Author to keynote Women in Ag and Small Business Conference
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Jolene Brown is a real "Farmer Brown"
Author, family business consultant and professional speaker Jolene Brown will provide a keynote address at the Aug. 8-9 Oklahoma Statewide Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference at the Moore-Norman Technology Center in Oklahoma City.
A real “Farmer Brown” with a corn and soybean farm in Iowa, she describes herself as being on a mission to share leading-edge best practices, appreciation, laughter and celebration with the people who feed, clothe and fuel the world.
“A successful business-first family does not sacrifice family for business, but values the family and has the family’s best interest at heart,” Brown said. “That is why they do the business correctly.”
Her keynote address is set for noon on Friday, Aug. 9, and will focus on learning valuable lessons from yesterday’s wit and wisdom and using them to negotiate the future. Brown will also lead a 90-minute conference session on Thursday, Aug. 8, entitled “The Balancing Act: 10 Ideas to Relieve Stress and Bring Renewal to Our Farm and Family Life.”
“Audience members have described me as fun and funny, long-legged but not long-winded and so insightful that they accuse me of sleeping under their beds,” Brown said. “I can also hypnotize a chicken, plug grain augers and entertain the folks behind the equipment parts counter.”
The two-day Oklahoma Statewide Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference will take place at the Moore-Norman Technology Center, located at 13301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
“The focus of the conference is to assist women and producers in successfully managing risk for their agricultural enterprises or small businesses,” said Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension farm management specialist.
Cost is $50 per participant if registering by Aug. 1 and $60 thereafter. Registration includes two breakfasts, two lunches, all refreshment breaks, conference materials, post-conference training and a Taste of Oklahoma reception on Thursday evening, Aug. 8.
Registration forms and additional information are available at http://www.OKWomeninAgandSmallBusiness.com on the Internet, or by calling the OSU department of agricultural economics at 405-744-9826.
A number of concurrent sessions will be offered during the conference. Sessions will focus on a variety of high-profile topics about agriculture, alternative enterprises and business and finance. Participants will be able to attend sessions of most interest and value to them.
Additional information is available at http://www.OKWomeninAgandSmallBusiness.com on the Internet, or by contacting Doye by e-mail at damona.doye@okstate.edu or Jennifer Jensen, project manager, by email at Jennifer.jensen@okstate.edu.
For more information on Brown – including her highly praised book “Sometimes You Need More Than a 2x4! How-to tips to successfully grow a family business” – is available online at www.JoleneBrown.com/