2024 Fall SME Forum: Innovation as Art: How we Evolve to Improve

2024 Fall SME Foum:  “Innovation as Art: How we Evolve to Improve”

About this Forum

We are kicking off a multi-forum topic that we will pursue into 2025.  While we don’t want to make these about “Artificial Intelligence”, unlike at our April 2023 Forum in Scottsdale, there was a significant change in receptiveness from the membership to explore AI (and we will use this term VERY broadly to be as inclusive and thoughtful about the domain) in November, 2024.  So we built programming that infuses, takes into consideration and deliberates HOW artificial intelligence can be effectively applied to our businesses in practical and realistic ways.  This, of course, will supplement our many staple topics that broadly include Marketing, Distribution, Institutional and Wealth, Data, Practices, etc.

For the Fall 2024 SME Forum, we continue our exploration of this theme under the title of “Innovation as Art: How we Evolve to Improve”.  It is an idea that likens artists to asset managers.  Each is different and unique in many ways from all the others.  Yet many use the same tools, techniques, materials, etc. to produce their results.  We have a defining belief at the SME Forum that we do not offer “answers” or “solutions” to our members.  What we do is share and learn from one another so that each firm can adopt and choose the best ways they assess will meet their needs successfully.  We try to apply proven processes to thoughtful and unique ways in which we each work to address our needs and opportunities.

This Forum will have tracks dedicated to Track 1, Track 2, Track 3 and Track 4 in ways that allow the differences in how we are each structured to open different thinking, approaches and ways in which we can pursue our goals.  Our dinner at the Kemper Museum of Fine Art is part of the inspiration for our theme and we will see how artists can produce very different results from the same materials and elements at hand.

Travel Considerations & Venue

Preparations for the Fall Forum in Kansas City are well under way and here are a few key items to help you plan:

• Arrive by Monday, October 21^stfor the kick-off reception that evening
• The Forum is all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday
• The Leadership Council meeting will be on Thursday morning
• If you are not planning to also attend the SS&C Conference, you can book returns starting late Wednesday afternoon.

We are well aware that many will combine the trip to KC to attend both the SME Forum as well as SS&C Client Conference later the same week and coordinating to minimize overlap and scheduling conflicts.

Budget Considerations:

• Travel and transportations to/from Kansas City
• The event venue is all at the Marriott Country Club Plaza.  SME Forum room rate is $175/night(Group reservation link forthcoming)
• There is no limit to the number of participants from any Asset Management member firm.  Registration Fee per Asset Management attendee is $595(Registration link opening August)
• Beside any personal incidentals, all meals, breaks, and receptions are all included in your registration fee and you should have minimal additional expenses.

Please mark your calendar to join us and check back later this summer for more details and to register.