A Hometown Keynote & A Game-Changing Workshop
Annual Awards Dinner
02 | 26 | 26
The Growth Alliance's Annual Dinner is the premier networking event of the year!
Join us as we celebrate the progress happening in the Fort Dodge region.
Thursday, February 26, 2025
Cardiff Event Center
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. | Awards Ceremony begins at 6:00 p.m.
Get ready for an evening that brings big ideas and hometown heart. Our Annual Dinner keynote will feature Fort Dodge’s own Joey Coleman — the award-winning speaker, bestselling author, and global expert on creating unforgettable customer and employee experiences.
After transforming organizations across seven continents (yes, even Antarctica), Joey is thrilled to step onto a stage that means more to him than any other: the one back home. He’s excited to give back to the community that raised him, celebrate the progress happening across our region, and share insights that help businesses strengthen relationships from day one.
This year’s dinner blends celebration, inspiration, and a fresh look at how we can create remarkable experiences in our workplaces and community. You’ll laugh, learn, nod along in uncomfortable agreement, and walk away ready to elevate the coming year.
Seating Options for Annual Dinner
Platinum Sponsor - $5,000 (limit of 5)
• The package includes front-row seating, 8 drink tickets, a logo on the program, verbal recognition at the event, social media recognition, and signage at the event.
Gold Sponsor - $2,500 (limit of 9)
• The package includes second-row seating, 8 drink tickets, social media recognition, and a logo on the program.
Silver Sponsor - $1,000 (limit of 4)
•Package includes: third-row seating
Bronze Sponsor - $500
•Package includes table seating
Single Ticket - $60
Never Lose an Employee Again presents Joey Coleman’s framework for boosting retention and engagement at a time when employee turnover is higher than ever. He breaks the employee journey into eight phases and uses global case studies to show how intentional communication and thoughtful onboarding create long-term commitment. The book offers practical guidance on attracting the right candidates, easing first-day anxiety, accelerating acclimation, and re-energizing existing staff. Coleman’s approach helps organizations of any size build a workplace where people feel supported, motivated, and eager to stay.
Joey Coleman
When organizations like Whirlpool, NASA, Volkswagen Australia, Principal Financial, and Zappos need to boost their customer or employee experience, they call on JoeyColeman for assistance.
For over 20 years, Joey has helped organizations retain their best people (customers and employees) and turn them into raving fans through his entertaining and actionable keynotes, workshops, and consulting projects. His First 100 Days® methodology helps fuel the successful experiences his clients deliver around the world.
His two books have received critical acclaim, and both were instant Wall Street Journal best sellers. In Never Lose a Customer Again, Joey shares strategies and tactics for turning one-time purchasers into lifelong customers - while dramatically increasing profits along the way. His second book, Never Lose an Employee Again, outlines a framework that companies worldwide can use to reduce turnover and increase employee engagement.
As a recognized expert in experience design and an award-winning speaker at national and international conferences, Joey specializes in creating unique, attention-grabbing experiences for customers and employees. He works with companies ranging from small VC-funded start-ups to large Fortune 500s, with hundreds of mid-size businesses in between.
Joey developed his narrative skills as a criminal defense trial attorney, advised and counseled Fortune 500 companies as a business consultant, honed his communications and messaging skills at the White House, and did things for the U.S. Secret Service and the CIA that he can't talk about publicly!
His design and artwork have been displayed in museums, featured in juried shows, and graced publications in the U.S. and abroad. When not traveling the world (53 countries and counting on all seven continents) for keynote presentations, client workshops, and quality beach time, Joey enjoys playing board games, building LEGO sets, and reading bedtime stories with his amazing wife and two young sons.
Never Lose a Customer Again Workshop
02 | 27 | 26
Friday, February 27, 2026
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Iowa Central Community College – Biosciences & Health Sciences Building
If the keynote fires you up, the workshop is where you roll up your sleeves and turn that spark into strategy. Joey Coleman returns the next morning with a high-energy, hands-on deep dive into his acclaimed First 100 Days® methodology — the proven approach that helps businesses turn new customers into lifelong fans.
This interactive half-day session includes stories, case studies, exercises, and practical steps you can start using immediately. You’ll map your own customer journey, spot the places where people slip away, and learn how to create experiences that keep them engaged, loyal, and excited to refer others.
And because Joey loves Fort Dodge, he insisted on a little extra gift for early birds:
The first 100 workshop registrants will receive a free copy of How to Never Lose a Customer Again — a $30 value.
Whether you lead a team, run a business, or simply want to strengthen relationships in your organization, this workshop gives you a clear roadmap you can put to work right away.
Workshop Fee $25
The first 100 registered will receive the book for free.
Joey Coleman teaches companies how to turn first-time buyers into lifelong customers by focusing on the critical first 100 days after a purchase. His research shows that 20–70% of new customers leave during this period due to confusion or feeling neglected, but understanding their emotional journey can change everything. In Never Lose a Customer Again, he outlines eight phases of the customer experience and offers practical tools to guide customers from excitement to confident loyalty. Case studies—from software onboarding to luxury retail—show how thoughtful recognition, clear guidance, and surprise-and-delight moments create advocates who refer others. Coleman's proven system works across industries and often boosts profits dramatically with minimal investment.