2. Conference
Exhibitors:
Association of Chamber of Commerce
Executives (ACCE)
Atlantic West Publishers, Inc.
Barkback
CalChamber
Central Holidays West
CGI Communications, Inc.
Chamber Discoveries
Chamber Explorations
Chamber Marketing Partners, Inc.
ChamberMaster
Chamber Member Services LLC
Chapman Consulting
Citslinc International, Inc.
LEADCLIQ
National Chamber Program
Peg Jackson & Associates
Profitability Revolution Paradigm
Ready Connect
SharedMall
SizeUp LBI / GIS Planning
Target Marketing/SouthComm Publishing
Tools for Business Success
Town Square Publications, LLC
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Weblink International
The W.A.C.E. Conference
has Gone Mobile!
THREE OPTIONS for Accessing our
Mobile Event Guide:
Scan the QR Code
Download the App:
Instructions for your
device can be found on
the mobile app insert in
your attendee folder
OR Go to http://eventmobi.com/wace2016
Special Guest
Speakers
Wednesday,
February 3
Conference Opening
Mick Fleming
Thursday,
February 4
General Session
Greg McKeown
Thursday,
February 4
Luncheon Speaker
Chip Conley
Friday,
February 5
General Session
Rebecca Ryan
Friday,
February 5
Luncheon Speaker
George Dom
Friday,
February 5
General Session
Mike Baselice
3. Conference Committee
Emily Abernathy �����������������Lake Tahoe South Shore (CA/NV) Chamber
Nathan Ahle �����������������������Greater Bakersfield (CA) Chamber
Pat Clark-Villanueva �����������Los Angeles Area (CA) Chamber
Anne Glasscock, ACE �������Kaufman (TX) Chamber
B Gorman, ACE �����������������Lake Tahoe South Shore (CA/NV) Chamber
Jeremy Harris ��������������������Long Beach Area (CA) Chamber
Oonagh Kavanagh �������������Sausalito (CA) Chamber
Jill Lagan, ACE �������������������Boulder City (NV) Chamber
Nancy Lindholm, ACE ��������Oxnard (CA) Chamber
Bob Linscheid �������������������San Francisco (CA) Chamber
David May, CCE, CAE �������Fort Collins Area (CO) Chamber
Mindy McCloughan �����������Loveland (CO) Chamber
Heidi McCutcheon �������������Shelton – Mason County (WA) Chamber
Charise McHugh, ACE �������Half Moon Bay/Coastside (CA) Chamber
Glenn Morris, ACE �������������Santa Maria Valley (CA) Chamber
Pat Patrick �������������������������Lodi District (CA) Chamber
Scott Raty, ACE �����������������Pleasanton (CA) Chamber
Pam Ridler, CCE ����������������Castle Rock (CO) Chamber
Natalie Saenz ��������������������Whittier (CA) Chamber
Katie Simmons �������������������Chico (CA) Chamber
Tamra Spade ����������������������Ripon (CA) Chamber
Bobby Spiegel �������������������Corona (CA) Chamber
Eddie Tafoya ����������������������Commerce (CA) Industrial Council
Mark Turner �����������������������Gilroy (CA) Chamber
Mike Varney �����������������������Tucson Metro (AZ) Chamber
Nicola Wissler ��������������������Visalia (CA) Chamber
Special Thanks to Our Major Sponsor
WiFiWiFi Internet is available in
the meeting rooms for all
conference attendees.
Wireless Network: Marriott_Conference
Access Code: Wace2016
4. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
3:30 p.m. ACADEMY STEERING COMMITTEE SANTA CLARA
6:00 p.m. W.A.C.E. BOARD MEETING SAN RAMON
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Breakfast on Your Own
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. REGISTRATION 2ND FLOOR REGISTRATION DESK
7:30 a.m. FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING SANTA CLARA
9:45 a.m. CONFERENCE OPENING GRAND BALLROOM
GENERAL SESSION – Mick Fleming
Chambers 2025: Eight Influences Shaping Our Next Decade
10:55 a.m. BREAK Sponsored by Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber
11:05 a.m. BREAKOUTS
A. Putting the “Strong” in Your Local Economy ANAHEIM
Your businesses are counting on you to work on creating a strong local economy, but
what is it, where do you start and how do you do it successfully? This session will
cover what a strong local economy looks like, plus some basics of how to implement a
program aimed at helping businesses start up, expand and locate in your community.
