BIAMI Conference 2014
Pictured from the left are CFO Jim Hall, Brand Manager Jen Atwood, Senior Rehab Services Rep. Mike Malley, Rehab Service Rep. Rabecca Planchette, President & CEO Joe Richert, Mid-Michigan Area Manager Julie Campbell, Community Rehab Specialist Jim Hankamp, Rehab Service Rep. Maleigh Ruddy, Communications Specialist Jenny Haggerty and Peggy Allen Bock, Executive Director of Business Development.
The 2014 Brain Injury Association of Michigan annual conference on September 11 & 12 was host to a record number of attendees this year, and Special Tree arrived in Lansing with style.
Thanks to the fabulous work of Bill Fritz and Jim Richert of the facilities team, Special Tree introduced a new exhibit display at our booth designed to highlight our 40th Anniversary. Our booth, ad, packet inserts and promotional SWAG were themed around the “40 Years and Still Growing” campaign. Our display even incorporated an 11’ foot live tree that was later planted along the entry road to the Romulus NeuroCare Campus and 500 flower bulbs that Special Tree handed out over the two-day event.
Vice President Jack Richert was already sharing Special Tree give-aways with attendees when the conference opened while Senior Rehabilitation Services Representative Mike Malley chatted with curious visitors at the booth.
Special Tree staff and clients mingled with industry friends, colleagues and the various vendors, eventually making their way to the keynote speech by Lee Woodruff, author of the book In an Instant which is about her experience as a caregiver for her husband Bob Woodruff; a former co-anchor for ABC World News Tonight who sustained a TBI during his coverage of the war in Iraq.
After the keynote, attendees participated in breakout sessions presented by leading TBI experts including Special Tree physicians Jennifer Doble, MD, and Corina Lazar, MD, (upper right), Learning Systems Manager Mary Jo Hall, BA, CBIST, and Nutritionists Jill Prisza, RD, CNSC, CBIS, and Brahmlin Sethi, RD.
“The annual BIAMI conference is one of the most important venues for Michigan-based brain injury focused companies like us. We had five presenters from Special Tree this year which is an honor and an indication of how committed our employees are to this field.,” said CEO Joe Richert.
Thank you speakers and attendees of Special Tree, and a big thanks to staff who accompanied our clients.
Pictured from top left to bottom right: Vice Pres. Jack Richert shares give-aways with interested attendees; Senior HR Specialist LaShawn Slay and Learning Systems Manager Mary Jo Hall pose in front of the new booth backdrop; Special Tree physicians Corina Lazar, MD, and Jennifer Doble, MD both spoke at the conference; Senior RSR Mike Malley talks industry friends and partners;Keynote Speaker Lee Woodruff shares the story of her husband Bob Woodruff; and Rec. Therapist Kristen Pyles and Vocational Specialist Sara Lundsten chat with Keynote Speaker Kevin Pearce.