principal, West5 Consulting
Warren Rutherford, Owner, The Executive Suite
Gil Zimmerman, CEO, Cloudlock
MODERATOR: Jillian Hufnagel, Chief of Staff, Cloudlock
10:05 - 10:30: Networking Break
10:35 - 11:35: CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Session A
J&G Foods: How One Company Transitioned from Breakeven to 5X in 2.5 Years
What do you do when your 17-year-old business is operating at breakeven and you want to be in a position to retire in five years? Hear from the team that transformed J&G Foods into a solidly profitable, industry segment leader in just 2.5 years and why the company is now firing on all cylinders.
Attendees will hear how J&G Foods and its advisors identified the roadblocks inhibiting future success, built their leadership and supporting teams, reduced operating costs while increasing productivity and created a culture of continuous improvement and total team engagement while President and Founder Joe Piperato prepared the company for his eventual exit.
Chris DiCenso, Managing Partner, Growth Strategy Partners LLC
Bill Leva, Chief Operations Officer, J&G Foods, Inc.
Joe Piperato, President, J&G Foods, Inc.
MODERATOR - David Poulin, The Bay Colony Group at Morgan Stanley
Session B
Leveraging Intangible Assets to Increase Business Value
Recent industry studies estimate that up to 90 percent of a company’s value lies in intangible, invisible assets not found on the balance sheet; that is, technical expertise and skills, innovation, public reputation, patents, business networks, and institutional knowledge. Consequently, what one knows can be just as valuable as what one owns when it comes to maximizing business value for the eventual exit.
Attendees will learn how to identify and leverage intangible assets to create equity and drive business value, hear proven techniques for raising visibility and enhancing that value, and ultimately gain an understanding of how the intangible can have very tangible impacts on growth and exit planning.
Tony Boschetto, Director, AMS Clifton Larson Allen
William Hilton, Partner, Gesmer Updegrove
Keith Loris, President and CEO, Sales Renewal Corporation
Brad Taylor, Director, Marcum LLP
MODERATOR: Lisa Murray, Founder and Owner, Trevi Communications, Inc.
Session C
Clash of the Culture Change
Culture change is among the greatest challenges to achieving a successful transformation. Beyond new processes, tools, and documents, culture change means new habits, new ways of thinking, and new ways of working.
Through moderated discussion, attendees will learn successful strategies for dissolving the post-transaction clash between culture change and corporate transformation, which often starts by simply acknowledging early successes, encouraging an open mind, and setting employees up to succeed.
Bonni DiMatteo, President and Co-founder, Atlantic Consultants
Claudette Rowley, CEO, Cultural Brilliance™
Tom Stammberger, Director of Learning & Development, Black Diamond Networks
MODERATOR: Iris Stammberger, CEO, TALBOK Consulting, LLC
11:35 - 12:25 PM: Lunch
12:30 – 1:30: CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Session A
FALL RISK: How a CEO’s Near-Fatal Accident Put Life, Business, and the Future into Perspective
On August 17, 2016, The Ariel Group CEO Sean Kavanagh was struck by a pickup truck while bicycling to work. Having suffered multiple broken bones and severe brain trauma, Sean fell into a two-week coma while in intensive care. During his recovery, Sean was designated a “Fall Risk” by his doctors and wore a bracelet to warn the medical staff to keep him in bed.
As Sean recovered, he kept his bracelet on as a reminder of how the accident transformed his entire perspective, revealing that in life, family, and business, we are all “fall risks,” but that we should never let fear or procrastination keep us from taking the next step. Seven months later, Sean is recovered and paying it forward in a big way by opening his home to a Syrian refugee family, as Boston TV station WBZ-TV recently reported.
Join us for an intimate discussion with CEO Sean Kavanagh as he shares how nearly losing it all helped him to realize what not to delay into the future, why relationships matter, and how others can define their own personal “fall risk” and achieve similar perspective.
Sean Kavanagh, CEO, The Ariel Group
Session B
Imugen: Our 27-Year Story – Startup, Growth, Sale and Post-Acquisition
The presenters will discuss the challenges faced and overcome during the various stages of Imugen’s 27-year life with particular emphasis on the business and personal decisions and emotions experienced in the process of selling the company and life in the post-acquisition period.
