2014 Chamber Showcase

When some of the biggest names in Columbia business convene for a day of networking, sometimes the unexpected happens.

At this year’s Chamber of Commerce Business Showcase, which will be held March 4 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center, the unexpected just might be Afterburner, a team of fighter pilots that gets its name after a jet engine component that provides supersonic thrust, who will take the stage for the 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Women’s Network luncheon and present a keynote address on flawless execution.

Afterburner describes flawless execution as a strategy of business leadership that focuses on improvement through a cycle of planning, briefing, executing and debriefing among all levels of management. Flawless execution is modeled after mission strategies Afterburner CEO Jim Murphy learned during his time in the Air Force.

Military business model

Anne Farrow, a Women’s Network member since 1990 and Monthly Program Committee member, says she first saw Afterburner speak about flawless execution at a national industry conference five years ago and thought they might be a good fit for Columbia’s showcase.

“It was interesting to me to hear how the military handles their missions and how that really could equate to a corporate business model,” Farrow says.

Farrow, who served as the Women’s Network president from 2007 to 2008, says because she doesn’t know anyone in the military, she didn’t realize how well some military lessons could translate to the civilian business world

“A lot of us as individuals don’t get that insight into what happens in the military,” Farrow says. “We don’t see and appreciate how flawless they are and how on target they have to be in everything that they do. If we could just take a little bit of that and put it into our business model, we would have so much potential to be great.”

Women’s Network Director Brenna McDermott says the Women’s Network luncheon is always a highlight for showcase participants. Although the Women’s Network holds a luncheon each month — February’s was a talk about arts in society by former Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs Director Marie Nau Hunter — the Chamber Showcase crowd is larger and provides the network an opportunity to showcase the luncheons and its other activities to a wider base.

“Afterburner has a reputation for giving a really energetic presentation, and we’re excited to have them,” McDermott says.

Farrow says she believes Afterburner’s message caters to a wide variety of industries. She says the address could easily be applicable to personal planning decisions such as retirement or saving money for a child’s college tuition.

“It’s not industry specific,” Farrow says. “What they talk about can be applied to any business and any industry. It has a lot of relevance for things you can pull out of your personal life as well.”

Showcase setup

The addition of pilots might be a more recent development, but planning started early for the 2014 showcase. Past exhibitors had priority on booth space through October, and booths were completely sold out by January. Each of the booths comes with a ticket to the luncheon.

The showcase, an annual networking event for business that features the chamber’s ambassadors, Women’s Network and Emerging Professionals in Columbia mentorship program, has been held since 1991, says Victoria Brees, the chamber’s director of program development. Last year, around 1,500 people walked through the event’s front doors. The Quarterly Membership Breakfast that kicks off the event typically draws more than 500 participants.

For the Women’s Network, Farrow says Afterburner is one of the network’s two big speakers of the year. The network typically also hosts a high-profile speaker in the fall. Last October, the group brought in Denver-area LinkedIn expert Kevin Knebl. An August presentation on conflict and communication from Matt Moore, who is the executive vice president of Shelter Insurance and also serves as a Southeastern Conference football referee in the fall, also proved popular.

Whether the Women’s Network hosts referees or fighter pilots, Farrow says the focus of every luncheon is teaching useful skills to members and guests.

“We try to mix it up and do different topics,” Farrow says. “We really try to bring skills and knowledge to our members.”