2012 Conference Agenda

Executive Forum 2012

Connect with Your Key Communities

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

4:00-6:00 pm
Registration Open (Registration sponsored by Mee Derby)

4:00-4:30 pm
Staffing Industry Analysts Corporate Membership Tutorial and Forum Overview
New to the Executive Forum? Not sure what Corporate Membership entails? Or already a member and wondering what benefits you might be missing? If so, then join us for a quick tour of the conference and Corporate Membership. We’ll offer tips and advice on the Forum, an overview of our research and how to find the information you need from our website. This session will be a great overview for new members and attendees and a useful recap for “old pros.”

4:30-6:00 pm
Expert Discussion Roundtables

Every year our moderated discussion tables are a favorite way for attendees to connect and learn from each other. This year we have tweaked the format a bit to further enhance your learning experience.  We will have workshops run by industry experts on topics that will provide you with new ideas and enable you to gain insight into your most vexing issues. You will attend three 20-minute workshops during this session at different tables of your choice, listening from experts and discussing with peers and colleagues the issues that are of greatest interest to you.

Topics:

  1. Brand Management and Building Your Web 2.0 Brand
  2. The Impact of Healthcare Reform on the Staffing Industry
  3. Workforce Planning For Corporations
  4. Hidden Sales Opportunities: Making the Most of Your Existing Resources
  5. The ABCs of Private Equity
  6. Making Sense of Online Recruitment -- Measuring Source Performance to Maximize ROI
  7. Making Data Quality a Key Performance Indicator
  8. How to become an MSP
  9. The IRS and Reimbursement Polices
  10. Ten Tips for Getting More Out of LinkedIn
  11. Building Your Internal Talent Acquisition Strategy
  12. Job Seekers:  Knowing Your Target Audience
  13. Maximizing Back Office Efficiency With Performance Metrics
  14. Ten Ways to Build Value in Your Company
  15. Tips to Turn Your Workers Compensation Program Into a Profit Center
  16. Strategic Outsourcing for Staffing Firms: Processes to Outsource and to Keep In House
  17. Keeping Your Insurance Costs Down and Your Business Safe
  18. Drivers of sales force effectiveness

6:00-9:00 pm
Sponsored by World Wide Specialty Programs
Executive Forum Welcome Reception

Meet old friends and new in a relaxed and casual atmosphere at this Executive Forum classic networking reception

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

7:00-8:30 am
Breakfast sponsored by Robert W. Baird
Networking Breakfast, Registration & Exhibits Open

8:30-9:30 am
Sponsored by Bond

Keynote – Staffing Communities and the Future of the Industry 
Speaker: Barry Asin, President, Staffing Industry Analysts

With an ever accelerating pace of change among the key communities of interest to staffing firms, now is not a time for the faint of heart.  In this industry overview and outlook session we will explore the major recent developments with clients, talent and the business environment.  From the rise of the uber-buyer to the ever evolving needs of talent and the many changes in the legal and legislative environment, this session will leverage the latest research from Staffing Industry Analysts to provide insight into the months and years ahead for the industry.

9:30-10:00 am
Sponsored by Fairmount Partners
Networking Break
   
10:00-11:15 am
Sponsored by Careerbuilder

Keynote – The Economy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Speaker: Jeff Rosensweig, Director, Global Perspectives Program, Goizueta Business School of Emory University

In his keynote address, Prof. Jeff Rosensweig will help you navigate the volatile economic horizon by analyzing the recent U.S. and global economic trends along with the changing demographic outlook and understanding the implication of all this on the staffing industry. Rosensweig will go beyond the usual demographic material, such as "the baby boom is aging," to uncover items which can help you engage people whether they are your clients, your employees, or the workers you place.

