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HR Conference
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Thank you for your interest in the Minnesota HR Conference! MRA’s 2017 program planning is complete. This year’s speakers include Chris Wright, President of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Joe Schmit of KSTP, and Jennifer McClure, Founder & President of Unbridled Talent, LLC and CEO of DisruptHR LLC. We will also feature two learning tracks, HR Professionals and Employment Law so you can choose the topics most important to your organization’s needs. Breakout session topics are related to Coaching, FMLA, Wellness, LGBTQ, Company Culture, OSHA and Workers Comp. We look forward to seeing you there!

Questions? Call Registrations at 800.488.4845 or e-mail registrations@mranet.org.

Agenda

Sessions

Thursday, September 14, 2017 (8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.)

8:15 - 9:30 a.m. - Opening General Session: Creating a Competitive Advantage Through Your People! Chris Wright, President, Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx

Your employees today are in need of inspiration and innovation around a company and cause they believe in. How can you provide them with this environment while competing in your business sector?

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. - Session 1A: Building a Culture of Wellness – 365 Days a Year, Shawn Gulyas, Vice President of Human Resources, La Macchia Enterprises

Take a journey and experience how one company went from "wellness programs" to living wellness 365 days a year. Learn how building from a foundation of purpose and core values can bring life and focus to wellness initiatives. Take away best practices to transform your thinking about what wellness can be at your organization.

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. - Session 1B: FMLA Issues – How to Manage and Prevent Leave Abuse, Bob Simandl, von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Bob Simandl, of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. will present on how to manage these laws and discuss the steps available to employers to prevent leave abuse. Bob, with his many years of experience in dealing with Family and Medical Leave issues and other leave compliance obligations, will assist attendees in analyzing how to formulate strategies to meet their legal obligations but to create a framework in which absence management will be a guiding force rather than being reactionary to the requesting employee. The presentation will also include a discussion of strategies to prevent leave abuse and otherwise minimize the possibility for work disruption. Specifically, the presentation will include:

1. Preparing for and defending against Department of Labor Investigations of asserted violations of the law and understanding the employer’s rights and responsibilities.
2. Creating an effective FMLA request process to minimize supervisor engagement and HR administration of FMLA requests.
3. Discussion on how to establish an integrated Family and Medical Leave compliance strategy which incorporates employer responsibilities under the FMLA, ADA and other labor and employment laws without creating an unmanageable administrative monster.
4. Understanding employee benefit rights and obligations in FMLA, Worker’s Comp, and continuing absences which fall within the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Session 2A: Your Organization’s DNA: Taking Culture Out of the Shadows, Michael Stewart, Managing Director, Work Effects

Organizational Culture is "how work gets done," and it is critical to every organization. Some organizations cracked the code to distinguishing themselves and sustained success by purposefully aligning their culture to their strategy. When an organization has a purposeful culture –one that is consciously shaped to align with the organization’s business strategy – it can accelerate achieving desired results and enable optimal performance levels, creating a differentiated business with a competitive advantage. Senior leaders understand culture will determine their success or failure. The physical structures, the business processes and systems, and the behaviors become easier to manage and change when the culture is aligned to the strategy of the organization. Individuals will learn to:

• The difference between a healthy culture and a purposefully aligned culture.
• Determine the culture most critical to achieve strategic goals, and how to apply it to one’s organization.
• Identify and measure the often hidden aspects of culture.
• Gain insight to proven techniques to more quickly create real culture change.
• Develop skills and techniques to achieve lasting strategy culture alignment.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Session 2B: OSHA & WC – Regulations Affecting Drug Testing, Safety Issues and Injury/Illness Reporting Requirements, Denise Greathouse, Attorney at Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

The past year has seen groundbreaking changes to regulations and enforcement practices for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and Worker’s Compensation. Those changes have established new investigation and reporting of work injury claims requirements and new techniques to document those practices. Learn more on these regulatory developments and decisions and what to expect for the future, while discussing best practices for employers as they incorporate these changes into day-to-day audit and investigation techniques and employee work-related injury reporting.

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. - General Session: Silent Impact, Influence Through Purpose, Persistence and Passion, Joe Schmit, Reporter, KSTP news

Through research, Joe has discovered the "we make our biggest impressions when we are not trying to be impressive." That is what Silent Impact is all about. Your success and happiness are not related to your title or how many awards you have own, but to the impact you have on others. If there was a going-away party tonight at your office, which person would bring the biggest crowd? The person you just identified is keenly aware of the impact he or she is making on others. Joe will teach you how to ramp up your influence so you make better connections, stronger relationships, and win more often.

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. - Session 3A: Coaching, It’s Not Just for Athletes Anymore, Lisa Pook, Manager, Organizational Development, MRA – The Management Association

There was a time when coaching was reserved for senior executives, or it was an activity that suggested the leader had big problems to correct. Fortunately that’s not the case anymore.

