2017 Symposium Sessions

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FCSI The Americas Symposium
February 7-8, 2017 • Orlando, Florida

TUESDAY

Opening Party
February 7, 2017
7:00-9:30 p.m.
SeaWorld Orlando

Join us for the opening party Tuesday night, February 7, from 7-9:30 pm at Sea World where you can enjoy food, drinks, and unlimited rides on Orlando’s tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster, Mako.

WEDNESDAY

Sessions
February 8, 2017
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Orange County Convention Center

OPENING KEYNOTE: FBI Negotiation Secrets for Breaking Bad Communication HabitsChrisVoss-HighRes
Presenter: Chris Voss, CEO, Author, Negotiation Expert

Good communication skills are critical in business and life. Join Chris Voss, former international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI and author of “Never Split The Difference”, as he shares counter-intuitive communication skills for success. You’ll learn why “Yes” is the last thing you want to hear and what makes “No” the path to agreement.

BREAKOUT: Communication Secrets of an FBI Hostage Negotiator
Presenter: Chris Voss, CEO, Author, Negotiation Expert

Stephen Covey, a Nobel Laureate and an FBI Hostage Negotiator walk into a bar….and what do you get?  “Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On it”. In this lively and informative session, Chris Voss will share some of the key ideas that are communication secrets (many of these are completely counter-intuitive) learned from his 24-year career as an FBI Agent and hostage negotiator. Chris will share with you how hostage negotiators get people to collaborate when all you have are your words to influence; and the consequences of the other side not collaborating are, well…. not good!  And, as a kicker, you still want them to be happy to “do business” with you when it’s all over!

BREAKOUT: AIA Contracts – Update and Overview
Presenters: Steve Carlson, FCSI, Dick Eisenbarth, FCSI, Scott Reitano, FCSI

How relevant are AIA contracts to you and your firm? This session will give you real life successes and failures on how to best use AIA contracts including insurance levels, the opportunity to change AIA contract language, and proposals vs. AIA contracts. Learn everything you want to know about AIA contracts and how they will effect your firm in the future.

BREAKOUT: Win More Work – the Proposal Process
Presenters: Kathleen Held and Susan Merrigan

Proposals are at the heart of our business. We cannot win work without a compelling sell to the client. However, it is essential to align your marketing strategy with potential pursuits to raise your hit rate and lower your marketing expenses.

This interactive workshop will cover:

  • Successful teaming strategies and structure options
  • Organizing for success
  • The Go/No Go Decision
  • Proposal planning process and work plan
  • Creating a memorable proposal
  • Overview of proposal elements and SF330 preparation
  • Oral presentations

Please join in this collaborative discussion by sharing tips and tricks you used to develop successful proposals.

BREAKOUT: Away with the Tray – a Makeover for Senior Living Foodservice
Presenter: Jaclyn Morgan

Both design and MAS consultants today are faced with challenges when assisting a senior living facility or corporation with new construction or remodeling.  Unlike the commercial foodservice arena, this facet of non-commercial healthcare foodservice has different, and often more stringent, regulations to face.  Additionally, the first Baby Boomers have entered assisted living and are demanding a dining experience that mirrors the finest the hospitality arena has to offer. This session will take a close look at the unique demands of designing and developing this type of foodservice facility.

BREAKOUT: Getting Higher Fees in an Ultra-Competitive Market
Presenter: Brad Wilson, CMA, PSMJ

In an ultra-competitive market it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and get paid the value you are worth. Discover ways in which design firms can differentiate themselves from the competition and demonstrate their worth to clients who might only be considering the cost of services.

BREAKOUT: Master the NAFEM Show Floor
Presenters: Eric Norman, FCSI, Brent Hall, FCSI, Jack Scott, Alto-Shaam

With 375,000 square feet and nearly 600 exhibitors, the NAFEM Show exhibit floor can be a bit intimidating.  Veteran show goers, Eric Norman, FCSI, Brent Hall, FCSI, and Jack Scott will share secrets for successfully navigating the Show floor as a first time attendee to best optimize your time and energy in order to help you gather relevant information for your business and make meaningful connections with exhibitors.

CLOSING KEYNOTE: Charting the Course Through Demographic Change
Presenter: Ken Gronbach, President, KGC Direct, LLC, Author

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Come explore the common sense, but very counter-intuitive and fascinating realm of demography. Let Ken Gronbach bring you into his world of counting people. Ken is a marketer who has immersed himself in nineteen years of proprietary demographic research. His understanding of worldwide demographics, fertility, migration, aging, immigration and dying have enabled him to forecast societal, political, economic, cultural and commercial phenomena with uncanny accuracy. What nations are demographically doomed? How will the workforces change? What is the future of communications? How will our children’s children get their education? Will big data change marketing and branding forever?  What is the fate of mass media? What countries and continents are demographically positioned to excel. Learn this and more from Ken Gronbach’s presentation. Don’t miss it!