Phil Castle, The Business Times

Dusti Reimer helps organize an annual conference because she believes it’s important to bring professional development to Western Colorado.

It’s essential, too, to offer information about new trends and techniques and foster connections among participants.

But Reimer also stages the Initiate Conference for yet another reason — for the fun of it.

And fun and humor will play a big part in the fourth version of the upcoming event set for Feb. 9 and 10 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Grand Junction. In fact, a standup comedian is scheduled to deliver one of the keynote presentations.

“We try to keep it fun for everybody,” she said.

Reimer owns Elevate PR in Grand Junction and also founded the Experience Education Foundation, the nonprofit organization that stages the Initiate Conference.

Reimer was among a group of professionals complaining about the travel and expense associated with attending conferences. They decided on an alternative and staged the first Initiate Conference in Grand Junction in 2018.

More than 100 people attended the conference in 2022, and Reimer said she hopes that number is even bigger for the 2023 event.

The conference is geared toward marketing and communications specialists — but also the business owners and managers who frequently take on those roles.

The goal of the conference remains the same, Reimer said — to inform, inspire and energize participants as well as nurture the relationships among them. But this year, she said she wants to add to the objective humor and joy.

The keynote presentation on Feb. 9 will feature Bengt Washburn, a standup comedian who’s performed on radio and television and produced two specials.

Reimer said she also expects an entertaining presentation by Josh Meuwly in his keynote presentation on Friday.

Meuwly runs a graphic, web and video production firm in Grand Junction and also works as an instructor at Colorado Mesa University and Western Colorado Community College. He emphasizes the importance of having fun with clients to create joyful work experiences and lasting business relationships.

Josh Lewis, a public information and social media officer with the Colorado State Patrol known for his funny videos, also will return to the conference to talk about using humor to communicate messages and connect with audiences.

Still other speakers will address in breakout sessions and panel discussions a variety of other topics, Reimer said. They will include everything from budgeting, customer relationships and digital marketing to media relations, rebranding and social media.

Speakers and topics are selected, Reimer said, to address the needs of not only marketing and communications specialists, but also the business owners and managers who frequently take on those roles.

It’s also important, she said, to keep up to date with new trends and different ways of doing things. “Everything is changing so rapidly in this world.”

The schedule for the conference also will include events, activities and time for participants to network and develop connections, she said. “It’s still one of the biggest factors.”

The cost of the conference — tickets range from $109 to $399 — hasn’t changed, Reimer said. Moreover, discounts and payment plans are available. “We keep the cost down so people can keep coming,” she said. “We’re really trying to keep it affordable.”

The Initiate Conference is set for Feb. 9 and 10 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 743 Horizon Drive in Grand Junction. Tickets range from $399 for both days of the conference to $199 for one day to $109 for a keynote session. To register or obtain more information, visit the website at www.initiateconference.com.