Key takeaways will be a roundup of best practices that you may be able to integrate
into your local efforts and ways to measure and evaluate your programs.
• Diane Schwenke, Grand Junction Area (CO) Chamber
B. Political Advocacy – Social and Political Fragmentation NEWPORT BEACH
This session will draw upon Mick Fleming’s general session talk on the Horizon
Initiative: Chambers 2025 by focusing on political and social fragmentation – one
of eight influences shaping our next decade. Chambers will need to play a role in
addressing and balancing the needs of government, citizens, and business through
advocacy while navigating the “sane middle.” Interact with key chamber leaders as they
give examples of how they learned to advocate sound public policy with opposite-
minded legislative leaders and groups in order to become the “convener” in their town.
• Dave Hauser, Eugene (OR) Chamber
• Matt Mahood, San Jose Silicon Valley (CA) Chamber
C. How Strong Is Your Core? The 5 Areas You Need to Strengthen Your Chamber
BAYSIDE 3
This session will reinforce the importance of keeping your core competencies at the
forefront of your programs and services. How gathering and utilizing the data your
members provide in these 5 areas will not only make your chamber’s core stronger – it
will keep you relevant.
• Russell Lahodny, CalChamber and W.A.C.E.
CONFERENCE BREAKOUT SUBJECTS
Community
& Economic
Development
Money
Members, Staff &
Leadership
Communications
Government Affairs
Wild Card
Schedule of Events
5. D. Avoiding the Complacency Trap SANTA BARBARA
In this session you will discover how to motivate yourself and your team, how to
focus on what matters most in your business first, how to welcome fear and step into
it, how to make the most of your mentors and more.
• Amy Applebaum, Ambitious Women Success Club
E. Communicating Value – “How To” IRVINE
Communication is key to sharing the chamber message, but how do we specifically
do this in order to relay our value and relevance? We need to know the “how to’s,” not
just the “to do’s.” This hands-on session will teach the skills needed to write, speak,
print, and socially engage our audience in an effective and efficient way, enabling the
chamber to communicate its value and hit the branding target.
• Jessica Chambers, Salem Area (OR) Chamber
12:15 p.m. BREAK
12:30 p.m. CONNECTIONS LUNCHEON GRAND BALLROOM
PRESENTATION OF CORE COMPETENCY AWARDS
PRESENTATION OF HATHAWAY STAFF PERSON OF THE
YEAR AWARD
1:45 p.m. BREAK
2:00 p.m. HAMMER AWARD JUDGING SANTA CLARA
2:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS
Beverages in breakouts sponsored by Profitability Revolution Paradigm
A. Pipeline to Success – Modern Workforce Development BAYSIDE 3
Who in your community is preparing for a shortage of skilled workers? Or who is
making sure there is adequate skilled labor to replace retiring baby boomers? Is your
chamber in a position to do this work? Your members say it is important to them;
what is your role in workforce development? Come hear how two chamber leaders
helped build a “jobs pipeline” in their communities. There is no better way to create
value for your members and community than providing business and industry with
their most valuable asset — a skilled workforce. Come learn how they did it. You can
do this too.
• Janet Steele, ACE, Albany Area (OR) Chamber
• Nicola Wissler, Visalia (CA) Chamber
• Moderated by Pat Patrick, Lodi District (CA) Chamber
B. Membership: Value without Involvement IRVINE
Chambers have been talking about the need to move the membership discussion
beyond the “Health Club” model (the more you use it, the more you get out of it)
for some time now. So, what does value really look like? Join us for an interactive
session as we explore what is working for chambers that are successfully making this
transition. This session will also include time for participants to brainstorm together
features and benefits that might be added to chamber menus, as well as ways to
highlight those features when selling to new and returning members.
• Jerry Carnahan, Las Vegas Metro (NV) Chamber
• Scott Ericson, The Chamber of the Santa Barbara (CA) Region
• Betty Nokes Capestany, Bellevue (WA) Chamber
6. C. Chamber Volunteers – Recruiting, Motivating and Recognizing ANAHEIM
Chambers depend on volunteers for many things. Whatever jobs they do, however,
one thing is almost always true: Chambers need volunteer help to function effectively.
In this breakout session, we will not only discuss how to recruit new volunteers, but
once you’ve got them in the door, how to keep them engaged and enthusiastic about
your chamber and its work.
