Sessions

Monday, June 10, 2024
Lynn Paulson Senior Vice President & Director of Agribusiness Development, Bell Bank Have We Seen This Movie Before? This phrase often refers to a similar situation or set of circumstances seen or experienced in the past. The existing and anticipated headwinds in many segments of the current farm economy in some respects feels an awful like the financially challenging years for many following the last super cycle that ended around 2012/2013 and lasted until about 2020. The current environment that has had a precipitous drop in commodity prices combined with increasing expenses on the heels of some very profitable years (2020-2022) is somewhat reminiscent of the economic conditions of the previous decade. How did we get here and what were some of the lessons learned in the first movie that we can reclaim and apply to the anticipated 2.0 version that will allow produces to be successful and take advantage of future opportunities?
Clint Swindall President & CEO, Verbalocity Leadership Matters! The solution for overcoming employee disengagement is Engaged Leadership, a proactive approach to leadership that involves building consensus for the vision, inspiring employees to pursue the vision, and developing the team to realize the vision. Clint will discuss the importance of all three aspects of Engaged Leadership and share how to create a “character core.” You’ll take away actionable steps to improve your bank’s culture!
Frank Kelly Founder & Managing Partner, Fulcrum Macro Advisors & Senior Political Strategist, DWS Navigating the Global Economic Turbulence: A Comprehensive Guide for Banks and Clients in 2024 and 2025 The global economy is going through significant and at times unsettling shifts as wars, trade disagreements, and the race for critical minerals and other vital commodity assets intensify. How will all this impact the US economy? How will the Federal Reserve react? And is there anything Washington can do to best mediate these global economic risks? Frank presents a “users guide” for what banks and their clients should look out for the rest of 2024 and 2025.
Tim Gard Laughter Becomes You Morale can make or break an organization. Organizations struggle with employee satisfaction and retention which are critical for the company’s success and for the employee. Although pizza parties are yummy, they’re not enough! Tim will show you how to increase morale while enhancing productivity and everyday enthusiasm in three short and easy-to-adopt steps. Plus, you’ll leave ready to develop and apply your own Comic Vision® to be more resourceful and resilient—both at work and in your personal life.
Charlie Cook Founder & Contributor, The Cook Political Report Election Forecasting Founder of the independent, nonpartisan Cook Political Report, Charlie will preview the fall elections, including what key dynamics are driving and affecting the Democratic and Republican parties. He’ll focus on the implications of states’ electoral leanings, what it all means during Presidential contests, what will likely happen in the House and Senate moving forward, and what the results mean for the two parties (and the American people). You won’t want to miss a minute!
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Brian Orwig Division Customer Support Manager, John Deere Exploring the Latest Advancements in Precision Agriculture GPS was only the beginning. Join in an exploration of how agriculture is using AI and machine learning to track crop health, make planting decisions and feed the world in the most sustainable way possible..
Paul Benda Senior Vice President Operational Risk & Cybersecurity, ABA EVP Risk, Fraud and Cybersecurity From check washing to phishing, from account takeovers to AI deep fakes, fraudsters are continuing both tried and true and brand-new methods for defrauding individuals, companies and banks. Make sure you are up to speed on the latest methods criminals are using and how to best protect your bank and your customers.
Nikki Stone Olympic Gold Medalist The Art of the Adapting to Change and Adversity Comeback The Strategies and Secrets to Resilience, Revival and Renewal At the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, Nikki Stone became America’s first-ever Olympic Champion in the sport of inverted aerial skiing. What made this performance so unbelievable was that less than two years earlier, a chronic injury prevented her from standing, much less walking or skiing down a slope at almost 40 miles per hour. Numerous doctors told Nikki she should quit and never ski again. If she did, she risked permanent spinal damage and much worse. Nikki came dangerously close to being sidelined from aerial skiing indefinitely. Instead, her tenacity and refusal to step down from a challenge brought Nikki Stone back to the top of the freestyle skiing podium. Nikki will share the inside behind-the-scenes story, her strategies for success and will give you the tools to create your own personal leadership plan including a clear vision and focus, a path to persistence, a winning attitude and a strong team. The people who have risen to the top and stayed at the top have world-class resilience. We all possess the ability to be resilient and overcome life’s challenges when we have the proper tools. Nikki will share how a vision and desire can overcome your everyday challenges. Olympic champions have mastered world-class resilience. You can learn these skills from a champion who was virtually counted out by everyone. Realizing this strong, rational optimism and the can-do Olympic Spirit that is inside each of us, you will find that your potential is limitless.
Eric Perkins Emcee Eric Perkins is a longtime media fixture in the Twin Cities. Better known as "Perk", he was formerly the Sports Director at KARE 11 the NBC affiliate. He spent 25 years covering the local sports scene. In that time he covered Super Bowls, All Star games, Ryder Cups and X-Games. He also covered five Olympic Games for NBC and won several Emmy Awards for his on air work. Now he’s the owner of Perk at Play Productions. Perk lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and three children.