Speakers
Session Title
Build to Share - Why giving is the Universe's winning move
Session Description
Some of the greatest professional opportunities begin when people stop focusing exclusively on what they can gain and start considering what they can contribute. This session will explore sharing as a universal strategy for building trust, strengthening relationships, expanding influence, and creating opportunities for mutual success. Students will learn how generously sharing knowledge, connections, resources, and credit can distinguish them as colleagues and leaders while producing meaningful benefits for their teams, organizations, and communities.
Bio
George Brunt is principal consultant and founder of Business Legal Management LLC, which operates in the legal management field. He was previously executive vice president of Prosper Corporation. He left Greenburg and Traurig to join Prosper as chief legal officer. He previously served as senior vice president and general counsel of Alcatel Americas, DSC Communications Corporation, Citicorp Business Systems, and ITT Information Systems. He wrote the book Integrity, The Key to Capacity with BYU Marriott faculty member W. Steve Albrecht. George earned his bachelor’s degree from BYU and his JD from Pepperdine University. George and his wife, Leslie, are serving as directors of the Oakland Temple Visitor's Center from January 2022 to January 2024.
Session Title
A New Playbook: Riding the AI Wave to Career Success
Session Description
Using a gospel-centered approach informed by church leaders such as Elder Gerrit Gong, Elder David Bednar, and Brother Kim Clark, we will discuss how embracing the appropriate use of AI during one’s BYU education can be a springboard to a successful business career in companies where AI is heavily used to influence strategy and structure. I’ll draw upon my past experience as a senior finance officer with Walmart, director of the Business Career Center at BYU Marriott, and my current faculty role supporting Ensign College and BYU-Pathway.
Bio
Sam Dunn joined the business faculty at Ensign College in August 2024 after serving five years as Assistant Dean and Director of the Business Career Center at the BYU Marriott School of Business. He also serves as a Senior Advisor with Boston Mountain Money Management, which he joined in 2016 following a 28-year career with Walmart.
At Walmart, Sam held numerous senior finance and leadership roles, including CFO of Sam’s Club and Walmart.com, Divisional Controller for Walmart U.S., and senior administrative leadership positions in Japan and Mexico.
Sam is a CPA, Chartered Global Management Accountant, and Investment Advisor Representative. He has been a member of the BYU Marriott National Advisory Council for 20 years and currently serves on the BYU President’s Leadership Council and the Ensign College President’s Advisory Council on Education.
Session Title
How Did I End up Here? From Middle Market Transportation Lender to Premier League Football Club Owner
Session Description
Good luck, bad luck, and a few critical decisions can shape the course of your entire career. I’ll share the story of how I made it to the top of the global football pyramid, including the pivotal moments, choices, and opportunities that shaped my journey along the way.
Bio
Morgan Edwards is an investor and finance executive with extensive experience across investment banking, fintech, professional sports management and data center development. Along with three partners, he acquired Burnley Football Club in the English Premier League in 2020 and RCD Espanyol in La Liga in 2025. Over the past ten years, he has served as an investor, CFO, and Head of Capital Markets for several fintech companies, acquired several European Football clubs and engaged in more than 6 GW of powered land/data center development.
Earlier in his career, Morgan spent 25 years in leveraged finance at Morgan Stanley and Macquarie Capital, raising more than $200 Billion across hundreds of private equity transactions.
Morgan earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA with highest distinction from Brigham Young University. He and his wife, Jennifer, have five children and eleven grandchildren.
Session Title
Ambition Is Expensive: What Wall Street Teaches About Success—and What It Gets Wrong
Session Description
What twenty years on Wall Street taught him about ambition, sacrifice, deciding what matters, and building a life you actually want—even when it looks nothing like the one you planned. As CFO of one of the world’s preeminent investment banking and asset management firms, Tracy Farr will share lessons from a high-intensity career in New York City, what happens when decisions involve billions of dollars, and what he’s learned in boardrooms around the world about success, leadership, and the choices that matter most.
