The Power Within

Calgary, AB, March 3, 2009
Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
8:30 AM to 5:30PM

One Full Day of Inspiration, Motivation and Entertainment that will ignite your Spirit! For the first time ever under one roof see 8 of the most inspiring communicators of our time. Live and In Person! You will learn from real-world experts who are the best-of-the-best, in an incredibly entertaining environment that empowers you to take action immediately to transform your life forever.

Sponsored in part by Additional Sponsors

Motivation and Leadership

Martin Sheen

Philanthropist and Actor

Martin Sheen is one of the busiest, most conscientious actors in Hollywood. Born Ramon Estevez to immigrant parents, Sheen left his Dayton, Ohio home for the bright lights of NYC. His resume boasts a number of memorable films including, The Execution of Private Slovik, The Missiles of October, Apocalypse Now, and Wallstreet. One of the most prominent feature roles of the 90’s came as an advisor of The American President (1995) which introduced him to screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. So it perhaps came as no surprise when he surfaced as U.S. President Josiah Bartlet on the critically-acclaimed The West Wing. Sheen has recently appeared in The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, Bordertown, directed by Gregory Nava and Bobby, written and directed by his son, Emilio Estevez. Martin has been married to his wife Janet for over forty years and their four children Emilio, Renee and Ramon Estevez and Charlie Sheen are all involved in the entertainment business.

Health & Wellness

Bob Greene

Best-selling author and regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show

Some of you may already know me from the books I’ve written. My first book, published in 1996 and co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, was Make the Connection: Ten Steps To A Better Body -- And A Better Life. It is about how to live a healthier life, and also about how I met Oprah and began working with her in her lifelong battle against weight. Oprah and I were thrilled when the book became #1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list, and we went on to write another, A Journal of Daily Renewal: The Companion to Make the Connection. More recently, you may have seen my other books, among them Keep the Connection: Choices for a Better Body and a Healthier Life; Get With the Program!; and Get With the Program!: Guide to Good Eating. To my delight, both Get With the Program! books have been The New York Times and Amazon.com best sellers. I am particularly happy about their successes because it means my message is getting out. It’s my goal to help as many people as possible commit to a healthier—and happier—lifestyle. I don’t want to say I’m a fanatic on the subject, but I do truly believe that exercising and eating healthfully can change your life for the better. I want you to know that making health-conscious choices can ultimately make you look and feel absolutely wonderful. I studied health and physical education at the University of Delaware and then went on to get a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Arizona. Along with being an exercise physiologist, I am also a certified personal trainer. After getting my master’s, I became the director of exercise physiology for a medical management company specializing in heart and pulmonary conditions. I later ran the Health & Fitness Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making people healthier through diet, exercise and lifestyle modification. I also worked at a spa in Telluride, Colorado, where I hired and trained the fitness staff. It was there that I met Oprah, and she first became my client.

The Power of Free Market Philanthropy

W. Brett Wilson

Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and panelist on CBC Dragons’ Den

A Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and panelist on CBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den, in 1993 Wilson co-founded FirstEnergy Capital Corp., a brokerage firm that provides investment-banking services to Canada’s oil and gas sector. FirstEnergy is an industry leader, having participated in thousands of financing and M&A projects worth over $150 billion since inception. As Managing Director & Chairman of FirstEnergy, Brett helped set standards for both business excellence and community giving, and has received wide recognition for both. In late 2008, he was selected as Alberta Venture’s Business Person of the Year. Wilson stepped down from active duty with FirstEnergy in 2007, and formerly retired as Managing Director and Chairman in December of 2008. He remains a director of the firm. He is also Managing Director and President of Prairie Merchant Corporation, a private merchant bank focused on business opportunities in the energy, agriculture, real estate, sports, and entertainment industries. In 2007, building on his MBA in Entrepreneurship (U of C ‘85), Brett established the Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence at his engineering (BSc Eng’79) alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan. He is continuing to focus his business and philanthropic ventures on finding more opportunities for innovation in his home provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The Power of Passion

Jamie Clarke

Achieving Your Goals

Canadian Jamie Clarke's pursuit of Mount Everest is a definitive example of human perseverance. Clarke reached Everest's peak in 1997, after two previous attempts, and this is only the beginning of his adventures. In 1999, he successfully crossed the Arabian Desert, the most dangerous in the world, becoming the first Westerner to do so in 50 years. He has explored over 40 countries and is the author of two books on his adventures, Everest to Arabia and The Power of Passion. Clarke's dynamic speeches challenge audiences to think differently about failure by interpreting it as a worthy pursuit. With his magnetic personality and sense of humour, audiences are glued to his stories and learn about casting fears aside to take the pursuit of their goals to the next level.

Bless Your Stress - It Means You're Still Alive

Mimi Donaldson

Co-author of "Bless Your Stress - It Means You're Still Alive"

When Mimi Donaldson speaks, people listen. And they laugh...even if they weren't expecting to. And they learn...a lot! But mostly, they never forget the entirely new perspective Mimi Donaldson gives them. She has a flair for having her audiences feel that they've just unlocked the secrets to a truly authentic and rewarding communication method. Again and again, audiences light up when hearing Mimi Donaldson speak about - and provide some eye-opening techniques for - skillful communication. The results: they're much more productive in both their professional and personal relationships. For over twenty years, Mimi Donaldson has captivated audiences, from the Fortune 100 to the just plain fortunate. She's won acclaim for her rousing keynote speeches, for her compelling workshops, and for her in-house training programs. Before starting her own consulting business Mimi Donaldson spent 10 years as a Human Resources Trainer at Northrop Aircraft, Rockwell International and Walt Disney Productions. Mimi Donaldson is co-author of Negotiating for Dummies. It has been published in six languages including Chinese, Taiwanese, Russian, and German and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Mimi Donaldson is also the author of Bless Your Stress- It Means You're Still Alive.

Self Empowerment

Frank Abagnale

Catch Me if You Can

Frank W. Abagnale will present an entertaining discussion of his life. By the age of 21, he had impersonated an international airline pilot, a pediatrician, a stockbroker, a college professor, and even an assistant attorney general, all while cashing $2.5 million dollars in forged checks. He will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride as he discusses his life and what's really important in life. His amazing story was made into a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, James Brolin, and Jennifer Garner.