EAA Summer Staff Conference

MRA – The Management Association is thrilled to host the 2022 EAA Summer Staff Conference July 24-27 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We look forward to bringing everyone back together in-person after two momentous years apart.

Join your peers from employer associations nationwide as we Drive HR Forward and share best practices, attend educational sessions, and build valuable relationships.

This year’s exciting event will include:

• 14 educational sessions – 9 general sessions and 4 breakout sessions
• 4 professional tracks (Membership & Marketing, Consulting Services, Training, and Research & Surveys)
• 3 dinner receptions & activities

Credits:
12 HRCI/SHRM-CP credits have been applied for.

Sunday, July 24, 2022: Renaissance Milwaukee West

Time	Session / Activity
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.	Registration & Welcome Reception at Eld+Rime

Monday, July 25, 2022: MRA Conference Center

Time	Session / Activity
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.	Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 8:40 a.m.	Welcome
8:40 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.	Ope! Welcome to Wisconsin
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	What CEOs Really Want from an Employer Association (Panel)
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.	Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.	Technology Today – Security, Customer Experience, and Process Efficiencies
11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.	Break
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Breakouts 1: Growth	Marketing & Membership - Membership Models and Pricing Structures Research & Surveys - Hot Topic Research – Knowing What and When to Poll Your Membership Training - Hybrid, Remote, In-Person - What is the Right Mix for Training? Consulting Services - Building a DEI Plan from the Ground Up and Helping Members in the Process
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	Tour of the MRA Office Lunch
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Breakouts 2: Excellence in Service	Marketing & Membership - Member Engagement and Retention, and Prospect Nurturing Research & Surveys - The Call for "Fresh" Data – The Future of Compensation Research in a Rapidly Changing Market Training - How Can We Leverage Our Own Training to Provide Excellence? Consulting Services - Garnering an Unforgettable Member Experience with Flawless Consulting
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.	Break
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.	Where Have all the Workers Gone? "The Great Sansdemic"
3:45 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.	Closing Comments
5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.	Evening Reception at The Yard at Iron Horse Hotel

Tuesday, July 26, 2022: MRA Conference Center

Time	Session / Activity
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.	Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 8:35 a.m.	Welcome
8:35 a.m. - 9:35 a.m.	Employee Commitment – Can it be Harnessed?
9:35 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.	Break
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.	How Can We Plan at a Time Like This?!?
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.	Break
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Breakouts 3: Roundtables	Marketing & Membership - Share Marketing Success Stories on Membership and NDR Growth Research & Surveys - Best Practices for Increasing Member Involvement and Participation in Surveys Training - Learning Management Systems (LMS) - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Consulting Services - What Members Want – Exploring New HR Products, Services, and Trends that Deliver
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Breakouts 4	Marketing & Membership - Strategies for Moving HR Consulting Services into the Future – The Power of Value Propositions Research & Surveys - How to get those non-responders to...well...RESPOND? Training - Microlearning from an Association Perspective Consulting Services - The Power of Questions
2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.	Break
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.	EAA - What's New in 2022
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.	HRCI Partnership Update
2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.	Creating and Maintaining a Championship Culture
3:45 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.	Closing Comments
5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.	Evening Reception at the NorthSouth Club

Wednesday, July 27, 2022: Renaissance Milwaukee West

MRA Backstage -
MRA is pulling back the curtain and sharing an insider's view of some of our most successful and interesting initiatives.

Time	Session / Activity
8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m.	Breakfast
8:25 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.	Welcome
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.	Session 1: MRA Intern Program: Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.	Session 2: Hotline for Growth & Engagement
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.	Break
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.	My Journey from Boxing Ring to Boardroom - 5 Essential Virtues for Life & Leadership
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.	Closing Comments

Monday, July 25, 2022

8:40 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.
Ope! Welcome to Wisconsin
Alex Wehrley

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9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
What CEOs Really Want From Your Employer Association
Panel Discussion

Dive inside the minds of CEOs to discover what they really want from your employer association. Gain critical insight and advice from the top about how you can help them move the needle and best support the success of their business. Your EA values positive relationships with key decision makers and wants to build additional revenue from current association members. Hear the unvarnished truth from three CEOs who have been asked to “let it fly.”

