Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/201303
UPFRONT connections By Amy Spreeman Food for thought St. Norbert College CEO Breakfast & Strategy Series fuels transformation I f you want to know how to pull your business out of an economic quagmire or find that strategy to launch your next new-to-the-world innovation, what better inspiration than to hear straight talk from a CEO who's been there? Include a breakfast, and you've got an incubator for overcoming your biggest business challenges. That's the idea behind St. Norbert's CEO Breakfast and Strategy Series, a peer-to-peer speaking event that draws high-level leaders to share the strategies and visions that drive their businesses. "Some talk about how they've survived a difficult period or transformed their companies during changing environments, while others have spoken on recruiting and cultivating talented people," says Tom Kunkel, St. Norbert College president. "These strategies resonate with anyone, whether they are in the banking business or the cheese business." Split between the Green Bay's Bemis International Center at St. Norbert and the Butte des Morts Country Club in Appleton, this year's series of eight speakers began on Oct. 16 with Dan Schwartzer, Deputy Commissioner of Insurance for the state of Wisconsin. Inspired by innovators The dynamic program began 16 years ago under the name, "CEO Breakfast & Strategy," with the idea of gathering great business thinkers in Northeast Wisconsin in front of appreciative "Some talk about how they've survived a difficult period or transformed their companies during changing environments, while others have spoken on recruiting and cultivating talented people. These strategies resonate with anyone, whether they are in the banking business or the cheese business." –Tom Kunkel, St. Norbert College president 22 | Insight • N o v e m b e r 2 013 To register www.snc.edu/ceobreakfast audiences who would come to learn and network. "As we were forming the idea, those who were developing the Bemis International Center were also looking for a way to get the facility integrated into the local business community, so our needs joined," explains steering committee organizer Phil Hauck, who now facilitates three TEC (The Executive Committee) CEO groups in Northeast Wisconsin. Hauck says several key developments were shaping the New North business climate in those early days: » Ron Weyers and Wally Hilliard were creating American Medical Security Group, one of the most innovative small business health insurers in America. » KI of Green Bay was using the Market of One idea to develop fast-turnaround cubicles for Sun Microsystems and Microsoft. » Schneider National was the first trucking company to have location sensors on its trucks to track inventory. » Bergstrom was becoming one of the most innovative, customer service-oriented automobile dealers in the nation. w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m