Kathy Berardi, Founder, Imugen
Donald Burnham, Partner, Eckert Seamans
Tony Fiore, Business Consultant
MODERATOR: Greg Rush, Partner, Dunn Rush & Co. LLC
Session C
The Leader-Leader Model for Fast Growth Companies
The Leader-Leader Model for Fast-Growth Companies
In fast-growth industries, agility and change are the hallmarks of the future. This panel will examine how talent acquisition and retention work for companies in hyper-growth industries like technology and life sciences.
Against the backdrop of Cloudlock’s recent sale to Cisco as a case study, the panel will discuss strategies for leaders to handle vulnerability, trust, constructive criticism and incorporating emotional intelligence in their everyday practice. From the perspective of employees, the panel will explore strategies and best practices for maintaining an engaged, empowered, and acknowledged workforce, all in the face of the unique challenges that define fast-growth industries.
Attendees will come away with practical leadership strategies and techniques unique to companies operating in fast-growth industries.
Regina Hufnagel, EA to CEO, ZappRx
Jessica Miller Noj, Director of Human Resources, Cloudlock
Nettie Nietzberg, Founder and Principal, West5 Consulting
Warren Rutherford, Owner, The Executive Suite
Gil Zimmerman, CEO, Cloudlock
MODERATOR: Jillian Hufnagel, Chief of Staff, Cloudlock
1:35 - 3:15: NEW - Live CEO Case Studies
We will showcase three company CEOs and a challenge their company is facing. Each CEO will have a board of advisors assigned to them who will have been briefed on the issues at hand and come prepared with questions and ideas. Attendees will have the privilege of listening in on the conversations and questions back-and-forth, and at the culmination of the three sessions, each CEO will share what actions they will take based on the dialogue with the advisors. Attendees will then have the chance to ask questions and offer commentary or suggestions.
Whether you are a business owner, CEO or an advisor, you do not want to miss this unique opportunity to observe real CEOs solve real challenges, some of which you may face in your business as well.
Companies
Howard Goldman, CEO, Humboldt Storage & Moving
Challenge: Increase Customer and Product Diversification
Advisors
Linda Varrell, President and CEO, Broadreach Public Relations - Captain
Janey Bishoff, CEO, Bishoff Communications
Joe Rahal, Owner, Rahal Consulting
Bill Rodgers, Partner, Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers, PC
Arthur Barrett, President, Barrett Distribution Centers
Challenge: Risks and Rewards of a Robotic Automation
Advisors
Caleb White, former President and CEO of Ensign-Bickford- Captain
Chris DiCenso, Managing Partner, Growth Strategy Partners LLC
George Jensen, President, Glenlyon Management, Inc.
Steve Sienkiewicz, Founder & President, Accelerate
Wendy Foster, President and CEO, Big Brother Big Sister of Massachusetts Bay
Challenge: Achieve Optimal Productivity
Advisors
Iris Stammberger, CEO, TALBOK Consulting, LLC - Captain
Keith Boudreau, Partner, Newport Board Group
Jack Finning, Partner, AAFCPAs
Andy Snider, President, Snider Associates
MASTERMIND: Rudi Scheiber-Kurtz, CEO & Founder, Next Stage Solutions, Inc.
3:15 - 3:25: Networking Break
3:30 - 4:30: FIRESIDE CHAT
Rob Waldron, CEO, Curriculum Associates
Private Company Growth - Focus on Culture, Shared Values and People First
CEO Rob Waldron will share lessons learned from his experience transforming a traditional educational publishing company into an industry-leading digital powerhouse. With no outside capital, Waldron and team drove organic growth from $39M to $190M in just four years, establishing Curriculum Associates one of the fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts. Waldron will also discuss how a relentless focus on talent, shared values and a culture of philanthropy helped to drive one of the most unique business transitions in recent memory.
Notable recognitions include:
· Ernst & Young - 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year (Rob Waldron), Big Data category
· Boston Globe - Top Places to Work (2014, 2015, 2016)
· Entrepreneur Magazine - 2017 Top Company Culture List
· Boston Business Journal - 2016 Fastest Growing Companies in MA, Best Places to Work, Top Charitable Contributor
· Inc. 5000 – Fastest Growing Private Companies in the US (2015, 2016)
4:35 - 4:45: Closing Remarks
4:45 - 6:00: Cocktails & Networking