Bio
Tracy Farr joined Lazard in 2013 and has held several senior leadership roles across the firm, including working closely with executive management as a senior member of the corporate development and strategy team. Most recently, he served as a managing director in Lazard’s capital structure advisory group. In this capacity, he designed deal structures and developed financing solutions while advising on some of the firm’s most notable and complex M&A transactions. He also led Lazard’s separations practice and served on both the valuation and fairness opinion committees. His work has spanned industries and geographies, encompassing large public‑company mandates as well as founder‑led private clients. Before joining Lazard, Tracy held roles in consulting, forensic accounting, and internal audit, providing a broad and rigorous financial foundation. He was previously a CPA and consultant at EY, and earlier served as a researcher at the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Tracy earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in accountancy from the Marriott School. Tracy and Hanna have three daughters.
Session Title
The Decisions That Matter More Than Talentless
Session Description
Why your first job matters less than the habits you develop. Explore the importance of saying yes to difficult assignments, how reputation compounds faster than intelligence, and why every promotion comes from becoming the person people trust. Hear about the mistakes that changed my career and the lessons they taught me along the way.
Bio
Javier Gandara is a managing director in the global banking and markets division at Goldman Sachs where he focuses on private credit and private equity structured credit financings. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Javier worked in the distressed credit trading desk at Credit Suisse in New York. Before that he worked in the corporate and investment banking division at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Latin America. Javier earned his bachelor of arts degree in finance, with honors, from Tecnologico de Monterrey and his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He served his mission in the Fort Lauderdale Florida mission.
Session Title
Managing Two Careers, Family and a 2 Hour Commute
Session Description
Balancing career, family, and personal responsibilities can be challenging. This session explores the realities of managing multiple priorities while pursuing professional and personal goals. Gain practical insights on navigating competing demands, making intentional choices, and finding balance throughout different stages of life and career.
Bio
Stephanie Gaufin is currently the managing director of the private equity firm American Pacific Group (APG). Prior to APG, she was a principal at KKR on its healthcare team. Before KKR, she was a vice president at Mainsail Partners on its growth technology team. She also worked at Meta, Altamont Capital Partners, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs before completing business school. Stephanie earned her bachelor's degree in finance from BYU where she was a Hinckley Scholar and earned her MBA from Stanford University where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, travel, and ski. Stephanie and her husband, James Kissell (also a NAC member), live with their two children in San Francisco.
Session Title
Building Trusted Relationships
Session Description
In the age of AI, the ability to build authentic human connections has become one of the most important leadership skills. This session explores the neuroscience and practical techniques at the founding of creating meaningful relationships that foster stronger collaboration, greater trust, and better business outcomes. Through evidence-based frameworks and interactive exercises, participants will learn how to build trust, ask more insightful questions, and develop deeper listening skills that uncover the needs and motivations of clients and customers, colleagues, and stakeholders. Attendees will leave with practical techniques they can immediately apply to strengthen relationships, enhance their influence, and create more impactful conversations.
Bio
Ron currently serves as the global client managing partner for one of the firm’s priority technology clients. He is a senior partner of PwC with 34 years of experience in serving clients at the intersection of strategy, people, process, and technology. He has served clients operating in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Ron served as the US Partner Talent Development and Succession Leader, responsible for leadership and executive development, talent management, and succession planning for the US partner/owners of PwC. He is a certified executive leadership coach and former Trustee, Executive Officer, and Board Secretary of PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Ron has lived in Los Angeles, Denver, and Dallas, and now currently resides in Utah with his wife of 35 years. They are the parents of eight children and the grandparents of ten.
Session Title
A Glimpse into the Life of a CEO as a Leader and Community Builder
Session Description
Hear how the CEO of a multi-billion dollar privately-held, family-owned construction conglomerate uses the mission of the company to create meaningful success. The mission of Building a Better Community is central to Clyde Companies, Inc and is behind everything the company does. This session will provide an inside look into how the CEO defines leadership and success in the business and community.
Bio
Jeremy Hafen is the President and CEO of Clyde Companies, Inc., a multi-billion-dollar construction materials and services company based in Utah and operating in the Intermountain West & Great Plains regions. Prior to his move to Clyde Companies in April of 2019, he served as President of Suncore (formerly known as Sunroc), a wholly owned subsidiary of Clyde Companies. Before that, he served as President of Sunroc Building Materials (now known as Sunpro), a sister company to Suncore. In his seven plus years as president, Sunroc Building Materials more than doubled its revenue and became a top performing subsidiary of Clyde Companies, Inc. He began his career with Clyde Companies in the fall of 2004 as a Business Development Manager and worked his way up to Vice President of Administration at Clyde Companies, Inc.