An international business and finance professor, Rosensweig focuses on global investing and business in the global economy. He also specializes in financial, macroeconomic, and business forecasting. He is often quoted in the national business press, including FORBES, FORTUNE, and BUSINESSWEEK. He has appeared nationally on ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT and GOOD MORNING AMERICA, the NBC TODAY SHOW, NBC National NIGHTLY NEWS, NIGHTLINE, BLOOMBERG TV, and he is a frequent economic commentator for CNN. He has published numerous papers in academic and business journals. He has written three books, including the critically-acclaimed Winning the Global Game: A Strategy for Linking People and Profits.

11:15-11:30 am
Transition break

11:30 am-12:30 pm
Concurrent sessions

  • Sales and Marketing Track
    Building Your Lead Generation Capacity: Sharpening The Tip of the Sales Spear
    Moderator: Kersten Buck, Director, Strategic Solutions, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Jim Lanzalotto, Principal, Scanlon.Louis
    - David Searns, President/CEO, Haley Marketing

    Your funnel of business begins with leads--but what are you doing to maximize your volume and quality of these prospects?  In this session we will examine strategies and tactics to generate new leads through the initial phase of name gathering via list purchases or networking at conferences, to warming up those leads through making actual initial calls.

  • Operations and Finance Track
    For The CFOs: Integrating Finance With Strategy
    Moderator: Tony Gregoire, Sr. Research Analyst, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Jon Neff, CFO, Hire Dynamics LLC
    - Shawn Poole, EVP/CFO, EmployBridge Holding Company
    - Mark Smith, Former EVP/CFO, SFN Group
    - Andrew C. Steinerman, Business and Education Services Analyst, J.P. Morgan

    As one of the most highly rated sessions from last year’s Executive Forum, the CFO panel is back by popular demand. In this panel, we will further explore issues such as maintaining profits and cash flow during turbulent economic times and other topics that are at the fore in finance functions across the staffing world. If you are a financial leader of a staffing firm or if you’ve got finance questions on your mind, you won’t want to miss this session which will be most useful for financial leaders of staffing firms generating more than $25 million in annual revenue.

  • Strategy and New Opportunities Track
    The Often Overlooked Premium Buyer: Small And Midsize Firms
    Moderator: Amy Bingham, Managing Partner, Bingham Consulting Professionals
    Panelists:
    - Bill Hamrick, SVP, Operations, Snelling Staffing Services
    - Neil Stallard, EVP/COO, The Reserves Network
    - Michael Traina, CEO, MDT Holdings and iLabor
    - Gary Zander, President, Project One Inc.

    The foundation of staffing business is the small-to- midsize buyer, or SMBs. Our research shows that in almost every category, there are a significant number of staffing firms generating half of their business or more from smaller client companies, those with less than 1,000 employees.  Yet it is all too easy to focus sales efforts on the big logos that want VMS, MSPs, KPIs and SLAs. That’s a few too many acronyms for this bread and butter buyer who simply wants a quality employee at a fair price through a trusted staffing partner that provides exemplary service!

    Attend this panel discussion of subject matter experts in this space and learn how to hit the mark when selling to the small-to-midsize buyer. In this session, will discuss:
    - Who is the right SMB target for your service?
    - How do you reach a high volume of SMBs economically?
    - How do you speak to SMBs in a way that resonates with them?
    - If you are a national, then how do you act like a local to compete with hometown firms that dominate the SMB space?
    - Which features should you include in your service offerings and, more importantly, which should you leave out?
    - How do you give “high touch” service with a low touch model in a world of continued margin compression and fewer resources?

  • Recruiting and Retention Track
    Recruiting Models: What’s Best for You?
    Moderator: Diana Gabriel, VP, Strategy & Solutions, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Josh Bostic, VP, Business Development, Cook Systems International
    - Joan Davison, President/COO, Staff Management
    - Ross Fernandes, CEO, Q Analysts LLC

    The process of procuring contingent labor has evolved over the years and staffing companies have adapted their recruiting models to ensure success in finding the right talent for their clients. From centralized recruiting centers, to the utilization of offshore recruiters and virtual recruiting teams, the traditional recruiting model is, well, no longer traditional.  In this session our panelists will speak to why change was necessary; what considerations went in to create an effective recruiting model; the challenges associated; and finally, the impact—both in identifying and retaining talent.

