Bakersfield Life

Catching up with George Martin

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Why was it important that this year’s revived conference is held at CSUB?

       CSUB was the longtime home of the Bakersfield Business Conference and over the years the attendees became quite attached to it.  It allows for 35 acres of grass and through the generous cooperation of AYSO, we will be able to build and present a garden setting with numerous tents that otherwise would not be possible.  CSUB is our regional center of higher education and therefore a fitting venue for this event.  Our original motto for the Business Conference was "Education Should Be Fun".

Why is the time right to bring the conference back after a five-year absence?
        During the five years the Conference has been dormant, the political and economic landscape of our country has changed significantly.  Also, when we announced that we were discontinuing the Conference, we were inundated with mail, email and phone calls asking that we attempt to continue to have the Conference even if less frequently.  We decided that a five-year space between Conferences allows for a more invigorated Conference and discussion of new prevailing events in our society financially, socially and economically.

How will this conference be different from past events?
       This year’s Conference will have the informal outdoor patriotic atmosphere of past Conferences at CSUB, but with more venues than in the past.  For instance, as speakers are being presented in the main tent that will hold approximately 10,000 people, speakers will also be making presentations in three other smaller tents that will hold from 150- to-750 people.  While the main stage speakers are being presented, announcements will appear on large video screens stating  who is about to speak in the smaller tents.  This gives folks in the main tent an opportunity to go to a smaller tent to hear a speech that will be five minutes less in length than the speeches in the main tent, and get back to the main tent in time to hear the next speaker.  The smaller tents, which also have nationally recognized speakers, allow people to have seats up close to the speakers even if their reserved seating is farther back from the main tent stage.  Further, the smaller tents allow for "Q" and "A" which is, of course, not manageable in the large tent.  The first speakers in the smaller tents will speak from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. prior to the opening of the main stage event.
        Every effort has been made to coordinate main stage speakers with smaller tent speakers so that different points of view are being presented at the same time, and folks can choose which point of view they wish to hear and who they are most excited about seeing and hearing.

Which issues or topics do you expect to be the most prevalent given the lineup and timing before elections?
        We have put together a lineup of speakers who will address a broad range of topics including the economic issues facing the nation and global community and the impacts on State and local governments; the impacts of changes in tax law with the sunsetting of current income taxes; global warming and environmental regulation; banking regulation; changes in health care delivery systems; immigration reform and national security; cap and trade regulations; card check and union legislation; pension reform; intellectual property issues facing businesses and individuals; State’s rights versus Federalism; and simplifying government, including proposals for part-time State legislators.
      The program also includes "How To" workshops on obtaining lending with meet-the-lenders panels and investors panels, as well as other "How To" business programs, including new changes in estate planning.  These programs will be held in tents outside the main tent.
       In addition to the more political, economic, and business parts of the program, there will be a number of motivational speakers who will be focusing the audience on the value of positive thinking and education in society, as well as understanding and appreciating those who are serving and have served in the military to protect our freedom.
Why is it important to include entertainers in the lineup?
     The program is planned as a day to fondly remember.  We want our guests here and from out of town to enjoy a live/interactive, bigger-than-life educational and recreational experience.
       The Conference is about much more than politics, business and finance.  It is about expressing the freedom of thought and association that comes from learning while having fun.  Music makes the soul soar, humor keeps us anchored as we learn, and passionate speech is a thrill ride for our minds. 
        Picnics and refreshments fill our audience with energy so they stay tuned in during the day.  The audience is, of course, allowed to take a "recess" and go to the sports tent to check scores, walk the grounds, enjoy the ice cream pavilion, visit the beer garden, check out the Stars and Stripes Arcade where book signing and meet-and-greet takes place all day, and get up front and personal with various personalities and celebrities during Q & A in the smaller tents. 
         The event is about making fun and enjoyable memories, and that is why the day starts with music and ends with music and fireworks.  In between, the day will be filled with comedians, motivational speakers, and patriotic presentations by famous people we may never have the chance to see live and in person were it not for the Conference, and entertainers help make the Conference the one-of-a-kind experience that so many enjoy.
 Given the rise of social media sites and Internet accessibility, will this event be more accessible for those who can’t attend?
       I am certain there will be a good number of bloggers who will be attending this year as opposed to past Conferences.  There will, however, be restrictions on coverage since this is a private event.
How has interest in this year’s event compared with that of past years?
        The response has been overwhelming and much more than we anticipated.  We started out over a year ago figuring that we might have 3,500 people and had actually looked at the Park at Riverwalk as a potential venue.  It turned out that our first mailer to past registrants brought in close to 5,000 ticket  purchases, and we knew at that time we had to find a larger venue.  CSUB and AYSO were very accommodating in allowing us to reinvent the garden-like tent city we had in previous years at the college campus.  We now have just over 9,000 paid attendees, and we can only accommodate 10,000 or so under requirements of the fire marshal.  Therefore, this program will sell out in the next month or so.
 What is the most challenging aspect of organizing the conference?
       Finding the supplies, equipment, and materials necessary to construct a venue that is comfortable, accessible and enjoyable for our audience is very challenging.  For instance, we have obtained the largest tent that one can rent in the United States and Canada; and many other aspects of the materials being brought in are coming from across the country.  Getting the Conference grounds built and torn down in three weeks is, indeed, a challenge.
 Why did you decide to have the conference occur every five years instead of every year?
        Having a five-year interval between Conferences allows the Conference not to become stale and to present current, nonrecurring topics and personalities to our audience both here in Kern County and throughout the country.
Who is your all-time favorite speaker from any of the past events?

      There have been so many it is hard to choose one over the other but I can tell you, based on our evaluations, Margaret Thatcher got the highest ratings of any speaker to step on the stage at the Bakersfield Business Conference.

 Which speaker are you most looking forward to?
        My favorite speaker will undoubtedly be the surprise speaker coming at the end of the program.  I believe that speaker will probably be the one that most folks will remember for the rest of their lives.