6 Keynote Speakers

An inspiring story of organizational transformation, Mike Abrashoff took command of the worst-performing ship in the fleet and made it No. 1 by changing his leadership style and the culture ─ not the crew. When Mike Abrashoff took command of the USS Benfold, the ship’s performance ranked at rock-bottom. Worse ─ the crew didn’t feel safe should they be called into action. Determined to improve performance, but without the power to hire, fire or promote personnel, Abrashoff focused on what he could change: the ship’s culture. He broke from the traditional command-and-control leadership style and sought to see the ship from the eyes of his crew ─ creating a guiding set of principles he calls Grassroots Leadership. When crew members asked Abrashoff to solve a problem, his response became, “It’s your ship. What would you do?” The result was an empowered and engaged team that turned the ship into the Navy’s top performer. People at every level in business can relate to Abrashoff’s dilemma: being held accountable for results without having the ability to make the rules. Publications from Fast Company to the Harvard Business Review have heralded this remarkable story ─ and Abrashoff’s first book, It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, is a best seller with nearly 1 million copies in print.

Organizations perform at their best when people feel safe and confident about their ability to navigate troubled times. As Abrashoff shares the methods he used to create successful change within the confines of strict military regulations, you will come away with dozens of practical and actionable ideas to make a difference in your own organization.

Abrashoff addresses the challenges most on the minds of leaders in these challenging times: collaboration, commitment, cohesion, accountability, engagement, rapid and continual innovation and engaging employees. These crucial issues are the ones that successful leaders need to master. It's all about creating a high performance culture where everyone takes ownership and responsibility. Prepare to be inspired.

Dr. Patricia Gabow is nationally recognized for her work in increasing access to basic health care for all Coloradans, particularly those who are underserved, most of whom are women and children. As part of that effort, Patricia led the drive to convert Denver Health into an independent governmental authority.

Dr. Gabow joined Denver Health in 1973 as chief of the Renal Division. In that role and as director of medical services, Patricia became internationally known for her scientific work in polycystic kidney disease. Dr. Gabow is now CEO of Denver Health, a highly-regarded integrated healthcare system.

Patricia was awarded her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She received the AMA Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Public Servant, the National Healthcare Leadership Award and the David E. Rogers Award from AAMC. Dr. Gabow has also been given the Florence Rena Sabin Award for Medical Education and Public Health Advocacy and was elected to the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame for her commitment to Colorado's healthcare safety net. Patricia was named one of the Top 25 Women in Health Care by Modern Health Care Magazine in 2005.

Dr. Gabow is a member of the Commonwealth Commission for a High Performing Health System and a member of the federal Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). She is the author of over 150 publications and is a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

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Jason Jennings is one of the most successful and prolific business and leadership authors in the world. He is also founder of Jennings-McGlothlin & Company, a company whose legendary programming and sales strategies are credited with revolutionizing many parts of the broadcasting industry.

In total, Jennings and his teams have screened and studied more than 120,000 companies. And within weeks of releasing It's Not the Big That Eat the Small — It's the Fast That Eat the Slow, Jason’s landmark book was listed on the best seller lists of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the New York Times. Now published in 32 languages, USA Today named this book one of the top 25 books of the year.

Jason’s other books include his bestseller Less Is More, where he identified the world's ten most productive companies; Think BIG — Act Small, which profiled the only ten companies to have organically grown both revenues and profits by double digits every year for ten consecutive years; and Hit the Ground Running — A Manual for Leaders, which reveals the tactics and strategies of the ten CEOs who created the greatest amount of economic value between 2000 and 2009. His most recent book, The Reinventors, is on the New York Times bestsellers list and promises to reveal the secrets of leaders and organizations that have successfully reinvented and transformed themselves.

You won’t want to miss what Jason has to share.

Already a celebrated American, Mark Kelly became the center of international attention after the January 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, former U.S. congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. In their best-selling memoir, Gabby, the couple share their story of hope and resilience. Their story captivated the nation with appearances in an exclusive Diane Sawyer interview and on Nightline and The Daily Show, among others. Their story also appeared in People, USA Today and Esquire, which named Mark one of the magazine's 2011 Americans of the Year.

And Mark truly is remarkable. He’s an American astronaut, retired U.S. Navy captain, best-selling author and an experienced naval aviator who flew combat missions during the Gulf War. He’s also the winner of many awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Defense Superior Service Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Mark was selected to become an astronaut in 1996 and flew his first of four missions in 2001 aboard space shuttle Endeavour — the same space shuttle that he commanded on its final flight in May 2011. Mark also commanded space shuttle Discovery and is one of only two people to have visited the International Space Station on four different occasions.

Mark Kelly is an American hero who inspires others to be their best, while remaining true to their core values. He exemplifies leadership and the importance of teamwork and courage under pressure. His dedication to family and his wife’s road to recovery captivated the nation. For Mark Kelly, focus equals success — even in the face of adversity. He personifies the best of the American spirit, combining teamwork, leadership, communication and family in an unwavering commitment to succeed. Kelly will show you how having a focus on your mission at hand while maintaining your love and devotion to family will provide you with a foundation of true success.

Dan Ariens, great-grandson of Ariens Inc. founder Henry Ariens, joined the company in 1983 and became president and CEO in 1998. Since that time, Dan’s leadership has been defined by a set of five core values and 15 management principles that clearly outline management expectations. A strong proponent of lean manufacturing principles, Dan has created a culture of continuous improvement that has resulted in the creation of world-class manufacturing facilities by lean standards. As a result, he is frequently tapped as a mentor by organizations promoting lean leadership. Over his tenure, Dan has led several strategic acquisitions, creating a family of brands that represent several of the most respected names in the consumer and commercial equipment markets and the replacement parts and accessories segment of the industry. Dan plays leadership roles in the Wisconsin business community, serving on several boards of directors for both for-profit companies and non-profit economic development entities in the state, including holding a position on the executive committee of the Green Bay Packers’ board of directors. Dan is also an active participant in industry issues, having served on the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) board of directors since 2000, including two terms as board chairman.

Daniel Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about the changing world of work.

In his latest book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Dan uses 50 years of behavioral science to overturn the conventional wisdom about human motivation and offers a more effective path to high performance. Apparently this is of interest to a lot of people, because Drive is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Publishers Weekly bestseller. The book is also being translated into 32 languages.

Dan’s earlier book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, charts the rise of right-brain thinking in modern economies and describes the six abilities individuals and organizations must master in an outsourced, automated age. A Whole New Mind is a long-running New York Times bestseller and,has been translated into 24 languages.

His articles on business and technology appear in many publications, including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Wired and The Sunday Telegraph. Dan has provided analysis of business trends on CNN, CNBC, ABC, NPR and other networks in the U.S. and abroad. Dan also lectures to corporations, associations and universities around the world on economic transformation and the new workplace.

In 2011, Thinkers50 ranked Daniel Pink one of the 50 most influential business thinkers in the world.

He received a BA from Northwestern University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a JD from Yale Law School. He has also received honorary degrees from the Ringling College of Art and Design (2011) and Westfield State University (2010).

Dan lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their three children.