Gluckstadt Madison Business Alliance launches inaugural Elevate Conference

The Gluckstadt Madison Business Alliance will host its first Elevate Conference on Oct. 27 in Gluckstadt, bringing Central Mississippi business leaders together for a half-day event focused on practical takeaways. C Spire CEO Suzy Hays will keynote, while Pinnacle Public Relations founder Adam Horlock will moderate panels for a crowd capped at 400 attendees.

Why it matters: - The Elevate Conference is built to give Central Mississippi business owners, managers and teams practical ideas they can use immediately. - The event aims to serve a fast-growing regional business community with content focused on leadership, growth and performance. - Attendance will be limited to 400 people, making the conference a smaller, first-come, first-served gathering.

What happened: - The Gluckstadt Madison Business Alliance announced the inaugural Elevate Conference: The Central Mississippi Business Conference. - The conference is set for Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon at Vertical Church in Gluckstadt. - C Spire President and CEO Suzy Hays will deliver the keynote. - Pinnacle Public Relations Founder and CEO Adam Horlock will moderate the event and guide panel discussions. - Pinnacle Public Relations and Bank of Commerce are the presenting sponsors.

The details: - The conference is designed for business owners and entrepreneurs, executives and managers, sales, marketing and business development teams, new employees and emerging professionals, and organizations seeking stronger leadership and performance. - Organizers say the program will emphasize candid insights, real-world experience and tangible takeaways rather than broad presentations. - Suzy Hays has more than 30 years of experience at C Spire. - As president and CEO, Hays oversees the company’s strategic direction and growth. - Hays has led each of C Spire’s three business units and helped advance digital transformation, customer experience and expansion initiatives. - Adam Horlock is a national public relations and brand strategist with more than 15 years of experience in media relations, brand strategy and operational leadership. - Horlock founded Pinnacle Public Relations in 2022 and serves as CEO. - Bank of Commerce said it is new to the Madison County market but has served Mississippi since 1904. - Bank of Commerce opened its new office in Gluckstadt this year. - The bank said its team works with commercial clients, investors, builders and local real estate developers. - The bank said it wants to help expand the metro area, create jobs and improve quality of life. - Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. - The conference is backed by social media channels for the Gluckstadt Madison Business Alliance on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The alliance is positioning Elevate as a working session, not a motivational conference. - The sponsor lineup and speaker roster suggest a focus on local business networking and practical leadership lessons. - Horlock said the conference is being designed to avoid “inspiration without implementation.” - Hays said organizations that succeed will keep people at the center while embracing technology. - The alliance’s comments point to demand for events that translate growth strategies into day-to-day action.

What's next: - The alliance will continue building out the conference program ahead of the Oct. 27 event. - Attendees can expect panel discussions centered on questions business leaders and teams are facing now. - With limited capacity, early ticket interest will likely determine who gets in.

The bottom line: - Elevate is a new regional business conference built around practical advice, local leadership and immediate takeaways for Central Mississippi professionals.