Prior to Clyde Companies, Jeremy spent several years with Deloitte in Dallas, Texas as a Senior Tax Consultant. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master of Accountancy degree in tax accompanied by a Minor in Information Systems Management. He also holds an emeritus CPA license in the State of Utah.
Jeremy previously served as Chair of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the MTECH Board of Trustees and as a director of the UVU Board of Trustees. He is currently a director of the Salt Lake City Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, as well as the Utah Board of Higher Education and the Board of the Worker’s Compensation Fund. He is a member of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute Advisory Board and the BYU Marriott National Advisory Council. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Clyde Companies, Inc.
Most of his personal time is spent with his wife and seven children.
Session Title
Wealth Through Wisdom: Personal Financial Fundamentals for the Real World
Session Description
Building real financial wealth isn't just about spreadsheets and stock picks — it's about character. In this session, we'll explore several timeless principles for building a life of financial stewardship and lasting wealth. Drawing on practical financial strategies, real life examples and deeper principles of purposeful living, this session will equip students with a framework for making sound financial decisions — not just for building wealth, but for building a life of integrity and stewardship.
Bio
Darren is a Partner and Head of US Wealth Advisory at CORIENT, the world's largest independent wealth management firm serving ultra-high net worth private clients. He is responsible for managing the firm’s advisors in the United States, overseeing strategic initiatives, attracting and retaining new clients and helping to ensure clients receive the best possible advice. Previously, Darren was the co-founder of an acquired wealth management firm that ultimately joined Corient. Before co-founding his firm, Darren was a Senior Vice President in the Private Banking & Investment Group at Merrill Lynch and a Vice President at Goldman Sachs & Co. in the Private Wealth Management Division. Darren is actively involved in the community including the current Vice Chair of the National Advisory Council of the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. In his spare time, Darren enjoys surfing, golfing, cycling, traveling and spending time with his family. Darren holds an MBA in finance from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in English from Brigham Young University.
Session Title
5 H's on the Age of AI
Session Description
How important are character virtues in the age of agentic AI, which seems to have the potential to “take over” certain portions of our work? We will discuss five virtues which can help distinguish you as a leader in the workplace – no matter what’s going on with AI.
Bio
Mitch Hill serves as an independent member of the board of CVRx, Inc. and Route 92 Medical, Inc. He also serves as a director of The Glaucoma Foundation, a not-for-profit entity.
Mr. Hill retired as the Chief Financial Officer of Inari Medical, Inc. in October 2024, a position he had held since March 2019. Previously, Mr. Hill served as Chief Financial Officer at a number of companies, including Flow Lighting, Inc., Alphaeon, Inc., Cameron Health, Inc., Visiogen Inc., Insight Health Services Holdings Corp., BMS Reimbursement Management, Buy.com, Inc., Walt Disney Imagineering, and Disney Development Co. Mr. Hill received his B.S. in Business Accounting from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Session Title
How to get an international job
Session Description
Explore four different paths to an international career: the Green Beret, the Trusted Employee, the Frequent Flyer, and the Home Country Expert. Learn how each path can lead to global opportunities and discover which approach may best align with your career goals and interests.
Bio
Michael A. Hoer is an international business executive and humanitarian leader with nearly 30 years of experience across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He spent 18 years with Continental Grain Company, including 11 years as President and Managing Director of Continental Grain Asia, overseeing more than 30 companies and 12,000 employees in China. He has also served on the boards of several public and private companies and on advisory councils at Brigham Young University.
Hoer and his wife, Laurie, have served in humanitarian and Church assignments in Taiwan, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, and Pakistan. He currently serves as a Pakistan Humanitarian Services Specialist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and an MBA from BYU and was among the first 17 American students to attend a university in China after U.S.-China relations were normalized in 1979.
Session Title
The Paradox of Organizational Culture
Session Description
How a kitchen-table startup scaled to a national company without losing its soul — and what it means for how you'll lead. Plus a playbook for building teams where excellence and culture compound. For anyone who'll ever hire, manage, or build with purpose.
Bio
Tyler has helped build Precoa from its early beginnings to one of the largest preneed insurance marketing organizations. He also oversees related ventures, including Everplans, a digital planning and life organization platform; @need Marketing, a marketing agency; and EverythingAfter, an estate-closure and grief-support subsidiary. His work focuses on scaling businesses with a balance of strategic growth and intentional culture. Tyler served his mission in Baltimore, Maryland, before graduating from the Marriott School. He enjoys golf and endurance events. Tyler and his wife, Kelsey, live in Portland, Oregon, where they are raising their four children.
