Not Just a Conference - A Leadership Reset
for a Hyper-Connected Era
SPARK, Sept. 28-30, 2006, in Milwaukee, WI, is designed as an important stop on your leadership journey, not a typical conference. Under the theme "Our Hyper-Connected Futures", participants move from reconnecting to purpose through service and community to confronting the real complexity utilities face today, where AI, infrastructure, affordability, and public trust intersect.
Day One challenges leaders to examine authority and decision-making through a live executive experiment, then shifts to practical governance and disciplined portfolio choices. The afternoon turns insight into action through peer strategy exchanges and collaborative Power Pitches that strengthen real-world solutions.
Day Two centers on courageous leadership and accountability, concluding with clear and actionable commitments. Short, interactive LXD sessions throughout ensure learning is applied in real time. Attendees don't just leave inspired, but equipped and ready to act.
Who Should Attend
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C-Suite & Senior Executives; Leaders accountable for enterprise strategy, transformation, risk, and public trust.
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Customer & Communications Leaders: Professionals shaping affordability, trust, reputation, and high-stakes public decisions.
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Technology & Innovation Leaders: Those integrating AI, digital systems, and data - while protecting judgment and accountability.
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Operations & Reliability Leaders: Executives and managers responsible for safety, resilience, and real-time decision-making.
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People & Change Leaders: HR, culture, and transformation professionals strengthening leadership readiness.
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Emerging Leaders with Enterprise Impact: Directors and high-potential leaders preparing for broader responsibility.
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Preliminary Agenda
September 28 | Pre-Conference | Connect to Purpose
12:30 – 4:00 PM | Community Service Projects
5:00 – 6:30 PM | Welcome Reception
September 29 | Day One | Facing the Complexity. Designing Discipline. Building Forward
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:45 AM | Welcome, Safety Moment & Hyper-Connected LXD Activation
9:45 – 10:15 AM | Opening Keynote: Leading in Hyper-Connected Systems
10:15 – 10:30 AM | Break
10:30 – 11:30 AM | Live Leadership Experiment | Part 1: Authority in the Age of AI — Who Decides?
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | LXD Integration: Where Authority Shifts
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch
1:00 – 1:30 PM | Live Leadership Experiment | Part 2: Governance by Design
1:30 – 2:30 PM | Strategic Sunset: When to Refine, Reframe, or Let Go
2:30 – 2:45 PM | Break
2:45 – 3:45 PM | Executive-Led Strategy Exchange Roundtables
3:45 – 4:00 PM | LXD Activation: Mapping the Connections
4:00 – 5:00 PM | Power Pitches: Our Collective Brains in Action
6:00 – 9:00 PM | Dinner Gala | Saint Kate Ballroom
September 30 | Day Two | Courage → Recognition → Commitment
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30 AM | Day 2 Welcome & LXD Leadership Reset
9:30 – 10:30 AM | Women Who SPARK Winners Townhall
10:30 – 10:45 AM | Break
10:45 – 11:30 AM | Lifetime Achievement Award Fireside Chat
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Closing Commitments: Leading Hyper-Connected Futures
Saint Kate Arts Hotel - Room Block Coming Soon
SPARK 2026 will take place at Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel, one of Milwaukee’s most distinctive destinations. More than a hotel, Saint Kate is a fully immersive arts experience - with gallery-quality installations throughout the property, rotating exhibits, live performances, and thoughtfully designed guest rooms that celebrate creativity in every detail.
Located in the heart of Milwaukee’s Theater District, the hotel blends sophistication, energy, and inspiration in a way that mirrors SPARK itself: bold, human-centered, and designed to provoke fresh thinking. From curated art to vibrant gathering spaces, Saint Kate creates an atmosphere where meaningful conversations and courageous leadership feel not just possible - but inevitable.
Celebrate With Us: SPARK & RADIATE Style
Join us for an unforgettable evening honoring our Women Who SPARK Award recipients and celebrating the newest RADIATE graduates.
We’ll raise a glass to courageous leadership, bold impact, and the community shaping the future of utilities.
And when the formal program concludes? The headphones go on.
Stay for the Silent Disco — where connection deepens, laughter gets louder, and the dance floor comes