At ProAg, we believe relationships are part of our power. Our inaugural Strategic Partners Conference is a celebration of the partnerships we’ve built together, as well as your work as a ProAg agent. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting professional development and networking event.
Dates and Location
Dates: Monday, October 9–Thursday, October 12
Location: Omni La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, California
Conference Updates
Registration is now open. Invitation only. Space is limited.
Agenda
8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Arrivals at leisure
- Ground transportation from San Diego International Airport to Omni La Costa Resort provided
5:00-7:30 p.m.
- Opening night reception
- Cocktail hour, heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Get to Know the ProAg Executive Leadership Team
- Casual attire – see description under Event Information / Attire
6:30-8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Business meetings
- Welcome, Charting Our Course – Kendall Jones, CEO
- Focus on Financials: ProAg Snapshot — Russ Klein, CFO
- Customer Feedback: Why it Matters Now More than Ever — Joel Block, Director CX
- Building for Tomorrow: Establishing the Foundation — Maria Wintheiser-Lloyd, CIO
- Partnership: Accountability and Shared Value — Cody Corbell, Head of Sales and Business Development
- Visit the Partner Zone during morning breaks
- Business casual attire – see description under Event Information / Attire
12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch
12:00-2:00 p.m. Partner Zone
Afternoon
- Choice of:
- Golf
- Spa
- San Diego Safari Park Tour
- San Diego City Tour and Harbor Cruise
- Free time
- See a description of each choice under Activities
- Attire as appropriate for chosen activity
6:30-9:00 p.m.
- Dinner on-site with speaker
- Craft Beer and Wine Event with cocktails available
- John Kriesel, Motivational Speaker, Author of “Still Standing”
- Casual attire – see description under Event Information / Attire
6:30-8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Morning session
- Partnership: Helping Your Agency Achieve Its Goals — Kendall Jones, CEO
- Cyber Insurance Market & Loss Trends: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself and Your Customers — Jacob Ingerslev, SVP UW, TMHCC Cyber & Tech
- Earth Observation and Artificial Intelligence (AI): The Role of Technology in Crop Insurance — Steve Renter, Director Business Innovation
- Talent Management: The Key Driver to Long-Term Success — Tim Rich, Director HR
- Leadership: Extreme Focus & Teamwork — Greg Wooldridge, Keynote Speaker, Former 3X Blue Angel’s Flight Commander
- Visit the Partner Zone during morning breaks
- Business casual attire – see description under Event Information / Attire
12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00-4:00 p.m.
- Breakout sessions
- Marketing in the Digital World – Lessing-Flynn
- Demonstration – PlanetWatchers
- Delivering Value to our Customers – ProAg
- The Fundamentals of Personal Sales: Keeping the Funnel Full and Increasing Sales – Dennis Breske
5:45 p.m.
- Once-in-a-lifetime off-site event (Special Security Clearance Required)
- Hotel departure 6:00 p.m., transportation provided
- Arrive at secret, undisclosed location 6:45 p.m.
- Meet and greet with special guests
- Cocktail reception and dinner
- Event departure 9:45 p.m., transportation provided
- Dressy casual attire – see description under Event Information / Attire
Morning Breakfast Provided
Departures at leisure
Event Information
- Kendall Jones, CEO, ProAg
- Russ Klein, CFO, ProAg
- Grant Adams, EVP & COO, ProAg
- Becky Piechowski, CSO, ProAg
- Maria Wintheiser-Lloyd, CIO, ProAg
- Cody Corbell, Head of Sales and Business Development, ProAg
- Joel Block, Director CX, ProAg
- Tim Rich, Director HR, ProAg
- Jacob Ingerslev, SVP UW, Cyber TMHCC
- Steve Renter, Director Innovation, ProAg
- Dominic Edmunds, CEO, PlanetWatchers
- James Trammel, Customer Success Manager, PlanetWatchers
- Tom Flynn, President and CEO, Lessing-Flynn
- Ian Anderson, Account Strategist, Lessing-Flynn
- Dennis Breske, SVP, NAI Sioux Falls
- Greg Wooldridge, Former 3X Flight Commander of the Blue Angels
- John Kriesel, Motivational Speaker, Author of “Still Standing”
Click here to learn more about each of our speakers.
Open: Tuesday, October 10 and Wednesday, October 11
Don’t forget to connect deeper with some of our sponsors in our Partner Zone! Also, make connections with your ProAg senior leadership team. This is a great place to ask questions, network, provide feedback and work through challenges facing your agency. Watch for more information.
- Lessing-Flynn
- PlanetWatchers
- ProAg Claims
- ProAg Underwriting
The Strategic Partner Conference was made possible with the support of our sponsors. We’re very thankful for their partnership.
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
We’re excited to offer several activities during the conference. Guests are invited to pick a preferred activity when they register.
- 18-Holes of Golf
-
The Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s golf facilities are unmatched. Follow in the footsteps of the PGA TOUR’s finest players and come see what all the talk is about during your stay at our golf resort near San Diego. Join your ProAg team on the Legends Course for 18-holes of golf, some fun networking and a little bit of competition. We’ll announce final format and teams at the conference.