Topic
How to Be a Disciple Leader and Still Win the Game
Description
As disciple leader’s it’s still our job to win the game.
Whether you’re doing your own startup or working for someone else, let me help you with some practical ways to achieve results.
…and a quick help at the end so you can crush the interview and land your first job
Bio
Jason Johnson earned his bachelor's degree from BYU in economics. He worked for FranklinCovey and as a full-time seminary teacher before completing his MBA at BYU. After his MBA program, Jason went to work as a financial analyst at Hewlett-Packard before cofounding Quick Quack Car Wash, which was actually a business plan he wrote for a BYU Marriott elective class. Jason served his mission in Argentina. He loves basketball, EFY, teaching, and being with his family.
Session Title
Who is the Boss of your Career?
Session Description
How active or passive can you be as you start your career? Do you sit back let your company drive your career, or can you play an active roll? As you begin your career, it can be easy to let your company, circumstances, or opportunities determine your path. This session will explore how you can take an active role in shaping your career, making intentional choices, and creating opportunities for growth and success.
Bio
John (Jack) A. Kane was on the boards of athenahealth, Inc., Aesynt, Inc., Health Catalyst, Inc., OpenTempo, Inc., and DealerPolicy LLC.
He previously held the positions of CFO, Treasurer, and Senior Vice President of Administration at IDX Systems Corp.; Audit Manager at Ernst & Young LLP; Vice President at General Electric Healthcare Technologies, Inc.; and Treasurer of the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to his current responsibilities, Jack has served on the boards of ten other private and public companies.
He received both his graduate and undergraduate degrees from Brigham Young University.
Session Title
Managing Two Careers, Family and a 2 Hour Commute
Session Description
Balancing career, family, and personal responsibilities can be challenging. This session explores the realities of managing multiple priorities while pursuing professional and personal goals. Gain practical insights on navigating competing demands, making intentional choices, and finding balance throughout different stages of life and career.
Bio
James Kissell is partner at Sequoia Global Equities and formerly a partner at the Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz on its platform team. He joined a16z in 2016 and supports its portfolio business development efforts where he spends the majority of his time advising technology leaders from enterprises of all sizes and industries on current technology trends and fast-growing startups to partner with. Prior to a16z, James worked at Google in New York City, where he led strategic sales and partnerships for several of Google's ad products. Before Google, he started and sold a consumer services business in Utah. James earned his bachelor's degree in economics with a business minor from BYU and earned his MBA from Columbia University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, skiing, and making gingerbread houses during the winter. In 2022, one of his gingerbread houses went viral on social media, garnering more than 20M views. James and his wife, Stephanie Gaufin (also a NAC member), live with their two children in San Francisco.
Session Title
The Career Game and the Playbook for Career Success
Session Description
Success rarely follows a perfectly predictable path. The careers we build are shaped by unexpected opportunities, changing circumstances, bold decisions, and the ability to recognize and act on the right next move.
In this engaging and practical session, we’ll explore what it takes to win in your career: how to create opportunities rather than simply wait for them, position yourself to stand out, communicate the value you bring, and navigate career transitions with confidence. You’ll gain strategies for approaching the job search strategically, building relationships that open doors, telling a compelling professional story, and making career decisions that move you toward the success you want.
Whether you’re preparing to enter the workforce, pursuing a career pivot, or thinking about what comes after your next role, you’ll leave with a practical career playbook for creating momentum, competing effectively, and turning opportunities into results.
Because your career isn’t something that simply happens to you. You have a role in creating what comes next and learning how to win along the way.
Bio
Curtis LaClaire serves as Chairman of the Board of Aero Financial Credit Union, where he has been a board member since 2018. He is also the founder and CEO of Careers Launch Talent Group, a recruiting and outplacement services firm.
With more than 20 years of experience in human resources and talent leadership, Curtis has built a career helping executives, teams, and organizations strengthen performance and achieve their full potential. Prior to founding Careers Launch, he served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Foster Farms and held senior HR leadership roles at Honeywell International.
Curtis earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Idaho State University and a JD/MBA from Brigham Young University. He is a member of the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota community.
