Algonquin College Spring Business Leadership Conference on May 23

Posted on Friday, March 8th, 2019

Branding like a rock star and becoming an employer of choice of millennials. Two topics that sound like they would be attached to a big city conference, but instead they will be engaging keynote addresses at this year’s Algonquin College Spring Business and Leadership Conference on Thursday, May 23 at the Pembroke Waterfront Campus.

The conference is now into its fifth year and has proven to be a must-attend for local businesses who can access high-quality professional development at an affordable cost. That’s the primary goal of the conference. The College has responded to the concern that many small businesses have had about the high cost of sending staff to larger cities where they pay expensive conference registration fees, as well as the costs associated with travel and accommodations.

This year’s conference covers many topics including marketing, branding, lean management principles, managing in change, and social media best practices. The keynote addresses will be particularly interesting. David Coletto is the Chief Operating Officer of Abacus Data, a company that has done extensive research on what makes millennials high performers in the workplace.

Himself a millennial, Coletto speaks to audiences across North America, stressing that millennials are now the largest grouping in the workforce and companies need to adapt if they want to retain these employees and help them develop into leadership roles. Coletto will back up his talk with a myriad of statistics that paint a picture of how millennials are now in the driver seat in the workforce and companies need to respond to their needs.

Steve Jones has spent his career in broadcasting. A 30-year music industry veteran, Jones is an expert marketer who delivers a punchy presentation that drives home the importance of businesses living their brand. Using music and video to connect with his audience, Jones has spoken at countless conferences around the world and has worked with some of music’s biggest stars. He’ll explain how they got to the top by creating a brand that resonates with their fans.

Registration for the Spring Business and Leadership Conference is now open with early bird rates available until March 31. A pre-conference activity has been added to this year’s event, a pontoon boat ride on the Ottawa River the evening before the conference begins. This will provide an excellent networking opportunity for conference attendees, some of whom travel from out of town to be part of the conference.

Last year the conference sold out with more than 100 attendees. You can learn more about the conference and the line-up of workshop presenters on the conference website.

Posted by: Jamie Bramburger is the Acting Dean of the Pembroke Waterfront Campus.

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