Michigan Ross’ Fourth Annual Positive Business Conference

March 27, 2017


Amazon, Whole Foods, and Microsoft Executives Executives Join Michigan Ross Faculty to Empower a Community of Positive Business Leaders

University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business announced details of its fourth annual Positive Business Conference which will take place May 11-12, 2017, at Michigan Ross in Ann Arbor, Mich. The school’s signature conference will bring together nearly 400 thought leaders, professionals, executives, and academics to engage around the latest practices, research, and results in positive business designed to provide attendees with a plan to translate inspiration into action. Registration is now open here.

With a focus on driving purpose, spreading knowledge, and fostering a community of leaders to make the world of work a better place, the theme of this year’s event is “Positive Leadership: Practices & Inspiration.” In the current global business, economic and social climate, it is becoming more essential than ever for corporations to not only create economic value for their customers and shareholders, but also create personal value for employees, and social value for the communities in which they operate.

The Positive Business Conference will feature a number of Michigan Ross faculty leading main stage sessions and interactive workshops showcasing academic research as it applies to positive business leadership across all functions, from accounting to marketing to supply chain management and more. A variety of executive speakers will also share their stories from the frontlines along with their strategies for inspiring people, companies, and communities to create positive business today, thus enabling attendees to leave the conference with concrete ideas and tactics for implementing positive change in their organizations. Notable leaders confirmed to speak at the 2017 Positive Business Conference include:

  • Danielle Mastrangel Brown, Vice President, Human Resources; Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Intel
  • Melissa Kirmayer Eamer, Vice President, Customer Experience, Amazon.com
  • Walter Robb, Chairman, Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities Foundation; Board of Directors, Whole Foods Market
  • Mary Snapp, President, Microsoft Philanthropies

“As companies around the world are increasingly utilizing their influence beyond the business realm, we look forward to bringing together a diverse group of business leaders at this year’s Positive Business Conference to share stories of transformative change in the workplace,” said Scott DeRue, the Edward J. Frey Dean of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. “As the most powerful force for economic and social impact, business has the power to drive positive change within an organization and in the community. Harnessing this power, the conference will allow attendees to explore a variety of positive business practices and leave with the direction needed to bring a positive business story to life in their organization.”

The Positive Business Conference will build on the success of the first three events, which sprang from Michigan Ross’ mission to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world through business. The previous conferences drew more than 300 attendees to hear strategies and best positive organizational practices in action from leaders at organizations including Google, Humana, Ford, Patagonia, and P&G. Additionally, outstanding submissions to the 2017 Positive Business Project, an annual contest celebrating organizations that deliver change through positive business practices, will be honored at the event. Register for the 2017 Positive Business Conference at www.positivebusinessconference.com.

Registration Now Open

Registration for the Positive Business Conference is now open. Individual registration is available for $795, with discounts for team and pair attendance. To learn more or register, visit www.positivebusinessconference.com.

Sponsorships Available

To learn more about select sponsorship opportunities, contact pbconference@umich.edu.

About Michigan Ross

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today’s dynamic global economy. The Ross School of Business’ mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society.

Ross is consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools. Academic degree programs include the BBA, MBA, Part-time MBA (Evening and Weekend formats), Executive MBA, Global MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Management, and PhD. In addition, the school delivers open-enrollment and custom executive education programs targeting general management, leadership development, and strategic human resource management.