Curtis and his wife, Becky, call Mesa, Arizona, home, where they live with their six children.
Session Title
Opportunities in the Deal Advisory Services Space
Session Description
What is under the umbrella of Deal Advisory Services? What does the competitive landscape look like? What do companies look for? How do I start a career in Deal Advisory Services? Explore the different areas within Deal Advisory Services, understand the competitive landscape, learn what companies look for in candidates, and discover how to take the first steps toward a career in this field.
Bio
Jay Meldrum is a National Deals Principal in PwC’s Dallas office, bringing more than 20 years of experience in valuation analysis and financial advisory services. Throughout his career, he has led and supported a wide range of advisory engagements, including purchase price allocations, mergers and acquisitions, tax reorganizations, corporate planning and strategy, and bankruptcy-related assignments.
Jay also serves as PwC’s lead relationship partner for Brigham Young University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from BYU and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Outside of work, Jay enjoys sports, running, scuba diving, and spending time with his family. He and his wife, Jennifer, have five children.
Session Title
A conversation with the Commissioner
Session Description
BYU International Executive of the Year, PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan, sits down with BYU Marriott’s Dean Madrian for a conversation about professional golf, the role of technology and data in professional sports and leadership lessons.
Bio
Jay Monahan was appointed Commissioner of the PGA TOUR by the TOUR’s Policy Board on November 7, 2016, and officially began his role on January 1, 2017, succeeding Tim Finchem, who served as commissioner for more than 22 years. Since becoming the fourth commissioner in PGA TOUR history, Monahan has led the organization through one of the most transformative and innovative periods in its history, overseeing significant changes in competition, media, fan engagement, player compensation, and the business of professional golf. During his tenure, player compensation has reached record-setting levels, the PGA TOUR fan base has grown in both size and diversity, and the TOUR and its tournaments have continued to make a significant charitable impact, raising more than $200 million annually for more than 3,000 charities. In 2024, the TOUR’s cumulative charitable impact surpassed $4 billion.
Monahan has guided the PGA TOUR through several pivotal moments, including the COVID-19 pandemic, when the TOUR became one of the first professional sports leagues to safely return to competition in June 2020. That same year, the TOUR reached a landmark nine-year media rights agreement with broadcast and streaming partners through 2030 and formalized a strategic alliance with the European Tour Group, now known as the DP World Tour. In 2022, Monahan strengthened that alliance through a 13-year agreement extending through 2035, creating opportunities to co-sanction events, increase prize funds and commercial revenue, expand playing opportunities for members of both Tours, and establish formal pathways for top players around the world. In 2024, the TOUR also launched Fan Forward, a fan-focused research and strategy initiative designed to accelerate innovation and enhance the experience for golf fans.
Under Monahan’s leadership, the TOUR incorporated and launched PGA TOUR Enterprises in 2024, creating access to growth capital that was not previously available under the PGA TOUR’s 501(c)(6) structure. The TOUR welcomed an initial investment from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium with more than 200 years of combined sports team stewardship across major global leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and EPL. Fenway Sports Group led SSG’s investment of up to $3 billion, including an initial $1.5 billion investment. In conjunction with the creation of PGA TOUR Enterprises, the TOUR introduced its Player Equity Program—the first of its kind in professional sports—which awards PGA TOUR members an ownership stake in PGA TOUR Enterprises. Monahan has also overseen significant changes to the TOUR’s competitive structure, including the return to a calendar-year schedule and the introduction of Full-Field and limited-field Signature Events in 2024, as well as additional changes in 2026 designed to create more equitable playing opportunities and enhance the fan experience. In January 2025, the TOUR opened PGA TOUR Studios, a 165,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility designed to redefine how the TOUR creates and delivers content to fans around the world.
Monahan joined the PGA TOUR in 2008 as Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship before becoming Senior Vice President for Business Development, where he focused on securing new sponsors and managing PGA TOUR title sponsorship relationships. He was named Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer in 2013, overseeing business development, corporate marketing and partnerships, title sponsor relations, retail licensing, and media sales. He became Deputy Commissioner in 2014, with Chief Operating Officer added to his title in 2016. Before joining the PGA TOUR, Monahan served as Executive Vice President of Fenway Sports Group, leading sales and business development across multiple sports properties, and previously held roles with IMG Worldwide, EMC Corporation, Arnold Advertising, and Bob Woolf Associates. Monahan graduated from Trinity College in 1993, where he was a four-year member of the golf team and a Division II Academic All-American, and earned a master’s degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1995. He currently serves on the Board of the PGA European (DP World) Tour and the International Golf Federation, chairs the World Golf Foundation and PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation Board of Governors, and is a co-founder and board member of Golf Fights Cancer.
