2017 Keynote Speaker -
Dr. Alex Bruton
Rickert Visiting Entrepreneur Speaker
Alex Bruton (PEng, MBA, PhD) is an award-winning educator, several-time entrepreneur, researcher, and proud father. He is president of The Innographer (theinnographer.com/about), a practical open education and innovation design firm with the mission of “helping people (learn to) innovate”. He’s faculty director of the Spark School for Innovation by Design, Western Canada’s first innovation design school. And he is the co-founder of the Straight Up Business Institute, a pioneering new venture that delivers online education and gaming experiences that help people become more creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
He was a tenured associate professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Calgary's Mount Royal University where, during his seven years there, he led the faculty team that developed a new curriculum and minor in innovation and entrepreneurship, made the case for a new institute in that area, and raised the money to sustainably fund a director's position and budget. And he recently began a job as a tenured faculty member in engineering entrepreneurship at the University of Calgary in Canada.
Before first becoming a professor in 2007, Alex spent 11 years as an innovator and entrepreneur in various industries in Calgary and Toronto, Canada: he has been an engineer; an inventor; a product and project manager; the vice president and co-founder of start-up companies; a senior business consultant; a co-donor of scholarships for innovative university students; a member of boards and councils; and an invited speaker.
He was named the 2012 Entrepreneurial Educator in Canada (by the Canadian Youth Business Foundation), and in 2011 he was named one of his city’s Top 40 Under 40. Both of these awards were for his significant contributions to entrepreneurship education. He has been the winner of several other awards for his work enabling people to learn how to innovate, including the Top Workshop Award at the international USASBE conference in 2014 for a workshop helping educators encourage big ideas through idea modeling. Also at USASBE, he has been on the faculty teams that helped develop the certificate programs in Social Entrepreneurship and Technology Entrepreneurship and regularly delivers modules in those contexts.
He conducts research into topics related to innovation, ideation, idea modeling, deliberate opportunity design, and the scholarship of teaching and learning for innovation and entrepreneurship. He’s proud of being a regular “specialist facilitator” at the Experiential Classroom now held in Gainesville, FL every year, and has taught many hundreds of entrepreneurship teachers and faculty members in similar venues including a recent experience through the Center for Entrepreneurship in Moscow, Russia.
Alex loves teaching, public speaking and engaging an audience, and has presented to groups ranging in size from five to 500 people on over 60 occasions in six countries, his favorite being an invited talk during an innovation week at Google. Through the courses he teaches, he aims to create learning environments in which people can flourish. Through his workshops, he aims – simply – to inspire people into action by sharing incredible ideas. He looks forward to meeting you!
You can find more information about Alex and The Innographer at theinnographer.com/about.
He was a tenured associate professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Calgary's Mount Royal University where, during his seven years there, he led the faculty team that developed a new curriculum and minor in innovation and entrepreneurship, made the case for a new institute in that area, and raised the money to sustainably fund a director's position and budget. And he recently began a job as a tenured faculty member in engineering entrepreneurship at the University of Calgary in Canada.
Before first becoming a professor in 2007, Alex spent 11 years as an innovator and entrepreneur in various industries in Calgary and Toronto, Canada: he has been an engineer; an inventor; a product and project manager; the vice president and co-founder of start-up companies; a senior business consultant; a co-donor of scholarships for innovative university students; a member of boards and councils; and an invited speaker.
He was named the 2012 Entrepreneurial Educator in Canada (by the Canadian Youth Business Foundation), and in 2011 he was named one of his city’s Top 40 Under 40. Both of these awards were for his significant contributions to entrepreneurship education. He has been the winner of several other awards for his work enabling people to learn how to innovate, including the Top Workshop Award at the international USASBE conference in 2014 for a workshop helping educators encourage big ideas through idea modeling. Also at USASBE, he has been on the faculty teams that helped develop the certificate programs in Social Entrepreneurship and Technology Entrepreneurship and regularly delivers modules in those contexts.
He conducts research into topics related to innovation, ideation, idea modeling, deliberate opportunity design, and the scholarship of teaching and learning for innovation and entrepreneurship. He’s proud of being a regular “specialist facilitator” at the Experiential Classroom now held in Gainesville, FL every year, and has taught many hundreds of entrepreneurship teachers and faculty members in similar venues including a recent experience through the Center for Entrepreneurship in Moscow, Russia.
Alex loves teaching, public speaking and engaging an audience, and has presented to groups ranging in size from five to 500 people on over 60 occasions in six countries, his favorite being an invited talk during an innovation week at Google. Through the courses he teaches, he aims to create learning environments in which people can flourish. Through his workshops, he aims – simply – to inspire people into action by sharing incredible ideas. He looks forward to meeting you!
You can find more information about Alex and The Innographer at theinnographer.com/about.
Tina Beal
Storyteller. Forgiver. Creator. Wildly Passionate. Fearlessly in Love with Life. Always a Work in Progress. Entrepreneur. Coach. Joykick. Mother of Boys. Coffee Drinker.
