Now in its 20th year, the Washington County What’s Up Down South Economic Summit has chosen the theme of “Think and Grow” for this year’s event. Author Paul Gustavson and tech entrepreneur Peter Horan head the list of keynote speakers for the 2016 What’s Up Down South Economic Summit set for Thursday, Jan. 14, at the St. George Dixie Convention Center. The 20-year-old event has a solid history of growth itself, annually attracting up to 1,000 participants, many who come from outside the Washington County area.
Promoting the theme of “Think and Grow” will be Paul Gustavson, author of “A Team of Leaders,” “Running Into the Wind,” and “The Power of Living by Design.” As a consultant, author, board member, adviser, and speaker on developing “teams of leaders” within organizations, Paul will present ways to help create great places for people to work. His book “Running into the Wind,” which he co-authored with Alyson Von Feldt in 2012, is about his work with Bronco Mendenhall and the BYU football program and features his “Five Smooth Stones” approach to building high-performance teams and organizations.
Peter C. Horan is an entrepreneur and digital media investor with a history of building successful media, commerce, and ad technology businesses. He has played a role in five major revolutions in media and technology, including home video games, personal computers, cell phones, Windows computing, and the Internet. As a CEO and independent director, he has been part of eight profitable exits in the last ten years totaling almost $1.8 billion in value. You won’t want to miss “Ridiculous Dreams, Obsessive Execution: What Southern Utah Can Learn from Silicon Valley.”
According to Jana Carter, director of the What’s Up Down South Economic Summit, this year’s event will be notable in several ways.
“New this year by popular request will be the addition of a third breakout session packed with valuable information,” Carter explained. “Also new this year, displays will be placed throughout the event for the attendees to find out what is happening in our community.”
A video highlight of the most compelling companies and projects in the next 18 months is being produced and will be unveiled. This presentation will begin with an update of the local workforce and demographics by Department of Workforce Services economist Lecia Langston.
Extended networking opportunities from last year received positive feedback, so the 2016 What’s Up Down South Economic Summit will feature a networking power half-hour right after lunch in the Garden Room.
New breakout sessions are planned that will cover subjects that include marketing, business development, entrepreneurship, technology, health care, and more.
Breakout sessions back by popular demand will include Commercial and Residential Real Estate Previews, the Soltis Financial Forecast, and Small Business Success.
Stick around for the third breakout session after the networking power half-hour to find out what’s happening with water, tourism, tech, and medicine, and learn how to get things done in your organization.
The What’s Up Down South Economic Summit includes two full meals, three premier ballroom sessions, and three breakout sessions at $95 per person for pre-registration from Dec. 1 to Jan. 13. The price at the door will be $150 per person if the event is not sold out. For the full What’s Up Down South Economic Summit 2016 schedule and online registration, go to whatsupdownsouth.com.
