General Sessions

Opening General Session

Changing Lives with Commitment
featuring John Grogan
Wednesday, June 24
8:30 –10:30 a.m.

Adversity has a way of testing our resolve and outlook. Sometimes, when we tackle a tough challenge, we discover that the experience has changed us and those around us by strengthening our determination, commitment and patience. We find that the struggle we have faced has unexpectedly brought us closer to what matters most and that the journey along the way has touched us more deeply than we ever expected. The powerful lesson for all of us is that the best things in life rarely come easy, but are worth fighting for because they enrich our lives and remind us of what counts.

John Grogan was a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer when he wrote a poignant column saying goodbye to his incorrigible and aging 13-year-old Labrador Retriever Marley. Overwhelming reader response led him to write the story Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog, a book about what a misbehaving dog meant to his family. A touchstone for people worldwide, the book grew into a runaway #1 New York Times bestseller and then a movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. Hear Grogan’s engaging and inspirational conversation about loyalty, optimism and what truly gives life meaning.

Afternoon General Session

Changing Lives with Action
featuring David Bornstein
Wednesday, June 24
4:15 – 5:30 p.m.

Change is currency that when invested in improving lives can yield social profit exponentially. One person with the initiative and courage to try a new idea, along with the determination to seek out and connect with others, can advance changes that better lives and unleash the potential of thousands or even millions of people. At a time when social concerns are deepening, we must consider ways to develop new models to solve social and economic problems both within and outside the aging services field. Despite the steep challenges we face, we have the opportunity and the ability to make change and make a difference.

David Bornstein is a journalist and author who specializes in writing about social entrepreneurs. In his latest book How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, he relates the stories of people who have both changed their lives and found ways to change the world. He is currently at work on a book exploring the growth and implications of social entrepreneurship in the United States and Canada, and is developing a Web site that will serve as a tool for the discovery of solutions to major social problems. Hear David Bornstein share his energy, hope and pragmatic solutions for successfully extending the reach of social change.

Morning General Session

Changing Lives with Purpose
featuring John Kasich
Thursday, June 25
8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Each of us possesses talents and strengths that set us apart and offer the chance to make our mark on life around us. Whether it is to pursue or persuade, to volunteer or advocate, or to uplift or enrich the lives of others, we have the potential to actively contribute to better our communities, the country and the world at large. In doing so, we must consider our far-reaching possibilities and ask ourselves whether we are sharing our individual gifts to the fullest, both personally and professionally. If we are to sincerely embrace the mission of changing lives, then our charge is also to take every opportunity to leave each person and place better for having encountered us.

John Kasich is a best-selling author, former congressman and frequent contributor to FOX News who is known as an avid defender of values, integrity and the American spirit. Recognized by Newsweek as one of its significant “100 people for the 21st century,” he served nine terms as a congressman in Ohio and also ran for president in 1999. He now leads a nonprofit association, The New Century Project Issues Forum, and has written two New York Times bestsellers, Courage Is Contagious and the recent Stand for Something: The Battle for America’s Soul. Listen as John Kasich challenges us to be a part of something greater than ourselves to make a difference, no matter how small, in other peoples’ lives—and ultimately in our own.

Closing General Session

Changing Lives with Passion
featuring Bert Jacobs
Thursday, June 25
4:15 – 5:30 p.m.

A positive attitude can confront even the most difficult times. Today, we are bombarded with negative news—from bleak economic forecasts to declining real estate values to widespread natural disasters. We face discouraging realities that can impact our work and home life and push us toward pessimism. Yet, we must not underestimate the power of optimism and its potential to conquer hardship and improve circumstances. For us to thrive and lead, we must strive to see the positive and cherish life’s simple joys. Success is always within reach for those who recognize that while life is indeed hard, life is also undoubtedly good.

This is the message of Bert Jacobs, co-founder and Chief Executive Optimist of Life is good®. He and his brother, John, designed their first T-shirt in 1989 and for five years, hawked them in the streets of Boston and along the East Coast. Their luck and business changed dramatically when a simple catch phrase and grinning face captured the spirit of buyers around the globe. Today, Life is good® is a $100 million business. Its colorful collection of apparel and accessories is sold in nearly 5,000 retailers nationwide and in 29 countries, spreading a fresh outlook on life with a strong social mission. Listen as Jacobs talks with wit and passion about ways to improve and transform both your leadership and overall sense of mission and purpose as an organization.