Business calendar

Toastmasters meeting. 7:30 to 9 a.m., France Place, lower level, 3610 Minnesota Drive, Edina. Free. Call David Carlisle, 952-926-6673. Sponsor: Toastmasters 2512.

Find your voice -- Toastmasters meeting. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Boston Scientific, 5905 Nathan Lane, Plymouth. Free. Call Matt, 763-494-1922. Sponsor: PruToasters Club.

The future of advertising: conversation No. 1. 6 to 7:30 p.m., Fine Line Music Cafe, 318 1st Av. N., Minneapolis. Free. Call 952-928-4648. Sponsor: Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association. Jan Leth, Ogilvy & Mather, will speak.

Toastmasters meeting. 6:30 to 8 p.m., Davanni's Pizza, 2312 W. 66th St., Richfield. Free. Call Sue, 952-993-5139. Sponsor: Pros Toastmasters.

The Prouty Project jammin' session No. 120. 7:30 to 9 a.m., 6385 Old Shady Oak Road, suite 260, Eden Prairie. Free. Call 952-942-2922. Topic: Creating creativity: How you can create it, develop it and nurture it to grow your business. Glenn Karwoski, senior vice president, managing director, Karwoski & Courage, will speak.

Midwest Direct Marketing Association meeting. 7:30 to 9 a.m., Radisson Plaza Hotel, 35 S. 7th St., Minneapolis. $30. Call 651-999-5351. Topic: professional forum No. 4: Optimizing media in a multi-channel world.

International Association of Business Communicators Minnesota chapter conference. 7:30 to noon, St. Thomas University, Opus Hall, 1000 LaSalle Av. S., Minneapolis. For fee information, call 612-333-4222. Topic: Internal communications best practices, focusing on using a multimedia approach to internal communications delivery. James Greathouse, director of communications, Starbucks Coffee Co., will speak.

Improving your sales and presentation skills. 7 to 9:30 p.m., UAW-Ford-MnSCU Training Center, 966 S. Mississippi River Blvd., St. Paul. $74. Call 651-846-1800. Sponsor: St. Paul College.

Tighter debt multiples -- activity still strong: private equity. 7:15 to 10:45 a.m., Radisson Plaza Hotel, 35 S. 7th St., Minneapolis. For fee information, call 612-338-3828. Sponsor: The Collaborative. Speakers: Gary Blackford, Universal Hospital Services; Casey Powell, Xiotech; Paul Grangaard, Goldner Hawn; Jim Andersen, IWCO Direct; Cary Musech, Tonka Bay Equity Partners; Ted Christianson, Piper Jaffray; Josh Bushard and Andy Beuning, Grant Thornton, and Bruce Engler and Susan Jacobsen, Faegre & Benson.

Minnetonka State of the City annual event. 7:30 to 9 a.m., Minnetonka City Hall, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd. Free. Call 763-450-2220. Sponsor: TwinWest Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Jan Callison and city staff members will highlight local economic development projects, services and programs of importance to the business community.

U.S.-China Business Connections monthly meeting. 7:30 to 9 a.m., Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Wheelock Whitney Hall, room L-3000. $20. Call Jim Smith, 612-865-6543. Topic: Insider's look at the Chinese economy. Scott Anderson, Wells Fargo senior economist and lead China economist, will speak.

Associated General Contractors of Minnesota -- construction safety day. 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Av. S. $85 members, $95 nonmembers. Call Denise Woods, 651-796-2186.

Advertising/MarComm Group meeting and networking. 7:30 to 9 a.m., Crescent Ridge Corporate Center, second floor conference room, 11100 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka. Free for members, $5 nonmembers. Call Rich Iverson, 952-277-4305. Topic: "Get a little bit famous," a new prospecting model creating compelling personal attraction for business. Alyssa Kreutzfeldt, marketing and producer development specialist for Principal Financial Group, will discuss identity branding for yourself and more.

Fundraising: grant-writing essentials. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1000 LaSalle Av. S., Minneapolis. $145. Call 651-962-4600. Sponsor: Center For Business Excellence, University of Minnesota.

