Program and Schedule

• Advance Program
• 2018 Conference Schedule
• Heavy Gauge Session Abstracts
• Thin Gauge Session Abstracts
• Panel Discussions

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Keynote Speakers

Tuesday, September 25 (11 a.m.- Noon)

Every two years during either the summer or the winter Olympic Games, we are glued to our television sets or mobile devices to watch the amazing performances of the world’s greatest athletes. We wave our nation’s flag in our living rooms, our cars, and our office cubicles in patriotic solidarity. Olympians and Paralympians amaze us, and when the games are on, the entire world stops and watches.

Each athlete prepares for his/her one magical moment in time: often the journey has been years in the making, and has been filled with challenges and successes. As spectators, we rarely get a glimpse into their personal journeys. What was it like? What did they learn along the way that might be applicable to winning medals in our lives? Most athletes who qualify for an Olympic team and earn the right to compete never win an Olympic medal. What makes the heart of an Olympic or Paralympic “Champion?”

If you knew the answer to these questions, would you harness this “champion” attitude for your business? This fascinating program takes you behind the scenes of the remarkable journey to the Olympic and Paralympic podium, explores what makes athletes tick, and will deliver clear tactics to prepare your organization for gold medal success.

John Register won the Paralympic silver medal just six years after having his left leg amputated. A world-class athlete who qualified for two Olympic Trials, and a prospect for Army Officer School, John was on the success career path. The injury temporarily halted his career until he found his new normal. He qualified for two Paralympic Games (Olympic Competition for athletes with physical disabilities) and won the Paralympic Long Jump Silver Medal in Sydney, Australia, while setting the American record in the process.

John is now a change management expert in strategic communication, and was appointed by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as one of eight members to advise her on disability foreign policy. He founded the United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Military Sport Program, which shows wounded, ill, and injured veterans how to use sport as a tool for their rehabilitation. John is also a homemade funnel cake connoisseur.

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Wednesday, September 26 (11 a.m.- Noon)

By 2020, more than 50% of consumers and employees will have been born during the Millennial generation. Do you and your team have the skills to communicate in a way that keeps Millennials motivated, engaged and excited about your product or company?

Ryan Avery is a millennial who knows how to use the strategies, secrets and insights from the world’s greatest leaders to teach you how to effectively communicate your message to the next generation while strategically planning ahead. The presentation will teach leaders how to prosper in a fast-changing global economy. Attendees will learn how to communicate in a way that builds relationships, increases sales, and empowers the next generation of employees and consumers.

Ryan Avery is an internationally recognized keynote speaker who shows leaders how to use the power of storytelling to increase their confidence, expand their influence, and motivate people to take action. At age 25, Ryan became the youngest World Champion of Public Speaking in history, competing against more than 30,000 people from 116 countries to claim the 2012 World Championship title. He is the cofounder of AveryToday, Inc., and managing partner at How to Be a Speaker, LLC.

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