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Executive Access

“I am not aware of any other orientation program that is at such a high quality level.”
- Kevin Williams, senior vice president of Energy Sales for CHS, June 2007 participant.

Executive Access is a program sponsored by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Grow Minnesota!.

According to a recent survey from McKinsey & Company, nearly half of U.S. CEOs believe in being engaged in civic issues and contributing to solving a variety of social and political challenges. What they need, however, is “a comprehensive understanding of public issues and a strong network of peers with a similar interest” to make it easier for them to play a leadership role. The Minnesota Chamber’s Executive Access program is designed to do just that by accomplishing these three goals:

• Acclimate senior executives to Minnesota public affairs by providing an overview of our economy and a briefing on our state’s major challenges as we seek to compete and succeed in our increasingly global economy.
• Introduce and inspire these executives to engage in solving some of our challenges through private-sector efforts.
• Assist senior executives, many of whom are new to Minnesota, in meeting other business leaders and developing their Minnesota personal and professional networks.

Previous Attendees

Christophe Beck, senior vice president, strategy and marketing development, Ecolab
Dr. Mark Greene, chief executive officer, Fair Isaac
Elliott Jaffee, president of Twin Cities Operations, U.S. Bank – Twin Cities
Steve Merrifield, president and chief executive officer, Ciprico, Inc.
Kevin Williams, senior vice president of Energy Sales, CHS

Sample Agenda from June 2007 Session

7:30 a.m.	Introduction David Olson, president, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.	Informal breakfast with Governor Tim Pawlenty
8:30 a.m.	Welcome Tom Forsythe, vice president, corporate communications, General Mills, Minneapolis, and 2006-2007 chair, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
8:45 a.m.	Back to the Future: Minnesota’s Economy From Ag to Energy Minnesota’s economy in a regional context; Leading industries and how they are changing; and, Current challenges to the development of Minnesota’s economy: energy, workforce, transportation and taxes. Art Rolnick, senior vice president, Federal Reserve Bank
9:45 a.m.	Break
10:00 a.m.	Panel Discussion: Private-Sector Leadership – 3 Success Stories Moderated by: Joe Swedberg, vice president legislative affairs & marketing services, Hormel Foods Corporation Mary Brainerd, president and CEO, HealthPartners Stanley S. Hubbard, chairman & CEO, Hubbard Broadcasting Warren Staley, chairman of the board and chief executive officer, Cargill
11:15 a.m.	Needs for Business Leadership: Priority Issues and Opportunities David Olson, president, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Bill Blazar, senior vice president, public affairs & business development, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
12:00 p.m.	Adjourn

The next session will be in the spring of 2008. Participation is by invitation only. For more information, please e-mail M.E. Head, mhead@mnchamber.com or Kathi Schaff, kschaff@mnchamber.com, or call (651) 292-4650.

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