Comments from our Guests

The Business forum is a wonderful experience and gives a significant amount of good leadership and integrity. The forum must continue to enhance its' capability of supporting the technology forum.  There must always be a voice and a segment that will define the  understanding of what the computer and technology industry is all about.  There is much value that can be contributed by bringing sponsorship and quality intellectuals together in one room.  I might add the forum allows cultivated professionals to exchange ideas and intermingle on numerous great possibilities. I wish you continued success.

Shonita Stevenson 
Los Angeles County Library

The Business Forum provides a very positive service as a lubricant in the vendor/consumer relationship.

Tim Rowan 
Multnomah County, Oregon

I just wanted to thank you for the Forum at the Biltmore Hotel.  What can I say - that you could get Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, SSP, SolSoft & SafeNet to participate at the same table is unequalled, the only other organization I know of that could put those seven companies in the room to be asked questions is the Justice Department, and they could only do it by legal means.  Then you pack in 36 of the top CIO’s and CISO’s in Los Angeles County!  Absolutely brilliant - and the food and service were 5 star to say the least.  Anyone who has the opportunity to attend one of the forums in this series and does not do so would be an idiot!

Dr. Paul Rosenthal
California State University, Los Angeles

Time and scheduling does not permit me to attend as many of your meetings as I would like, but the few that I have been privileged to attend have been a tremendous value.  The presenters were knowledgeable and the wealth of information that is shared informally among meeting attendants is invaluable.

Violet M. Vernon
Aerojet Corporation

(Your meetings are) great opportunities to stay informed and up-to-date and to network with other professionals who face the same challenges we do.  Good resource."

Sandy Ends
Urban Education Partnership

The Business Forum gives professionals a low cost and convenient way to network with their peers, exchange views on current trends, manage risk, and identify opportunities to lower costs and improve the customer experience.

John Radford, State Controller.
State of Oregon

The Business Forum is a terrific opportunity to learn about innovative systems and services while providing an enjoyable venue for networking with others in the business environment.

Ed Langmaid
BAE SYSTEMS Mission Solutions

Excellent!  Highly professional in every way.  Delicious food and courteous participants. Thank you.

Leigh J. Sniffen
Worldwide Church of God

A meeting with defined subject matter, attended by those who can make a worthwhile contribution and followed-up by a well written report.  Certainly time well spent.

Donna Bales
Tamco Steel Corporation

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Formats for Business Forum Event

The Business Forum uses a wide variety of meeting formats for holding our events, depending upon the subject and on the style of the speakers or experts.  Sometimes less than a dozen decision makers having lunch with an expert can produce much more than a large meeting, whereas for subjects of immediate import to all of our members, where a series of experts addressing the subject better suits the needs of our members and guests, we may well invite more than a hundred decision makers to attend.

Round Table Luncheons put our guests, the moderator and keynote speaker at one table, in an open conversation that is allowed to develop after everyone has had the opportunity to introduce themselves. Smaller forums have proved particularly suited to the introduction of new technologies, services and products in great detail and allow for an interactive, intimate and stimulating conversation. They are ideal for dealing with ideas or policy, as the moderator always ensures that everybody is given time to contribute to the conversation, should they wish to join in the debate.

Focus Group Luncheons seat all of our guests around the outside of a large open square table. This format has proved to be very well suited for discussions regarding presentations on new services, law or tax changes, etc. where every question needs a detailed answer. It also allows eye contact for a larger group of people. Because of the amount of information generated at a focus group luncheon, the sponsors often supply note pads and pens to all the guests and in some cases a printout outlining all of the major points for discussion they consider important to the conversation.

Panel Discussion Luncheons have been designed to present wide-ranging subjects needing a panel of experts from several varying disciplines. The guests are seated at round-tables facing a head table on a raised platform and all guests are assured eye contact with the panel of speakers. The moderator at a Panel Luncheon usually moves around the room taking a microphone to anyone who wishes to pose a question to the group or comment on the subject being discussed.  

Business Forum Conferences.  We organize conferences on broader subjects where an more in-depth exchange of information is absolutely necessary. These conferences usually begin with a buffet continental breakfast, followed by a series of short presentations or lectures. After the morning presentations, and a short break, our guests move to another room for a Panel Debate Luncheon on all of the subject matter presented during the morning by the experts. A selection of materials from the sponsors is available at all Forum Conferences and an informal reception is held at the close of the meeting, so speakers and guests may talk further.

Closed Meetings we developed to allow our members to assemble a small group of senior decision makers or experts to act as a focus group. These meetings serve to bring in experts to discuss pending designs, new products, change factors, etc., that may help their business.

Put simply, The Business Forum strives to bring the most up-to-date information, the most innovative of all products, and forward looking experts to every meeting, and we recognize the total importance of choosing the format that is the most suitable for each specific topic. A format for discussing electronic commerce may not well suit the needs of our members for discussing tax law changes. The Business Forum also provides a moderator for every meeting to insure that everyone stays on the subject and that the strict rules of civilized behavior and a non-sales atmosphere are maintained. Fair play is always assured for the guests we invite to our events, whether it is an intimate luncheon for twelve or a packed conference event for hundreds.  Every guest attending a Business Forum event may participate in the discussion and join in and take part in the debate should they wish.

The Business Forum has been hailed as unique in both what it does and how it does it. (Clients) At a Business Forum event you will only meet your peers and experts that The Business Forum has chosen, with the advice of its members. Obviously, it does not reduce the experience in any way at all that the food is world class and usually rates at least four stars. We try to always hold our functions in the very best hotels. We choose the hotels we use based upon the abilities of the chef and the quality of service. We even cover the costs of valet parking for our members.

The Business Forum Institute always offers a completely cost free experience to our guests, a 5-Star three 3-course luncheon in one of America's finest Hotels; with a group of chosen senior decision makers.   Even the cost of valet parking will be taken care of for you. You will always have the opportunity to question and debate with a world class expert at all of our events, and always in the company of only your peers.  So you must understand that if we were to broadcast the date and time of any one of our events to the world at large, we would be overwhelmed with hungry attention seekers and the whole purpose of the event would be sacrificed.

Therefore, no one without a reservation confirmation from The Business Forum Institute is allowed into any event.  Business Forum Luncheons are always non-smoking events and no alcohol is served during the meeting.  The menu is always a salad appetizer followed by either a chicken or a fish entrée and, following the fifth rule of The Business Forum, "the dessert shall always be very  rich, and  preferably chocolate".  Special Diets - We will always provide special dietary meals if we are given sufficient notice to be able to do so.  Parking is validated at the close of the meeting and the third rule of The Business Forum states that "no profanity will  be tolerated and everyone agrees to behave in a civilized  manner" and will always be strictly enforced. Good Manners: