WINONA LAKE – Grace College School of Business and the Gordon Institute for Enterprise Development will partner to present the fifth annual Executive Forum, “Engaging Employees into the Company Culture,” from 8 to 11:45 a.m. Nov. 15 at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, 610 Wooster Road, Winona Lake.
Doors open at 8 a.m. for check-in and continental breakfast.
Bill Pollard, chairman of Fairwyn Investment Company, will give the forum’s keynote address. The former ServiceMaster CEO and author of several books, including best-seller "The Soul of the Firm,” has many business accolades, according to a news release from Grace. While leading ServiceMaster, the company was recognized as the No. 1 service company in the Fortune 500 and one of the most respected companies in the world by “Financial Times.” The businessman and author will speak about engaging employees in meaningful, God-honoring ways while growing a business, the news release states.
"Bill Pollard has influenced my philosophy of business more than anyone else,” said Dr. Jeffrey Fawcett, dean of the School of Business at Grace College. “We are thrilled to have him keynote this year’s forum.”
Pat Miller, host of The Pat Miller Program on WOWO, will moderate the event, and five panelists will offer their unique perspective on engaging employees. Panelists include Emily Hughes Smith, owner/operator of Naissance, Granger; Mark Webb, CEO of QuikCut, Fort Wayne; Larry Davis, CEO of Daman Products, Mishawaka; Dan Adams, president and CTO of Manufacturing Technologies Inc., South Bend; and Randy Lake, CEO of Oldcastle Materials Inc., Atlanta, Ga.
“We expect this year’s forum to be the best yet,” said Alan Grossnickle, director of the Gordon Institute for Enterprise Development and associate professor of business at Grace College. “We hope to draw a variety of businesspeople from across the region at our fifth annual event.”
This year’s topic – engaging employees into a company culture – is one that nearly every type of business can benefit from, according to Grossnickle.
“I think that every attendee should come with the expectation of receiving insights to make a tangible, positive difference at their place of business,” he said.
The Fifth Annual Executive Forum is open to the public. Tickets, which include a continental breakfast, are $40 per person and $35 for each additional person from the same company through Nov. 8. After Nov. 8, tickets are $45 and $40 for each additional person from the same company.  Tickets may be purchased online by visiting grace.edu.
The first 300 registrations will receive a free copy of “The Soul of the Firm” by speaker Bill Pollard. Area high school students will be invited to fill the gallery for no charge.
This year’s forum is sponsored by RSM US LLP, a leading national assurance, tax and consulting firm with locations including South Bend and Indianapolis. For more information, call Marsha Yocum at 574-372-5100, Ext. 6094.