Business + Leadership Conference
November 12-13, 2026 | Pensacola, FL
Studer Community Institute
EntreCon® 2026
Become a part of our journey as we present the 2026 annual EntreCon® Conference.
Organizational leadership and development don’t happen by accident – they are intentional. EntreCon® 2026 challenges leaders, professional and community builders to actively INvest in what matters most: people, organizations and the future of our community.
Investment of time, talent and developmental training will impact individuals, organizations and our community in multiple ways that provide inspirational returns. At EntreCon@ 2026, attendees will explore how strategic investment in human potential, business innovation and thoughtful collaboration creates measurable returns for all involved.
Because leadership isn’t passive – it’s an investment!
About EntreCon
5 Reasons Why EntreCon® Rocks
EntreCon® is local. If you wanted to attend a conference in another city, there would be travel arrangements, hotel and food reimbursements, and time away from your family. This makes EntreCon® a great option for small businesses looking to invest in their employees without breaking the bank.
People attend EntreCon® for leadership tools and business education—and it absolutely delivers. What continues to surprise me, even years later, is the power of connection. EntreCon 2025 reminded me of that again. Being in a room full of people who care about growing, leading well, and serving their communities continues to energize me and push my business forward. EntreCon didn’t just launch a defining relationship for me … it keeps inspiring me, year after year. That’s why I return, and why I’ll keep showing up.
Hannah, EntreCon® 2025 Attendee
EntreCon® 2026 Speakers
Our team is hard at work curating an exceptional event experience for 2026, carefully selecting inspiring speakers and meaningful content. Here’s our current line-up – keep checking back for more updates!
Quint
Studer
Founder of SCI,
Co-Founder & Partner
of HealthCare Plus
Solutions Group
Julian
MacQueen
Innisfree Hotels
Chairman & Founder
Debbie
Ritchie
Inspirational Leader &
Business Executive
Bob
Murphy
In-House Counsel and
Director of Court Services
Jean Marie
Richardson
Founder and CEO
iFolio
Dr. Janice
Crenshaw
Inspirational Speaker/Author/
Healthcare Professional
Bert
Thornton
Retired President/COO
Vice Chair Emeritus
Waffle House, Inc.
Sarah
Ohanesian
Founder & Keynote Speaker
Jake
Poore
Former Disney Executive
Founder and President of Integrated Loyalty Systems
Justin
Headley
Member, Warren Averett
Kara
Bloomberg
VP Operations, Landrum
Kristin
Ostro
Founder & CEO
2026 Agenda
We are working on this – keep checking back for updates!
Wednesday, November 11 – EntreCon Awards
| Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4:30-5:15pm | Cocktails & Appetizers | Saenger Theatre Lobby |
| 5:15-5:30pm | Awards Opening Speaker | |
| Captain Chandra Newman, USN, Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola | ||
| 5:30-6:30pm | Awards Ceremony | |
Thursday, November 12
| Thursday, November 12, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 7:30-8:30am | Doors Open: Badge Pickup, Networking | Saenger Theatre Lobby |
| 8:30-8:45am | Welcome: Katie Ballard | Theatre |
| Presenting Sponsor: Matt Coughlin | ||
| Open: DC Reeves | ||
| 8:45-9:45am | Opening Keynote | Theatre |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Quint Studer & Julian MacQueen Moderated by Debbie Ritchie | ||
| 9:45-10:15am | BREAK | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 10:15-11:15am | Keynote | Theatre |
| Hiring Curious Talent & Fostering a Culture of Curiosity: A Practical Workshop for Leaders | ||
| Bob Murphy | ||
| 11:15am-12:30pm | LUNCH | Entrepreneur Room |
| 12:45-1:45pm | Leadership Breakout | Theatre |
| The 3D Approach to Authentic Leadership | ||
| Dr. Janice Crenshaw | ||
| 12:45-1:45 | Entrepreneurship Breakout | Entrepreneur Room |
| Title of Session | ||
| Justin Beck & Doug Bates | ||
| 12:45-1:45pm | Community Breakout | Community Room |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Panel Speakers TJ Johnson, Chelsea O’Shields, Margaret Richardson Moderated by Kara Bloomberg | ||
| 1:45-2:15pm | BREAK | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 2:15-3:15pm | Leadership Breakout | Theatre |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Coach Stephanie Yelton | ||
| 2:15-3:15pm | Entrepreneurship Breakout | Entrepreneur Room |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Kristin Ostro | ||
| 2:15-3:15pm | Community Breakout | Community Room |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Wanda Taylor | ||
| 3:15-3:30pm | BREAK | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 3:30-4:30pm | Closing Keynote | Theatre |
| Believe – The Commitment, Resilience, Mindset for Growth | ||
| Jean Marie Richardson | ||
| 4:30-4:40pm | Closing Announcements | |
| 5:00-6:30pm | EntreSocial | Clark Partington Offices |
| Join us for a networking after-party! |
Friday, November 13
| Friday, November 13, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 7:30-8:30am | Doors Open: Badge Pickup, Networking | Saenger Theatre Lobby |
| 8:30-8:45am | Welcome: Katie Ballard | Theatre |
| Presenting Sponsor: Matt Coughlin | ||
| Open: TBD | ||
| 8:45-9:45am | Opening Keynote | Theatre |
| Title TBD | ||
