Mennonite Entrepreneurs Conference 2013
A Conference for Business Professionals and Entrepreneurs
Everyone is welcome.
Finding Our Center
How nurtured faith, lived values, and tended relationships help us find our spiritual center amid the welter of demands from business, community, church and politics. Jesus told his followers to center their lives on a commitment to “love God and love your neighbor,” but that is difficult to do! Drawing from biblical narratives, early church stories, and examples of Anabaptist witness, Nelson Kraybill will guide discussion on how to be centered in a relationship with our Creator in a polarized and fast-paced world.
Nelson Kraybill serves as lead pastor at Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Indiana, and is president-elect of Mennonite World Conference. He is author of Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation (Brazos Press, 2010), and a frequent speaker in church and academic settings. An alumnus of Goshen College, he received a master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Virginia. He is a sailor, woodworker, amateur astronomer and storyteller. He and his wife, Ellen, have two adult daughters.
Business Leader Presentations
Friday morning: Ken and Helen Penner
Helen grew up in Killarney, Manitoba where her parents farmed. Ken also is from Manitoba where his parents farmed in summer and operated a lumber camp in the winter. Ken and Helen met while attending the University of Manitoba. After completing her university, Helen taught for a few years and then looked after raising their four children. Ken taught for five years, then for 30 years he worked in the computer industry, initially as a programmer-analyst, then in management both in Canada and the United States. Then Ken and Helen owned and operated their own IT consulting company, which led to computer training and eventually resulted in their owning and operating Robertson College , a private, for-profit vocational school with campuses in Winnipeg, Brandon, Calgary, Africa and China. Helen has taught Home Care and Nutrition courses in Tianjin and Guangzhong, China for Robertson. In January 2010, they sold Robertson College; however, Ken is still on the board of the college.
They are members of the McIvor Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg. Ken is working closely with ETEM, a MB College/seminary in Montreal and until recently was a board member of LCC International University in Lithuania. Both are active in Open Circle, a prisoner visitation program. Both enjoy hosting family events, travelling, reading and golfing.
Saturday evening: Sid and Peg Burkey
Peg and Sid met at a Bible study 40 years ago and were married one year later. During their early years of marriage, they were both involved in a contemporary Christian music group, while Peg taught remedial reading in a near-by elementary school and Sid worked on the family farm. After their three children were born, Peg began assuming the accounting responsibilities for the farm, and her teaching career focused on their own children, as well as teaching Sunday School and Bible School. Sid went on to collaboratively found, co-own and co-lead three technology-based businesses in the fields of animal genetics, production agriculture and electronic monitoring and communications. After selling two of these family businesses, he now has more time to participate directly in his MEDA passion. As the family businesses expanded, so did Peg’s time spent working as the office manager, accounts payable and payroll manager. She continues to work part-time at the farm office.
Sid and Peg are members at Bellwood Mennonite in Milford, Nebraska. Peg has been actively involved at their church as a pianist, on various committees and is currently chair of the Church Council. She has served at the conference level as a delegate. For several years she was a board member for the Mennonite Voluntary Service program, DEO. She and Sid enjoyed their two years serving as a volunteers at Hesston College (from 2006-2008). Sid, a long-time supporter of MEDA, is currently MEDA’s chief engagement officer and served on MEDA’s board of directors from 2005-2011. He is also a member of the Sarona MEDA Investments Board and the Sarona Frontier Market Fund Board. They have six grandchildren.
Conference Registration
The conference cost is $299.00 USD/CAD per person or $149.00 USD/CAD for first-time attenders. (This includes the cost of sessions, materials, handouts, Thursday dinner, Friday lunch and Saturday night’s banquet.) Green fees are an additional cost. There may be a minimal cost for the tour.
Please call Carol Eby-Good at (800) 665-7026 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions.
Doral Desert Princess Resort
Please make your own reservations by calling toll-free 1-888-386-4677: Doral Desert Princess Resort, 67967 Vista Chino, Cathedral City, CA 92234. Tell them you are with the Mennonite Entrepreneurs Conference c/o MEDA, to receive our conference rate of $159.00 single/double by January 22, 2013.
Come and relax in the comfortable setting of the Doral Desert Princess Resort. Palm Springs lies at the foot of the Jacinto Mountains and the San Bernardino National Forest. The views of tall, snow-covered peaks and warm, desert golf courses make for a memorable visit to this unique area.
The Doral Desert Princess Resort is just 10 minutes from the Palm Springs airport. (A free shuttle from the airport is provided.) It is surrounded by spectacular desert beauty, yet secluded within a lush oasis. The facilities include two sparkling pools, ten tennis courts and a fitness center with racquetball. The hotel has a 27-hole, PGA-rated golf course on site. Visit www.doralpalmsprings.com for information about the hotel.