We are less then 30 days away from Convergence 2023 and our lineup of speakers represent an
intriguing mix of people who are sure to provoke, educate and inspire you. Our theme this year
is Synergy, Bringing Different Minds, Different Focus to Create Something More Dynamic.
Here’s just a few you can expect to hear from:
- Our friend Tony Cheevers from St. Louis has researched audiences and audience
preference and distilled down what they will respond to the most effectively. He will
present “From Story to Glory: Structuring a Narrative Given Your Audience” which
showcases how to hit your audience with themes they want to hear. - Local social media guru (and man-about-town) Arik Hanson will share his “2023 Social
Media Trends”. If you don’t know Arik (is that even possible?), he is the region’s pre-
eminent social media strategist and thinker. He is always entertaining and thought
provoking. - America’s crisis guru, Jim Lukaszewski, has wisdom that spans more than five decades in
our business. Jim is a PRSA and IABC Fellow and one of the most respected writers,
teachers and practitioners in our field. His “Cracking the Decency Code: Building a
Decency Driven Workplace Culture” will walk you through navigating the current state
of our divisive world. - University of St. Thomas professors Dr. Michael Porter & Dr. Xiaowen Guan have
conducted extensive research into an overlooked, yet important, audience in health
care: patients. They delved into what makes patients recommend providers and health
care systems and their research may open more than a few eyes. Join them for
“Research Into a Neglected Corner of Healthcare Reputation: Patient Experience”. - The always engaging Dr. Ameilia Reigstad will discuss how to work-life balance isn’t just
a saying, it can be a real life changer with “Establish Balance & Avoid Burnout: Invest in
You”. - Our long-time friend Amye Zemke will bring buzz to a panel, “Managing Employee
Communication and Rising Expectations”, featuring local companies presenting their
challenges engaging today’s workforce. - If you are looking to change things up in your communications, our friend Naomi Rettke
has you covered with “Change Management Matters”, which walks you through the
latest strategies and theories on change management communications. - Finally, a friend new to the Twin Cities, Erich Sommerfeldt, Ph.D., Academic Director U
of M Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication has a fascinating look at public relations with his “The Good Organization that Communicates Well: The Role of Public Relations in Building a Civil Society and Public Trust”, a presentation that reimagines the community building function of public relations as aligned with furthering organizational interests. If you haven’t seen this presentation, it might just re-shape how you look at our work and our world.
I look forward to seeing you all on April 21, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at Prime Therapeutics in Eagan.
If you haven’t had a chance to register yet, head over to https://iabcmn.com/events and sign
up. And, if you have time that day to stay after the conference for happy hour, I just might
know a guy who is sponsoring some social time so we can all connect, re-connect and enjoy a
laugh or two!
