Publisher Jeff Fobes from Mountain Xpress hosted the 2013 AAN Executive Leadership Conference in scenic Asheville, N.C., November 14 to 16. This retreat-style gathering is tailored specifically to publishers, owners and senior managers of AAN publications.

Schedule-at-a-glance
Thursday, November 14

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Opening Happy Hour at the Wicked Weed
King Henry VIII declared hops "a wicked and pernicious weed" destined to ruin beer. Clearly not the case at this brewery. Turn right as you exit the Aloft and walk a half-block down Biltmore Street. The aroma will let you know you are close.

7:30 p.m.
Dinner on your own.

Friday, November 15
(All sessions will take place at HandMade in America, a short walk from the Aloft Asheville.)

9:30 to 10 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Welcome
AAN President Sally Freeman, Boise Weekly, Jeff Fobes, Mountain Xpress and Tiffany Shackelford, AAN

10 to 11:35 a.m.
Check-in and Opening Session
Re-inspiring the Alt Professional: Principles and Practices to Refresh and Re-energize
Facilitator: Laura Dell

11:35 to 11:45 a.m.
Partner presentation: See Innovation
Presenter:Tyson Miller, Director

12 to 1:30 p.m.
Lunch and Local Asheville Panel
What is Asheville's Secret? What Dynamics Lie Behind Asheville's Success?
Ashevilles secret resides its grassroots passions, which emerge from, and then add their support to, the area's widespread cultural need for individual authenticity. Asheville's "localist" movement is a creative effort to build community from the grassroots up. Rather than following the more traditional model of having the city fathers and financiers call the shots -- Asheville has opted for the more raucous route of being "steered" by thousands of creative residents engaged in their often divergent passions, passions that are vocational, entrepreneurial, avocational, spiritual, civic, sporting and artistic.
Panelists: Jeff Fobes, founder & publisher Mountain Xpress, Joe Minicozzi, Public Interest Projects and Urban3, Charlie Jackson, founder & executive director, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Shaw Canale, CEO, Mountain BizWorks

1:45 to 1:55 p.m.
Sponsor presentation by AAN associate member Saambaa
Presenter: Matt Voigt

2 to 3:15 p.m.
Strategic Management of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is a way of thinking and behaving that can enhance your organization and and create high-impact results. In this quickly moving media world, it may be the thing that saves us. But first, you have to throw out your old way of operating and evaluating success.
Speaker: John Clark

3:30 to 4 p.m.
Future of News
A conversation on the future of news and digital media economics.

4 to 6 p.m.
Next Stop: Mountain Xpress Office
We head over to 2 Wall Street to taste some true Southern spirits, enjoy a local Asheville brew and learn about these local products from the source. As an added bonus, we'll get to hear about the "For Love of Beer and Mountains" Partnership between the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) and Highland Brewing. Join Charlie Ball from Troy & Sons Distillery, Ben Wicker from Highland Brewing and Anna Zanetti, SAHC Americorps PR & Outreach Associate

7:30 p.m.
Asheville Dine Around
We'll arrange small groups in advance to enjoy some of Asheville's fine restaurants.

Saturday, November 16
(All sessions will take place at HandMade in America, a short walk from the Aloft Asheville.)

9:30 to 11 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Re-imagining the Alt Professional
Alt Strategies for Getting Low-Cost, High-Energy, Highly Intelligent Talent

11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Dismantling the Media Sales Machine
The traditional manner in which we sell is stalling due to a dramatic shift in customers' buying behavior, prompting the need for a new sales and management approach.
Moderator: Blair Barna, Charleston City Paper

12:30 to 12:40 p.m.
Sponsor presentation by AAN associate member Search Influence
Presenter: Kelly Benish

12:45 to 1:30 p.m.
Working Lunch

1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
Final Session and Wrap-up

4 to 6 p.m.
City Tour of Asheville
Now this isn't any ordinary bus tour: according to Publisher Jeff Fobes, "The LaZoom City Comedy Bus Tour is a much loved local hoot and gives an unusual sense of the town." We'll have the bus all to ourselves. Boarding time is 4 p.m. at French Broad Food Co-op, 90 Biltmore Ave., a short walk from the Aloft.

7:30 p.m.
Group Dinner at Posana Cafe
What better way to wrap up the conference than breaking bread with fellow attendees. Our destination: Posana Cafe, a farm-to-table restaurant featuring locally inspired, seasonal fare.

Speakers
John Clark joined the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication in July 2011 to lead the Reese Felts Digital News project. As executive producer of the project, Clark works with students and faculty on experimentation and research designed to help news organizations adapt to the new media environment. The flexibility to test a wide range of theories and share the results is central to the project, which is funded by a $4.1 million gift from the estate of Carolina alumnus Reese Felts.

Prior to UNC, Clark was general manager of WRAL.com, where he helped build the site into one of the most successful local news websites in the nation, growing traffic to more than 1 billion page views in 2010. He deployed a mobile news strategy and established a strong social media presence for the site. Under Clark’s leadership, WRAL.com received the Edward R. Murrow Award for best broadcast-affiliated website, the Editor & Publisher award for best local TV-affiliated website and a regional Emmy for continuing coverage, among other awards.

Clark served on the North Carolina State University Student Media Advisory Board and was an adjunct lecturer of communication at Campbell University.

Laura Dell is a leadership development consultant whose academic and professional experience includes organizational development, executive coaching, teaching, and writing. She has lived in Evanston, Ill., for over 25 years and likes to do crossword puzzles and fitness walking, but not at the same time.

Registration Information and Fees
Registration for the Executive Leadership Conference is limited to three participants per publication. Participants may include owners, publishers and senior managers. Attendance is limited to the first 35 registrants.

The registration fee of $425 per person for members and $475 per person for non-members includes continental breakfast and lunch on Friday and continental breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday. Guests may join attendees for the group dinner on Saturday for a fee of $100.

Hotel Information
The conference hotel is the Aloft Asheville Downtown, located at 51 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, N.C. 28801‎ Phone: (828) 232-2838 Fax: (828) 232-2885