Three to Headline VenueConnect

Sheldon Bowles & Derek Johannson Raving Fans! A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service Keynote Address Tuesday, July 26 9:00am – 10:30am Phoenix Convention Center

Sheldon Bowles is a successful entrepreneur, New York Times, USA Today, Business Week best selling author, and noted speaker.  He began his business career at 12 as a newsagent running a crew of 15 carriers while his father spent his weekends straightening out news agency finances.  This taught Sheldon the value of having great partners — a practice he follows to this day.  

While at university Sheldon started Scotia Painters, a student house painting company.  A stint as editor of his university newspaper, during a far less than stellar university career, landed him a job with the Winnipeg Free Press where he covered stories in Europe, North America and Asia, before becoming Business Editor.  Senator Douglas D. Everett plucked him from the paper to work for his Royal Canadian Securities where Sheldon became a vice president, and then president and CEO of Domo Gas, a Royal Canadian Securities company.  The team of Everett and Bowles built that company into one of Canada’s largest independent retail gasoline chains.  Domo provided Sheldon with many of the happiest days of his life as he learned the excitement of business, and the reward that flows from creating raving fan customers, from his mentor and friend, Doug Everett.  With great generosity Doug made Sheldon a shareholder in Domo which allowed Sheldon to ‘retire’ at 45.

After leaving Domo, Sheldon grew restless, retired from retirement, and with three partners  turned a small manufacturing plant into a multimillion-dollar business.  Today, in addition to manufacturing, Sheldon has interests in a recycling and waste-hauling business and a document storage and high security shredding company.   Sheldon is honored to be an Associate of The Exchange Consulting Group, is a board member of The Nature Conservancy of Canada, Manitoba, is a member of the Advisory Council of the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Manitoba, and the advisory board of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  He is the Chairman of Precision Metalcraft Inc. and serves as a director of several private companies in Canada and the United States.   Sheldon is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) “graduate” groups, the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO) and the Chief Executives’ Organization (CEO). 

When not pursuing business opportunities Sheldon shares his hard-won knowledge of what works and what doesn’t with audiences around the world and in his books Raving Fans, Gung Ho!, Big Bucks!, High Five!, all co-authored with Ken Blanchard, and now, with the Silvanos,  Kingdomality.   Sheldon enjoys listings with many of North America’s finest Speakers Bureaus.

Airlines provide the perfect working environment for his writing (Sheldon is the guy on the aisle in row 10 with the Thinkpad notebook) as do his summer homes in Kenora and at Willard Lake.  The Kulakane condo in Maui has also given birth to several of his books.   Sheldon is proud to be a personal client of the legendary literary agent, Margret McBride and to be published by William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins.

In 2007 the University of Alberta granted Sheldon an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.  In his address to the graduates he noted the presence in the room of his 93-year-old mother who was sure her son would never amount to anything without a university degree and thanked the University Senate for finally removing that worry from his mother.  He told the assembled graduates that what truly differentiated humankind from the rest of the animal kingdom was the presence of teachers in our midst helping succeeding generations start out on the ladder of life one rung higher than the previous generation and regardless of what they did in life when they reached his age and looked back the most rewarding satisfying times would be those when they were helping, mentoring and teaching others. 

Sheldon is of the opinion that he is leading the perfect life, surrounded by a wonderful family, supported by generous friends, and blessed by incredible business partners in all his endeavors.  Sheldon, along with his wife, Penny, and their children Kingsley (Susan) and Patti (Kristjan) all work together in business and live in Winnipeg, as does his honorary step son, Aaron Hull (Tara,) his always on-the-go, now 97-year-old mother and advisor, Frances, and his fabulous granddaughters, Jacqueline Kearney Bowles, Rosemary Elaine Bowles, Abigail Penelope Backman, Bronwyn Hull and grandson Charles Hutch Backman. 

Sheldon’s Personal Mission Statement: “To serve God by being a loving and supportive member of my family who makes the world a better place by helping others reach their full potential.”   

Derek Johannson is a successful Canadian entrepreneur and sought after speaker whose book on sales excellence, co-authored with Sheldon Bowles (Raving Fans, Gung Ho!) will be published in 2012.
With exquisite timing Derek entered the computer supply business at a time when organizations were going beyond mainframes and installing individual desktop computers and printers from the front desk to the shop floor and the Johannson family was perfectly positioned to service the boom.  Fifteen years later Carlyle was the largest computer supplies distribution company in Canada with offices in seven cities and 150 employees.
Derek has started a number of successful companies including Mirror Image Services and LPS Laser Printer Specialists a printer service and repair company.  Recently Derek has started Carlyle Printer, Service, & Supplies Ltd. where he is working with his two sons to develop a new business model in the desktop printer fleet management market.

During his career in business Derek has been recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 in Canada, and twice his companies have been named to the prestigious and nationally acclaimed 50 Best Managed Private Companies In Canada list.  Internationally, the Young Presidents Organization has presented Derek with its coveted Legacy Award.  

Derek has served as Chair of the Manitoba Research Council, Chair of the Urban Shared Services Corporation, and Canadian Chair of Young Presidents Organization (YPO.)  He has served as a director of YPO International, YFC, Innovation Technology fund, True North Entertainment Inc., and St. Genevieve Resources LTD.  He is currently on the board of Online Business Systems, the YPO International Events Committee, Shop To It, the Institute of Corporate Directors (Manitoba), and the Winnipeg Health Science Center Foundation.

While Derek has always been the public face and a driving force in the success of his ventures, behind the scene, and an equal driving force is his wife Mary, who has provided organizational infrastructure to support Derek’s marketing and sales focus. 

