OVERVIEW | SCHEDULE | SPEAKERS | RESOURCES

Schedule

Tuesday, August 29

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.		Event Check-in Open Sonoran Sky Ballroom Entryway - Lisa Miller – Director of Meetings and Events

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.		Welcome and Introductions Tom De Vries – President/CEO

3:15 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.		Faith Focus Robert Loggins – Citygate Network Minister-at-Large


3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m..		SESSION #1: Beyond High Performance Jason Jaggard – Founding Partner, Novus Global CEOs are expected to be high performance leaders. They are expected to give their best for the sake of the mission and to live out God’s call on their lives. They are expected to use their gifts, talents, and skills to be the best. Low performance, underperformance, or just performance won’t cut it. So, how do you measure up? Jason Jaggard is a sought-after executive coach for Fortune 100 CEOs and other leaders. He helps them — and today will help us — look beyond our level of performance and guide us to discover the question that is beyond just doing our best: What am I capable of?


5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.		Dinner in the Desert Sonoran Sky Ballroom

6:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.		Spouse Connect Laura De Vries – DBD Group Location TBD


6:40 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.		SESSION #2: Leading a High-Performance Ministry with Jason Jaggard – Founding Partner, Novus Global In leadership, higher performance means greater impact. Building high performance teams can help ensure that we have the greatest impact possible – through our mission or ministry and with the people God has entrusted us to serve. But is a high-performance team what we really want? Jason Jaggard will take us beyond our own personal leadership to how we lead others, helping them to increase their capacity and capabilities to have the greatest impact of all. There will be plenty of time for Q&A.

Wednesday, August 30

6:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.		Breakfast on Your Own Allowing space for breakfast on your own provides options. Use this opportunity for private reflection, connection with others, or doing a little networking. There are two onsite dining options: Marketplace Café can be found in the lobby and opens at 6:30 a.m. where you can grab a cup of Starbucks and a breakfast pastry; Lobby Grill offers casual comfort and cooked-to-order breakfast beginning at 7:00 am. The choice is yours!

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.		Faith Focus with Cal Jernigan – Senior Pastor, Central Christian Church of the East Valley Reaching 10,000 people through five different campuses, Cal’s ministry impacts the masses in the Phoenix area. Coming from a broken, dysfunctional home that struggled to make ends meet, he has become a spokesman for the Lord around the world. Cal recently traveled to Abu Dhabi to meet with other evangelical pastors, as well as Muslim imams and Jewish rabbis, to explore how to create peace among Muslim countries. Cal also received an invitation to the Vatican to discuss unity between Protestants and Catholics with a group of clergies. His devotional will be inspirational and uplifting. The session will close with a time of prayer.

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.		Round Table Sessions Bob Logan – Logan Leadership

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.		SESSION #3: The Addiction Re-awakening Holly Geyer – Addiction Medicine Specialist, Mayo Clinic Holly Geyer works with people bound in addiction every day. Sound familiar? Rather than in a rescue mission or recovery center, Holly is an addiction medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic. Armed with research and experience, she states: “The number one cause of death in those under 45 is drug addiction.” As a highly published doctor, in addition to her clinical activities, Holly will talk about the latest research regarding the science behind addiction and how ongoing and increased addictive behaviors can be addressed through foundational habits of faith, hope, and love.

10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.		Break


10:35 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.		SESSION #4: The Latest on the Legal Front Jonathan Ruybalid – Director/Shareholder, Schmitt Schneck Even & Williams, P.C. Not a week goes by that something doesn’t happen on the nonprofit legal front that affects rescue missions and similar ministries. Citygate Network’s attorney will highlight the four biggest cases that you need to know about and give you an opportunity to ask questions about those cases or your own local legal issues.

11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.		SESSION #5: Open Forum Consultants and Subject Experts This is where we will show you, via graphs and charts, what attendees have said are their most pressing concerns. We’ll then bring our presenters and advisors to the front to address these topics and answer ensuing questions. This is where we get brutally honest with each other and discuss those things that need to be talked about.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.		Lunch onsite Sonoran Sky Ballroom


1:05 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.		SESSION #6: The Art of the Ask Bruce Berglund – CEO DBD Group Skillfully connecting mission and money plays a key role in your organizational future. Bruce will share insights and best practices that will strengthen your fundraising efforts and lead to artful asking. Understanding how to build and grow key relationships with donors and ministry partners is a skill every successful CEO must develop in pursuing God’s preferred future for your mission and those you serve.

2:20 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.		Networking and an Ice Cream Bar

3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.		Phoenix Rescue Mission Tour 3:05 p.m. (sharp!) departure We are heading over to the Phoenix Rescue Mission’s new Transforming Lives Center for Men. This tour alone is worth the price of admission. You’ll return with a lot of great ideas for your own organization. (1801 S. 35th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009)


5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.		Dinner at Aunt Chilada’s Our evening meal will be back at the resort at an abode that was voted “Best Outdoor Dining Venue” by Open Table Diner’s Choice. Their Cantina Patio and unique private rooms will provide a special setting in which to enjoy some amazing Southwest fare.

7:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.		An Evening with Tom De Vries With the setting desert sun as a backdrop, Citygate Network’s new CEO will talk about his journey and share his vision for the association. He’ll answer questions you may have about where we’re going and what it will take to get there...and he will ask you some questions too!

Thursday, August 31

6:30 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.		Breakfast on Your Own If you tried the Marketplace Café yesterday, give the Lobby Grill a shot this morning — or vice versa.

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.		Faith Focus Robert Loggins – Citygate Network Minister-at-Large

8:20 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.		SESSION #7: The Future of Leadership Tim Griffin, Dean of Students, Grand Canyon University With a student enrollment of approximately 25,000 and 200 academic programs, Grand Canyon University now ranks as the largest Christian college in the U.S. Who better than the dean of students (who also serves as the university pastor and vice-president of student affairs) to talk to us about the future of leadership in our country? What is the composite of the typical student (if there is such a thing)? What captivates the hearts of the next generation? How will they lead differently? How do we attract and keep them (if that’s possible) at our missions and ministries? And how should we be praying for them as they move forward in their education?

9:15 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.		Five X Five We’ll divide the attendees into five groups of five and have each person answer five questions that will open the door for deep discussion on subjects that might surprise you, but will definitely be of interest to you.

9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.		Break

10:10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.		SESSION #8: Is It Time for a New Beginning Rob Wallstrom – Former CEO, Vera Bradley After nearly ten years leading the company famous the world over for stylish backpacks and travel bags, Rob stepped down in 2023. With so many leaders within Citygate Network doing the same thing — or considering it in the not-too-distant future — we knew this would be a session of great interest to everyone. And even if you’re not planning a departure but are sensing that you’re not comfortable doing what you’re doing, Rob will point out the signs that so many miss indicating that a change is needed. He’ll also talk about preparing for what’s next, whether it’s renewal, retirement, or a new venture.

11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.		Final Comments Tom De Vries – President/CEO

11:10 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.		Closing Prayer Circle Tom De Vries – President/CEO