Keynote Addresses
Plenary sessions featured keynote speakers who shared their expertise with conference attendees.
Maxine Clark, founder and chief executive bear of Build-a-Bear Workshop, told her story of creating an international corporation with 200 stores in 10 countries. She brought along Fred Bird the Cardinal, an example of her company’s products, and generously donated him to NBIA’s silent auction.
Fred Pryor, founder of Fred Pryor Seminars, explained some of the lessons he has learned as a pioneer in the professional development industry. After his address, he stuck around to interact with attendees.
Lesa Mitchell, vice president of advancing innovation for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, shared insights on how to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in which entrepreneurs, incubators, universities and other networks work together to enable new business growth. Unfortunately, the conference photographer had to leave before this address, so we do not have pictures of Lesa in action.