Sean Mccann - Feature Guest Speaker

 Professional Baseball Scout & Canadian Actor

With over 35 years of experience in film, television and theatre - not to mention parallel lives as a baseball scout, history buff and public speaker; Sean McCann is a Canadian icon. He has appeared in more than 150 feature films, cable television movies, television series and mini-series, qualifying his career as something of a masterpiece. In fact, he was honoured with the prestigious Earl Grey Award at the 1989 Gemini's, celebrating his entire body of work in television.

McCann has always had a craving for diversity. He began his adult life with a singular devoutness uncommon to actors of his peer group, studying at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario to prepare himself for the priesthood. But McCann's passions run wide and his gifts just as deep. As a student of history, politics and poetry, he has a library of well over 800 volumes of literature and letters devoted to both the high arts and popular culture.

McCann indulges his not-so-secret love of baseball as an Associate Scout for the Toronto Blue Jays, speaks often about baseball to professional organizations, and   was recently named to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Brent Barootes - Keynote Guest Speaker

Partnership Group - Sponsorship Specialist

The founding partner of the Partnership Group, and the presenting sponsor of the Western Sponsorship Congress. Brent has been engaged in the sponsorship and sports marketing industry since the late 80's. A great deal of his background has been in sports broadcasting and sponsorships with teams and leagues. Brent has also worked directly with many Canadian non-profits and charities to assist them in developing viable and productive sponsorship programs as well as major corporations to develop, design and build effective and efficient sponsorship programs.