| Jake Poore | ||
| 9:45-10:15am | BREAK | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 10:15-11:15am | Keynote | Theatre |
| Dominate Your Day: Stop Being Busy & Leave Burnout Behind | ||
| Sarah Ohanesian | ||
| 11:15am-12:30pm | LUNCH | Entrepreneur Room |
| 12:45-1:45pm | Leadership Breakout | Theatre |
| The Clarity Gap | ||
| Dr. Sarah Ohanesian | ||
| 12:45-1:45 | Entrepreneurship Breakout | Entrepreneur Room |
| Managing AI Responsibly: Risks, Governance, and Guardrails | ||
| Justin Headley | ||
| 12:45-1:45pm | Community Breakout | Community Room |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Andrew Del Gaudio | ||
| 1:45-2:15pm | BREAK | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 2:15-3:15pm | Closing Keynote | Theatre |
| Title of Session TBD | ||
| Bert Thornton | ||
| 3:15-3:30pm | Closing Announcements | 2nd Floor Cafe |
| 4:00-5:30pm | VIP Party | Location TBD |
EntreCon® 2026 Awards
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
5:00 – 6:30 pm
We invite you to join us for an in-person Awards Ceremony, held at the Saenger Theatre. The 2026 EntreCon® Awards are meant to recognize the achievements and economic impact leaders and businesses have on a community.
We are pleased to announce that Captain Chandra Newman, Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola will be joining us as a guest speaker!.
With more than two decades of distinguished military service, Captain Newman has held leadership roles across aviation, operations, and strategic planning, earning a reputation for excellence, resilience, and servant leadership. She is passionate about developing future leaders, building strong teams, and fostering partnerships that strengthen both military and civilian communities. Captain Newman brings a unique perspective on leadership, service, and purpose to the EntreCon Awards.
EntreCon 2026 Award Nominations Are Closed,
Winners will be announced directly after the ceremony.
Until then, see the winners from 2025!
Rodney Jackson Minority-Owned Business of the Year
This award recognizes a minority-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement while showing social responsibility, creativity, and leadership; all to improve and grow the community.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Veteran-Owned Business of the Year
This award recognizes a veteran-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement while showing social responsibility, creativity, and leadership; all to improve and grow the community.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Female Owned Business of the Year
This award recognizes a women-owned small business that has attained outstanding business achievement while showing social responsibility, creativity, and leadership; all to improve and grow the community.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
View More Winners
Emerging Business of the Year
This award is open to businesses who have started in the last two years and have had success introducing their product or service. Businesses recognized in this category are run by great leadership, show a promising vision for the future, and have created a mission statement that aligns with their core values.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Small Business of the Year
This award is open to businesses who have less than 50 employees that focus on employee inclusion, community involvement and innovation in their business practices. Businesses considered for this award can clearly explain what makes their product or service unique, how they measure success and what opportunities they provide their employees.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Large Business of the Year
This award is open to businesses who have more than 50 employees that has been able adaptable to change over the past year, has displayed economic growth, and provides opportunities for their employees to improve their skills in an ever-changing environment.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Non-Profit of the Year
This award recognizes a nonprofit organization that shows dedication for improving the quality of life in the community through volunteering, partnerships, or fundraising. Winners will be able to share how they have effectively used these skills to further their mission and improve the community.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Entrepreneur of the Year
This award recognizes an entrepreneur who has a creative product or service that solves a problem in the marketplace. They are highly ambitious, serve as community leaders, and work to improve the quality of life for others through either employment or serving others.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Employer of the Year
This award is for businesses with an outstanding and supportive work environment with a focus on great training programs, an understanding of work-life balance, and career progression. Employers recognized in this category inspire and motivate their growing, diverse staff with equal opportunity programs.
2025 Winner
2025 Runner Up
Excellence in Mentorship
This award recognizes a person who has dedicated themselves to helping others through mentoring. Their level of experience affords them the ability to have a significant impact on the professional development and career advancement of those they mentor.
