Forums bring top-notch professional development to business people, help with tuition available from Northland

The Anderson Center provides a unique resource to executives, owners, and managers of businesses and nonprofit organizations in Greater Minnesota. Intensive, targeted trainings utilize small peer group settings guided by discussion leaders from the professional community. Thought-provoking conversation, break out activities, challenging questions, and decision-making are based on the case study method for maximum interaction and impact.

"Nurturing and retaining leadership talent is a key to Greater Minnesota's economic vibrancy now and in the future." ~Rick BauerlyThe Northland Foundation has teamed with Anderson Center to offer tuition assistance to participants from northeastern Minnesota. Nonprofit leadership qualifies for a 20 percent discount.

First quarter 2011 course offerings are listed below. The Anderson Center's website has the full 2011 calendar.

• Leading Change Forum, January 10-12th, Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand Rapids. In this 2.5 day Forum, participants will learn how organizations transform themselves. The Forum is targeted toward leaders at a level responsible for managing the change process.

• Managers' Forum, February 6-11th, Gainey Conference Center, Owatonna. This five-day Forum offers the "Business Basics" to mid-to-upper level managers of larger organizations, or leaders of smaller organizations. Among topics covered are Leadership/    Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Operations, IT, and Management. Participants will receive a toolkit of key take-aways, formulas, philosophies, and more.

• Governance Forum, February 28th-March 2nd, Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand Rapids. The Governance Forum provides frameworks, tools, resources and action plans for Board design and development and for improving Governance efficiency and effectiveness. 

• Executive Forum, session 1: March 13-18th, Sugar Lake Lodge, Grand Rapids. This high-level program incorporates three sessions of one week each, held over an 18-month period. It is an intensive case and networking experience for individuals in senior leadership positions.

• Negotiation Forum, March 21-23rd, Anderson Center, St. Cloud.  This Forum is designed for senior and mid-level managers who use negotiating skills in their daily interactions. In addition to the Case Studies, role-playing is an active part of the learning process.

"Nurturing and retaining leadership talent is a key to Greater Minnesota's economic vibrancy now and in the future," stated Rick Bauerly of the Center's mission. Bauerly, Anderson Center board chair, is a managing partner at Granite Equity Partners which works with businesses around the state.

If someone from your Arrowhead Region organization may be interested in skill-building and high-impact peer learning, please contact the Northland Foundation to request a tuition assistance application form, or inquire with the Anderson Center for more information.