Professional Association of Computer Trainers meeting. 8:30 to 11 a.m., Metropolitan Ballroom, 5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley. Free for members, $30 nonmembers. Call Leah Nordquist, 612-695-4877. Topic: "My end of the boat didn't sink!" Roy Pollock, chief learning officer, Fort Hill Co., and author of "The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning," will explain what needs to happen to keep the S.S. Training seaworthy and making headway.

Funding public schools: Is there a better way? Interactive discussion. 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Champps Americana, 13521 80th Circle N., Maple Grove. $5. Call Laurie, 763-420-4757. Sponsor: Maple Grove Discussion Group. Phil Krinkie, former state senator and president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, will speak.

Project management Institute, Minnesota chapter, monthly breakfast meeting/presentation. 7 to 8:40 a.m., Holiday Inn, 2201 Burns Av., St. Paul. $19 members, $22 nonmembers. Call 65l-209-8991. Topic: "NetWorking, not NetTalking." Joe McIntosh, Dale Carnegie Training, will speak.

American Society of Safety Engineers Northwest chapter professional development conference. 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Four Points by Sheraton, 1300 Industrial Blvd., Minneapolis. $160 members, $175 nonmembers. Call Kris Johnson, 952-563-8732.

Financial Women International Twin Cities metro group networking events. McCormick & Schmick's, 800 Nicollet Mall. Free. For additional times and locations, call Jamie Field, 952-806-6654.

Minneapolis Urban League tax clinics. 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, 2100 Plymouth Av. N., Minneapolis. Free. Call 651-287-0187.

Sustainable homeownership and anti-foreclosure response center clinic/information session. 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Free. Call 612-827-9299. Sponsors: Minneapolis Urban League's Housing Stability Program and Minnesota ACORN.

Twin Cities Direct Selling Women's Alliance chapter meeting. 6 to 9 p.m., Hampton Inn, 2860 Metro Drive, Bloomington. $10 members, $15 nonmembers. Call Peggy, 651-226-8684. Topic: Sharing ideas on how to operate a home-based business.

Business leaders breakfast forum on principled leadership. 7:15 a.m., 625 4th Av. S., Minneapolis. Free. Call 612-844-4161. Sponsor: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Topic: Principled leadership: hearts and minds at work. Mary Brainerd, president and CEO of HealthPartners, will speak. Forums are designed to showcase respected business leaders at the forefront of integrating personal values, ethics and faith into their organizations' operations.

Board development: legal mistakes that generate an IRS tax bill. 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., 1000 LaSalle Av. S., Minneapolis. $35. Call 651-962-4600. Sponsor: Center For Business Excellence, University of St. Thomas.

How captivating are your sales presentations? 8 to 9 a.m., 80 W. 4th St., St. Paul. $25 members, $35 nonmembers. Call 651-265-5500. Sponsor: James J. Hill Reference Library. Pete Machalek and Dean Hyers of SagePresence will explain how their formula for "personal presence" generates powerful and positive first impressions.

The American Society for Training & Development Twin Cities chapter meeting. 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 7800 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington. $55 members, $95 nonmembers. Call 651-290-6262. Topic: Influencer: the power to change anything.

Running with scissors: why smart people do dumb things and how to avoid them. 9 a.m. to noon, St. Louis Park council chambers, 3rd floor, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd. $84. Call Lisa Songle, 952-924-2525. Sponsor: City of St. Louis Park.

Community Associations Institute Minnesota chapter managers luncheon. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Dorsey Ewald Conference Center, 1000 Westgate Drive, St. Paul. $30 members, $40 nonmembers. Call 651-203-7250.

Twin Cities Agricultural Issues roundtable. 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Four Points Sheraton, 1330 Industrial Blvd., Minneapolis. Topic: Minnesota's economy: short-term concerns and longer-term challenges. Tom Stinson, associate professor, University of Minnesota department of applied economics and Minnesota state economist, will speak.

Get completely out of debt. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Burnsville High School, 600 Hwy. 13 E., Burnsville. $29. Call 952-707-4110. Sponsor: Independent School District 191.