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Technology Today – Security, Customer Experience, and Process Efficiencies
Katy Archer, MRA

Join us as we discuss the current trends and needs to ensure your security and environment is safe and secure. Learn more about how technology can save time and money for your company – while delivering faster service. We’ll also outline the continuing evolution and increased expectations of our members/customers and how technology assist to create those WOW moments.

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Breakouts 1: Growth
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Marketing & Membership: Membership Models and Pricing Structures – What’s the Right Recipe? Shawn McGuire, MEA ; Shay Prosser, Catapult ; Valorie Walden, Employers Council; and Dave Gromacki, MRA.	What’s the secret to creating the right membership model and pricing structure that gets prospects to want to join your association? Our panelists will share how they determined which member benefits were most important to members and should be included in their membership model. The panelists will also talk about how they created a pricing structure that is clear and easy to understand, and demonstrates the true value of becoming a member. Shawn's Slides | Shay's Slides | Valorie's Slides | Dave's Slides
Research & Surveys: Hot Topic Research – Knowing What and When to Poll Your Membership Debbie Morgan, MRA; Kevin Marrs, ASE; and Makenna Arnold, Cascade.	The world has experienced change at lightning speed over the past several years and there's been no shortage of hot topics at our fingertips. As we transition from one issue to the next, how do we determine what is hot, what is not, and what will provide the most valuable information to members?
Training: Hybrid, Remote, In-person – What Is the Right Mix for Training? Kathy Price, MRA	An exploration of how to schedule, plan, and develop a mixed offering of training deliveries to meet members’ needs. The session will explore content mix, scheduling, and how to incorporate meaningful delivery to meet members’ needs. Download Slides
Consulting Services: Building a DEI Plan from the Ground Up and Helping Your Members in the Process Michelle Hyde, MRA and Cheryl Lucas-DeBerry, MRA	An interactive session where we will dialogue on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming and services offered to Employer’s Association employees and your members. Please bring ideas and questions to share as we collectively discuss ideas for DEI strategies and implementation. Download Slides

Breakouts 2: Excellence in Service
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Marketing & Membership: The Holy Grail – Successful Member Engagement and Retention, and How to Market with Limited Staff Patrick Farrell, MRA; Laura Woods, Employers Council; and Tim Sater, AAIM.	They are the lifeblood of every employer association, and in today’s competitive climate, it’s essential to continually get new members and keep existing members. This session will showcase several conference attendees who will talk about innovative approaches to prospecting and member engagement, including new member onboarding programs, online communities, and how to effectively market when you have limited staff and resources. Download Slides
Research & Surveys: The Call for "Fresh" Data – The Future of Compensation Research in a Rapidly Changing Market Cherrie Spurlin, MRA	Today’s labor market has made talent acquisition a significant challenge for organizations, including the growing transparency of starting wages and bonuses. In order to understand the rapid changes in the market, it is helpful to know the current research and market value for positions. In this presentation, the current state of the market will be discussed through the lens of compensation research, including how you can manage the changes to help mitigate the difficulties. Download Slides
Training: How to Leverage Training to Provide Excellence Tammy Smith, MRA; John Henderson, EANE; Marnel Mola, Employers Council; and Kathy Price, MRA.	A panel discussion on how we can leverage our own training to provide excellence. The panel will explore and share examples of how keeping the voice of the member allows for evaluation and improvement of customer service and learning and development programming.
Consulting Services: Garnering an Unforgettable Member Experience With Flawless Consulting Julie Norland, MRA	Employer associations are strategic HR partners and trusted allies of our members. It’s the very core of our membership model. Learn how the application of Flawless Consulting key components in all lines and levels of your business will help you cultivate an authentic and consistent relationship with your members, solidifying your partnership for years to come. Download Slides

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Where Have all the Workers Gone? "The Great Sansdemic"
Jim Morgan, MRA

We have seen a seismic shift in the balance of power between the employee (gaining it) and the employer (losing it), exasperated by the pandemic but inevitable, nonetheless. What happened and, more important, what can employers do about it?

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Tuesday, July 26, 2022

8:35 a.m. - 9:35 a.m.
Employee Commitment – Can it be Harnessed?
Kristie Haase, MRA

With concerns of employee retention at an all-time high, member companies need to understand their risk of staff turnover. Traditional measurements of Employee Engagement surveys have helped; but is there a more targeted approach? MRA’s Survey Team is designing an assessment to measure three key constructs of employee commitment, and how they impact retention. Join us as we share the theory and research behind the assessment; and how the assessment can complement the services of an EA.

