How will iF work?

It will occur over the course of a year, with a series of half and full-day conferences, with an eclectic mix of speakers on topics ranging from business, arts, community, research and innovation, health, aboriginal, and sports. Through www.ifseries.ca, we will engage the community for suggestions on speakers and topics. Join us for our next event June 22.

But we want iF to go beyond talk and become action. To support this, we are using social media to continue the conversation on topics and ideas raised by speakers. We will document recipes of success, bringing together the ideas from our presenters on successes and how to overcome obstacles. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce will help other companies and organizations action these ideas through workshops to improve or better their approach to their "if" question.

What will iF achieve? I think three key things:

• Greater awareness of what Calgarians are doing and the excellence that happens here each and every day, creating conversation, pride, support and encouragement for more.
• Replication of this success. To find people inspired by iF speakers, declaring "I can do that."
• An environment that attracts and retains people, business and investment, committed to producing the exceptional in Calgary and, ultimately, the status of a great city.

The Chamber is doing iF because we believe we can become a great global city and that it will be a better place for business and for people. We want to be the catalyst for the possibility of excellence in this city and to host the celebrations when opportunity becomes reality.

I encourage you to visit www.iFseries.ca. Sign up for notices, follow us on twitter (@ifseries), friend us on Facebook, answer the questions on the chamber building windows. Start talking about iF and the ideas it is exploring. I hope you will join us.