When the Shift Hits the Plan

In today's volatile business environment, many companies are facing critical 'life-changing' issues. What criteria should a company use when deciding to fundamentally change its business plan, bring in new financing, spin off business units, change-out the management team, sell or liquidate the company? What methods are available to preserve the value a company has created? How do you inform your employees, business partners, and customers of a change in the business model or a disintegration of it? How can a board or CEO be proactive in recognizing a company's need to face such a situation? How can companies keep their options open as they approach these issues? Who drives the decision? In addition to these questions, several issues will be addressed, including:. What they would have done differently if they knew then what they know now. Challenges faced when the self-interest of different investor groups diverged. Retaining your critical workforce during challenging times. Response time to market changes and trendsThe May 16th Forum assembles a group of experienced CEOs who have recently made dramatic changes to their companies and business plans in response to a changing environment. Come hear a lively discussion of the real issues these executives faced, how they arrived at the decisions, and how they executed their new plans. Moderator: SS Linden Rhoads, Director of Seattle Ventures Presenting Company: SS Keith Brintzenhofe, Co-Founder and Former CEO of Design Intelligence, currently Director of Domestic Business Development, eMerging Technologies Division/eBooks, Microsoft Panelists: SS Gregory Brown, Co-Founder and Former CEO of Senada.com/Clarios, currently Vice President of Product Strategy, Free ReinSS Skip Franklin, Chairman and CEO, PhotoTrust.comSS Lisa Wellman, Former President and CEO, DeepCanyon Company, currently Senior Vice President, Smart Starters The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest is a volunteer, non-profit organization that gives emerging technology-based companies the opportunity to present their strategies to panels of experts during a series of public forums. The events are affiliated with the Alumni Association of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and are open to anyone interested in growing or enhancing a business.Register now, and join us on Wedneday May 16, 2001 at 5:00 P.M., at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency. Tickets for the May event are $35 per person, $45 after Friday, May 11, space permitting, and no refunds permitted after May 11. Prepaid reservations are required, and may be arranged as follows: register online at www.mitwa.org or call (206)283-9595. VISA, MasterCard and American Express are welcome. Companies may reserve a table of 10.