Industry Vets, Emerging Leaders Gather at Leadership Summit
A total of 125 CEOs/Senior Executives, Young Executives and Emerging Leaders recently convened at TRSA’s inaugural Leadership Summit in Chicago. Conference attendees received information designed to help them boost their business operations as well as advance in their careers.
The June 13 summit kicked off with a morning presentation by Josh Linkner, a tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and New York Times best-selling author. Linkner’s keynote address, titled “Harnessing Innovation: Turning Raw Ideas into Powerful Results,” featured several tips for increasing your company’s creativity and using it to drive results. During his hour-long address, Linkner used video clips to highlight companies that have successfully implemented innovative ideas.
The event also featured a panel discussion titled “Rising through the Ranks: What it Takes” with five high-level executives in the linen, uniform and facility services industry. Panelists included Scott Farmer, chairman and CEO, Cintas Corp.; Jim Kearns, CFO, Alsco Inc.; Juha Laurio, president & CEO, Lindstrom Group; Steven Sintros, president & CEO, UniFirst Corp.; and Tom Watts, president, Prudential Overall Supply. The discussion was moderated by TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci. Each individual shared their experience in the industry and how they advanced to their current role. Additionally, the panelists held a lively question-and-answer session with audience members.
The rest of the day was spent in peer-level tracks grouped in the following career arcs: CEOs/Executives, Young Executives and Emerging Leaders. The following topics and others were discussed in these breakout sessions:
- Securing Capital to Grow and Innovate
- Developing Your Leadership Skills for Future Success
- Workshop: Communicating a Difficult Message through Times of Conflict
TRSA would like to thank its event partner, Kannegiesser ETECH, as well as Ecolab, Ellis Corp. and Tingue, who also sponsored events at the Summit.