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The Leadership Breakfast Series is a place where community leaders share their knowledge, attendees enjoy a hot buffet-style breakfast, and business and government professionals network with each other and MBU’s faculty, staff, and students. Each breakfast features a guest speaker and relevant topic, with a brief introduction to Maranatha. Subscribe HERE to be notified of upcoming breakfasts!

February 12, 2025

The Annual Economic Breakfast with Deb Reinbold of ThriveED/Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium

“The Cost of Complacency: How Economic Development Transforms Communities”

With Special Guests Matt Kures [UW-Madison], Rob Marchant [City of Watertown Redevelopment Authority] and Watertown Mayor Emily McFarland

Breakfast opens: 7:00 AM
Presentation starts: 7:30 AM
Cost: $5.00 per person

Meet Your

Each speaker will share career experience, offer practical industry wisdom, and address trends and best practices in leadership. Join students and professionals from a variety of vocations for opportunities to connect with others and to grow as a leader.  

STEVE BOARD

STEVE BOARD

MBU School of Business
Assistant Professor

Speaker CV

Mr. Steve Board was a member of the Maranatha Board of Trustees for ten years before becoming a faculty/staff member in 2012. He brings real-life experience to his business courses, having spent more than thirty years in business, including supervisory, managerial, and leadership roles.

During those years, he assisted two businesses in recovering from previous poor management, led a national construction company to increase its annual revenues by 400% in less than 10 years, and acted as lead team member of a start-up business enterprise that grew to more than 240 employees in 10 years.

In addition to teaching in the Maranatha Baptist University School of Business, he is heavily involved in the community and the development happening in downtown Watertown.

Learn more about Steve Board.

MATT KURES

MATT KURES

Specialist, Researcher | Community Development Institute at the UW-Madison, Division of Extension

EMILY MCFARLAND

EMILY MCFARLAND

Mayor, Watertown

Speaker CV
Deb Reinbold

Deb Reinbold

President, Thrive Economic Development (ThriveED), Jefferson County

Speaker CV
As ThriveED’s president, Deb Reinbold leads strategic economic and community development efforts. She also serves as Executive Director of the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium (JCEDC), ThriveED’s public sector partner entity.

Deb is also active in the following organizations:
Bread Basket Food Pantry (Board Member)
Wisconsin Rural Partners (Board Member)
Habitat for Humanity (Board Member)
Wisconsin Talent Attraction Community Partner Network (member)
NAIOP (member)
CarW (member)
BioForward (member)

Rob Marchant

Rob Marchant

Chief Client Officer and Partner, Michael Best Strategies LLC
Senior Counsel, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Chairperson, City of Watertown Redevelopment Authority

Speaker CV

As the firm’s Chief Client Officer, Rob is a trusted advisor who helps clients make the connections they need—in our firm, in the marketplace, and in government. His top priority is supporting successful client relationships and delivering on our firm’s Client Service Standards.

In this role, Rob keeps his finger on the pulse of clients’ evolving needs, and he helps drive our firm’s development and deployment of innovative solutions to meet those needs. He also acts as a mentor to our client relationship managers, to ensure they’re equipped with the resources needed to best serve our clients.

Rob serves as a client relationship manager himself, helping clients solve business challenges and grow their business by identifying strategic opportunities, then designing and implementing programs that achieve their goals. His work comprises a full range of services related to public policy strategy, including government relations, lobbying, strategic planning, and public relations.

Rob’s work is informed by a wealth of legal and business experience. A seasoned lawyer, he is familiar with and knowledgeable about the lawmaking process. His bipartisan experience—which includes drafting the rules of procedure for legislative chambers, serving as parliamentarian of the Wisconsin Senate, and serving in the executive branch—gives him a valuable perspective on the complex operations and political dynamics of government.

Prior to joining Michael Best Strategies, Rob served as deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of day‐to‐day operations, including the department’s major program areas, the Wisconsin retirement system, and the group health insurance program for state employees. Rob also served as Chief Clerk and Director of Operations for the Wisconsin State Senate for eight years, elected unanimously to the position by the Wisconsin State Senate on multiple occasions and serving under five majority leaders in both parties.

Prior to being Chief Clerk, Rob was a legislative drafting attorney, specializing in business and corporate law, campaign finance law, and construction law.

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS

Maranatha Baptist University is located at 745 W Main St, Watertown, WI.

Parking is available inside the main entrance to the left (number 32 in the map). The meeting venue is in the top level of the Dining Complex (number 4).