Event Notices From May 7

ImageSoft Government Summit Offers Strategies For Efficiency: The recession has ended, but the length and extent of the fiscal recovery are still unknown. Meanwhile, state and local governments are left to grapple with what are -- most likely -- permanent hits to their tax bases and budgets. Welcome to the new reality in government and the focus of the 2012 ImageSoft Government Summit. Next month's Government Summit, "Welcome to the New Reality: Solutions for Efficiency and Cost Savings," on June 6 in Livonia, will foster vital discussion about life after the recession, the stimulus, the election and the next big challenges to confront government.  The event, presented by Southfield-based ImageSoft Inc., aims to help state and local governments rebound and reset following the economic downturn and to identify solutions to enable them to operate with significantly reduced means, even as demand for services increase. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson will deliver the keynote presentation to discuss best practices for sharing resources between government entities, effective strategies for working with Lansing, and examples of how Oakland County's successful collaborative initiatives are changing the way government conducts the public's business. The summit will also offer 16 workshops covering a variety of topics pertaining to the courts, law enforcement, the county clerk, the prosecutor's office, government back office operations and more. Offered at no cost to public sector employees, the summit attracts state, county and local government officials from multiple agencies in Michigan, Ohio and surrounding states. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the VisTaTech Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College in Livonia, and will include continental breakfast and lunch. Participants are also invited to attend a golf outing and pre-Summit welcome dinner on June 5 at Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center in Plymouth. For information or to reserve a complimentary pass visit www.imagesoftinc.com and click the Government Summit icon.

Ann Arbor Spark Launches New "Selling Smart Workshop" Series: Ann Arbor Spark will kick off a new entrepreneurial education series, the Selling Smart Workshop, on June 6, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Spark Central, 330 E. Liberty St., Lower Level, Ann Arbor. This first event in the series, "A Practical Process for Selling Services," will offer information on how to create a systematic approach for qualifying leads and closing opportunities. "Sales is an aspect of business that so many entrepreneurs struggle with, yet it's absolutely critical to a company's success," said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor Spark president and CEO. "Ann Arbor Spark's entrepreneurial education services, including workshops like the Selling Smart series, are designed to bridge these gaps between technical acumen and professional skills." The Selling Smart Workshop series will be held the first Wednesday of the month, 9-11 a.m., at Spark Central, through December. Each of the Workshop events will include an hour of practice selling, followed by an hour presentation on a different sales topic. "A Practical Process for Selling Services" will feature Jim Woods, CEO of Advantage Management Consulting, Kevin Phillip of LTI IT Services, and Joe Marr of Sandler Training Ann Arbor. Future series topics include best practices for selling consulting services and sales to large corporations. There is no cost to attend any of the Selling Smart Workshop events, however, registration is encouraged. Visit www.annarborusa.org/events/spark-events for more information or to register for the event.