Interactive seminars on procurement, positioning, diversity, and other business development topics will help area businesses find opportunities for growth in regional, generational, cultural, and niche markets.
This all-day conference, modeled after our nationally-recognized New Media & Technology Conferences, will provide an intensive review of strategies and tools that businesses can use to reach new customers and grow their bottom line.
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EVENT SPONSORS
Thank you to the following Chamber members, whose sponsorship makes this conference possible:
Diamond Sponsors
Comcast Business Class
Comcast Spotlight
Pearl Sponsors
Miles & Stockbridge, P.C.
First Financial Group
Generous support from these event sponsors allows us to offer an amazing giveaway -- Conference attendees will be eligible to win an iPod Touch!
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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
8:00 a.m. -- Registration & Networking
8:30 a.m. -- Welcome Remarks
8:45 a.m. -- Kick-off Presentation by Michael Boyd: Does Your Customer Retention Need an Intervention?
9:15 a.m. -- Breakout sessions on procurement, positioning, and diversity.
12:30 a.m. -- Lunch: Enjoy your box lunch in the lounge or classrooms
1:10 p.m. -- Closing Keynote by economist Anirban Basu: How is Frederick Positioned for Future Success in Regional, National, and International Markets? What Can Local Companies do to Grow and Thrive?
2:00 p.m. -- Closing remarks & adjournment
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HOW TO REGISTER
Register online or download the PDF registration packet. For more information, call 301.662.4164 x 201. Space is limited to just 120 participants for general sessions (40 participants in each breakout session). Registration for past conferences was filled well in advance. Sign up now!
$125 Chamber members, $195 non-members. Special discounts and benefits are available to event sponsors and Chamber Trustees. Please call 301.662.4164 x 201 to confirm your benefits.
Reasonable accomodations provided upon request. Please call 301.662.0745 or email jhibbard@frederickchamber.org.
Once your initial registration and payment is processed, you’ll receive an email with instructions to select your breakout sessions and box lunch option via an online form. Your registration is NOT confirmed until this online form is completed. Please add frederickchamber.org email addresses to your list of approved (i.e., safe, whitelisted) senders and kindly follow up on all email communication.
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8:45 a.m.
KICK-OFF PRESENTATION
Does Your Customer Retention Need an Intervention?
Presented by Michael Boyd
Michael “Mike” Boyd, president of MBAssociates, is an independent business consultant, professional speaker, and author. He has over 25 years of restaurant operations and executive level management experience, most notably as executive vice president with the Plamondon Enterprises franchise of Roy Rogers Restaurants, before he left in 1997 to start his own business.
He is an expert in the areas of training, coaching, leadership development, corporate management, customer service, and public speaking. Mike earned his BA at California University of Pennsylvania, and his MBA at Mount Saint Mary’s University. He is an adjunct faculty member in the business department at Frederick Community College, where he teaches courses in entrepreneurship and customer relations. He also teaches public speaking as a volunteer for Frederick County Public Schools at the career and technology
center.
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9:15 a.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #1
Best Practices: Seeking Contracts with Larger Employers (Procurement) -- Learn the best methods for registering as a vendor and searching for opportunities. Includes a discussion of the challenges of competing as a subcontractor in this unique environment. Presented by John Trifone, SAIC-Frederick, Inc.
How Greening Your Business Can Green Your Bottom Line (Positioning) -- By implementing eco-friendly practices, you can expand your company’s market potential while increasing your ability to acquire new clients and receive preferential status when competing for business. Presented by Steve Chafitz, e-End
Digital Immigrants vs. Digital Natives (Diversity) -- Explore the differences between “digial immigrants” and “digital natives” and learn how to create a successful “Enterprise 2.0” environment in which communications flourish and client relationships prosper. Presented by Emily Dorr, Jean Peterson Design & Nick Damoulakis, Orases
Integrating Your Business and Personal Financial Planning (Positioning) -- Learn to protect your wealth in this discussion of corporate structure, management processes, employment agreements, retirement plans, business succession planning, and risk management. Presented by Sarah Cato, First Financial Group
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10:25 a.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #2
Business Development, Capture, and Proposal Management (Procurement) -- Find out how your organization can steer onto the path of high win rates, high return on investment, and winning large, strategic opportunities with the Government. Presented by Kristen Vanderbush, Beacon Associates, Inc.
Refining Your Sales Process (Positioning) -- Review and discuss selling with a solution-based approach in which you actively work with the prospective client to solve problems. Learn specific techniques to increase your closing ratio, bring in more revenue, and increase profit. Presented by Joe Porpiglia, D&D Consulting and Training
Making Your Business Accessible to Customers with Disabilities (Diversity) -- How many potential customers with disabilities live in and/or visit the Frederick area? Find out how you can make your facility more accessible to every customer. Presented by Josh Mendelsohn, U.S. Department of Justice
Using Social Media and the Internet to Find Federal, State, and Local Opportunities (Procurement) -- Learn more about e-Procurement and how to use the latest technology (including social networking sites like GovLoop & LinkedIn) to grow your company. Presented by Hal Good, Frederick County Government
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11:30 a.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #3
Winning Government Proposals: A Project Management Point of View (Procurement) -- Learn how to effectively respond to government solicitations by identifying dual (technical and management) aspects of government contracts. Presented by Stephen Berté, Skyline Integrated Technology Enterprises
Niche Markets, Crowd-Sourcing, and Other Innovative Ways to Find New Markets Online (Positioning) -- Presented by Juan Muñoz, Open Global Marketing
Multi-Generational Communication & Misunderstandings (Diversity) -- Explore how speech and collaboration are impacted by the events of each generation and how to bridge language gaps with other generations. Presented by Bradley Ann Morgan and Stephan Marais, Walks Beside Coaching & Consulting
Hiring Bilingual Employees as a Way to Grow Your Business and Create a Competitive Advantage (Diversity) -- Presented by David Lee, Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives
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CLOSING KEYNOTE
How is Frederick Positioned for Future Success in Regional, National, and International Markets? What can Local Companies do to Grow and Thrive?
Presented by Anirban Basu
Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Basu is one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most recognizable economists, in part because of his consulting work on behalf of numerous clients, including prominent developers, bankers, brokerage houses, energy suppliers and law firms. On behalf of government agencies and non-profit organizations, Mr. Basu has written several high-profile economic development strategies, including
co-authoring Baltimore City’s economic growth strategy.
In recent years, he has focused upon health economics, the economics of education and economic development. He currently lectures at Johns Hopkins University in micro-, macro- and international economics.
Mr. Basu is involved with numerous organizations in a voluntary capacity, including serving as a Baltimore City Public School System board member. Mr. Basu is also on the boards of Union Memorial Hospital, the MedStar strategic planning committee, Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity and the Maryland Business Council. He is also chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee and economic advisor to the Baltimore-Washington Corridor Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His Juris Doctor was earned at the University of Maryland School of Law in 2003.
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Space is limited ... Sign up now! Register online or download the PDF registration packet.
A select number of Premier Sponsorship Opportunities are also available. Download the info packet (PDF) or call Jessica Hibbard at 301.662.0745.
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