12:30-2:00 pm
Sponsored by CHILDS Advisory Partners
Birds of a Feather Networking Lunch
The Executive Forum is a great place to meet with like-minded players from across the industry.  We’ll have tables organized by size and specialty focus to make sure that you’ve got a chance to connect with others facing similar challenges.  And for those looking to connect with colleagues from different sectors of the industry we will have a full supply of open tables.
Table topics include (contact Sona Sharma at ssharma@staffingindustry.com to suggest a table topic):

  • Industrial staffing
  • IT staffing
  • Healthcare staffing
  • Finance staffing
  • Engineering staffing
  • Office/clerical staffing
  • Europe interest group
  • Asia/Pacific interest group
  • Latin America interest group
  • Firms under $20 million in revenue
  • Firms $20 to $100 million in revenue
  • VMS/MSP interest group
  • Independent Contractor Compliance interest group
  • Recruitment Process Outsourcing interest group

2:00-3:00 pm
Concurrent Sessions

  • Sales and Marketing Track
    Selling And Negotiating with Procurement
    Speaker: Bryan Peña, VP, Contingent Workforce Strategies and Research, Staffing Industry Analysts

    It’s no secret that dealing with procurement professionals is often a staffing executives’ worst nightmare. Sometimes hostile negotiations seem to carry on with no end in sight. You’re expected to draft RFP responses suitable for sending a man to the moon, that too often need to happen within unreasonable time frames.  And forget about ever actually trying to make a profit on the deal itself.  While it’s easy to hate procurement, have you ever stopped to wonder what motivates procurement professionals? And how is their performance evaluated? Hint – it’s not just savings.  Join us for this informative session where Staffing Industry Analysts’ own “procurement guy” will share some tricks of the trade and reveal just what gets procurement professionals out of bed in the morning and what you need to do to make your time dealing with procurement as productive as possible.

  • Operations and Finance Track
    How to Cope with the Coming Healthcare Reform Penalties
    Speaker: George Reardon, Special Counsel, Littler Mendelson P.C.

    Healthcare reform, formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, will impose heavy penalties and disruptive anti-discrimination rules on many staffing firms and their clients. Yet there are ways to avoid or minimize these burdens, to boost your competitive position, and to turn clients’ burdens under the Act into revenue opportunities. Learn how to prepare now to benefit from these strategies when the penalties and rules kick in. Topics covered in this information-packed session include:
    - What the law requires
    - How much penalties will cost
    - What are the chances the law will be changed
    - Opportunities under the law to avoid penalties and gain market advantage.

  • Strategy and New Opportunities Track
    Market Trends and Best Practices in the RPO Solutions Business
    Moderator: Stephen Clancy, Director, Contingent Workforce Strategies and Research, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Michael Beygelman, Adecco, Global Practice Leader, President North America, Adecco RPO
    - Randolph S. Gulian, EVP, Allegis Group Services
    - Darren Simons, SVP, RPO, SourceRight Solutions, a Randstad Company
    - Terry Terhark, CEO, The RightThing, an ADP Company
    - Edward Zetusky, Global VP, Staffing Services, CDI Corporation

    This strategy and new opportunities session will review and discuss key market trends and drivers in the RPO solutions and services marketplace. The RPO solutions business is a fast-growing and evolving talent acquisition and process management market.  The assembled senior executive panelists will share their views of the strategic market trends impacting today’s RPO marketplace and what they believe are the key drivers and future direction of the RPO solutions and services business.
    Session attendees will discover:
    - A review of the major trends and innovations that are driving growth and change in the RPO marketplace
    - A view of the top drivers that have accelerated buyer adoption of recruitment process outsourcing                       
    - A look at the future direction and market potential for this talent acquisition solution