Session Title
Trends and Opportunities in the Healthcare Industry
Session Description
What does the future of healthcare look like—and where do you fit in? Gain insight into the evolving healthcare landscape in the United States, the opportunities emerging within the industry, and the many ways you can use your career to make a meaningful difference for good.
Bio
Mark Mortensen is from Bountiful, Utah. He attended Brigham Young University where he received his Master's degree in Business, but he believes his greatest accomplishment in college was finding and persuading Kristina Borgquist (originally from Huntington Beach) to marry him. Upon graduating from business school, Mark accepted a job in Orange County where he has spent the last 30+ years in the healthcare industry. He is currently the CEO of Salus Homecare, a regional healthcare company.
Mark has served in a number of Church roles, including full-time missionary as a young man in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission, president of the Texas Houston Mission from 2014 to 2017, Area Seventy and currently as the Communication Director for the US West Area of the Church and sealer in the Newport Beach temple.
Mark and Krissy have 6 children and 3 grandchildren with two on the way. Two of their sons are currently enrolled at BYU.
Session Title
Tru Fru & You - Growth Through Acquisition
Session Description
Entrepreneurs often imagine growth as creating a company from the ground up, but acquiring and expanding an existing business can offer another compelling path. This session will compare the capabilities needed in a traditional startup with those required in a buy-and-build strategy. Students will explore how acquisition entrepreneurs identify promising companies, evaluate risks, finance transactions, integrate operations, and create value after the purchase. The discussion will help students consider which entrepreneurial model best fits their strengths, experience, and appetite for risk.
Bio
A BYU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, he began his career at Deloitte & Touche, spending four years in audit and two years in consulting before earning his MBA from Harvard Business School.
As an entrepreneur, he and business partner Dave Taiclet acquired, built, and operated six confectionery manufacturing companies, with Fannie May in Chicago serving as their flagship brand. The business was ultimately sold to 1-800-Flowers.
He later co-founded Tru Fru with two business partners, helping fund and grow the company over six years into one of the fastest-growing consumer packaged goods brands in the country before its acquisition by Mars.
Today, he serves as managing member of his family office, investing growth capital in low-tech businesses and consumer packaged goods companies. He and his wife have five children and six grandchildren.
Session Title
AI Embodied Machines - Food Sovereignty - The Next Big Wave
Session Description
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond software and into physical machines capable of transforming how the world produces food. This session will examine an AI-enabled animal-feed system designed to produce large quantities of feed while using dramatically less water, land, fertilizer, and pesticides. Through the lens of entrepreneurship, finance, and global food sovereignty, students will explore why governments and investors are paying increasing attention to embodied AI, agricultural automation, livestock-monitoring technology, and robotic farming. The session will also offer a firsthand look at the challenges of financing and scaling an innovative company in an emerging global market.
Bio
Michael Peterson is the CFO of Tavaci Technologies and former CEO of TRIO Petroleum Corp. He previously served as President and CEO of Pacific Energy Development and spent more than 20 years in financial services and investment banking, including much of his career at Goldman Sachs and as managing partner of a private equity fund.
Michael earned both his bachelor’s degree in statistics and computer science and his MBA from Brigham Young University. His service has included serving as president of the Mt. Diablo Silverado BSA Council, in the Danville Stake Presidency, as a counselor in the Oakland-San Francisco Mission presidency, and as president of the Taiwan Taipei Mission.
Michael enjoys BYU sports, exercise, singing, and the cultural arts.
Session Title
Skills that matter. Principles that last.
Session Description
A conversation about developing the abilities employers want while anchoring your life in the eternal truths that shape who you become.
Bio
Michael is Regional Managing Partner, West and a Wealth Advisor at Corient, where he helps lead the firm’s growth and client service efforts across the western United States. He previously co-founded a successful wealth management firm that was later acquired by Corient. Earlier in his career, he served as a Senior Vice President in Merrill Lynch’s Private Banking & Investment Group and as a senior accountant at Deloitte.
Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Before transferring to BYU, he was a backup quarterback on the 1994 Oregon Ducks Pac-10 Championship team.
Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, staying active, and reading.
Session Title
The truth about the interview process and what it takes to have a thriving career
Session Description
An honest, straightforward discussion on the realities of why companies do or don't hire you and why they do or don't promote you.
Bio
Jack Roddy is a Human Resources executive whose expertise as a strategic thought partner and team builder has strengthened some of the world’s most dynamic companies. Since February 2026, Jack has served as the Chief Human Resources & Culture Officer for Weber Blackstone – the world leader in outdoor cooking. In that capacity, he has implemented a combination of “hard” and “soft” HR initiatives that have helped to accelerate the cultural and systemic integration of these two iconic brands.
With operations in 32 countries, Weber Blackstone has a legacy of bringing family, friends, and communities together via outdoor cooking. Jack’s progressive and insightful approach in areas such as organization design, culture transformation, and talent management has helped Weber Blackstone establish a “new” culture that drives innovation, collaboration, and customer centricity. He is known for energetically facing challenges head-on and implementing pragmatic solutions that get results.
Prior to joining Weber Blackstone, Jack served as the Chief People Officer for Purple Innovation, Chief Human Resources Officer for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Senior Vice President at Luxottica, and Vice President at Starbucks.
Holding a Master of Arts from Columbia University and as a graduate of Brigham Young University Hawaii, Jack is an organizational psychologist with more than 25 years of experience. He specializes in partnering with senior business leaders to strengthen enterprise performance, cultivate employee engagement, and increase leadership capability — in order to positively impact financial performance and company culture.
Jack resides in Heber, UT, with his wife Laurie. Their three children attend BYU and are just about perfect. Growing up in Yuma, Arizona, he learned that “Good things happen when you work hard and surround yourself with good people.” He credits his accomplishments to his faith, family, friends, and persistence.
Session Title
Beyond the Numbers: Becoming Someone Leaders Bet On
Session Description
As technology and AI reshape the workplace, technical skills and great analysis are no longer enough to stand out. Drawing on lessons from a career in finance and leadership at Walmart, this session explores the characteristics that separate strong performers from the people leaders trust with their biggest opportunities and hardest problems.
Bio
Todd Sears serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Walmart U.S.. In this role, Todd leads the finance function for Walmart U.S.
Since joining the company in 2011, Todd has held several leadership roles across the company’s finance organization. most recently, Todd served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for Sam's Club. Prior to that, his roles included senior vice president for finance in Walmart International, chief audit executive for Walmart’s global internal audit team, assistant corporate controller and controller for Walmart Brazil.
Todd began his career at Ernst & Young, LLP where he spent nearly a decade serving clients in the financial services and insurance sectors, performing audits and providing advisory services.
Todd received his Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Brigham Young University, graduating magna cum laude. He is a CPA in Washington state and is fluent in English and Portuguese.
Session Title
Beyond Restaurants: Building Businesses That Scale Nationwide
Session Description
Restaurants may be what customers see. But behind every successful brand is a sophisticated business engine requiring expertise across many different disciplines.
Bio
Andrew and Shauna Smith have spent nearly two decades building that engine through private equity, real estate development, large-scale operations, technology, leadership, culture, and talent. Across their careers, they have built, developed, operated, and owned more than 650 restaurants nationwide, created more than 40,000 jobs, and generated nearly $4 billion in cumulative sales within a $1.5 trillion industry.
Drawing on their experience with brands including Swig, Mo’ Bettahs, Bonrue, and Houston TX Hot Chicken, Andrew and Shauna will share the principles they have used to identify high-potential opportunities, allocate capital, build winning teams and cultures, scale brands without losing what made them special, and transform entrepreneurial ideas into enduring enterprises.
Session Title
The Reputation Advantage
Session Description
How Trust, Communication, and Character Create Opportunity
Bio
Ruth joined Bonneville in August 2023 and oversees content strategy for KSL TV and Bonneville’s 24 radio stations across six western U.S. markets. An award-winning journalist and business leader, she brings more than 30 years of experience in broadcasting, business, and corporate communications.
Ruth spent more than 20 years as a news anchor and reporter for ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates, including many years as KSL’s lead 10:00 p.m. anchor. She also taught communications at Brigham Young University, served as a spokesperson and media team member for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most recently was Senior Vice President and Chief Reputation Officer at Nu Skin International.
