Bixpo changes

With a tweak here and there, this year's Bixpo is expected to be not only a better fit for the northern Colorado business community, but a less expensive experience, as well.

The Northern Colorado Business Report will hold the third annual Bixpo Sept. 19-20 at The Ranch.

The event includes more than 200 exhibitor booths, a free half-day economic seminar and a speaker series.

Organizers said lessons learned from the previous two helped shaped this year's event.

In 2005, Bixpo opened optimistically with power names Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani headlining.

But either the names or the steep price to listen to them, $195, didn't inspire attendance.

James Rath, marketing and events director for Bixpo, said they tried to make a lot of noise for the first Bixpo.

"When we first came up with the idea for the Bixpo and the names we wanted to bring, people laughed at us," Rath said. "But we did it. Were the crowds what we anticipated? No. (But) that is a respectable crowd (about 2,000) for this part of the country."

He said part of the misfire with Trump and Giuliani was the organizers behind the first Bixpo compared the event, when planning it, to large venue markets.

"They overlooked the fact that we are a different market," Rath said.

He said a survey done in 2006 showed a preferable price point of $49 for the speaker's portion of the event. Last year's speaker tickets were $99. Organizers hope to the two-day event at least matches last year's attendance of 4,000.

This year's speakers are B. Joseph Pine II, co-author of "The Experience Economy" and "Authenticity," Mark Hoog, local author of the "Growing Field" book series and a United Airlines pilot, and Susan Graham, principal and owner of "Keep It Simple Coaching." All are scheduled to speak on the same day, Sept. 20, a change from the pervious two years when speaker series was held over two days.

"We wanted to do something different with the speakers series," Rath said. "The thought was to hit budget and, No. 2, bring good speakers that people would find interesting. I wanted people to walk away with 'ahhs.'"

A new feature to the Bixpo is the Front Range Economic Update, Sept. 19, in the McKee 4-H Community Building. The event starts with Our Economic Future, featuring a panel of Colorado and Wyoming economists, offering different views of what the northern Front Range's economy holds in store for the remainder of 2007 and beyond. Panelists include Don Elliman, executive director of Colorado State Economic Development and International Trade; Patty Silverstein, Denver Metro EDC economist; Brent Hathaway, economist from the University of Wyoming; Hunt Lambert of the Colorado State University Office of Economic Development; and others.

The update continues with "Hits, Misses and Prospects," discussing the area's activities of 2007. Scheduled to discuss the topic are Larry Burkhardt with the Upstate Colorado Economic Development; Maury Dobbie, president of the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation; Randy Burns of Cheyenne LEADS and Frank Bruno, city manager of Boulder.

Then the day ends with Beyond County Lines, a discussion of regionalism in Northern Colorado. Panelists include Rocky Scott, president of Centerra, Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry, Greeley City Manager Roy Otto and Kathy Gilliland, former Loveland city manager.

"There are top-notch people who know who are in the economy, they know who is coming in, (who we're) trying to get and who we missed out on," Rath said.

"We are hopeful to see more," Rath said.

Another element to the event is the booth hall, featuring about 208 exhibits in total.

"You name it, we have it represented," Rath said. "It's some of the best networking."

He said the audience of the Bixpo will resemble the bi-weekly newspaper's readership.

"Pretty much the same people who read the newspaper (will be in attendance)," he said. "Managers and up. It's not uncommon to see bank president looking at exhibits. There will be all walks of business people but the majority of the crowd will be the decision makers."

He said so far sales for the event have been picking up but in organizing the event he has learned one thing.

"Nothern Colorado is a last-minute community," he said. "I sweat bullets (as the date approaches) but then it happens."