Help feed your mind with the High Plains Journal Continental Plus Breakfast on Thursday, April 12 from 8:00 – 8:45 a.m. After breakfast, join us for the Opening General session where we will recognize outstanding NAMA leaders of this past year with the Leader Awards. In addition, we will be honoring Dale R. Ludwig, executive director/CEO of the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, with the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award. This award is NAMA’s highest honor and recognizes an outstanding leader in agribusiness, education, government service or other related fields.

Following the presentation of awards, we welcome the Wizard of Ads himself, Roy Williams founder of The Wizard Academy. Williams will teach you the 12 things not to do when developing your advertising campaign. A seasoned business consultant and gifted storyteller, Williams will provide you with the secret formula for success. Williams and his staff have been the unseen pivotal force in amazing come-from-behind victories in worlds of business, politics and finance. Our thanks goes out to American Business Media Agri-Council for sponsoring this session.

Come to the Second General Session from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. to honor Phil Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at Colle+McVoy, with the NAMA Marketer of the Year Award, sponsored by AgriMarketing Magazine. This award is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association, recognizing outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing directly to agricultural producers.

After honoring Johnson, join Scott Deming for The Brand Who Cried Wolf and learn the process of turning customers into loyal fanatics with every customer becoming a brand evangelist. This presentation will break all boundaries of the typical customer service or brand building processes. Special thanks to John Deere and Osborn & Barr for sponsoring this session.

Following a luncheon in the Connection Point from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m., senior marketing managers can join Scott Deming again for the Senior Management Workshop, Key Elements of Emotional Branding, sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection. Or, if you prefer, pick between four concurrent breakout sessions sponsored by FMC Corporation and Mosaic Company.

This Senior Management Workshop is a detailed, drilled-down extension of the Second General Session on how to create the ultimate customer experience. Learn solid, practical methods and processes to help separate your organization from your competitors. In 1983, Scott Deming started his own marketing and advertising company, RCI, Inc. which grew into a multi-million-dollar organization servicing fortune 500 companies and other corporations throughout the country. His clients successfully grew their businesses and beat the competition using “renegade” branding, sales, customer service and communication programs. You must be registered for the entire conference to participate in the workshop. To sign up for the Senior Management Workshop visit, http://www.nama.org/amc/seniorworkshop.html.

Breakout sessions for the afternoon include Optimizing The Client-Agency Relationship with Menno Ellis, partner of ABA Consulting. Check out Organics As A Marketing Strategy: The Growth of a Trend or see Lyle Orwig, CEO of Charleston Orwig lead a panel discussion on Marketing With Your Customers – Part A. Joining Orwig will be Julian Aldridge, Ammo Marketing; Dave Rhylander, Monsanto; and Stacy Norin, Elanco Animal Health. Ted Haller, AdFarm/Jordan Group and Roger Olson, Rural Lifestyle Media will host Rural Lifestyle Producers-Understanding Who They Are & Why They Buy.

Following a cake and ice cream break, sponsored by Millennium Research Inc. and Hoard’s Dairyman Magazine, join your peers for a second round of breakout sessions. The second half of the afternoon will kick-off with a panel discussion on Rural Lifestyle Marketing: Straight From the Horse’s Mouth led by Don Wick, Red River Farm Network. Jay Akridge and Joan Fulton from Purdue University will present Marketing With Your Customers – Measurements Part B. Join Jan Johnson, founder of Millennium Research, Inc., for a look at Agriculture 2020-What Will U.S. Agriculture be in 13 Years? Tom Slunecka, Executive Director of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and Jake Stewart, Vice President of Strategic Development at Organic Fuels will lead the breakout session on Bioenergy 101.

After a day of thinking big, relax and network with some Texas local brews and nachos at the Connection Point Closing and ABEF Silent Auction sponsored by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB).