Thursday, February 4th 2010

By Simon Granat

Simon Granat

On Monday, Feb. 1 and Tuesday, Feb. 2 students packed into CIBC hall to listen to a variety of world class business leaders. For two days, McMaster was host to 16 different entrepreneurs, business leaders and educators, each with a fifty minute forum where they tried to impart their unique insight, words of wisdom, and life experience to students.

“The McMaster World Congress has been the largest McMaster run conference for years now. This is our 31^st year and it is actually the first time that we have actually brought the conference back to campus in a long time,” said Dr. Nick Bontis, Professor at the DeGroote School of Business and Director of the McMaster World Congress.

By moving the event back on campus, the World Congress was able to attract a record 4,400 students. “We wanted to crank up the exposure of the event on campus because it was difficult to attract attention [off campus],” Bontis said.

This year, the theme of the McMaster World Congress was split between sports management and student development. “We felt that sports management would be important [to] students.”

The World Congress often tries to attract speakers within a certain track. Past events include e-commerce and crime prevention.

“We pride ourselves on selecting themes that are timely and are of interest to practitioners as well as students,” Bontis said.

One of the guest speakers at this year’s event was John Levy, CEO of Score Media. He came to the World Congress for a chance to speak with students about the changing future of business.

“I honestly think that things are completely upside down now. So I think that people will have to think about opportunity and approaches to business in a completely different manner,” Levy said.

Penny Simmons of Penny Loafer’s Shoe Shine Company was another one of the business leaders who gave their time to students.

In an interview with the Sil she admitted that she came to the Congress to share the story of how she created her company, and provide students with some warning signs of what to look out for.

“I feel it is important to share realistic business experiences. Through time I have met a lot [of] students who have come out of school and thought, “I’ve got it all.” The reality is, the real world [is] not just the textbook.”

Other guests that attended the conference include Dean of Business at McMaster University, Paul Bates; Sr. UN Environmental Affairs Officer, Neil Pratt; COO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Tom Anselmi, President of Newport Sports Management, Don Meehan; and CEO of Keller Williams Ottawa Realty, Sunny Daljit.

The success of this year’s event will ensure that the 32^nd McMaster World Congress will stay on campus. Next year, the World Congress will be held at the same time, in the same place, Feb. 1 and 2, 2011 in CIBC hall.