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9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
How Can We Plan at a Time Like This?!?
Karen Hung, Silver Rock Consulting

The past few years have yielded unrelenting change and tremendous uncertainty. The words “pivot” and “unprecedented” should be abolished from our vocabulary! We have pivoted so many times we are a swirling, exhausted dust devil! What’s the best approach to a strategic plan with so many variables about the future? Do we dive in and chart our course without a clear path...and then if we do, how do we stay agile and effective as assumptions change?

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Breakouts 3: Roundtables
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Marketing & Membership Roundtable: Marketing Success Stories on Membership and NDR Growth – What Really Works! Facilitator - Patrick Farrell, MRA	We have a lot of experienced, creative people who are ready to share their success stories! This facilitated roundtable of marketing and sales experts will share their marketing strategies and tactics as well as which software programs and sales and marketing tools they use to increase membership and non-dues revenue growth.
Research & Surveys Roundtable: Best Practices for Increasing Member Involvement and Participation in Surveys Facilitator - Kevin Marrs, ASE	Member time and resources have never been stretched so thin. This facilitated roundtable will explore innovative ways to re-engage members in survey participation and the creative ways we can present survey findings.
Training Roundtable: Learning Management Systems (LMS) - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Facilitator - Kate Walker, MRA	A roundtable discussion to share experiences using learning management systems to improve the member experience.
Consulting Services Roundtable: What Members Want – Exploring New HR Products, Services, and Trends That Deliver Facilitator - Samantha Siebenaller, MRA	The human resource management industry has transformed at lighting speed over the past several years. This facilitated discussion will explore upcoming HR trends, products, technologies and services that push boundaries and add member value.

Breakouts 4
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Marketing & Membership: Strategies for Moving HR Consulting Services Into the Future – The Power of Value Propositions Keith Peterson, MRA	We’ve all heard about having a good “elevator pitch,” but can you explain the value of your organization clearly and concisely? As an employer association, many of us struggle with communicating what our value proposition is. We often launch into a litany of services we provide, but can we clearly communicate the true value of our organization in helping our members thrive? In this session, Keith Peterson will walk us through an innovative process to define your unique value proposition that differentiates you from the competition and communicates why membership is so valuable. Download Slides
Research & Surveys Roundtable: How to get those non-responders to...well...RESPOND? Mike Kopczynski, MRA	This session covers tactics and strategies to reach survey non-responders and engage them. First, we have to understand "non-response bias." It’s valuable to understand why we don’t succeed in securing survey participation from all folks we invite. Some want to be asked, some don’t care either way, and some would rather not be asked at all. How do we ensure we are hearing from everyone? Download Slides
Training: Best Practices in Virtual Training Tammy Smith, MRA; Megan Malon, MRA; Michelle Hyde, MRA; and Kate Walker, MRA.	A panel-led discussion on virtual training elements for impactful virtual training. Themes include leveraging industry research/best practices (such as ATD), planning tools, lessons learned over the last 2 years and, most important, voice of the member.
Consulting Services: The Power of Questions AJ Kruse, humanworks8	How many questions have you asked today? We often feel responsible for having all the answers, but our ability to create meaningful connections and break new ground doesn’t come from the answers we have, it comes from the questions we ask – and how we ask them. In this session participants will explore the most effective ways to position questions, what makes a question more powerful, and which questions are our favorites for opening the door to stronger relationships and sparking innovation. Learning Objectives: Understand the strategic value of questions to relationships Identify the most effective ways to position questions as well as limiting factors Add at least one new question that can be used with clients, partners and/or coworkers Download Slides

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Creating and Maintaining a Championship Culture
Peter Feigin and Kelly Kauffman, Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks has a fast-paced performance culture based on finding the right people for the right jobs. The last 7 years have been focused on growing the business by opening, owning, and operating Fiserv Forum, meeting their objective of winning an NBA championship on the court, and becoming the best sports and entertainment company off the court. This presentation will outline the building blocks of change.

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Wednesday, July 27, 2022

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
MRA Intern Program: Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders
Courtney Lamers, MRA

Tapping into young, upcoming generations has never been more crucial for the evolution of a successful employers’ association. Take a look inside MRA’s innovative Intern Leadership Program and how it’s engaging and developing a bright new workforce, while exposing them to the benefits of an employers’ association, during a time when the talent pipeline is running lean.

