LEARN THE SECRETS TO SUCCESS

The NextGen™ Speaker Series Brings together business and community professionals to encourage Leadership, Mentorship, Empowerment and Philanthropy. Connect with business leaders in the community and hear inspirational stories of achievement from world-renowned entrepreneurs and CEOs.

SEASON PASS

NextGen™ Speaker Series

The prestigious NextGen™ Speaker Series is a gathering of America’s most distinguished business leaders, right here in Naples, Florida. Keynote speakers are world-renowned entrepreneurs and CEOs who share their extraordinary life journeys with an exclusive invitation-only audience.

The NextGen™ Speaker Series started with a simple question. Michael Benson, CEO of Benson Blackburn, asked industry leaders to visit his office for a mentorship session with his team. His team was so inspired by what they heard, they decided this information and these life journeys should be shared with the community. This led to the establishment of the NextGen™ Speaker Series, held multiple times per year at a private venue by invitation only.

To date, Benson Blackburn has hosted 25 NextGen™ Speaker Series events, with over 4,500 attendees. The speaker series was established to encourage Leadership, Mentorship, Empowerment and Philanthropy.

As part of a community outreach and mentorship process, the NextGen™ Speaker Series partners with the Greater Naples Chamber Leadership Collier Foundation and Community Foundation of Collier County along with Florida Gulf Coast University to encourage promising community businesspersons along with deans and students to attend and learn from these industry leaders.

Each session, Benson Blackburn nominates a “focused charitable organization” in honor of the featured speaker. Focused charities have included The Shelter for Abused Women and Children, The First Tee of Naples, The Immokalee Foundation, American Cancer Society, NCH Healthcare System, the Naples Children & Education Foundation and Leadership Collier Foundation.

2024 Season

MICHAEL BENSON

LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST
Founder, NextGen Speaker Series
Managing Partner, Benson Blackburn
Tuesday, December 5, 2023

BIO AND EVENT
LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR PANEL

John DeAngelis, President of DeAngelis Diamond
Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family Farms
Ryan Carter, President of Scotlynn
Friday, January 26, 2024

BIOS AND EVENT
GINNI ROMETTY

Former Chairperson, President, and CEO of IBM
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

BIO AND EVENT
ELLEN LATHAM, MS

Creator & Co-Founder of Orangetheory Fitness

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

BIO AND EVENT