Comments from some of our Guests

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

I have attended your lunches off and on for at least 5 years.  I talk up your services as one of the best shows in town.  Not only are the luncheons excellent, the programs are always timely and presented by credible professionals.  I enjoy meeting other professionals in my arena of business and have formed several business contacts as a result of the networking.  Above all John, you are an exemplary host.

Robin Noah
IMGS

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

I have attended several Business Forum luncheons this year. All of them proved provocative, interesting and were most worthy of my time. I met interesting people, participated in meaningful discussions and, perhaps most importantly, learned things from perspectives that I otherwise would have missed.  Please keep me informed as to future meetings and keep up the good work.

Henry H. Goldman, PhD, CPCM
The Goldman-Nelson Group

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Recent Articles & White Papers

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Disclaimer

The Business Forum, its Officers, partners, and all other
parties with which it deals, or is associated with, accept
absolutely no responsibility whatsoever,  nor any liability
for what is published on this web site.    Please refer to:

Formats for Business Forum Events

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.

In other words, we strive to make the experience as satisfying for all of our guests as it can possibly be, for the benefit of The Business Forum Association members who have made it possible for us, since the first luncheon in 1982. (Comments) 

The Business Forum always offers a completely cost free to our guests, an intimate three course luncheon in one of America's best Hotels to its guests; 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, without a reservation confirmation from The Business Forum no one 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:  Even for our paid up Members there are, of course, some restrictions on which Luncheon events they may attend, as we always want to increase the benefit our guests receive and ensure the highest level of debate.

Be sure of a seat!  Sometimes a potential guest will try to register too late, when all the seats have already been taken.  So we always suggest that you register as early as you can, and if for some reason you are unable to attend at the last moment, we request that you send a suitable representative in your place, for there really is nothing more embarrassing than having an empty chair when some of the guests know that you have turned people away quoting a lack of space.
 

Informal Discussion Meetings - In this format the rules are read and our guests introduce themselves. Then the speaker leads off the conversation (sometimes using a short 15 minute slide presentation) and the moderator merely ensures that the rules are obeyed by everyone taking part in the discussion as the discussion develops. The number of guests at these meeting is always limited and they are drawn from a pre-qualified set of parameters from a group of peers with similar decision making responsibilities.
 

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The Etiquette of Formal & Business Dining