Here’s What’s New at Convergence 2008

Activities

Long Island Wine Tours takes you on a six-hour tour of North Fork wineries. Taste 15 local wines, shop at locals’-choice farm stands and bakeries specializing in regional ingredients. Explore one of America’s most picturesque regions.    

Speakers

Michael McManus is chief executive officer of Misonix Inc, a growing medical device company with a global reach. Mike talks about how to handle cross-border regulatory requirements, when licensing trumps acquiring, smoothing the integration process and more.

Raymond C. McGraime, non-verbal communications consultant, demonstrates how managing your own gestures – and decoding those of the guys across the table – gives you the edge in negotiations. Give Ray 20 minutes, and he’ll raise your non-verbal literacy rate.

Dan Rattiner has built Dan’s Papers into one of the leading resort-newspaper chains in the United States. Dan sold the property to an investor but stayed on as editor, illustrator and the brand’s public face. One of the Hamptons’ truly iconic figures, he is as much a part of the A-list scene as he is its chronicler, reporting on the celebrity flame-outs, real estate lust, and red-carpet socializing for which the region is famous. Dan reads from his book, In The Hamptons, about life behind the privet hedges. 

Edward Braun has engineered some 16 acquisitions as chairman and chief executive of Veeco Instruments, expanding the metrology company’s sales 11-fold during his tenure. Ed talks about what he looks for in an acquisition, merger and finance issues, and why he thinks investors miss the boat on so many growth opportunities – and what they can do about it.      

Sponsors

 We welcome Bickel & Brewer to our roster of sponsors.