Mike Bendix speaks at a private event (seated to Bendix’s left: Mitt Romney; DFPG’s President, Ryan Smith; Gov. Gary Herbert and First Lady Herbert).

DFPG’s principals hosted a special event with Mitt Romney in Utah last Wednesday evening (1/21/2015). The event took place at the historic Abravanel Hall, located downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. A crowd of nearly 3,000 attendees, including many local and national media outlets, filled the hall for an opportunity to hear important messages about today’s economic climate.

The event was titled “A Night with Mitt Romney: Learning to Navigate Today’s Economy,” and featured presentations from DFPG principals Ryan Smith and Dan Luke; the Governor of Utah, Gary Herbert; and the former Governor of Massachusetts and 2012 Republican nominee for president, Mitt Romney. The evening was hosted by DFPG’s vice president of business development, Nick Hansen.

Prior to the sold-out event in the main hall, DFPG hosted a smaller dinner event with Romney, Governor Gary Herbert, and a group of Utah business leaders. DFPG’s CEO, Mike Bendix, led this private event, which included some opening remarks and then introduced Romney for a unique Q&A session.

During this time, Romney answered questions regarding his experience in business and politics. He shared stories about mentors, lessons he has learned, and finding the right balance in life. For example, Romney shared how he always left his briefcase in his car when he came home from the office, in order to spend more focused time with his family.

DFPG principals, Dan Luke and Ryan Smith, shake hands with Mitt Romney after a Q&A in front of a crowd of 3,000 at Abravanel Hall.

Following the private event, the crowds began to fill into the main hall. The central message of the evening was how the individual investment and financial decisions made within the four-walls of our own homes impact the local, national, and global economies. Each of the evening’s participants tailored their individual presentation to help deliver this important message.

DFPG’s principals, Ryan Smith and Dan Luke, used their presentations to focus on the individual investor and personal finance. Following Smith and Luke, Governor Gary Herbert spoke on the state of the Utah economy, during which he received ovations for a positive report on a strong and vibrant state economy. After a short intermission, Romney shared a presentation on several global and national economic topics, which included national debt and GDP, education, and household income.

Romney addresses a sold-out audience at Salt Lake City’s historic Abravanel Hall.

To the delight of everyone present, the event ended with an engaging Q&A session with Romney, which was moderated by DFPG’s Ryan Smith and Dan Luke. Smith and Luke drew their questions from attendees who had submitted them in advance. For nearly 40 minutes, Romney offered candid answers to a wide-range of questions, including advice on career management, personal finance and money management, and his hope for the future of the country.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the event,” says Mike Bendix. “Sharing the stage with Mitt Romney and the governor of Utah, in a room full of local business leaders, was a great opportunity for DFPG. The message was powerful and people will benefit as they reflect on the wisdom that was shared.”

Brayden Evans
Brayden Evans

Director of Operations & Practice Management at DFPG. Helped develop and implement DFPG’s Quick Launch transition and onboarding program Responsible for training advisors, and their teams, in the enhancement of their operations, administrations and workflow processes. Part of the team responsible for design and development of DFPG’s proprietary workflow software. Leads the team responsible for DFPG’s conferences and events.