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9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Hotline for Growth & Engagement
Nicole Morehouse, MRA

What started as a grassroots phoneline over 40 years ago has evolved into a fully dedicated 24/7/365 HR hotline powerhouse. Dive in to see how MRA’s complementary hotline established itself as a crucial and integrated line of business driving many member advancements.

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9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
My Journey from Boxing Ring to Boardroom - 5 Essential Virtues for Life & Leadership
Héctor Colón, Servant-CEO, President and CEO, Lutheran Social Services Of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan

Five essential virtues influenced Héctor Colón’s path from being bullied, to a boxing champion, to the boardroom. These virtues have transformed him into the person and leader he is today.

As president and CEO of one of the largest human services organizations in the Midwest, Colón’s leap of faith has made a significant difference and impact on the greater good. He will reveal the miracles that followed his “yes” to leading with a servant heart, which include a $17.8 million turnaround at Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

You are sure to be moved by Colón’s provocative, touching, and inspirational story. And you too will learn and explore how the five essential virtues can change bring out the champion in you.

Photo Gallery

Post-Event Evaluation

Credit Codes:

• HRCI – 12 hrs – 598683
• SHRM PDCs – 12 hrs - 22-3N2XX

PowerPoint slide decks are located in the "Sessions" tab.

A Warm, Wisconsin Welcome!

Welcome to Wisconsin, nestled in the heartland of America. Bordered by the crystal shorelines of two Great Lakes – Michigan and Superior and set amongst rolling hills carved by ancient glaciers.

As America’s Dairyland, we know a thing or two about cows and cheese, but we’re also the nation’s #1 producer of cranberries and home to the unmistakable rumble of Harley Davidson motorcycles. We dine at supper clubs, toast with old fashioned cocktails and indulge in comforts like Friday night fish fries, frozen custard, beer and brats.

We’re cheesehead-wearing, diehard fans of our three favorite teams – the Green Bay Packers, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the reigning NBA Champs - Milwaukee Bucks. We let loose at the world’s largest music festival and splash around at the Water Capital of the World.

We’re a state known for its friendly Midwestern people, a hardy attitude, and strong work ethic. This summer we open our doors to you, our peers and friends, as we “Drive HR Forward” together. We can’t wait to show you around!

 

MRA – The Management Association
N19W24350 Riverwood Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188

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If you have additional questions, please contact:

Kim Mitschke, CMP
Conference & Events Manager
262.696.3505
[email protected]

Sunday, July 24, 2022

5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Eldr+Rime

Join us for registration and a welcome reception at the comfort of the Renaissance Milwaukee West.

Monday, July 25, 2022

5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
The Yard at Iron Horse Hotel

Relax and enjoy a beautiful Wisconsin summer evening under the stars.

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
NorthSouth Club

Pack your flannel and sharpen your ax! Join us for a fun filled evening between the rugged north woods and sunny southern deck shuffleboards.

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Fees:

• $650 Early-Bird Rate (through 6/8/22)
• $700 Standard Rate (6/9/22 – 7/8/22)

Registration Closes: Friday, July 8, 2022

Instructions:

1. In the "Location & Dates" box in the banner above, select "Waukesha, WI" in the "Location" drop-down and "Sun, July 24, 2022 | 8:30 AM" in the "Dates/Times" drop-down. Then click the "Pricing & Details" button.
2. In order to complete registration, you must create an MRA account. To do so, click the "create an account" link, fill out the required fields, and click the "Create new account" button.
3. The conference will be added to your shopping cart, complete the checkout process, and a transaction receipt and confirmation email will be sent to you.

Group Registration:
To register a group, please contact MRA Registrations at 262.696.3319 or [email protected].

HRCI Alliance Discount:
To apply your HRCI Alliance conference discount of $500, please contact MRA Registrations at 262.696.3319 or [email protected].

Conference Cancellation Policy:
All cancellation requests must be made by Friday, July 8. Due to the requirement to confirm participation counts, cancellations received after Friday, July 8, cannot be refunded.

Sponsoring MRA events is a tremendous opportunity to bring your message of business value to our growing membership of organizations HR professionals and business leaders. Our members represent all industries including manufacturing, service, distribution, finance and health care! 80% of event attendees are new at each event offering you the opportunity to network with new contacts. We are very excited about the event this year and hope you can join us!

For more information on corporate sponsorships, contact Jim Morgan at 262.696.3331 or [email protected].