DESINGED TO BUILD
EMPOWERED TO LEAD
Friday, September 12th 2025
Gallup’s Offices, Omaha, Nebraska
$17,500 in prize money for our Pitch Competition!
OUR SPEAKERS
This year’s Builder Summit focuses on implementing strengths as an entrepreneur—equipping participants with the tools, insights, and inspiration to turn their unique talents into meaningful action.
Last year, 38 Builders from Colombia, Mexico, and the United States came together in Lincoln to share insights, build community, and push their potential forward.
AGENDA
Check-in
Check-in begins.
Welcoming & Breakfast
Breakfast / Welcome / Day Ahead / GBN / Honor first CSI Builder Cohort
Keynote #1: Jami Romshek, "Building a Legacy"
In her keynote, Jami Romshek will invite us to reflect on a powerful question: What kind of legacy are you building? Through your strengths, entrepreneurial energy, and contributions to community, every Builder has the power to shape a legacy that lasts far beyond themselves.
Builder Consultancy Round Tables
An interactive session where Builder-owned businesses bring their biggest challenges to the table. In just one hour, fellow Builders will collaborate, brainstorm, and offer fresh ideas or solutions—turning collective experience into practical insights. Each business will focus on one key problem to make the most of our time together.
10 min. break
Break + Quick Connects
Builder of the Year Award
Each year, we honor one outstanding member of our Global Builder Network whose leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to community stand out. This award recognizes a Builder who not only builds ventures — but also builds people, purpose, and impact.
Keynote #2: Sam Kennelly, "Building with your Strengths (Strengths as individual)"
Encouraging individuals to lean on their own strengths to make decisions, build community, and take action.
15 min. break
15 min. break
Break Out 1: The Power of Feedback & Recognition, Mike McDonald
Building Relationships That Last - Exploring how feedback and recognition drive belonging, motivation, and personal growth - perfect for Builders entering leadership roles.
10 min. break
10 min. break
Break Out 2: Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Organization, Tyler Clark & Connor Castleman
Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Spirit in Your Organization: Strategies for fostering innovation and risk-taking within teams.
20 Min. Break
20 Min. Break + Networkgin
Live Pitch (Finals)
This year’s Builder Summit Pitch Competition will award a total of $17,500 USD in prizes to the top three ventures: 🥇 1st Place: $10,000 🥈 2nd Place: $5,000 🥉 3rd Place: $2,500
Pivotal Turns: A Conversation on Risk, Focus & Resilience with Jim Clifton, Chairman, Gallup
What does it take to turn failure into legacy? How do Builders navigate the messy middle—the wins, the losses, the detours? In this intimate conversation, Jim Clifton, Chairman of Gallup, will share the defining moments that shaped his journey—from chasing ideas that didn’t land, to finding clarity in focus. We’ll explore the ups and downs that every risk-taker faces, and what it means to make bold decisions, pivot when needed, and keep building. Whether you're in a season of doubt or doubling down, this session is for every Builder standing at a crossroads.
Pitch Winners Announcements
We'll announce the winners and award the prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place—recognizing the boldest ideas and most promising ventures of the summit.
Networking with GBN Guests + Wrap Up
Connect with fellow Builders and special guests from the Global Builder Network (GBN) in a relaxed setting. This is your chance to exchange ideas, make new friends, and reflect on the day’s biggest takeaways before we close out the summit.
Pitch Competition
Real Ideas. Real Impact. Real Momentum.
Back for its second edition, the Builder Pitch Competition gives you the chance to take the stage and showcase your entrepreneurial vision. Whether you’re launching a new venture or testing a bold idea, this is your moment to get in front of judges from the entrepreneurial ecosystem—including faculty, founders, and industry leaders.
Pitch your idea, get valuable feedback, and compete for funding and visibility that can help take your project to the next level.
Pitch Prizes
Last year, Builders from Mexico and the U.S. stepped up with innovative concepts—and this year, we’re raising the bar.
Are you ready to pitch what you’re building?
Traveling?
We’re staying at the Cambria Hotel Omaha Downtown
Address: 740 N 14th St, Omaha, NE 68102, Estados Unidos
CONNECTIONS FOR LIFE
At the heart of the Builder Summit is the power of community. This isn’t just networking—it’s connecting with like-minded, like-talented builders who share your passion for creating impact through entrepreneurship and leadership. Whether you’re reconnecting with old friends or meeting someone who inspires your next big move, the Builder Summit is where real relationships grow
- Because when Builders come together, they don’t just exchange business cards—they build the future, together.
NEED FINANCIAL AID?
Whether you’re coming from Colombia, Mexico, or beyond Nebraska, The Clifton Foundation is offering financial assistance to cover travel and accommodation expenses. Simply RSVP and indicate your interest in financial aid on the form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow Builders from around the world! You’ll also have the chance to explore Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, visit the incredible University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, and see the amazing Gallup Offices in Omaha.