Developmental coaching benefits individuals and organizations by preparing employees for senior leadership positions, accelerating a new manager’s assimilation, building bench strength, and improving a leader’s ability to build high-performing teams or to overcome career-limiting behaviors. Learn how to leverage the benefits of coaching for your organization and

• Check your organization’s readiness for developmental coaching.
• Review best practices for integrating coaching into your organization’s talent systems.
• Identify strategies for developing a coaching culture.

2:15 - 3:15 p.m. - Session 3B: Creating an LGBTQ Inclusive Workforce & Reducing Exposure to EEOC Discrimination Claims, J. Ryann Peyton, Director, Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program

Part 1: LGBTQ 101
A discussion about who is included in the LGBTQ community (including demographics and metrics). Explanation of common terminology and the difference between "sex" and "gender." An in-depth look at the "Transgender Umbrella" and those individuals who fall under its auspices.

Part 2: Federal Employment Law & Guidance Concerning LGBTQ Employees
An outline of federal employment law and guidance and its protections for LGBTQ employees in the areas of harassment, restrooms accessibility, medical leave, and dress code. Anticipated changes in light of the new administration.

Part 3: LGBTQ Inclusivity at Work

1. The Business Case to Remove Closet Doors
2. Identifying Institutional Barriers to Equality in your Organization
3. Controlling the Impact of Unconscious Bias on Organizational Culture

3:30 - 4:45 p.m. - Closing General Session: The Future of HR, Jennifer McClure, Founder & President of Unbridled Talent, LLC and CEO of DisruptHR LLC

To thrive in the business environment of the future, the competencies and capabilities of human resources professionals must evolve. HR leaders must know the business, focus strategically, solve business problems and understand how to influence change in order to effectively align the human resources strategic plan, establish key relationships, and drive maximum impact on results. HR leaders who master these skills will deliver more value – and find greater executive support – within their organizations.

Speakers

Session Speakers:

Chris Wright, President of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.
This season will be his 26th year with the Timberwolves organization and 13th as the team’s president. Wright is responsible for the day-to-day business operations of the team. He leads a senior management group that is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the business operations of the franchise. By developing a culture driven by the values of thinking innovatively, playing hard, playing together, playing with passion and having fun, Wright and his senior management team are integrating the business and basketball operations to meet the strategic and financial goals of the team. Wright, who graduated from Carnegie College of Physical Education in Headingly, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, is very involved in and consults with many local charities and youth sports programs.

Shawn Gulyas, Vice President of Human Resources at La Macchia Enterprises
Shawn is the Vice President of Human Resources at La Macchia Enterprises (LME). He has worked with LME for over 20 years and has helped shape the company’s culture and direction on the wellness front. The bottom-line success from LME wellness programming allowed for 8 years of no premium increases to team member’s benefits. LME’s unique approach to wellness – LME365 – is built around the company’s pillars of purpose, balance, nutrition and movement. It is best summed up in one of the organization’s core values – Be Well, Work Well, Live Well.

Bob Simandl, von Briesen & Roper S.C.
Bob Simandl is a Shareholder with over 30 years of experience advising clients on a wide range of employee benefit, labor and employment law issues. This experience enables Bob to advise clients on human resources (HR) law issues taking into consideration all areas of opportunity and vulnerability, including the litigation of HR law-based claims. He has extensive experience in advising employers in employee benefit plan design, issues associated with ill and injured workers, labor negotiations, and multi-employer health and welfare plan and pension plan vulnerability and compliance. Bob is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and is also a certified public accountant. He is the co-author of “The COBRA Guide: COBRA Compliance for Wisconsin Employers” (2000) and author of the “Family and Medical Leave Law Compliance Manual” (1993). He is a frequent speaker on the FMLA, ADA and ERISA.

Michael Stewart, Managing Director of Work Effects
Michael Stewart, for the past 25 years, has consulted to hundreds of organizations ranging from the Fortune 50 to small non-profits. He has partnered with numerous thought leaders and organizations including David Campbell, Marshall Goldsmith, Blanchard, CCL, Covey, Lominger, Korn/Ferry and others. He is known for data driven solutions that appeal to the strategic CEO, the strategic Human Resources leader, and the practitioner. Michael Stewart’s team of Ph.D. consultants and industry leaders has conducted hundreds of executive leadership programs, coaching engagements, training courses and delivered more than 4.5 million surveys working with organizations in more than 90 countries. His holistic approach aligns the leadership and culture of an organization to better execute their strategic intent.