Full-time at Chatterkick, filling the role of Director of Client Communications & Social Strategist. Business Partner in Your Uptown Closet. Conversationalist & Confidence Cultivator at TinaBeal.com. Team Leader and Distributor at #EmpireHustle
Full-time at Chatterkick, filling the role of Director of Client Communications & Social Strategist. Business Partner in Your Uptown Closet. Conversationalist & Confidence Cultivator at TinaBeal.com. Team Leader and Distributor at #EmpireHustle
Addie Graham-Kramer
After having planned events for 14 years in the corporate world and non-profit sector, Addie Graham-Kramer took a leap of faith and launched her own business, The Event Company, in October 2013. Addie has held senior leadership roles in marketing and public relations at not only the state’s largest media company but also the world’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization.
The Event Company is an event design and production company that specializes in corporate, non-profit and social events. She and her team ensure that all details are perfected from the logistics of the event to contract negotiations, promotion, securing media interviews and the day-of set-up. Whether you are planning an intimate gathering or the social event of the season, The Event Company creates an unforgettable experience their clients and their guests.
As the President of The Event Company, Addie is passionate about encouraging other females to embrace empowerment and to follow their dreams, just as she has done. She is one of the organizers of Sioux Falls 1 Million Cups and is the current out-going president of Sioux Falls Business & Professional Women.
Addie is married to Drew and has two little boys – William (7 years old) and Calvin (4 years old). When she’s not building dreams through events, she stays busy being a mommy, kickboxing and writing.
The Event Company is an event design and production company that specializes in corporate, non-profit and social events. She and her team ensure that all details are perfected from the logistics of the event to contract negotiations, promotion, securing media interviews and the day-of set-up. Whether you are planning an intimate gathering or the social event of the season, The Event Company creates an unforgettable experience their clients and their guests.
As the President of The Event Company, Addie is passionate about encouraging other females to embrace empowerment and to follow their dreams, just as she has done. She is one of the organizers of Sioux Falls 1 Million Cups and is the current out-going president of Sioux Falls Business & Professional Women.
Addie is married to Drew and has two little boys – William (7 years old) and Calvin (4 years old). When she’s not building dreams through events, she stays busy being a mommy, kickboxing and writing.
Kirsten Gjesdal
Kirsten Gjesdal is a Sioux Falls native, SDSU graduate, and small business owner in Brookings. After graduating with a degree in hospitality management, Kirsten worked as a sales and event manager for a catering company until the yearning to build a business grew too strong to ignore. By combining her work experience, a love for food, and the desire to positively impact her community, Kirsten opened The Carrot Seed Kitchen Co. in June 2015 in Downtown Brookings. They aim to be the go-to source for kitchenware products in the area, while also offering gifts, cooking classes, gourmet specialty food, and a friendly, inviting atmosphere. The Carrot Seed was recently named the 2016 Doris Roden Downtown Business of the Year. Kirsten also serves as an at-large board member for the Brookings Farmers Market.
Jordan Miller
Starting at a young age, Jordan Miller developed a driving passion for both hunting and sports. He spent his youth outside or in the gym – hunting and fishing, or lifting weights and working on his jump shot. His dedication to his physical fitness paid off in the form of accolades, medals, and a collegiate scholarship to play basketball; but most importantly, it resulted in a life-long commitment to physical fitness and healthy living.
Jordan chose to take his infectious personality and passion for physical fitness and use them to establish a career in personal training. After receiving a Bachelors degree in Sports Exercise & Wellness from Dakota Wesleyan University in 2011, Jordan began training in Sioux Falls, SD. Managing and training over 40 clients per week, Jordan is a sought-after trainer because of his blend of physical training exercises and proper nutrition guidelines. Combining support and constant positive motivation, he is transforming the lives of his clients. Despite his rigorous schedule, his competitive spirit remains. Jordan not only trains champion fitness competitors and models, he manages two health clubs and is a Husband and Father of two. His drive to stay fit continues to help him in the pursuit of one of his first and most passionate hobbies – hunting. Jordan's team completes with his brother and field producer Matthew Miller and other co-hosts Matt McCranie, Austin Kjergaard and Justin Medina.
Jordan chose to take his infectious personality and passion for physical fitness and use them to establish a career in personal training. After receiving a Bachelors degree in Sports Exercise & Wellness from Dakota Wesleyan University in 2011, Jordan began training in Sioux Falls, SD. Managing and training over 40 clients per week, Jordan is a sought-after trainer because of his blend of physical training exercises and proper nutrition guidelines. Combining support and constant positive motivation, he is transforming the lives of his clients. Despite his rigorous schedule, his competitive spirit remains. Jordan not only trains champion fitness competitors and models, he manages two health clubs and is a Husband and Father of two. His drive to stay fit continues to help him in the pursuit of one of his first and most passionate hobbies – hunting. Jordan's team completes with his brother and field producer Matthew Miller and other co-hosts Matt McCranie, Austin Kjergaard and Justin Medina.
Clint Brown is a Sioux Falls-based entrepreneur. He is current projects include The Bakery, the largest collaboration and coworking space in the Great Plains, and Alluvio, a business process consulting firm. Clint started his entrepreneur journey officially in 2003 opening a video production studio with his brother. While Clint does not consider himself to be in tech, the tech world has gripped his attention since his first programming class in 1987. Clint lives with his wife and four kids in Sioux Falls.
