Events

Taking Society Forward: How Business Leaders are Building Hope, Opportunity, and Flourishing

Friday, October 2, 2026
Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.), Canadian Mennonite University
7:00–8:30 PM

You are invited to join local business leaders, students, alumni, and community members to explore together how entrepreneurship, leadership, and business are contributing to the flourishing of our communities and helping to shape the next generation of leaders.

The evening will feature a panel of business leaders who will tell stories of resilience and innovation through what, arguably, are wild times.

• In an era marked by uncertainty, what does responsible and hopeful leadership look like? How does faith nurture good leadership?
• How do leaders make decisions when the path forward is complex and unclear?
• What stories of resilience and innovation have shaped your leadership, and how can they inspire the next generation of leaders?

After hearing and engaging the stories of panelists, attendees will have the opportunity to share their own practical insights, and personal experiences through short small-group discussions with experienced and emerging business leaders, students, and alumni. Conversations will continue over refreshments at an informal networking reception.

Presented by CMU with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA).

Host

• Aaron Epp, Business Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press

Panelists

• Heidi Reimer-Epp – Former CEO and Founder, Botanical PaperWorks Inc.
• David Wiens – President, Dairy Farmers of Canada
• Mike Friesen – CEO, Elmer’s Manufacturing

RSVP form coming soon!

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