Program
Schedule
(Subject to change)
It’s All About Connection!
Enjoy a complimentary networking reception after day one, and experience the incredible local restaurants in an intimate, local Dine Around Program, expertly curated by our local ambassadors.
Day 1: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
8:30 am - 8:45 am
Continental Breakfast
8:30 am - 8:45 am
Pre-Congress Workshop 1
Sponsorship 101
Chirsti Cruz
8:45 am - 11:45 am
Pre-Congress Workshop 2
Sponsorship Audit: It’s Time For A Tune Up!
Brent Barootes
1:30 pm - 1:45 pm
Congress opening and welcome
Brent Barootes and Tammy Sweeney
1:45pm - 2:45 pm
Opening Keynote
Sponsorship for Today and Tomorrow – A Road Map To Success
Brent Barootes
2:55 pm - 3:45 pm
Break Out Session 1
Sponsors are from Mars, Properties are from Venus: Bridging the Sponsorship Galaxy
Richard Kies and Nora Yeates - Sask Cancer Agency
2:55 pm - 3:45 pm
Break Out Session 2
Integrating Sponsorship into your philanthropic world
Sarah Fedirko - Sask Polytechnique
3:50 pm - 4:10 pm
Closing General Session
BLURRED LINES: How social purpose is changing the game and creating new opportunities in sponsorship
Christi Cruz with guests
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Guest Reception
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Free time
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Dine Around
Day 2: Thursday, April 9, 2026
8:30 am - 8:45 am
Continental Breakfast
9:00 am - 9:45 am
Day 2 Opening Keynote
The State of Sponsorship in Canada – Fresh Insights You Can Use
Norm O'Reilly
10:45 - 11:05 am
Networking & Nutrition Break
11:05am - 11:55 am
Break Out Session 3
Festival and Event Sponsorship
Victoria Mahoney
11:05am - 11:55 am
Break Out Session 4
Business the NHL Way: Sponsorship Strategies Inspired by the Fastest Game on Ice
Norm O'Reilly
12:00pm - 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:15pm - 2:05 pm
Break Out Session 5
TBD
TBD
1:15pm - 2:05 pm
2:05pm - 2:20 pm
TBD
TBD
2:20 pm-3:00 pm
Closing Plenary
Craig Reynolds - RoughRiders
3:00 -pm – 4:30 pm
5 Minute Pitch® Session
5 Brands and 5 Properties
Moderated by Brent Barootes
Speakers
Brent Barootes
President and CEO
brent@partnershipgroup.ca
Brent Barootes has spent over 25 years in the sponsorship marketing industry, developing and delivering profitable sponsorship programs that result in returns on investment for properties, rights holders and sponsors. As President and CEO of the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists® he leads a dedicated team of professionals delivering measurable results for their clients. Brent has “worked the street” selling sport properties and charitable sponsorships for over a decade, as well as expertise on the buying side. Since founding the Partnership Group in 2001, Brent has provided his expertise to all sectors of the industry as a sponsorship leader and pioneer in Canada.
Brent has provided sponsorship consulting with corporations including: Gulf Canada Resources Solid State Geophysical Sport Chek Sask Energy Rogers SaskTel National Bank Cooper Tires MOSAIC Company Toshiba Canada Coca-Cola SGI XEROX Sask Power Homes by AVI Alberta Treasury Branches Sask Central Potash Corporation Brent has worked with dozens of property rights holders including: Calgary Flames Ottawa Senators Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Whistler Arts Council First Nations Saskatchewan Summer Games Canadian Red Cross Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation University of Manitoba City of Nanaimo Canadian Cancer Society Vancouver Island Mountain Sports Society Youth Emergency Shelter Society Human Resources Association of Calgary Alberta Amateur Baseball Council Winnipeg Fringe Festival City of Sarnia World Vision Canada Saskatchewan Roughriders City of Kelowna City of Toronto City of Lloydminster Northlands Canadian Finals Rodeo City of Pointe Clair Brent is an accomplished speaker who presents at over 30 conferences, TEDx presentations and seminars annually across North America on a variety of sponsorship topics. Brent is the author of Canadian Best Seller and #1 Canadian Sponsorship Publication, Reality Check – Straight Talk about Sponsorship Marketing. Brent provides sponsorship mentoring and shares his expertise in areas of sponsorship asset identification, valuation, prospect development, policy development, and more.