Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to Hold Workshops on Business Pandemic Preparedness and Recovery Planning — One-Day Workshops on Preparing Your Company for the Avian Flu

Minneapolis, MN May 20, 2006 — The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will hold five one-day workshops across the state on preparing a Business Pandemic Preparedness and Recovery Plan — Preparing your company for the Avian (Bird) Flu. The avian flu is not a normal business risk. Pandemics are far different than other natural disasters. You cannot stop a pandemic, but you can be prepared for it and the recovery. Now is the time to prepare.

Three of the workshops will be industry specific — manufacturing, service and retail. The workshop will take companies through the steps required to develop and implement a practical and up-to-date plan that is right for your employees, your customers and your business. Participants will participate in exercises designed to teach them how to apply the pandemic planning templates to your specific issues. The workshops will be held on:

June 15, 2006 – St. Cloud, MN
June 20, 2006 – St. Paul, MN (Manufacturing)
June 21, 2006 – St. Paul, MN (Service)
June 22, 2006 – St. Paul, MN (Retail)
June 26, 2006 – Rochester, MN

The workshop facilitator is Ken Wilson, a planning expert, specialized in preparing companies for a Pandemic Influenza. Ken Wilson is a CMC® (Certified Management Consultant), trainer, writer, educator, and speaker with more than 30 years of experience in helping companies grow and prosper. Ken is an expert in planning and strategy development. He is president of the Wilson Marketing Group, Inc., and also a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas, teaching courses in the MBA program. Ken is available for interviews and comments on business preparedness and planning for the bird flu pandemic.

Cost is $199 for Minnesota Chamber members and $299 for nonmembers. Members of co-sponsoring organizations can register at the member price: MSAE, Minnesota Retailers Association and Minnesota Chamber of Commerce local chamber Federation members. To register, contact Carole Keller at (651) 292-4676 or ckeller @ mnchamber.com, or register online at www.mnchamber.com.

About the Wilson Marketing Group, Inc.
The Wilson Marketing Group, Inc. is a management consulting specializing in planning and strategy. The Wilson Marketing Group works with management to formulate and implement strategies that yield sustainable results — those that produce profitable growth and manage risk. Based in Minneapolis, MN, the Wilson Marketing Group, Inc. was founded in 1986 and serves clients across the United States and Canada. Ken Wilson can be reached at 763.476.2216 or kwwilson@wmg-mn.com