Conference Program

Keynote Speakers

John Buri, “As For Me, We Comes First.”

John and his wife Kathy were high school sweethearts and have been married 40 years.  As he says, “Kathy is the love of my life.”  Consequently, he has written a book called, How to Love Your Wife.  He has been a professor of Psychology at the University of St. Thomas for 36 years and has taught a course on the Psychology of Marriage and the Family for 25 years.  He is a frequent national speaker on the topic and works in Marriage Prep and Enrichment for the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Archdiocese.

John’s talk, “As For Me, We Comes First”, has four main parts: The importance of family in God’s eyes and within our culture; why we marry; the 3 types of conflict married couples must wrestle with; and Cliff Notes advice for husbands and wives if you want your marriage to thrive.

Kathryn Jeffers, “Creating Communication that Works“

Good relationships, the kind that foster trust and frankness, do not happen by chance, they happen by design. To build great communication those we live with, and those we love, we need to learn how to mange our self and our interactions.

In “Creating Communication that Works” participants will learn:

• The ten most observable communication behaviors found in relationships
• Talking to each other, rather than about each other, when issues arise
• Reality Testing: Fact checking for greater clarity and less interpretation
• Giving feedback in a way others can take it
• Impulse Control: Managing “triggers” and upsets

Kathryn Jeffers is a teacher and writer who helps people become more productive and build better relationships. She has a Master’s Degree in Communication, is the author of Don’t Kill The Messenger, and is part of the Leadership Development faculty at the University of Wisconsin, School of Business, in Executive Education. Kathryn has brought practical ideas that work, memorable stories, and real-time coaching to thousands of people over the past twenty-five years.

Jason Kotecki, “Everyday Faith: Living and Loving with Less Stress and More Fun”

Feeling Busy? Stressed? Overextended?  You may be struggling with a case of Adultitis.™ Make your escape!

Find out how you can overcome Adultitis™, the dreaded condition that leaves its victims overwhelmed and out of balance. Jason believes God didn’t design life to be this way. Join us for a hilarious and uplifting look at how to bring a more playful perspective into your marriage by uncovering a more childlike faith.

Jason Kotecki is the husband of twelve years to his lovely wife Kim and the dad of Lucy and Benjamin. He’s known as the “Champion of Childhood” and he travels the world as a speaker, author and artist encouraging people of all ages to create Adultitis-free lives, living life abundantly with less stress and more fun. Join Jason, author of “Escape Adulthood: 8 Secrets from Childhood for the Stressed-Out Grown-Up,” as he encourages you and your spouse to embrace the child within and inspires you to remember the important things in life, amidst the busyness of everyday.

As a couple, Jason and his wife Kim have worked together to bring the joys from these “8 secrets” into their marriage and family life each day. Jason will share how God has led them through many interesting peaks and valleys as they strive to do His will together in their marriage. By masterfully combining hilarious anecdotes, uplifting stories and powerful imagery, Jason shares witty observations and real-world techniques that will both entertain and inspire you to:

• rediscover a renewed passion for your marriage and family
• find peace about the things you worry about most
• identify easy ways to create a family dynamic that is loving, supportive, and fun
• live a richer, more balanced life

Get a sneak peak by visiting: www.KimandJason.com

Rex Haven, “Everything I Needed to Know, I Learned From My Wife!” 

A laugh-a-minute look at men, women, love and marriage, done with clean,
clever, positive humor and tasteful sophistication. Rex’s show is
suitable for all ages, and he has performed for audiences of 50 people
to arenas of 5,000. Rex Havens takes the very heart of the world around
each of us, applies his own gentle combination of logic, bemusement and
insanity, and offers it back to his audience in a way that is engaging,
thoughtful and hilarious.

Rex has been delighting comedy audiences for 20 years, in world-famous
comedy clubs like The Improv, Catch-A-Rising Star, Funny Bones and
Zanies, on television for Showtime, Comedy Central and Comic Relief, on
radio with Bob & Tom and NPR, cruise ships worldwide, and corporate
clients including GM, American Express, Texaco, 3M, Coca-Cola, IBM,
Toshiba, Lowe’s, Johnson & Johnson, Ameritech, Proctor & Gamble, State
Farm, Quaker Oats, Verizon and the IRS (“Working for the IRS is the only
sure way to get money from them.”), and numerous non-profit and
charitable organizations, such as St. Jude’s and the Make-A-Wish
Foundation.

A former college professor who made the unusual transition
to the standup comedy stage in the ’80′s, Rex has always believed that
laughter is the best defense against a confusing and challenging world.
Rex’s take on marriage and family has propelled him to performances in
all 50 states and around the world, including London, Hong Kong,
Amsterdam, Bermuda, Montreal, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Aruba, Rome and
Cannes.

Ask for your copy of Rex’s book and CD, “Everything I Needed To Know I
Learned From My Wife!”

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