LEADERSHIP EVOLVED

Morning Momentum is back on February 11 for a high-impact gathering for business owners and executive leaders who value real conversation and practical insight.

Hosted by Lakeside HR Group and The Bailey Group, this event is designed exclusively for business owners, CEOs, and company presidents to connect, share perspectives, and strengthen their leadership community. Attendance is intentionally capped to encourage meaningful dialogue and engagement.

Table topics include:

• Erin Hargrove, Lakeside HR Group, Leading Through Change — How leaders create stability, trust, and momentum when everything around them is shifting.
• Kristin Nordling, Lakeside HR Group, Interview Process: Finding the Sweet Spot — How to balance speed, input, and confidence so hiring decisions move forward without dragging on — or missing the mark.
• Mickey Moore, The Bailey Group: Calm on the Outside, Pressure on the Inside — Emotional intelligence as the leadership skill that keeps pressure from leaking.
• Jim Willenbring, The Bailey Group, Stuck in the Weeds — Exploring why many CEOs struggle to step out of day-to-day decisions and how that choice quietly limits growth.

Date and time: Wed, Feb 11, 2026 from 7:30-9:30AM

Cost:  $20

Register for Morning Momentum: CEO Roundtable members, please see the events email that went out on 2/2/26 and use the registration link located at the bottom of the email.

MN PFML Clean-Up Q&A – Join the Horton Group on Tuesday, February 5th at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.

As Minnesota employers begin to understand the impact of MN PFML on their operations, we are excited to be joined once again by Jessica Roe and Brycie Wasson to answer your “clean-up” questions.

In this session, Jessica and Brycie will discuss some of the early trends that she is seeing and answer your questions live.

You can register here.

2026 Health of the Nation – Thursday, February 12, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CST.  The Horton Group will discuss what trends they are seeing that are driving healthcare costs in 2026. (register)

Making Sense of the New Child Accounts Under the OBBBA  – Thursday, February 19th at 10am

On December 2, 2025, the IRS issued Notice 2025-68 announcing upcoming regulations and providing initial guidance regarding Trump Accounts. Created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), “Trump Accounts” are a new type of tax-favored savings account for children under the age of 18 that will be available in 2026. Employers can contribute to the Trump Account of an employee or an employee’s dependent pursuant to a Code Section 128(c) Trump Account Contribution Program.

In this session, they will discuss:

• General Overview
• Specific Rules
• Employer Contributions
• What We Don’t Yet Know

You can register here.

2026 AI in HR Playbook – Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST .  Join one of Horton’s HR experts to understand how AI is shaping HR.  (register)

2026 Pharmacy Trends – Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST  joined by pharmacy experts, Horton will discuss the increasing cost of pharmacy to employers and actionable steps to curb costs (register)

State of Healthcare Economics – Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CST .  Horton will discuss tools and strategies that employers can use to maintain affordability for employees and practical action steps (register)

Workforce Trends – Thursday, May 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CST.  This webinar will discuss the new era of work and how it is challenging traditional models and forcing digital transformation  (register)

It all comes down to this.
Every business owner will eventually face the ultimate question: What’s next for the business—and for me?  The CEO Roundtable Strategic Exit Planning series has been designed to guide you through the critical phases of exit planning—from assessing your current position to maximizing business value and making informed decisions for your future.

Now, in the final event of the series, DECIDE, we turn to the ultimate decision point:

Will you stay, scale, or sell?

Smart voices. Timely insights. Practical direction. You’ll hear from:

• Mitch Greip – Pinnacle Trail Wealth Advisors
• Jake Fishman & Tom Astrup – Madeira Partners
• Pete Odell – Platinum Bank
• Scott Blake & Peter Snyder – Felhaber Larson
• Leigh Bailey – The Bailey Group

Why Attend?

• Clarify Your Goals: Define what you want from an eventual exit — valuation, future role, or ownership — and learn why every M&A process must be tailored to fit your business.
• Maximize Value: Discover how building a business that operates independently of you positions it for both growth and a successful sale.
• Protect Your Interests: Learn the deal terms that matter most, how to prepare your legal house for growth or sale, and why assembling the right advisors early is critical.
• Choose Your Path to Growth: Explore whether organic expansion or growth through acquisition is the right strategy for your company.
• Navigate the Process: Understand the steps involved in going to market, the time it requires, and the importance of keeping your key employees engaged and motivated.
• Lead with Clarity: Challenge the “right decision” fallacy and gain insights on managing the human side of transition.

Regardless of whether you attended earlier programs in the series or not, this event offers stand-alone value and a unique opportunity to consider what’s next for you and your business.

The CEO Roundtable is joining FEI, PDA and ACG Minnesota to bring the expertise to you, in one room, for one day, for a session designed to keep you current on capital markets and M&A trends.

