Here you will find all the details related to your participation in the 25th edition of The ROUNDTABLE in Vail, Colorado on August 23-25.

1. Handbook
Please read and print

2. WELCOME!
Welcome to The 2017 ROUNDTABLE presented by LEAP Media Solutions.
On behalf of our exceptional partners in this event – Brainworks and Second
Street – I would like to express our sincere appreciation for joining us in Vail.
Like the 24 that proceeded it, the focus of the 25th edition of The ROUNDTABLE
is on innovation, transformation and collaboration. As you see from the
agenda, we will address this theme as it applies to business models, digital
reengineering, revenue, data and culture. The ROUNDTABLE will be very unlike
the traditional conference as we will engage in case studies, roundtable
discussions, group breakouts and more. We expect you will depart not only
smarter – but with an incomparable network of peers and associates that will
prove a lifetime asset.

3. The Fundamentals
Travel – The Sonnenalp is located in the heart of Vail Village, approximately two hours due west on Interstate
70 from Denver International Airport. Colorado Mountain Express operates a van service that runs from DIA to
Vail every 1-2 hours. Alternatively, you can connect from DIA to the Eagle-Vail Airport, although keep in mind
that you will still be a good 25-30 minutes (and $100+ cab fare) from Vail Village.
Arrival – Upon arrival at the hotel, you are welcome to check in at the front desk to see if a room is available.
Check-in time is officially 4pm but the staff will do their best to accommodate you. Please note that the show
gets started at 3:30 on Wednesday.
Attire – The ROUNDTABLE is designed to be informal and interactive. We recommend insist that you avoid
business wear or attire other than comfortable, casual clothing. Shorts, t-shirts and sandals are encouraged.
You should know that the days are typically quite mild and warm while the nights cool off considerably.
Altitude – You will be at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Make sure you drink plenty of water prior to your arrival
and during your stay in Vail. The climate is very dry and the air is thin. Consume alcohol judiciously…at least to
start. There is probably a humidifier in your room. Our suggestion…use it, especially during the night.
Attitude – The casual, intimate atmosphere is designed to promote interaction among the participants. You
may take part in the discussions–or simply sit back and take it all in. Either way, we want your experience to be
both enlightening and enjoyable. Relax!

4. The Program
• Detailed session descriptions are available at
http://leapmediasolutions.com/the-roundtable/agenda/
• The ROUNDTABLE kicks off at 3:30pm Wednesday.
• The official start time on Thursday and Friday is 8am.
• All sessions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be held in the
Bavaria/Allgau meeting rooms on the lower level of the hotel.
• Following The ROUNDTABLE party at Bol Vail on Friday afternoon, we
encourage you to meet at the Red Lion in the heart of Vail Village around
8pm for music and socializing with your new BFF’s.

5. Case Study
The case study is a major focal point of The ROUNDTABLE. It is led by Dr. Paul
Wang of Northwestern University. If you’ve been here before, you know it is
quite an experience.
Please read the case study prior to your arrival in Vail. It is the only homework
you will have.
The link to the case study is:
AXEL SPRINGER IN 2016: FROM TRANSFORMATION TO ACCELERATION?
It will cost you $7.95 to download so please have a credit card available.

6. Presentations
With permission of the faculty members, the slide decks will be
made available for review.
Please join The ROUNDTABLE @ Vail LinkedIn Group to stay
apprised of any last minute developments – as well as
communications regarding the availability of the slide decks and
future ROUNDTABLE events.

7. Optional Pre-ROUNDTABLE Activities
Mexican Food & Margaritas: Tuesday, August 22 @ 7pm
– If you arrive early and want to join a small, casual group for dinner,
we’ll meet in the hotel lobby at 6:45pm for the short walk to Los
Amigos in the heart of Vail Village. To confirm, please email
tom.ratkovich@leapmediasolutions.com
Golf: Wednesday, August 23 @ 8:00am
– Tee times are booked at the Sonnenalp Golf Club. The cost is $135 per
person. Golfers will meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15 am for the short
drive to the Sonnenalp Golf Club. If interested, email Tom ASAP.
Hike: Wednesday, August 23 @ 10:00am
– Want to get the blood flowing while enjoying the magnificence of the
Rocky Mountains? Just meet in the hotel lobby at 10. No need to RSVP.

8. Chow
Your tuition includes the Wednesday reception, breakfast and
lunch on Thursday and Friday, and The ROUNDTABLE’s 25-year
anniversary party at Bol Vail on Friday at 3:30 pm.
All meals will be at Ludwig’s.
Following the wrap-up of the formal program at 3pm on Friday,
we invite all participants to make the five-minute walk to Bol Vail
to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of The ROUNDTABLE. There
will be food, drink and, yes, bowling.

9. Our Partners in The ROUNDTABLE
LEAP Media Solutions is pleased to present the 25th edition of The
ROUNDTABLE in partnership with Brainworks and Second Street. The
ROUNDTABLE is not a profit-making event. Without the participation of these
companies, this experience would not be possible.
We also work hard to make The ROUNDTABLE as “commercial-free” as
possible. That is, there will be no hyping, no promoting and no selling in the
context of the program. There is no trade show. We are grateful for the
opportunity to share this time with you and our primary goal is to deliver an
experience of immense value. That said, we want you to know who we are
and what we represent. Your hosts in The ROUNDTABLE are:

10. LEAP serves a client community of more than 100 local media
companies to consolidate disparate data assets into a
sophisticated environment for customer journey management
and optimization.
LEAP deploys this environment to engineer data-driven
processes designed to grow, activate, engage and monetize
audiences – building the volume and value of customers across
print and digital portfolios.

11. Brainworks solutions evolved from real world newspaper needs
and experience. Our passion has been, and continues to be, to
anticipate the industry’s challenges and create solutions to meet
them. It’s what we do. It’s all we do.
And because Brainworks has this unique insider perspective,
we’ve been singularly able to create a powerful collection of
21st-century tools the industry needs to face its great 21st-
century challenges…how to increase revenue, efficiency and
productivity.

12. Second Street is an audience engagement software platform
that is used by over 3,000 media companies and marketers. Our
partners use the platform to run promotions and interactive
content – such as personality quizzes, sweepstakes, photo
contests, and more – on their website to generate digital
revenue, grow their email database, and engage their audience.

13. And if you’ve made it this far…
Please respond that you received and read these materials and
we will have two beverage coupons for the Welcome Reception
waiting for you.
And as an added bonus, here is advanced notice of our annual
“Break-the-Ice” question that we will pose to each of you during
introductions on Thursday morning…
Who is the most famous person you have ever met?