Entrepreneurs’ Exchange 2007

Entrepreneurial Exchange’s bi-annual event, Entrepreneurs’ Exchange, brought together more than 275 of the area’s most successful entrepreneurs and the budding business leaders of tomorrow, May 15–16, 2007.

Detailed Agenda

Video Selections: Cliff Illig Meet the Masters Session. John Gartner Keynote.

On the evening of May 15, seven entrepreneurial masters shared their stories and insights with participants at the home of Neal Patterson, Cerner Corporation’s CEO and co-founder. Masters included:

Robert Bernstein, Bernstein-Rein Advertising, Inc.

Bill Dunn Sr., JE Dunn Construction Group

Jim Ferrell, Ferrellgas

Cliff Illig, Cerner Corporation

Crosby Kemper Jr., UMB Financial Corporation

Jim Stowers, American Century Investments

Barnett Helzberg, Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program

Masters spoke in small-group settings, allowing participants to easily interact with them and ask questions. A participant describedthe evening as “an insightful and highly charged learning experience.”

On day two of Entrepreneurs’ Exchange, participants reconvened at Rockhurst University and explored business solutions with such keynote speakers as John Gartner, author of The Entrepreneurial Mind, and David Thomson, Kansas City business expert and author of Blueprint to a Billion: 7 Essentials to Achieve Exponential Growth. The keynote speakers then led panel discussions with local entrepreneurs. Participants had the opportunity to ask the panelists probing questions about their businesses.

Carl Schramm, Kauffman Foundation, provided capstone remarks before the closing reception, where speakers, panelists and participants were able to network and discuss business ideas. One participant commented that the most valuable part of day two was learning entrepreneurial concepts and how they might apply to his own business.

The next Entrepreneurs’ Exchange will take place in 2009. Check back for the event date and additional details.