Tuesday, October 18

Opening Remarks

Settle in for an afternoon of stimulating content and conversation as we introduce our agenda and review objectives for our annual retreat. Learn about our friendly competition for the next two days.

Speaker:  Gordie Spater, CEO, Katahdin Group

Introductions: The power of the network is real. Given the increased number of new members in the network this last year, we’ll go around the room to hear each of you as you introduce yourself. Give us your name, your company, and the first concert you attended. Don’t forget to message three CEOs in the App you would like to connect with on the boat.

Facilitator: Erin Mullen, Managing Partner, Katahdin Group

CEO Priorities: The CEO role has 5 clear jobs. 1. Set direction. 2. Build a great leadership team. 3. Allocate resources 4. Adjust to market shifts 5. Create and enable a fantastic culture. What order are these in for you today?

Panelists:

Marty Daley, CEO, Marco Rubber & Plastics
Peter Bransfield, CEO, RYPOS
Chris Hobson, CEO, Rare Beauty Brands
John Belizaire, CEO, Soluna
Stu Benton, CEO, Bradford Soaps

Facilitator:  Mark Hatton, Katahdin Group  

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Creating an Inspiring Culture in 2022 and Beyond: Let’s break down the current cultural challenges of remote work, changing demographics, and changing expectations of work to determine a few things we can do to create a great culture that employees want to be a part of. What is working for us?

Panelists:

Chris Pisapia, CEO, Verndale
Andrew Graff, CEO, Allen & Gerritson
Vicki Evans, CFO, W.F. Young
Brian McKean, VP of Sales, Lexia Learning
Dave MacKeen, CEO, Eliassen Group

Different Stages. M&A & Exits: Always one of our most popular topics, this year we would like to split it into two tracks depending on your perspective…basically seller or buyer.  Please self-select the track most relevant to you today.

Track 1 is for preparing for your next exit – likely owner/founders/hired guns

Track 2 is for those acquiring and integrating businesses. We will discuss current M&A/ valuation trends and share some recent experiences.

Track 1 Facilitator:  Mark Goldstein, Katahdin Group

Track 2 Facilitator:  Mark Hatton, Katahdin Group

Electrification of the Economy: Members working in various aspects of electrifying the economy will share the insights and trends they see developing in real-time.

Panelists:

John Belizaire, CEO, Soluna
Juan Macias, CEO, AlphaStruxure
Michael Shirley, CEO, Associated Environmental Systems
Frank Ricciardi, CEO, Weston & Sampson
Motaz Khader, Director of Global Business Development, Allegro MicroSystems

Facilitator:  Vic Odryna, Katahdin Group    

Managing a Polarized Workforce: The current environment has forced leaders to deal with sensitive topics at work.  What proactive steps can you take to build your culture and keep the team focused on reaching your company goals?

Panelists:

Joel Sitak, CEO, Good Egg/Foley Services
Jaime McKinley, CEO, W.F. Young
Chad Sumner, CEO, SumCo Eco-Contracting
Benj Cohen, CEO, Proton AI
Paul Morville, CEO, Parrot AI
Brian Lavelle, CEO, Harvey Performance Company

Facilitator:  Brian O’Donnell, Katahdin Group

Summary/Check Out: End the day with a quick check out on the retreat: Insights gained, action items to implement, and whom to connect with in the network, on the boat.

Facilitator:  Roger Keene, Katahdin Group

Dinner Cruise with Your Peers: Join us for a nautical journey as we sightsee Boston at sunset and enjoy dinner and drinks on Boston’s classic yacht, Northern Lights, inspired by the New England commuter yachts of the roaring 20s.                

Wednesday, October 19

Meditation and Movement Practice  

Most health issues are caused by stress, and as CEOs, you are familiar with stressful situations. Through meditation and gentle movement with breath, you can counter stress and calm the nervous system. In this gentle morning practice, Amy will lead you through some qigong (chee gong) movement meditation. This is a slow practice that can be done in your retreat clothing.                          

Speaker:  Amy Black, Marketing Director, Katahdin Group & Mindfulness Teacher

Opening Remarks
Slept on thoughts? We’ll go through our objectives for the day and offer time to reflect on your most exciting connection and what you learned so far.  Who is still on your list to connect with (send them a message now)?

Speaker: Gordie Spater, CEO, Katahdin Group

Transitioning Yesterday’s Stars to New Roles: How to identify the stars of yesterday who are no longer able to get your company to the next level and then transition them to new roles or out of the company…all with respect.

Panelists:

Dave MacKeen, CEO, Eliassen Group
Brian Lavelle, CEO, Harvey Performance Company
Marty Daley, CEO, Marco Rubber & Plastics
Jason Maxwell, CEO, MP

Facilitator:  Brian O’Donnell, Katahdin Group

Managing a Board of Directors: Examples of a few train wrecks and best practices for managing a board of directors:

Panelists:

Clement Cazalot, CEO, Machinery Partners
Chris Weiler, CEO, Weiler Abrasives
Marty Daley, CEO, Marco Rubber & Plastics
James Cabot, CEO, Southworth International

Facilitator:  David Cohen, Katahdin Group

DISRUPTION: How do you build the capacity to deal with inflation, supply chain, labor, disease….and whatever comes next?

Panelists:

Steve Scott, CEO, Retirement Solutions Group
Stu Benton, CEO, Bradford Soaps
Jeff Saunders, CEO, Coppermine Bakeries
Caryl Capeci, former CEO, Hearts on Fire/CTFNA
Chuck Cohen, Managing Director, Benco Dental

Facilitator:  Steve Munroe, Katahdin Group  

CEO & Key Executives of the Year Awards

Summary and Check Out: Insights gained, action items to implement, and whom to connect with in the network following the retreat. We will also collect your feedback on how we can continue to make our Annual CEO Retreat the best investment of your time. We are all ears.

Facilitator:  Gordie Spater, Katahdin Group