Rewind: it’s (Mo)vember 2009 and we’re boarding a flight up to Calgary, AB enroute to Winnipeg, MB for the National Business School Conference. This was my first executive conference as I had missed WCLR last year. Not knowing what to expect, we arrive in Winnipeg during what was unusually warm weather for the Asper folks, yet uncomfortably cool relative to my west coast environment. 

Immediately, you could identify the serious briefcase-holding easterners, the casual west coasters and “the crazies” from the Maritimes. After a few discussions, you could start to see who the gatekeepers were and why you’d want them on your side.