2025 Winner
John Myslak Award for Servant Leader
This award is given to a leader who enriches the lives of others, builds better organizations and ultimately helps create a more just and caring world. That is what our friend and colleague John Myslak did in our community, and we honor his memory by recognizing others who live their lives as fully as he did.
2025 Winner
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not answered below, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help you!
Yes, registrations are accepted on-site; however, we encourage you to register early to receive valuable conference information and to take advantage of the discounted pricing! Click the “Register” icon in the top right-hand corner of this page to get your tickets.
Discount pricing takes place throughout the year, with the best deal when you register before March 31st. In addition, we offer a student discount pass for $99! The average cost of a two-day conference is $1,000 – meaning EntreCon® is already a very affordable option!
Yes! We believe learning together as a team is important to overall organizational success, which is why we offer the following price breaks: 1-5 tickets are normal price; 6-9 tickets are $25 off per ticket, and 10 or more tickets are $49 off. Please email the SCI Team at entrecon@studeri.org for more details.
We do offer 1-day passes, but they aren’t available until closer to the event date. We do this to ensure enough seats are available for all 2-day pass holders.
Due to the popularity of the event, we recommend that you register early, as there is always the possibility that the event will sell out (strictly due to venue capacities).
The registration fee allows access to all events and functions during the event and includes access to all breakout and keynote sessions, the EntreCon® Awards Ceremony, all networking events, a swag bag, and lunch for both days. VIP ticket holders get all of this plus unlimited access to a VIP lounge, and free parking!
If you would like to inquire about accessibility/request accommodation, please contact us at entrecon@studeri.org at least one week in advance of the conference.
All travel costs including air and hotel accommodations are the responsibility of the attendee.
Preferred registration payment is by credit card. If you have a large group, we are happy to send an invoice directly to you to pay for all passes at one time. If you need to pay by check, please email us at entrecon@studeri.org to request an exception. We’re happy to work with you!
Registrations may be transferred to another employee in your company and requests for transfers of registration fees must be made in writing. Please email us at entrecon@studeri.org to request a ticket transfer.
Credit card processing problems are generally caused by a mismatch in the billing address of the credit cardholder. Please check that the address entered matches the billing address listed with your credit card provider or contact your credit card provider to authorize the charge.
During the conference, Blake Jones Photo will be onsite in the Intendencia Street Lobby at the Saenger Theatre. Check the program for times. Afterwards, a link will be sent to all attendees so that you can download your picture.
We anticipate anywhere between 400-550 people.
EntreCon® will be held in downtown Pensacola, Florida in person. Keynote and breakout sessions in will be recorded.
Yes! We’re always looking for assistance in setting up for the event, which takes place Monday and Tuesday prior to the conference, as well as during the actual event. We also accept large groups of volunteers (the more the merrier!). If you’re interested in volunteering for EntreCon®, please email us at entrecon@studeri.org.
Not necessarily. We encourage all attendees to review the full 2-day agenda to plan out which breakout sessions you’d like to attend. All breakouts will take place at the Saenger Theatre. Each session has limited seating, so please make your way to the specified room in a timely manner.
The dress code is business attire or business casual — be comfortable. We suggest that you bring a sweater or jacket to the sessions for your comfort, as meeting rooms and November in Pensacola can be a bit chilly!
VIP attendees will have unlimited access to the VIP lounge, and are invited to an exclusive after-event party hosted at The Well, which will feature a wine tasting. Attend the VIP After Party to be entered for a chance to win a two-night stay on a beautifully furnished houseboat! (must be present to win)
Your attendee badge is your “ticket” for all conference activities (sessions, exhibitions, meals, and receptions). Badges must be worn at all times and are not transferable at any time.
Saving your parking plan for the morning of can be stressful, so we urge you to think about it beforehand! All of our partner hotels are within walking distance to the Pensacola Little Theatre. A map of suggested parking locations will be available shortly.
Lunch will be provided for all attendees, both days. You are more than welcome to visit the local restaurants as well!
Clark Partington is hosting an #EntreSocial at their beautiful office (located at 125 E Intendencia St.) on Thursday evening immediately following the last keynote. It’s close by, meaning you can walk there!
We encourage you to share your experience on all social media platforms using the hashtag #EntreCon2026. Be sure to tag @StuderInstitute, @EntreConPensacola, and @QuintStuder on Facebook, or @studer_community_institute and @qdstuder on Instagram! While it may be tempting to check your emails and take calls during the sessions, we highly encourage you to be present and take full advantage of your time out of the office.
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Contact the EntreCon® Team
Our team is dedicated to providing an exceptional conference experience to you. If you have any questions that aren’t answered on our FAQs page, please use the form below to contact our team directly.