SIMA Leadership Forum
August 11-13, 2024
Grand Hyatt Hotel // Vail, ColoradoSchedule
Filter by day or see the full lineup.
Sunday, August 11
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Welcome Reception
Sponsored by: Caterpillar
Monday, August 12
7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Free Time
Monday, August 12
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Check-in
Monday, August 12
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch @ Grand Hyatt
Sponsored by: Weatherworks
Monday, August 12
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Discover Your True Pricing Power
Casey Brown
Do you price from fear or from confidence? Do you price to win business or do you price not to lose? Even with a perfect pricing strategy, margins still shrink in the face of out-of-control discounting and fear-based pricing. The biggest obstacle to pricing success isn’t competition, customers, insufficient business knowledge, lack of strategy, or lack of sophisticated cost and pricing analysis. It’s a set of self-limiting beliefs, habits, and behaviors that sabotage pricing success. In this fast-paced, engaging presentation, Casey will demystify the real causes of underpricing to launch you onto a path to improve pricing and dramatically increase profits.
Monday, August 12
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
My Life in the Snow Business
Steve Wheatcroft
Steve knows what it takes to start a landscaping and snow business from the ground up, grow it to a multi-million dollar company and ultimately reap the benefits of a career’s worth of blood, sweat, and tears. His powerful story will start in his youth when he built Urban Life Solutions (ULS) in Calgary, AB while a student at the University of Calgary. With multiple years of growth, ULS was acquired by private equity investors. Steve’s presentation will be full of life lessons on how to pursue your passion, both in business and your personal life.
Monday, August 12
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Cocktails & Casting Reception
Sponsored by: Pro-Tech
Monday, August 12
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Free Time/Dinner on Your Own
Tuesday, August 13
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Continental Breakfast @ Grand Hyatt
Tuesday, August 13
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
Key Lessons from the Linebacker
Karl Mecklenburg
During his 12 years as a linebacker for the Denver Broncos, Karl learned six key lessons in the crucible of NFL competition—Teamwork, Courage, Dedication, Honesty, Forgiveness and Goal-setting. Universal and unchanging, these key lessons will inspire and motivate you and your team to accomplish your goals.
Tuesday, August 13
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Ups and Downs
Drew Petersen
It’s easy to look at athletes and assume their lives are perfect. For Drew Petersen, he felt this was anything but. Petersen was struggling with his mental health behind the curtain. Drew will share ‘Ups and Downs’, which is a beautiful story about finding the light, healing in the mountains and how vocalizing his struggles ultimately saved his life.
Tuesday, August 13
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Unlocking the Vault: The Art of Building R.I.C.H. Relationships
John Ruhlin
Leaders attract crowds yet lack connection. We are often trapped playing whack-a-mole with urgent tasks instead of investing into important people. This tunnel vision keeps our most promising, most strategic, and most life-changing relationships from coming to fruition. Break free from the bottleneck of “if I only had more time.” John will equip you with the tools, tactics, and mindset needed to forge connections that drive success and enrich your life.
Tuesday, August 13
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch @ Grand Hyatt
Sponsored by: BOSS Snowplow
Tuesday, August 13
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Jeep/Camp Hale Excursion (or Free Time)
Participation commitment required at registration
Experience the magnificent Rocky Mountains during a customized, guided open-air Jeep or Side-By-Side tour. Enjoy the scenic terrain and expansive territory of the White River National Forest and Camp Hale to enhance your Vail experience.