The NFCA Announces Its Three Keynote Speakers for the 
121^st Annual Meeting

05/30/07

OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is pleased to present the following keynote speakers at its 121^st Annual Meeting, September 6-8, 2007, at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Thursday, September 6—Todd Buchholz
Todd Buchholz “lights up economics with a wickedly sparkling wit,” says the Associated Press.  He recently jousted with James Carville and Ben Stein, and Successful Meetings Magazine named him one of the “21 Top Speakers for the Twenty-First Century.”  His editorials in the Wall Street Journal correctly forecasted the 2001 slowdown in the U.S., and the New York Times has turned to him to decipher terrorist threats and the job market.  “Witty, iconoclastic and engaging” says the Wall Street Journal of Buchholz, while his just-released book New Ideas From Dead CEOs has received rave reviews.  He entertains audiences, showing them how to thrive in a chaotic economy, while gearing up for prosperity. 

A former director of economic policy at the White House, a managing director of the $15 billion Tiger hedge fund, and an award-winning economics teacher at Harvard, Buchholz targets his entertaining remarks to the cutting edge of economics, finance and business strategy.  He has been a senior economic adviser to President Bush and is a frequent commentator on ABC News, PBS and CBS, and recently hosted his own special on CNBC.  Buchholz has debated such luminaries as Lester Thurow, Robert Reich and Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.  He is a Co-Founder of Enso Capital and the Managing Director of the Two Oceans Fund. 

In his opening keynote presentation, Lessons from the Past for Our Present and Future, Buchholz will pose such questions as:  Do you know why your fraternal benefit society became successful, or how it got where it is today?  What successes do you envision for its future? Where will your new members come from? 

Buchholz will explain how in order to maintain their fraternal difference, it is imperative for fraternals to find the relevance that made their society grow, and make sure their relevance is not only current, but is continuing to adapt to the ever-changing future.  He will make clear that in order to grow, societies must lead with their fraternal advantage and focus on their fraternal communities, creating opportunities for their members to come together for greater outreach, growth and success.

Buchholz will discuss core concepts and strategies that have broken old records, forced new paradigm shifts, or simply withstood the test of time, by providing a strong foundation with the ability to adapt readily in a changing world.

Friday, September 7—Jim Carroll
Jim Carroll, FCA, is a leading international futurist, and trends and innovation expert, with clients such as the BBC, Motorola, Verizon, Disney, KPMG, Towers Perrin, Waters Corporation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Carroll is known for effecting compelling change with lasting results.  His most recent book is: What I Learned From Frogs in Texas: Saving Your Skin with Forward Thinking Innovation.

In his session, Why Educate Yourself When You Know It All, Carroll will explain how rapid times require bold change and new levels of creativity and innovation within every fraternal benefit society.  

“The fact is,” says Carroll, “every organization should be able to develop innovation as a core virtue — if they aren't, they certainly won't survive the rapid rate of change that envelops us today.”

Carroll has studied the key strategies, methods and cultures that have permitted some organizations to achieve breakthrough innovations and absolutely compelling levels of creativity.  His extensive research has allowed him to identify and analyze the key trends that are impacting dozens of industries.  All his acquired expertise has led Carroll to believe that, “The world doesn't need many more folks with a Masters of Business Administration — it needs a lot more with a Masters in Business Imagination – MBIs!”

Carroll will illustrate that among the core aptitudes of an “MBI” is the ability to learn and unlearn.  “MBIs” know that we live in a world in which learning has become their job, and just-in-time knowledge has become the foundation for future success.  Carroll also will describe how MBIs don't make the dangerous assumption that what they know will carry them into tomorrow; they realize that the knowledge and skills that they will need to do their job in the future will require skills that are infinitely more complex. Rather than viewing this as a burden to be assumed, they view the opportunity to continually learn something new with passion and enthusiasm.

Saturday, September 8—Ira Blumenthal
Ira Blumenthal is the president of CO-OPPORTUNITIES, Inc, a consulting company that has counseled world-class clients such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, Kroger, McDonald's, Harrah's, American Airlines, Disney, United Artists, Marriott, Exxon, Wal-Mart and others in branding, strategic alliances, marketing, change management, re-invention and success.

Recognized as a visionary business development expert, Blumenthal has been quoted and featured in media sources such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN, BrandWeek, Entrepreneur Magazine, Executive Excellence, Marketing News and more.  He is passionate about educating business professionals, and uses purposeful humor, blended with real-life corporate “best practice” examples, to inform as well as inspire.

Call it business development synergies, joint ventures, partnering, or strategic alliances … there is truly strength in numbers!  In his keynote, Strategic Alliances and Business Partnerships – Creating Synergistic Relationships for Success, Blumenthal will educate and motivate fraternal benefit societies of all sizes on the importance, power and viability of alliances. 

Blumenthal will discuss how we are fast moving into “The Age of Collaboration,” where collaborative advantage leads to competitive advantage.  To obtain this advantage, an organization must embrace a new optimism.  Blumenthal will demonstrate how the value of compromise is found in efficiencies of procedure and financial return – both in cost savings, and realizing more from the dollars spent.  He also will show that these efficiencies can only be realized when the organization’s leaders leave their pride, egos and fears at the door.

Save the Dates
It’s never too early to start planning! Mark your calendars now for the 121^st NFCA Annual Meeting, being held September 6-8, 2007, at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

For further details and a “Schedule of Events," click here.

About the NFCA
The 121-year-old NFCA unites 76 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 10 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks.  Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities.  Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $324 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2005 alone, contributed almost $400 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered 93 million hours for community-service projects.  These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase:  Joining Hands to Touch Lives.