Derek and his wife Mary are constantly traveling on business from Jordan to China, from Brazil to Australia and dozens of other countries as well.  When home they live in Winnipeg Canada as do their children Eric, 25, and Scott, 28, daughter in-law Andrea, and grandchildren, Julia 3, and Matt 1.  

Juliet Funt Overcommitted, Overwhelmed and Over It! Wednesday, July 27 8:00am – 10:00am

Juliet Funt blends a quarter century of performing experience with over a decade of building expertise in what makes people tick. Her mission is simple: to help people shift the way they think about daily pressures and responsibilities so they can prioritize their time, reach their goals, and be present and peaceful enough to live life to the fullest.

Most of your conference audiences have the same complaint: “Too much to do and too little time.” The demands placed on them are weightier than ever. They attend your event hoping to learn skills to help them regain control, but are so overwhelmed with information, they sometimes leave more stressed than when they arrive. But now you can be the hero for your conference attendees. You can bring them the antidote to this Culture of Insatiability. Juliet Funt specializes in helping people deal with the pressures of everyday life. She makes them laugh. She helps them find a sense of accomplishment. She'll send them home with a powerful kit bag of useful tools and a warm, positive feeling about their work, their life, and your meeting.

As the daughter of Allen Funt, creator of the Candid Camera television show, Juliet has spent her life observing the hidden truths beneath our social selves. She won't hide a camera in your office but will bring her family tradition of hilarity and warmth to each and every one of your attendees.

From the moment Juliet takes the stage, your audience will be smiling as she lifts their heavy load of stress and gently serves up practical strategies for managing time, work, and life's overwhelming commitments. She lights up the platform with a true wordsmith’s love for the poetry of a well-turned phrase. She then backs up her engaging words and rich stories with thought-provoking content that has made her a nationally recognized expert in coping with the pace and pressure of our busy lives. Her uproarious stories and easily applicable points will energize and enlighten you and your audience. Her show biz genes are amplified by years performing improvisational comedy on the professional stage and many, many hours on the platform challenging her audiences to think deeper, laugh harder, and change their lives more profoundly.

Since launching her entertainment career at the tender age of two with her proud father, Juliet has thrilled audiences on national TV, news, and radio shows. She draws from her experience working as a meeting planner, human resources trainer for the Los Angeles Police Department, and a liaison for a Palestinian/ Israeli peace project. Juliet is a member of the National Speakers Association and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Shape, L.A. Parent, and Professional Speaker Magazine. She's also written a weekly web column and co-authored two books, The Communication Path and The Wellness Path.

She appears as a motivational keynote speaker for associations, women's groups, educators, financial professionals, corporate sales meetings, health care and real estate professionals, and other business groups throughout the U.S. and around the world, including the 2010 Million Dollar Roundtable.

Juliet follows her own advice and balances her busy speaking career with a rich, fulfilling home and family life. She helps run a fine art photography business with her talented husband, Lorne, winner of the 2005 International Travel Photographer of the Year Award. Together they co-founded the Young Stars Project, a non-profit organization building holistic learning schools for children in Uganda.

What inspires Juliet most? She finds her joy from the time she spends with her three young children, Jake 4, Alex 2 and baby Nicholas who just arrived April 2010!

Robin Crow Evolve or Die: 7 Steps to Rethink the Way You Do Business Closing Keynote Address Thursday, July 28 8:00am – 9:30am

Robin Crow has forged a remarkable career on his journey from RCA recording artist to successful entrepreneur, and has built several world-class businesses from scratch.  He is an acclaimed public speaker with a client list that is a who’s who of blue chip corporations and forward thinking organizations.  Robin doesn’t just talk business; he lives it.  His company Dark Horse Recording, a four-studio complex and resort has set the gold standard for customer service and excellence in the recording industry. It is home to Faith Hill, Ashley Judd, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Michael W. Smith, Jewel, Alison Krauss, and many others.   Robin has recently founded the Dark Horse Institute offering degrees in Business Leadership and Mass Media.

Crow lectures widely on the implications of global issues and their effects on business sustainability.  He has given over 2100 presentations. His newest book, Evolve or Die, reached #5 on the USA Today Best-Seller list. His other books include The Power of an Idea, Rock Solid Leadership, and Jump and the Net will appear.  Robin lives in Franklin Tennessee, and serves on the boards of several philanthropic organizations. He loves hanging out with his four children, throwing large barbecues for his studio clients and friends, and spending as much time as possible in the Rocky Mountains. www.robincrow.com/speaking-keynote-2.html

UVMC Keynote

Joel Zeff Make the Right Choice: Taking Ownership and Responsibility for your Happiness and Success Monday, July 25 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Joel Zeff shares his experience and insight on creativity, communication, teamwork, passion, and fun. With wit, a sharp observational eye, and playful irreverence, he discusses the choices we all encounter in our careers. We each have the ability to take initiative and make the right choice to live a more creative, passionate, effective, and productive life.

How do your employees and managers Make the Right Choice? We all must take ownership of our work environment and create a foundation of opportunity and positive support. We can choose to be patient, supportive, and more flexible to change. We can choose to have fun in the workplace and still be productive. Joel teaches us just how easy it is to make these choices.

He connects to his audience with humor that has them laughing so uncontrollably that their mascara runs, their cheeks hurt, and their bellies ache.

And he doesn't do it alone. Volunteers from the audience join him on stage and play an integral role in an improvisation game in front of hundreds or thousands of people—something the audience members have never done.

Make the Right Choice is conversational, funny, and very informative. Yes, Joel will make you laugh, but he'll also make you think. This presentation delivers a combination of inspiration, essential business knowledge, and significant ideas to help audience members reconnect with their own passion, creativity, and success.