SPEAKERS BIO
Jami Romshek
Chief Human Resources Officer at the University of Nebraska Foundation
Jami has over 20 years of experience in people development and organizational leadership including talent acquisition, performance management, and all aspects of human resources. Favorite aspects of her career include building strengths-based organizations, driving employee engagement, and pursuing excellence. In her current role, she leads talent management and human resources for the University of Nebraska Foundation. Prior experience includes serving as the VP of HR then CEO of a hospitality management company with properties throughout the Midwest. She also served as a senior partner for a search firm, focused on talent acquisition for nonprofit leadership and fundraising positions. Jami also worked at Gallup as a management consultant and director of talent acquisition. A lifelong student of positive psychology, Jami is a Gallup-certified strengths coach, an ICF certified coach (ACC) and an Appreciative Inquiry facilitator. For 8 years, she was an instructor in the executive education program in the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Most recently, she taught an advanced coaching course to students at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, College of Business. Currently, she is the advisory board chair for the Clifton Strengths Institute in the UNL College of Business. Jami and her husband Matt live in Lincoln Nebraska and have 2 married daughters.
Jim Clifton
Chairman at Gallup
Futuristic | Individualization | Competition | Activator | Woo
Jim Clifton is the Chairman of Gallup, a global analytics, and advisory firm. Mr. Clifton served as the organization’s CEO from 1988 until 2022. Under his leadership as CEO, Gallup expanded from a predominantly U.S.-based company to a worldwide organization with 30 offices in 20 countries and regions.
Mr. Clifton is the creator of The Gallup Path, a metric-based economic model that establishes the linkages between human nature in the workplace, customer engagement, and business outcomes. This model is used in performance management systems in more than 500 companies worldwide. Another of his innovations, the Gallup World Poll, gives the world’s 7 billion citizens a voice on virtually all key global issues.
Sam Kennelly
WYLD Guide & Facilitator
Samantha Kennelly is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, speaker, and facilitator with deep expertise in positive psychology and leadership development. She helps individuals and teams boost performance, engagement, and well-being by unlocking their unique strengths.
With a passion for reimagining the workplace, Samantha creates highly customized experiences that drive growth at every level. She has worked with over 4,000 people across industries through keynotes, retreats, workshops, and coaching.
Samantha co-launched the Clifton Strengths Institute in 2015, a program backed by Gallup and the Clifton Foundation, where she trained over 330 student coaches and impacted more than 5,000 students, faculty, and staff. She also helped develop the Clifton Builders program, selecting top student leaders for their entrepreneurial potential.
Today, she serves as Director of Operations and a Guide at WYLD Leadership, a boutique consulting collective blending modern behavioral science with ancient wisdom to drive measurable transformation in individuals and teams.
Clients say Samantha accelerates potential with accountability, heart, and clarity. She’s a trusted partner, strategic thinker, and dynamic presence in any room.
Education. Samantha holds a B.S. in Psychology from Drake University and an M.A. in Educational Administration-Student Affairs from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and Certified-Builder Coach for Entrepreneurial Students and has completed a number of Gallup and Co-Active Coaching courses.
Clients. Samantha has delivered transformative workshops, led keynotes, and coached senior leaders from SAE International, Breakthrough Energy, StriveTogether, and Knock CRM, among many others.
Mike McDonald
Senior Learning Consultant and Learning Business Partner, Gallup
Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Focus
Mike McDonald, Senior Learning Consultant and Learning Business Partner, works with Gallup clients to create learning strategies and initiatives that produce high levels of employee engagement and well-being. Mike helps his clients — from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare, hospitality and financial sectors — achieve high performance through Gallup’s learning solutions.
Mike has taught university courses, given keynote speeches and lead a podcast series for audiences of 400+ on the topics of employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, strengths, change management and agility. He also leads Gallup courses for some of the company’s largest clients.
Currently, Mike also serves as a Performance Lead for Gallup learning consultants. For more than 25 years, he has used measurement, recognition, and forecasting to align engagement strategies and increase performance for his Gallup teams.
Mike received his bachelor’s degree in journalism, master’s degree in human resource development and doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Tyler Clark
1031 Exchange Specialist, Clark Wealth Strategies
Tyler Clark is business professional with a degree in Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his time at Nebraska he was a CliftonStrengths Coach and heavily involved in the Clifton Builders Program.
Following graduation, he gained valuable experience in management consulting at Gallup, where he developed expertise in client relationships and sales. In 2025, Tyler transitioned to building a financial management firm specializing in real estate investments. Based in Omaha, Tyler is helps clients achieve their financial goals through strategic real estate investments.
Connor Castleman
Franchise Administrator, Gameday Men’s Health
Connor Castleman is a 26-year-old entrepreneur and graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he earned a degree in Business Management. Shortly after college, he launched three Phoenix-area franchise locations of Gameday Men’s Health — a men’s wellness clinic focused on creating an environment where men can take a more proactive approach to their health.
Still located in Nebraska, Connor manages operations remotely and travels regularly to Arizona to support growth and strategy. He’s passionate about building businesses that solve real problems and coaching young entrepreneurs to become confident, effective leaders.
