7th Annual Southwest CEO Summit a Success
The 7th Annual Southwest CEO Summit, an exclusive invitation-only gathering of top level executives, was a tremendous success with executives from more than 130 of the leading private and public companies throughout the Southwest in attendance on Thursday, November 1st at The Phoenician. The Summit, which was sponsored by Columbia West Capital, Comerica Bank, Grant Thornton LLP, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management, Northwestern Mutual and Snell & Wilmer, is recognized as one of the premier business events in the Southwest.
Key presenters at the event included:
• Edward C. Prescott, the W. P. Carey Chaired Professor of Economics and the Director of the Center for the Advanced Study in Economic Efficiency at Arizona State University. Dr. Prescott is also a senior monetary adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2004. Dr. Prescott focused on the current economic state and upcoming changes to the economic environment of the United States.
• Daniel B. Donohoe, Senior Vice President and Director of Government Relations at Comerica Incorporated, focused on making politics work for one’s business.
• Robert K. Cooper, founder of Cooper Strategic LLC, is a neuroscience expert whose presentation focused on how to win in a changing world.
Previous business leaders who have presented include former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle; Michael Bidwill, President of the Arizona Cardinals, Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International Inc.; Lee Sachs, Former Counselor to the Secretary of the Department of the Treasury; and Terry Jones, Founder of Travelocity.com.
Attendees included top-level executives from:
• Arrowhead Health Centers
• Cavco Industries, Inc.
• CEA Global Education
• CSW Contractors, Inc.
• E.B. Lane
• EnviroMission Inc.
• Goodmans Interior Structures
• IT Partners
• Kitchell Corporation
• Macayo Mexican Restaurants, Inc.
• Mobile Mini, Inc.
• Z’Tejas, Inc.
“Thanks so much for the invitation to attend the Summit again this year. It was by far the best one I have attended. The speakers this year were amazing. Dr. Prescott did an amazing job, Dan Donohoe's topic could not have been any more relevant and Robert Cooper was incredibly inspiring. Truly a fantastic afternoon, and the cocktail reception was terrific too– as always,” said Todd Bresnahan, President of E.B. Lane.
“We are pleased that the Summit continues to attract the Southwest’s premier businesses in an environment that is conducive to networking amongst C-level executives. Our partners and sponsors have again delivered an outstanding event that sets the standard for quality. We sincerely look forward to next year’s event when the region’s business leaders gather at this unique event,” said David Barnett, Managing Director of Columbia West Capital.
