Great Lakes Bay Estate Planning Council
(formerly Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council)
Thursday, October 24, 2024 - 12:00 noon
Great Hall at Valley Plaza, Midland, MI -or Isabella Bank, Mr. Pleasant, MI
The speaker will be MICHAEL GREGORY, a mediation and negotiation specialist and founder of Michael Gregory Consulting, LLC. He is an international speaker, author and consultant. His program is entitled "How to Handle Uncomfortable Situations Effectively." Mr. Gregory states that attendance at this program has increased 219% in the first half of this year as opposed to last year. He indicates that attendees feel that society is becoming increasingly polarized, due partly to a lack of true political discourse, a greater lack of empathy and understanding, and conflicts in the workplace and at home.
Mike feels that a healthy disagreement can have positive outcomes when managed appropriately. He will address how to achieve better, more effective collaboration in order to arrive at a winning solution. Highlights will include how to connect with others, how to listen calmly and actively, and how to present your views in a positive, educational way without being judgmental and giving unwelcome advice. He will also utilize neuroscience to address how our brains work in an uncomforable situation and why we tend to react the way we do. Effective collaboration applies directly to conflict resolution and management and to dispute resolution and management in our daily lives.
Mike spent 28 years working for the IRS before founding his company. He has helped hundreds of clients work through conflicts and negotiate winning solutions. Mr. Gregory is an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers, a Certified Valuation Analyst with the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts, a Qualified Mediator with the Minnesota Supreme Court, and a Minnesota State Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section board member. He has served on the Business Valuaton Comnittee of the American Society of Appraisers and the Valuaton Credentialing Board, and is Chair of the Ethics and Oversight Board of NACVA. He is also a reviewer for the Trust and Estates Journal Valuation Committee.
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Our speaker for the September meeting was Misty Janks, CEO of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities. Her topic was "Managing Effective Confrontation." She spoke on the challenges of navigating emotions, behavior and their impact in confrontational messages. She provided the membership with some practical tools to help the members of an organization to communicate positively with each other and with clients in a manner that will allow for the non-confrontational presentation of views and advice in order to have those views heard without triggering defensive or hostile reactions.
MEMBERSHIP
The NMEPC is currently comprised of about 100 members from five disciplines: CPAs, Attorneys, Financial Services Professionals, Trust Officers, and Development Officers of non-profit organizations. Annual dues are $150, which includes the program materials and a buffet luncheon.
A junior membership has been established for those who do not qualify for full membership but are studying for or working toward a designation, certification or qualification in one of the five disciplines. Annual dues are $75. A junior member must be employed by and/or actively involved in one of those fields in the State of Michigan. A junior membership may be renewed for a maximum of four years, with the expectation that, at or before that time, the junior member would meet the qualifications for full membership.
MEETINGS
The GLBEPC meets on the last Thursday of September, October, January, February, April and May. Meetings are held in person at the Great Hall in Midland and at Isabella Bank in Mt. Pleasant. Joining by Microsoft Teams is an option, except for the annual meeting in May (which is generally held at a different venue and requires in-person attendance). Lunch is served at 12:00 noon, with the program beginning at 12:30 and concluding at 1:30 p.m.
OUR PURPOSE
♦ To effect and promote the coordination of professional services necessary for proper estate planning including charitable giving.
♦ To improve the understanding, knowledge and skill of the member professional groups in their efforts on behalf of their clients and in appreciation of each specialized service.
♦ To raise the standards of cooperation between the professional groups for more effective application and employment of professional services in behalf of public interest.
♦ To promote and encourage the appropriate use of the professional services available from the different groups coomprising the membership of this Council.
APPLICATIONS
If you would like to join the Council, please click [ here ] for an application form or contact us at admin@glbepc.org. Our mailing address is: GLBEPC, P.O. Box 347, Freeland, MI 48623. For an application for a Junior Membership, please click [ here ].
If you have any questions, please contact us at admin@glbepc.org.