• Jill LeMieux, San Luis Obispo (CA) Chamber
• Kathy McCorry, Greater Issaquah (WA) Chamber
• Eddie Tafoya, Commerce (CA) Industrial Council
D. Tourism Trends and How to Best Capture the Visitor Dollar NEWPORT BEACH
Learn the current trends in tourism, specific practices to make your chamber the
visitor center serving the leader in your community, and how to fund your efforts.
• Anne LeClair, San Mateo County Silicon Valley (CA) Convention &
Visitors Bureau
• Marianne Virgili, Glenwood Springs (CO) Chamber Resort Association
E. Social Selling: Boost Visibility in Your Community Through Social Media and
Impact Your Events and Membership SAN RAMON
Creating brand equity, showing authenticity and establishing credibility is the one-
two punch of social media and content marketing. By pairing these two together, you
can have the golden ticket for marketing your chamber. This session will show you
how to create branded content and build a world class strategy for combining social
media and content marketing so you can be a social influencer in your community.
• Tallia Hart, ACE, Irvine (CA) Chamber
• Gina Jamerson, Sonoma State University
4:00 p.m. BREAK
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CHAIRMAN’S NEW MEMBER/FIRST-TIME ATTENDEE
BRIEFING RECEPTION (INVITATION ONLY) SAN RAMON
Sponsored by the Arizona Chamber, Greater Phoenix Chamber and Tucson Metro
Chamber.
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. WELCOME RECEPTION GRAND BALLROOM
Sponsored by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE),
Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition and the San Mateo County Chambers of
Commerce Alliance
Wine sponsored by Boeger Winery, Crystal Basin Cellars, Madrona Vineyards and
Wofford Acres Vineyards
TRADE SHOW OPENS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast GRAND BALLROOM FOYER
8:00 a.m. GENERAL SESSION – Greg McKeown GRAND BALLROOM
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
8:55 a.m. BREAK
9:10 a.m. BUSINESS SESSION – ELECTION
RECOGNITION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
PRESENTATION OF HAMMER AWARD
PRESENTATION OF SERVICE AWARDS
Schedule of Events
7. continued A QUICK LOOK AT THE W.A.C.E. WEBSITE
WHITEWATER ROUNDTABLES
This is the ultimate, fast-paced idea exchange. Pick a smart table and don’t sit with
anyone from your chamber.
10:20 a.m. BREAK Sponsored by SCACCE
Time to visit exhibitors
10:45 a.m. BREAKOUTS
A. Diving into the Entrepreneurial Market BAYSIDE 3
Is your chamber keeping up with your local business market? For chambers to be relevant
now and in the future, we must tap into the entrepreneurial culture and creativity of those
who live and work in our communities. Engaging start-ups and second-stage companies
takes more than a new event or program; we must make a culture shift and create new and
exciting partnerships that can pay huge dividends for your community and chamber.
• Kristen Miller, Goleta Valley (CA) Chamber
• Jamie Russo, Enerspace Coworking
B. Now Here’s What it Means to You – Essentialism: Greg McKeown De–Brief
NEWPORT BEACH
This breakout, which is a follow-up discussion to Greg McKeown’s Presentation, will
help you avoid saying YES when you know the answer should be NO and will focus
taking the art of Essentialism into your chamber’s Board room, strategy sessions and
committee meetings.
• B Gorman, ACE, Lake Tahoe South Shore (CA/NV) Chamber
C. Staff Motivation – Tools for Success SANTA BARBARA
In the current climate of financial belt-tightening, more money in staff paychecks isn’t
always possible. This session will explore new and innovative ways to determine what
different motivators work best for individual staff members and how you can use
these tools to create a more productive and happy work environment.
• Holly Culhane, PAS Associates
D. Sales Fundamentals for Today’s Chamber IRVINE
For chambers of commerce, making a sale usually means making someone a believer.
How convincing are your sales presentations? Do you and your sales team win more
of the “close ones” than you lose? Are you confident that the right sales techniques
and practices are in place in your organization? Sales beginners to experienced vets
can benefit from the fresh ideas presented at this session.
• Mike Varney, Tucson Metro (AZ) Chamber
E. How Your Chamber Can Leverage Mobile Platforms to Achieve Marketing
Success BAYSIDE 2
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. All these platforms have one thing in
common; most activity happens on mobile, which is why they are powering the
explosive growth in mobile marketing. Chambers and businesses alike must have a
strategy to capitalize on this phenomenon to acquire, activate and re-engage their
customers. Learn how to strategically advertise on platforms “formerly known as social”
and orient your Chamber to lead your members to success in the mobile world.
