March 20, 2014, Thursday - East Downtown Council Forum: Disaster Preparedness for Business

Time: 11:30am to 1:00pm  (Registration, lunch and networking starts at 11:30 a.m., with the EDC Update and guest presentations starting at Noon.)

Location: Miinneapolis headquarters of the American Red Cross, 1201 West River Parkway

EDC Business Forum: Disaster Preparedness for Business

Please RSVP by no later than Monday, March 17, at 4:00 p.m., by sending an email to info@edcmpls.org.  The cost to attend the lunch is $15.  Please pay with cash or check at the door. 

Forum Summary

“Preparing your business and employees to respond in moments of crisis.”

Natural or man-made disasters can have serious negative effects for businesses and employees. A disaster can often catch a business off guard. In fact, it’s estimated that 25% of companies are unable to resume operations after a major disaster. There is a tendency to think that a disaster is not going to happen “where I live”.

The reality is that storms, floods, fires and human-caused hazards like accidents and acts of violence can strike anytime and anywhere. Planning ahead for your own post-disaster recovery is a good step toward protecting your employees, your business and your community. Studies have also found that every dollar invested in preparedness results in savings of four to ten dollars in post-disaster costs.

During this presentation the American Red Cross will provide an inside look at business and employee readiness for emergencies and disasters. This engaging program will give you a brief overview of the work the Red Cross is doing make our communities safer and more resilient, and will feature information about several new applications, online tools, hands-on programs, training programs and resources that will quickly get you on the path to being ready for most emergencies. Join us to learn about tools (many of which are free of cost) that will help you and your employees with a range of needs from increasing safety to ensuring the continuity of your operations. We will help you be safer and more resilient in the face of emergencies.

Guest Speaker
Phil Hansen, Regional CEO, American Red Cross Northern Minnesota Region

Hansen has served in the nonprofit sector as a strategic leader, successful executive and emergency services professional for more than 25 years and is currently the Regional Chief Executive for the American Red Cross Northern Minnesota Region headquartered in Minneapolis, and serving 45 counties in the upper two-thirds of the state, as well as three counties in the St. Croix Valley area of Wisconsin.

Hansen began his career as a District Executive with the Boy Scouts of America-Gateway Area Council in La Crosse, Wisconsin. During his career with the American Red Cross, he has successfully served as director of numerous programs including disaster services, health and safety services, regional development and as a Chapter Executive in Madison and La Crosse, Wisconsin. As a Service Area Executive for the national American Red Cross, he was responsible for overseeing 140 Red Cross chapters in eight northeastern states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has responded to hundreds of disasters across the country serving in a variety of leadership roles, including a recent deployment to provide executive leadership for the Red Cross’ response to Superstorm Sandy.

From board room to disaster shelter, Hansen is known for his integrity, boundless passion and commitment to the mission. He is the recipient of the Red Cross Presidential Award for Employee Excellence, one of the highest honors in the organization. A frequent presenter at industry forums, civic organizations and professional associations, Hansen embodies and champions servant leadership, relationship-based fundraising and the vital work of the American Red Cross.

Hansen holds a B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He’s a member of the Minneapolis Rotary Club, Downtown Council and the Minneapolis and St. Paul Chambers of Commerce among other organizations. In addition, Hansen shares his skills as an instructor in board member development at MAP for Nonprofits. He and his wife Linda live in St. Paul.

Agenda
1. Noon - Welcome and introductions by EDC President Dan Collison
2. 12:10 pm - "Disaster Preparedness for Business" presented by Phil Hanson
3. 12:40 pm - Q&A with attendees moderated by EDC President Dan Collison