Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization. BNI was founded in 1985. The organization now has over 8,000 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. In 2015, BNI Members generated more than $11.1 billion in closed business.
Dr. Misner’s Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written 21 books including his latest release, “Who’s In Your Room?” He is a columnist for Entrepreneur.com and has taught business management at several universities throughout the United States. In addition, he is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute – a referral training company with trainers around the world.
Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN and one of the “Top Networking Experts to Watch” by Forbes, Dr. Misner is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York. Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including MSNBC, CNN, the BBC and The Today Show on NBC.
Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Co-Founder of the BNI Charitable Foundation and was recently named “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Red Cross and awarded the John C. Maxwell Leadership award. He and his wife, Elisabeth, are now “empty nesters” with three grown children.
An ordained minister (IFCC and CEEC) who has been actively involved in Christian ministry since becoming born again in 1986. He completed a 1-year community based evangelistic program travelling throughout the United Kingdom, pioneered a church in South Birmingham and Lincoln, UK and was the Assistant Pastor and Church Administrator in a large and fast-growing church in Bristol. He has taught in various Bible Colleges and taught across Europe and Africa in many conferences training and empowering many Pastors and Leaders. He has worked across the denominational barriers directing youth work, children’s ministry and worship teams, having been a musician for over 30 years.
I am happily married to my husband Ron, have two married children, two grand daughters and two grand dogs.
I currently live in Winter Haven, FL where I cherish time with family and friends. While the bright Florida skies daily energize me, I secretly dream of owning a cabin in the mountains one day.
People who know me say that I am both a gifted listener and communicator. Drawing out people’s deepest dreams and helping that dream become a reality is one of my greatest delights.
Chris Widener is widely recognized as one of the top speakers in the world today. He has spoken all over the world in places like Germany, Spain, Russia, China, Egypt, Singapore, Australia and of course, all over the United States and Canada. Chris speaks to groups as small as 100 and as large as 25,000 people.
Jekalyn Carr, is a profound speaker and singer. Carr burst on the music scene in 2013 with the poignant and powerful Billboard Top 5 single, “Greater Is Coming,” which showcased a vocal ability and intensity far beyond her 15 years. Her most recent monumental milestones are being nominated for five
Stellar Awards and receiving a GRAMMY nomination for "Best Gospel
Song/Performance" for her Billboard#1 single "You're Bigger" which was
also named the #2 Most Play Gospel Song at Radio this year by Billboard
Magazine in the "Year-End" issue. "You're Bigger" maintained a Top 5 position on the chart for over 31 consecutive weeks. "You're Bigger" is lifted
from Carr's album THE LIFE PROJECT, which debuted at #1
on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart. Jekalyn is featured in a movie that will be soon. released by Sony called Never Heard. She has written her first book called You Will Win and it will be released very soon.
This embryonic artist’s burgeoning national acclaim was evinced when she received the distinct honor of being named a POWER 100 by EBONY MAGAZINE in 2014 as one of the most influential people in the world. She was on the same list as Beyonce, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Lebron James, and Quincy Jones to name a few. Jekalyn Carr encompasses the right kind of substance in which great Gospel artists are made. She understands the dynamic and sacrifices she has to make for her ministry and platform, and she does them willingly, because her focus is on the greater good—impacting people. Her gift, passion, character, integrity, talent, and sacrifice is evident in everything she does.