• Kevin Vincenti, Ampush
11:55 a.m. BREAK
12:05 p.m. LUNCHEON GRAND BALLROOM
LUNCHEON SPEAKER – Chip Conley
The Role of Airbnb in the Sharing Economy
8. Continued PRESENTATION OF EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD
PRESENTATION OF CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
2:15 p.m. BREAK
Time to visit exhibitors
2:30 p.m. BREAKOUTS
Beverages in breakouts sponsored by Chamber Marketing Partners
A. Are You Able to Engage Start-ups or Tech Companies with Your Chamber?
BAYSIDE 3
Start-ups are no longer unique to metro areas. Start-ups are everywhere, but are they
engaged with local chambers? And what’s the difference between start-ups and tech
companies relative to chamber engagement? Come to an emerging and provocative
session on how to engage tech companies with your chamber. Learn what special needs
these companies have and why they join.
• Taryn Palumbo, San Francisco (CA) Chamber
• Nipul Patel, Townsquared
• Nick Sanderson, Laundry Locker
• Maureen Santo, Navisite
• Victor Wong, Nerd Wallet
B. Recreating the Human Touch SANTA BARBARA
Technology has nearly eliminated human-to-human contact in exchange for efficiency,
but studies show that this has decreased the quality of human interaction. In this
session, Chamber experts will discuss and share ways they keep the human touch in
communicating with members.
• Mayra Flores De Marcotte, San Jose Silicon Valley (CA) Chamber
• Josh Jacob, San Francisco (CA) Chamber
• Pat Patrick, Lodi District (CA) Chamber
• Moderated by Nancy Hoffman Vanyek, ACE, Greater San Fernando
Valley (CA) Chamber
C. Revenue Development IRVINE
“No money, no mission” and “No mission, no money” are two philosophies batted
around by chamber leaders. If your chamber is going to have an impact, you need to
get the mission/money thing right. This session will give you both a guiding philosophy
about generating money as well as practical examples of how chambers are generating
the money they need to make a difference for their members and communities.
• Lori Banzhaf, Tucson Metro (AZ) Chamber
• Ann Hutchison, Fort Collins Area (CO) Chamber
D. How a Small Chamber Can Make a BIG Impact and Remain Relevant
BAYSIDE 2
With small chambers as the target audience, this interactive session will focus on
three important topics: the importance of a good business plan; understanding your
marketplace and retooling to ensure your chamber remains engaged and relevant; and
balancing your chamber and community involvement and responsibility in a small town.
• Joanne Bohigian, Foster City (CA) Chamber
• Heather Johnston, Dana Point (CA) Chamber
E. Video – Utilizing Affordable Technology for Creating, Editing and Posting
NEWPORT BEACH
Learn the best and most economical way to take videos and post them. Also learn
insider time-saving tricks in making social media work for your chamber.
• Julie Shenkman, Small Business Owner and Retired Internet Executive
• Dianne Passen, HMB Media
• Stephanie Armstrong, The Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region (CA)
Schedule of Events
9. 4:00 p.m. BREAK
4:30 p.m. CELEBRATION PARTY GRAND BALLROOM
Super Bowl Theme—We encourage you to wear your favorite team’s shirt/jersey to
the party.
Special thanks to the W.A.C.E. Foundation Board for organizing the auctions!
Sponsored by the Chairman’s Circle Members: CalChamber, Google,
Sempra Energy and WebLink International
Wine Sponsored by the Windsor Chamber and Lodi District Chamber
FOUNDATION SILENT AUCTION
PASSING THE GAVEL
FOUNDATION LIVE AUCTION
FOUNDATION RAFFLE DRAWING
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5
7:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast GRAND BALLROOM FOYER
Sponsored by CalChamber
8:15 a.m. GENERAL SESSION – Mike Baselice GRAND BALLROOM
The Mood of the Nation: What’s on America’s Political Horizon
RECOGNITION OF ACE RECIPIENTS
9:10 a.m. BREAK
9:20 a.m. GENERAL SESSION – Rebecca Ryan
Thinking Around the Corner to What’s Next
Sponsored by the W.A.C.E. Foundation
10:20 a.m. BREAK Sponsored by SharedMall
Time to visit exhibitors
10:50 a.m. BREAKOUTS
A. Your Chamber and the Sharing Economy BAYSIDE 2
Airbnb vs. hotel chains. Established taxi companies vs. Uber. As these new business
models are more common, your chamber is likely to have existing and new businesses
affected by this societal trend. Policymakers are being pressured to regulate this
phenomenon, resulting in council chambers overflowing with proponents on both
sides of the issue. How will your chamber support business and weigh in on policy
changes in your efforts to stay relevant in today’s changing marketplace?