Denise Greathouse, Partner, Michael Best
Denise represents management clients in regard to labor and employment matters. Clients in sectors such as construction, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, food, and education turn to her for informed guidance on matter involving: OSHA, Workplace Investigations, Labor Arbitration, Employee Safety and Health and Medicare/Medicaid billing disputes.

Joe Schmit, sports broadcaster with KSTP-TV
Joe Schmit is an author, award-winning sports broadcaster with KSTP-TV, community leader, and popular keynote speaker. His book, Silent Impact: Stories of Influence Through Purpose, Persistence & Passion has won numerous awards, and Joe received the 2015 Next Level Award by the National Speakers Association, Minnesota chapter. He has covered every major sporting event in the past three decades and has interviewed the biggest names in sports. Joe has won seventeen Emmys from the National Television Academy, was honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001, and is also a regular on 1500 ESPN radio. He is a long-time youth mentor, committed to advocating for a number of community organizations, with Big Brothers and Big Sisters at the top of the list. He is the past president and board member of both the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities and also the Fairway Foundation and has contributed time to many other charitable organizations.

Lisa Pook, Director, Organizational Development with MRA - The Management Association
Lisa Pook's unique experiences and insights help MRA member companies improve their effectiveness. Whether it’s working at an organizational level on talent management strategies or change management, facilitating work groups to improve teamwork, or coaching individuals for better interpersonal interactions, Lisa’s focus is on practical, successful outcomes. Lisa is part of MRA’s instructional staff and a member of MRA’s coaching team, providing executive, management, and employee coaching. Lisa has organizational development and training experience in industries ranging from service organizations to nonprofits and manufacturing.

Ryann Peyton, Director, Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program
Ryann Peyton is the founder of RANGE Consulting, a social enterprise focused on training employers on the legalities of LGBT workplace inclusivity. RANGE Consulting, stands for the Retention, Advancement, and Non-Discrimination of GLBT Employees. RANGE shifts workplaces from a simple EEOC statement to incorporating LGBT inclusion into every aspect of their business and strategic plans. RANGE is Colorado’s only legal training organization dedicated solely to the needs of LGBT employees and the workplaces in which they are employed. Partnering with hundreds of corporations, non-profits, and government entities across the state, RANGE assists employers in creating inclusive policies and systems, solving common LGBT related workplace issues, and maintaining legal compliance.

Jennifer McClure, President of Unbridled Talent LLC, CEO of Disrupt HR LLC
Jennifer McClure is a sought after speaker and business advisor who combines her expertise as a Business Leader, Human Resources Executive, Executive Recruiter and Executive Coach with practical strategies to help leaders increase their impact, grow their influence and deliver results in their careers and in their organizations. Consistently rated as a top Speaker at major events and conferences, Jennifer’s engaging and entertaining style is a mix of inspiration, how-to, and strategic discussion drawing upon over 25 years of studying best practices and partnering with senior executives to attract, recruit and retain the best talent for their teams. Originally from Cleveland, Tennessee, Jennifer lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her son Andy, 2 faithful feline companions Sammy and Abby, and one fat and happy horse – Sarabi.

Register

Click Here to Register Today!

$195 Member; $250 Nonmember
Early bird: $170 Member (on or before August 18)

Cancellation Policy: Attendee substitutions may be made at any time and are encouraged when the original registrant cannot attend. If you must cancel or reschedule, please notify us at least three (3) business days (or 72 hours) prior to the program to receive a refund of the program price. Cancellations or date changes made less than 3 business days prior to the program will incur the full registration cost.

Exhibitor/Sponsor

2017 HR Conference Sponsorship Packages
Promote your product or service at MRA's 2017 HR Conference and gain access to key HR decision makers. Select the sponsorship level that works for you and we'll help you maximize that opportunity.

• Gain visibility as a resource and partner.
• Promote your company to a key target audience.
• Connect with decision makers efficiently and effectively.

Exhibit Booth Includes:

• Profile in Exhibitor Section
• Booths are located in the pre-function area of the conference
• One six (6) foot skirted table and two chairs
• Electrical, if requested
• Continental Breakfast and Lunch
• Admission for two booth representatives

Conference Schedule for Thursday, September 14, 2017:

• 6:30 - 7:30 a.m. - Installation of display materials
• 7:30 a.m. - Displays must be view-ready
• 7:30 - 8:15 a.m. - Registration, breakfast, and exhibits
• 8:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - MRA HR Conference (with morning break & exhibits)
• 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch & exhibits
• 1:00 - 4:45 p.m. - MRA HR Conference continues (with afternoon break & exhibits)
• 4:45 p.m. - Exhibit teardown (must be completed by 5:30 p.m.)

Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Deadline: The deadline to be listed in final program materials and the event web site is August 18, 2017.

To sponsor/exhibit, contact Katie Chapman at 262.696.3365.