This event will cover the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s M&A environment, including how deals are sourced, financing options, what buyers and sellers are prioritizing, and an update on key transactions.  You’ll hear timely insights into the trends and forecasts that will define the deal-making landscape in the year ahead.

1. Current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market, including deal volume, valuation shifts, and sector-specific dynamics.
2.  Overview of the key components of the M&A process, including deal sourcing strategies, financing structures, and stakeholder priorities from both buyer and seller perspectives.
3.  Review of recent M&A transactions and capital market developments and their impact on strategic decision-making and future deal activity.

For more information, click the registration link for the line-up of speakers and panelists and the day’s agenda.

*CEO Roundtable members receive a special ticket price of $55. Be sure to use the link in your email to redeem this rate.* 

Presented by CEO Roundtable Strategic Partner – Felhaber Larson: Scott Blake and Brian Benkstein will discuss best practices if ICE visits the workplace and/or initiates an I-9 audit.

Join Authenic for their next Authentic Growth® Live Webinar for a conversation titled, “Marketing In The New World Of AI: Embracing The Future While Staying Human”

Attendees to this webinar will learn

• How to reinvent your marketing strategy using AI to drive efficiency.
• Tips for balancing the work to be done by AI vs humans on your marketing team.
• How AI can strengthen your customer experience.
• Strategies for staying human-first in your marketing to build trust and drive real relationships.

Join Strategic Talent Partners on Wednesday, August 13th for an expert-led session on how to align your leadership structure with your long-term growth goals – and future-proof your organization for what’s next.

You’ll learn how to avoid the three most common pitfalls when designing an Org Chart of the Future, apply STP’s proprietary Growth Leadership Model to your organization, and build a Strategic Talent Roadmap™ that connects your growth strategy to the leadership roles, capabilities, and investments required to achieve it.

Whether you’re scaling your business or preparing for an eventual transition or exit, this session will provide you with the clarity and structure needed to lead strategically.

Speakers: STP Co-Founder Mary Nutting & STP Principal Rick Rittmaster
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CDT

CEO Roundtable members are invited to an exclusive leadership event featuring Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, the 2024 NFL Head Coach of the Year, and dynamic workplace culture expert Eric Harkins. Kevin will share lessons on leading with clarity, energy, and resilience — drawn from the high-stakes world of professional football. Eric, a Forbes-featured author and candid voice on leadership, will deliver insights on building teams people actually want to be a part of come Monday morning.

Hosted by CEORT Strategic Partner, Erik Hinz of Horton Group

For more details and registration, please refer to the July 1st member email or reach out to Jenny Lindemeier directly.

Is your profitable business a valuable business? Every CEO and business owner faces the same reality: one doesn’t necessarily mean the other, and value doesn’t build itself.

Whether you’re an owner who will eventually sell or a CEO responsible for driving growth and enterprise value, you want a clear picture of key moves that increase business value, reduce risk, and set the company up for long-term success.

Join us for PREPARE, the second session in The CEO Roundtable Strategic Exit Planning Series.

We’re bringing together wisdom to fuel your next move efficiently. You’ll hear from:

• Mitch Greip – Pinnacle Trail Wealth Advisor
• Gregg Saunders – EOS Implementation
• Rick Rittmaster – Strategic Talend Partners
• Scott Rollin – MCR
• Jim Damiani – Newmark
• Sally Biel – Insperity
• Jim Stelzer – Barton, Walter and Kier

Why Attend?

It’s never too early to start or take the next step in building value — but it can be too late. The strongest businesses are shaped by decisions and actions taken well in advance.

• Building value in your business – where to focus
• Maximizing enterprise value
• The importance of a strategic talent structure
• Structuring owner and leadership compensation
• Employer liability and risk management
• Factoring real estate
• Business performance – the numbers, records, and timing

Do you know what your end game is?  What will determine if or when you and your business are ready for what’s next?    

Join us for the first event in our Strategic Exit Planning Series, where we focus on the DISCOVER phase—assessing where your business stands today and what factors will impact a successful transition. Your roadmap will be unique – there is no one-size-fits-all playbook.   

We’re bringing together the expertise to help you move ahead smarter.  You’ll hear from 

• Mitch Greip – Pinnacle Trail Wealth Advisor
• Jim Stelzer & Blaine Anderson – Barton, Walter and Kier
• Jake Fishman & Tom Astrup – Madeira Partners

Why Attend?
Whether you plan to exit in one year or ten, this session will offer you actionable insights to get started or evolve your strategic exit plan. Don’t leave the future of your business to chance—be ready with clarity and confidence. 

• Identifying wealth, profit and value gaps to ensure personal and business goals alignment.
• Evaluating owner and business readiness.
• Understanding how your business and industry is valued and what unique characteristics can influence marketability and valuation