• Ken Oplinger, ACE, The Chamber of the Santa Barbara Region (CA)
• Monta Potter, Carmel (CA) Chamber
• Nicole Shahenian, Hollywood (CA) Chamber
B. Now Here’s What It Means to You: Rebecca Ryan De-Brief BAYSIDE 3
Now that you’ve heard Rebecca Ryan’s keynote and her thoughts on the importance
of community and quality of life, what’s next for you and your chamber? This
interactive de-brief, group discussion session will give you a chance to ask questions
of your peers and share ideas for what’s next at your chamber to proactively work to
invent your community’s future.
• Keith Woods, North Coast Builders Exchange
10. Schedule of Events
C. Succession Planning: Helping Your Chamber and Your Members Plan for the
Inevitable NEWPORT BEACH
More than just a blueprint for CEO transition, succession planning is also about building
internal bench strength, leveraging talent throughout your organization to ensure
continued success when change happens, planned or otherwise.
• Wayne Griffin, Board Training and Strategic Planning
• Cindy Roth, ACE, Greater Riverside (CA) Chambers
D. Coming Soon: New City-by-City Labor Laws—Is Your Chamber Ready?
ANAHEIM
Coming to your town in 2016: employee bills of rights, mandatory paid time off,
higher minimum or living wages, fairness scheduling, wage theft, predictability pay,
city funded campaigns, democracy, vouchers. Are you going to sit on the sidelines and
hope this storm will pass?
• Derrick Seaver, San Jose Silicon Valley (CA) Chamber
• Tom Pierson, ACE, Tacoma-Pierce County (WA) Chamber
E. Aligning Your Chamber Brand for the Future IRVINE
Does your chamber brand reflect the goals for the organization’s future? This session
will assess current perceptions of your chamber’s brand. We’ll also explore, when and
how to make a change and reasons a change may not be the best option. Examples of
successful chamber brand changes – from complete makeovers to those who changed
with messaging and programming – will be shared.
• Molly Kern, San Luis Obispo (CA) Chamber
• Gail Zurek, Visalia (CA) Chamber
12:00 p.m. BREAK
Last chance to visit exhibitors
12:10 p.m. LUNCHEON GRAND BALLROOM
ACADEMY ‘GRADUATE’ RECOGNITION
LUNCHEON SPEAKER – George Dom
Blue Angel Leadership: The Power of Trust
Sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company
EXHIBITOR PASSPORT DRAWING – WIN A
COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION TO THE 2017 W.A.C.E.
CONFERENCE - MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN
“STAY TO THE END” CASH DRAWING - MUST BE
PRESENT TO WIN
2:30 p.m. Conference Adjourns
Mark Your Calendar
W.A.C.E. 2017 Conference
February 1-3, 2017
Marriott Los Angeles Airport
Los Angeles, California
W.A.C.E. 2018 Conference
February 7-9, 2018
Green Valley Ranch
Las Vegas, Nevada
11. JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON
Use this hashtag when tweeting about the 2016 W.A.C.E. conference.
#WACE16
Facilities Map
12. MAJOR SPONSOR
W.A.C.E. Foundation
GOLD SPONSORS
CalChamber
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
SILVER SPONSORS
Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)
Arizona Chambers (combined)
Tucson Metro Chamber, Greater Phoenix Chamber & Arizona Chamber
Chamber Marketing Partners
Profitability Revolution Paradigm
SharedMall
Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition
BRONZE SPONSORS
Boeger Winery
Crystal Basin Cellars
Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber
Lodi District Chamber
Madrona Vineyards
San Mateo County Chambers of Commerce Alliance
SCACCE
Windsor Chamber
Wofford Acres Vineyards
CHAIRMAN’S
CIRCLE MEMBERS
Chairman’s Circle Gold Members
CalChamber
Google
Sempra Energy
WebLink International
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
