Theme: How or Why: We're Curious!

After an extremely successful inaugural event in 2017, plans for 2018 show an outstanding slate of presenters in a variety of areas who will help quell our curiosity. Last year, the 200-seat Reynolds Auditorium was filled early, so it was decided to multiply the audience size possibility for 2018. Eight talented guests will grace the stage of the 1000-seat Administration Auditorium. With open seating, the event is a first come, first served free event. The emcee for the event will be the university president, Dr. Bruce McLarty.

Administration Auditorium
Administration Building, Harding University
900 E. Park Street
Searcy, Arkansas, 72149
United States

Coleman Yoakum

Founders/Executive Director of Micah 6 Community, Pontiac, MI

Coleman is the executive director of the Micah 6 Community, a community development nonprofit in Pontiac, Michigan. Their work focuses on issues of public health, neighborhood stabilization and community gardens.

David Williams

President and CEO, Make-a-Wish Foundation

David Williams has served as the president and chief executive officer of Make-A-Wish America since 2005, leading the organization in its simple, but powerful mission to grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. Under Williams’ leadership, the organization has realized record growth, with national office annual revenue more than quadrupling to $115 million and overall revenue doubling to more than $363 million. Williams has had a long career in service-oriented positions, serving in key roles at some of the nation’s most-respected non-profits. He spent 11 years at Habitat for Humanity International, rising to executive vice president and chief operating officer after starting his non-profit career as executive director of the Houston Food Bank. David earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bloomsburg (Pa.) University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston.

Diane Burton

Speaker, Author, Coach

Diane Petty Burton, author of The Master’s Masterpiece and The Master’s Masterpiece 40 Day Journal, is the 2013 Grief Coach Academy Coach of the Year, a Holistic Cancer Educator, a Health & Wellness Coach and a Christian Women’s Coach. A 1975 graduate of Harding University, she is married to Ken Burton, minister for the Mountain Home church of Christ. They have two children Jennifer Burton Hanson and Justin Burton.

Doug Buce

President, Boing Dynamics, Inc.

As president of Boing Dynamics, Doug has delivered development programs for a variety of companies including IBM Workforce Solutions, McKesson, E*Trade, Turner Broadcasting, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Prior to Boing Dynamics, Doug served as the Chief Learning Officer of Wells Capital where he pioneered an educational sales model which helped to raise over $7 billion in ten years for this securities firm. During the last 20 years, Doug has run over 900 conferences and is passionate about helping companies launch new initiatives in the areas of leadership, team performance, and innovation. Doug is a proud graduate of Harding University.

Janine Driver

CEO of the Body Language Institute; Body Language Expert, Author, Speaker

Janine Driver is Movement Pattern Analysis (MPA) profiler and she's the CEO of BlueStreak Training, an online virtual communications training company, for individuals and businesses to better their lives through sales, body language, detecting deception, interaction styles, and decision-making programs. Janine has since taught her cunning people-reading skills to such companies as Proctor & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, ADP, Kronos, SnapChat, Coca-Cola, Prudential, Nationwide, Sanofi, SHERM, and the Mortgage Bankers Association. Janine is also a New York Times best-selling author of “You Say More Than You Think,” and Washington Post best-selling author of "You Can't Lie to Me." And she's a popular media guest, with appearances on shows such as Dr. Oz Show, NBC’s TODAY, HLN, FOX News, and the Steve Harvey Show. In 2015, Janine was named one of the top 20 educational trendsetters in the meetings industry by Meetings Today Magazine.

Jeremiah Sullins

Associate Professor of Psychology, Dept. of Behavioral Sciences, Harding University

As a cognitive psychologist Jeremiah’s primary interests are in the learning sciences. His research focus is on learning/educational technologies, with branches extending into emotions, pedagogical strategies, tutorial dialogue/interaction, mechanisms of feedback, and question asking.

Mat Faulkner

President and Chief Idea Officer of Think Idea Studio

Mat Faulkner is president of Think Idea Studio (a full service marketing company), board member of the SREDC (Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation), chair of the Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Committee, director of the Think ART Project, co-director for Searcy Beats & Eats, past president and current board member for Jacob's Place Homeless Mission, member of Searcy's Beautification Committee and Holiday of Lights Committee, Harding University chapter of Sigma Nu Tau National Entrepreneurship Honor Society, and 2017 member of Arkansas Business' 40 Under 40. Mat and his wife Shelley have 3 boys, Easton 13, Lawson 10, and Jace 8. The couple have also renovated the old Robbins-Sanford Mercantile in downtown Searcy, which now serves as an event center and loft studio offices. Faulkner is a Fall 2002 graduate of Harding University with a degree in Communication Management.

Rick Krug

Chief Creator at TeamDream International. Business coaching focusing on team building, solutions for conflict, and corporate culture adjustment.

Rick is a certified Coach, Speaker and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team. Rick has created much of the key-curriculum for the John Maxwell Team for the Master Mind Studies used by over 20,000 Coaches worldwide. As the personal Coach to TV celebrities, world-class athletes, and international authors, Rick brings his experience and expertise to focus the universal issue of “The Human Condition.” Rick’s insatiable curiosity constantly prompts him to ask questions around the corner to find solutions to the conflict, pain in human relationships.