Speakers
MORE SPEAKERS COMING SOON.
FOR NOW, CHECK OUT OUR KEYNOTES!
Ross Bernstein
The best-selling author of nearly fifty sports books, Ross Bernstein, is an award-winning peak performance business speaker who’s keynoted conferences on all seven continents for audiences as small as 10 and as large as 10,000. Ross and his books have been featured on thousands of television and radio programs over the years, including CNN, ESPN, Fox News, and “CBS This Morning,” as well as in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today.
Dr. Anirban Basu
Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., a Baltimore-based economic and policy consultancy he founded in 2004. He serves the Chief Economist function for many organizations, including the Maryland Bankers Association and Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. In 2022, he entered the Daily Record newspaper’s Circle of Influence. He is the Distinguished Economist in Residence at Goucher College, where he teaches History of Economic Thought. He holds four graduate degrees, including a J.D. and a Ph.D.
Alex Ayers
& Todd Titus
Alex Ayers is the Vice President of Government Affairs for HARDI the Heating, Air-conditioning, & Refrigeration Distributors International. Alex serves as HARDI’s primary lobbyist and policy expert. Alex has spent nearly a decade lobbying on the federal level and published papers and studies in various policy areas including taxes, energy, agriculture, and economics and has testified on tax policy. His research has been cited by organizations such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Tax Foundation.
Todd Titus, J.D. is HARDI's Director of State and Public Affairs. As the lead of HARDI's new state affairs department, Todd monitors legislative and regulatory issues across all 50 states to inform HARDI membership about the legislation that impacts the industry. Along with informing membership of key issues, Todd also spearheads grassroots initiatives, advocates before elected officials, and networks in person with relevant stakeholders.
Josh Linkner
New York Times bestselling author Josh Linkner is a rare blend of business, art, and science. Over the last 30 years, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies — which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million — and has helped over 100
startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. Today, as the co-founder and chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm, he’s on a mission to help leaders “find a way” through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and
ingenuity.
Mary Kelly
Mary is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and she served 21 years on active duty as an intelligence and a logistics officer, mostly in Asia. She earned a PhD in economics, and she taught at the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and in the graduate school for Colorado State University.
Mary is also the author of 15 business and leadership books.
Pamela Barnum
Imagine living with a different name, identity, and background, building trust and detecting deception among dangerous people. That's what Pamela Barnum did as an undercover officer in the Drug Enforcement Section. After law school, she became a federal prosecutor and later, a corporate negotiation expert. Pamela now teaches communication skills to build trust in corporations, associations, and law enforcement. With decades of experience, she shares practical strategies through engaging stories, humor, and energy. Pamela is a sought-after expert in media and has spoken to audiences up to 12,000.