Active in community and church service, Ruth has served on numerous executive and advisory boards and currently serves with Thanksgiving Point, the Center for Latter-day Arts, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and the Young Women General Advisory Council.
Ruth earned both her B.A. and MBA from BYU. She and her husband, Bryan Todd, live in Salt Lake City.
Session Title
Working with and Serving on Boards
Session Description
This session will explore how executives can work effectively with boards of directors. We will examine how boards are composed and what different members are actually optimizing for—for example, how a strategic investor, an independent director, and a founder may each come to the table with different incentives and time horizons. We will also discuss how to influence a board, frame a strategic initiative, build support before the meeting rather than during it, and bring a clear, actionable decision to the group.
Bio
Chris brings a deep expertise in strategy and talent development to his role as a founding partner of Pendra Group. Previously, Chris was Head of Portfolio Talent at Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity firm that has raised over $26 billion in capital since its inception in 1992. He continues to serve as an Operating Executive for the firm.
Prior to Pendra and MDP, Chris was a partner at ghSMART, advising investors, CEOs, and boards on critical talent issues including CEO succession, talent assessment, and team effectiveness. He also was Vice President of Operations at Tallwave, a leading venture-backed accelerator based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Before Tallwave, Chris was a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Earlier in his career, Chris worked in Washington, DC in law and public policy.
Chris holds a JD from the University of Chicago Law School and a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University. He currently serves as an independent director on the boards of MoneyGram and Great Gray Trust Company.
Session Title
Inspirational Leadership-What it is and why so few in management and positions understand it.
Session Description
After 30 years inside large global tech giants like Oracle and SAP, along with start-ups in Silicon Valley & Silicon Slopes, I've found that most people who are promoted into Management and Leadership positions don't know how to genuinely inspire their teams, motivate lasting results and get what they and the organization need from their teams. Let's discuss the various types of leadership (e.g., command and control, fear-driven, performance metric-driven, management by talking around and everything else I've observed. We will deconstruct the styles, analyze the outcomes of each and determine how to develop a team, truly lead them and inspire them to be passionate about their role, about the company mission and direction and committed to giving their best selves and performance on a regular basis.
Bio
Jacqueline White is President of Brim Financial and former President of the Americas for Temenos. She previously served as Vice President of Global Customer Experience and Success at DXC Technology, Senior Vice President of Global Financial Services at SAP, and Senior Managing Director at Accenture.
With a passion for both technology and people, Jacqueline has built a career at the intersection of software, services, and customer experience. She currently serves as public affairs director for the Springfield Stake and has served in every ward auxiliary.
Jacqueline enjoys traveling with her family, hiking, kayaking, discussing good books, and debating ideas around the dinner table. She and her husband, Robb, have four children.
Session Title
Five Strategies to Increase your Impact
Session Description
This session will explore the mindsets and behavior that separates Impact Players from ordinary contributors at work. We'll then discuss 5 strategies to help you increase your impact and distinguish yourself in the job market. The session will be highly interactive and we should have some fun too.
Bio
Liz Wiseman is a New York Times bestselling author and executive advisor. Her books include Multipliers, The Multiplier Effect, Rookie Smarts, and Impact Players. She is the Founder of the Wiseman Group and a leading authority on leadership. Over the last decade, Thinkers50 has consistently ranked her in the top 50 management thinkers globally.
Session Title
Leadership Lessons from a Life of Service
Session Description
David R. Wolfe is the 21st Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and serves as the highest enlisted member of the Air Force. He is the senior enlisted leader and primary adviser to both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on standards, readiness, training, professional development, and effective utilization of more than 665,000 Total Force Airmen. In this session, you will look at leadership through service in the armed forces.
Bio
Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe is the 21st Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force and serves as the highest enlisted member of the Air Force. He is the Senior Enlisted Leader and primary adviser to both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on standards, readiness, training, professional development, and effective utilization for more than 665,000 Total Force Airmen. Additionally, Chief Wolfe represents the service’s interests to the American public and to all levels of government.
Chief Wolfe entered the Air Force in February 1992 as a Security Forces Airman. He has extensive experience in professional military education, serving as both an instructor and commandant. During his career, he has been a Command Chief at two wings, one Numbered Air Force, and two major commands. His contingency operations experience includes tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
