A monthly program exclusively for the area’s top business and community leaders. Business owners, C-Suites, and Presidents, this is your opportunity to network with colleagues and peers, while gaining valuable insight from informative presentations on today's hottest news topics.

The October program will feature a panel of winners from Iowa's Top Work Places 2015.

Buck Olsen
Buck Olsen, CFP®, will assume the role of CEO at Foster Group January 1, 2017. He joined Foster Group in 2000 and has held numerous positions within the firm, most recently leading the Advisory Services Group. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Finance from Simpson College. Currently, on a day-to-day basis Buck supports the advisory group in the efforts of serving clients well. He can be found in one-on-one conversations with team members or drawing on a whiteboard, finding ways to do what they do better. Understanding the needs of the team and what the future will look like as Foster Group continues to serve more clients is an ongoing challenge and passion for him. 

John McHugh
John McHugh is the Director of Corporate Communications, Leadership Development, and Training for Kwik Trip, Inc., based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In his role at Kwik Trip he has helped the company achieve recognition as a Top Workplace as listed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Des Moines Register.
 
Prior to joining Kwik Trip in 2004, John was an instructor and principal at Aquinas High School in La Crosse. He holds degrees from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota and the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. John sits on the Boards of the Friends of Wisconsin Public Television, Trust Point, National Mutual Benefit Society, Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center and the Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse.
 
He and his wife Maggie enjoy living at their log home near Sparta, Wisconsin.

Brian Wentz
I grew up in NW Missouri, and from a young  age  I was fascinated with businesses,  franchises  and technology (not the stuff of most  9 year olds !). Driven by a need (and desire) to help support my family during tough times, I began working at the age of 12, delivering newspapers. Within six months I had five routes with over 320 daily customers, requiring me to be up at 2:30 AM daily, and to collect from each client, monthly, after school. I continued to run the business for 5 years until graduating High School. During this time I started two other  businesses,  and found a love for business.
After High School, I moved to Iowa in to attend college, with the goal of studying computer science. Once at  college  I found myself like a fish out of  water ! During my second  year  I had a pivotal moment- realizing that I was not “meant” to work for someone else, and I was on the wrong path. I picked up my books and walked out of the classroom I was in (during class), never to return again.
Looking for an opportunity to build a business and be in control of “me”, I attended a career night for Real Estate (at the age of 21) and was hooked immediately! I went on to be the rookie of my company in 1998 and have spent nearly 20 years in the Real Estate industry. My wife, who I met the very first day I started in the business, has sold with me since 2000 and now runs our team.
In 2011 I had the unique opportunity to be a part of bringing Keller Williams Realty to Iowa, one of the only States where Keller Williams’ did not have a footprint. During the launch of our franchise, we were met with fierce practices by a competitor, who had  overwhelming  market share, and who refused to pay commissions to our agents. After three long years of battling in the marketplace and the courtroom, and thanks to the support of KW agents across North America, we succeeded in overcoming our competitor’s practices, and began receiving commissions. Having started with 28 agents, we have grown to nearly 350 agents, which include two additional Market Centers.
I currently serve at the Operating Partner for Wentz Realty Group, Team Leader of KW Greater Des Moines and an investor in three Keller Williams Market Centers with two market center launches planned over the next 24 months. I also have residential and commercial real estate investments.
During my downtime, I am an avid reader – typically averaging 40+ books a year, and I enjoy boating, sailing, weight training,  nutrition  and travel. My vision has always been to launch, grow and run five organizations with the intention to take one public.