World Class Conference Comes To Thunder Bay
By Scott A. Sumner
Thunder Bay Business
The Balanced Scorecard Conference to be held October 30 and 31st at the Valhalla Inn is brand new and a first for Thunder Bay. Many organizations in Thunder Bay both profit and non profit use the Balanced Scorecard approach but they may know it by different names.
The idea of the Balanced Scorecard is to help organizations, communicate implement and measure their strategic plans with in their organizations.
“ Many organizations set goals or plans or a long range plan but often times these 3 or 5 year plans go on the shelve and then later someone looks at them and says we didn’t reach this one or that one. The problem is you are not getting up to date, almost daily information
as to how your organization is doing compared to your strategic plan. What the balance scorecard attempts to do is give you a way to accomplish that and show you a way to set up a system.” says Vince Stilla Director Centre for Continuing Education Confederation College
who are putting on the event. “ A big part of the conference is we are bringing in the fellow who is known as the guru of Balanced Scorecard, Bob Paladino. Bob did not write the book on Balanced Scorecard but took the theory and put it into practice. It gave organizations a method to provide information on a daily and weekly basis which increased profits by incredible amounts. The authors of the book were so impressed they gave Bob an award called the Hall of Fame award. Bob will speak from experience not theory.”
There will be three, two day sessions in total of Balanced Scorecard. The first will be on how to get started. Palandino who has his own organization that provides these conferences normally doesn’t come to the events. In this case he has never been to Canada and will
therefore lead the Thunder Bay event himself. “ We are lucky to have Bob Paladino who is very dynamic and normally has staff do the conferences here October 30 and 31st at the Valhalla Inn. There will be a full agenda each day including registration, breakfast and a cocktail session with Bob where you can ask questions informally. We are anticipating up to 40 people,” states Stilla. “The cost is $1995 per seat with an early bird rate of $1695 per seat. That rate compares to a rate in the US which requires you to fly to Los Angeles or Phoenix
to attend the event. Since this article will come out in October if they call me as a result of the article I will honour the $1695 early bird rate. We are tentatively planning the next sessions for the end of January and March 2008.”
“ The Balanced Scorecard approach is complex in that many people have read the book and like the concept but have had trouble getting started. Bob will show you how to put it into practice. Confederation College will be one of the first colleges in Canada to adopt the
Balanced Scorecard approach ourselves.” notes Stilla. “ You need a diversity of people in the group from different organizations. This is a world class conference for Thunder Bay and very expensive to put on. We have some excellent sponsors supporting us.”
The event has a web site www.BSCtraining.ca
