Speakers

In 1981 Kurt Janowsky was graduating from Adams High School in South Bend, but he’d already been introduced to the foodservice industry. At 14 Kurt took a job as a dishwasher at a local pancake house to help support his mother and siblings. At 15 he was a cook at the popular Moonraker restaurant in downtown South Bend. At 17, after High School, Kurt became an apprentice chef at Boca West Club and Resort in Boca Raton, Florida where he developed his love for higher culinary taste. Returning to South Bend at 18, he became the executive chef at Knollwood Country Club, the youngest chef in Club Corporation's (the company that owned Knollwood) history. At 20 years old, using a credit card for a cash advance down payment, Kurt purchased his first restaurant. The Loft, a favorite upscale restaurant in downtown South Bend, was Kurt’s first business and the year was 1983. He wasn’t old enough to drink, but owned one of South Bend’s most popular restaurant and bar!

Kurt’s passion for quality food and service grew as he started a partnership with Bruce and Pat Tassell, who owned The Ice House restaurant, in 1985. It was a partnership that would last for over 30 years. Together with the Tassells, Kurt purchased The Matterhorn in 1988, opened Baxter's in Elkhart in 1989, then joined them as a partner in operating The Emporium in downtown South Bend in 1995. At a relatively young age, Kurt was all-in following his dream to create top level dining experiences.

Kurt’s vision has led to almost 20 upscale restaurants and bars in the Michiana area including a catering company and exclusive venues such as Palais Royale at Morris Civic Theatre, Crystal Ballroom at The Lerner in Elkhart, and many others. The chicy Café Navarre in downtown South Bend and AAA’s Four Diamond Award winning restaurant Artisan in downtown Elkhart are Kurt’s flagship fine dining restaurants. His reputation for quality along with superior customer service and satisfaction were all grounded in humble beginnings. It all matters to Kurt, it’s personal.

On January 25, Kurt will discuss the effects of the pandemic on the hospitality industry and address specifics of the impact on Navarre  Hospitality Group.

This will be a VIRTUAL MEETING ONLY. Join us on Crowdcast in advance to save your space, or to join the day of the meeting: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/elkr-104-1?lmref=D4KclA

Don't miss it!

This will be a VIRTUAL MEETING ONLY. Join us on Crowdcast [link coming soon] in advance to save your space, or to join the day of the meeting.

Don't miss it!

Brian “Buck” Buckley, Co-Athletic Director, Elkhart High School

Brian “Buck” Buckley is a 1987 graduate of Hillsdale College with a BAL in Education.  He was a 4 year letter winner in both football and baseball at Hillsdale.  Coach Buck received his Masters in Leadership from Trine University and has a Master of Athletic Administration Certification from the NIAAA.  He returned to Hillsdale in 1989 to become both the Head Baseball Coach and an Assistant Football Coach.  Buckley switched gears and was a human resources professional for 17 years;  several of those years as the Vice President of HR at Banks Corporation.  Most recently, Buck served as the Athletic Director at Elkhart Central for the past 11 years.

He is married to Kelly, an English teacher at Elkhart High School, and is the proud father of Katie (21) and Kortney (19).

This will be a VIRTUAL MEETING ONLY. Join us on Crowdcast [Link coming soon] in advance to save your space, or to join the day of the meeting.

Don't miss it!

Brett Bauer is Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the Funds Management Division at 1st Source Bank, responsible for managing the bank’s liquidity and investment strategies.
 
Brett graduated from the EMBA program at Notre Dame. He also earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Notre Dame.

Shane Larson - Research Associate Professor at Northwestern University and the Associate Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA).

Professor Larson’s research interests are primarily in gravitational wave astrophysics and data analysis, but he is also interested in various aspects of cosmology, binary star evolution, gravitational dynamics in exoplanetary systems, and Earth’s climate.