-
- Spa
- Surrender your stress at the The Spa La Costa! You can free yourself of your to-do list and find an escape from the everyday. Luxury travelers and wellness seekers have chosen The Spa to relax and recharge since 1965, offering guests a true whole-body wellness experience. Choose from one of these three packages:
- La Costa Custom Massage: Achieve your treatment goals with this truly customizable massage experience. Offering a full range from light to firm pressure.
- Osea Anti-Aging Detox Facial: Innovative active formulations made from organic bio-available seaweed and cold press essential oils deliver powerful anti-aging solutions. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, Osea’s wild Patagonian seaweed contains elements that transform your complexion and reduce the appearance of fine lines and redness. Targets multiple skin concerns and supports all skin types.
- Slow Manicure and Slow Pedicure: Settle into a smoothing mineral rich salt soak. Gently exfoliate dry, dull skin with healing a coconut-sugar and ginger roots polish and scrub. Massage full of antioxidants, jojoba oils and shea butter. Detailed nail care and your choice of lacquer to prepare for any occasion.
- Surrender your stress at the The Spa La Costa! You can free yourself of your to-do list and find an escape from the everyday. Luxury travelers and wellness seekers have chosen The Spa to relax and recharge since 1965, offering guests a true whole-body wellness experience. Choose from one of these three packages:
- San Diego Safari Park Tour
- Welcome to the World-famous San Diego Zoo Safari Park! Span the safari in one afternoon, viewing rare and intriguing wildlife in just one location. The Africa Tram is an exciting expedition, with safari tour vehicles and our diverse wildlife creating a relaxing adventure. The ride path takes you around some of the savanna habitats, giving you a chance to connect with wildlife on a closer level.
- San Diego City Tour and Harbor Cruise
- Grab your camera and get ready to tour the local spots of La Jolla and Old Town. Take a city tour of San Diego by air-conditioned coach, enjoying a chance to admire the city’s beautiful landscapes, antique architecture and lush parks during your visit. It’s a great way to get an overview of the city or cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. After driving through Old Town and Little Italy, the bus will drop you off downtown to board the harbor cruise! This is the perfect way to explore San Diego on land and on the water!
During the conference, we ask that you dress appropriately for the event. We recognize there are different definitions for attire, so please find examples of appropriate options below. Please refer to the agenda for specific dress codes for the event.
Casual
Casual dress code refers to clothing that is informal and comfortable, yet clean and professional.
- Women
- Sundress
- Long or short skirt
- Shorts (depending on occasion)
- Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt, turtleneck
- Casual button-down blouse
- Men
- Khakis or good jeans (clean, no holes)
- Cargo or Bermuda shorts (depending on occasion)
- Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt, turtleneck
- Casual button-down shirt and/or sweater
- Loafers, sneakers (with or without socks), sandals
Business casual
Casual business attire generally means slacks, khakis or a skirt with a dress shirt, blouse or polo. Dresses and seasonal sport coats fall into this dress code as well.
- Women
- Skirt, khakis or pants
- Open-collar shirt, knit shirt or sweater
- Dress
- Men
- Seasonal sport coat or blazer (optional)
- Slacks or khakis, good jeans (clean, no holes)
- Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
- Loafers or loafer-style shoes, and socks
Dressy casual
A dressy casual dress code is a versatile balance between formal and casual. This is the ideal choice for networking (or socializing).
- Women
- Dress
- Skirt and a dressy top
- Dressy pants outfit
- Nice jeans and a dressy top
- Men
- Seasonal sport coat or blazer (requested but optional)
- Slacks or khakis, no blue-jeans
- Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
Make the most of your visit to San Diego area! If you arrive early, stay late, or your significant other has free time, the most popular attractions include:
Registration Details
- Each agent invited to the event is allowed to bring a significant other.
- Registration fees include attendance at the conference, lodging, meals and transportation to/from the San Diego International Airport.
- Registration fees are $300 per agent and $150 per significant other. You will be invoiced after you register.
- For each invited member of the agency, please fill out a separate registration form. That way, we can capture each agent and their significant other information and special event registrations.
- Significant others are invited to all meals and activities.
- Prior to the event, you will receive a request for specific travel details. This will allow us to help set up your transportation to and from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to the Omni La Costa Resort.
- Attendees are responsible for their own transportation to and from the event city (San Diego International Airport – SAN).
- Special request:
- We recognize that we are asking a lot of you to be away from your business for so long. We also recognize that things come up where you might need to adjust to your schedule. Due to the size of this event and when we need to lock into the number of rooms, meals, transportation, activities, etc., we ask that you attend the entirety of the conference if possible. If you need to leave early, please indicate that on your registration.
- Arriving early or staying later? If you would like to spend an additional day or two on your own, we have negotiated a room rate of $319 that is valid three days before or after the event dates. This is subject to availability at the time of reservation. Please indicate any additional days on your registration form, and we will notify the hotel.
- For any further questions, please contact Debbie Pound for more information.