  • Recruiting and Retention Track
    Aligning Your Delivery Model With Your Clients’ Needs
    Speaker: Mike Cleland, President, Charted Path

    Too often companies look at isolated processes and improvements to strengthen their recruiting organization and end up providing a fraction of the expected returns.  This session will discuss how lean principles can be applied to staffing organizations to improve both responsiveness and quality, while at the same time keeping the cost of delivery under control.  By attending this session executives and managers will learn:
    - How to evaluate job order patterns of each buyer, including issues such as close rate patterns, time to submit and requirements of job orders.
    - To align the three critical processes, namely, job order management, sourcing, and submittal management
    - To develop metrics that give managers the visibility to ensure the processes are adopted and remain efficient.

3:00-3:30 pm
Sponsored by Assurance Agency
Networking break

3:30-5:15 pm
Staffing Industry Report Live @ the Forum
Host: Barry Asin, President, Staffing Industry Analysts
Special Guests
- Tony Gregoire, Sr. Research Analyst, Staffing Industry Analysts
- Jon Osborne, VP, Research, Staffing Industry Analysts
- Joyce Russell, President, Adecco Staffing U.S., Adecco Group NA
- Jai Shekhawat, CEO, Fieldglass
- Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer, ManpowerGroup North America

Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you -- Staffing Industry Report Live at the Executive Forum!
This fast paced, lively and informative talk-show style session features interviews with industry thought leaders, practitioners and experts focused on what’s really happening today in staffing. You will hear from leading staffing executives on talent management, retention and customer engagement. You will learn about some of the top legal issues that staffing firms are facing these days. And come away with some must know tactics to keep you out of legal trouble. Our research analysts will do a deeper dive into Staffing Industry Analysts’ updated forecast for the industry and provide their perspective on the industry and its outlook. We will also take this opportunity to present our prestigious awards and gather best practices and market insights from the winners.

5:15-7:00 pm
Networking Reception
Sponsored by JobDiva

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

7:00-8:30 am
Breakfast sponsored by Access Capital
Networking Breakfast, Registration & Exhibits Open
   
8:30-9:45 am
Sponsored by Indeed

Keynote - The Orange Revolution: How One Great Team Can Change an Organization
Speaker: Chester Elton, Employee Engagement and Retention Expert and Coauthor of The Orange Revolution
Management guru Chester Elton is back by popular demand. In his keynote address, Elton will draw from his latest book, The Orange Revolution, recognized worldwide as the premiere book on how breakthrough teams and teamwork revolutionize a company, a community, and the world. 

The Orange Revolution highlights the key traits found inside the world’s most stellar teams. In his presentation, Elton will illustrate the steps these teams took to conquer barriers, exceed expectations, and overcome mediocrity through brilliant collaboration. This presentation will reveal the synergy that exists among teams in the world’s most respected and innovative organizations—and how to tap into that power within any group of individuals.

This must-see presentation will introduces the simple steps to inspire an Orange Revolution in your organization— through easy, prescriptive, outcome-based applications that can be implemented today.

Called the "apostle of appreciation," by The Globe and Mail, Canada's largest newspaper, and "creative and refreshing" by The New York Times, Chester Elton is co-author of several successful leadership books. His books have been translated into over 20 languages and have sold more than a million copies worldwide. The Carrot Principle by Simon & Schuster has been a regular New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, and The Orange Revolution was the number one selling business book in the United States according to The Wall Street Journal.

9:45-10:15 am
Sponsored by Menemsha Group
Networking break

10:15-11:00 am
Sponsored by Sterling National Bank
Executive Perspective – The Changing World of Work: The Advent of the “Human Age”
Speaker: Jonas Prising, President, Americas, ManpowerGroup

In this presentation, Prising will talk about the dawn of the Human Age where the access to talent is critical and will have a profound impact on countries and companies, especially as corporate vision and technology become more complex. According to Prising, this evolution of the workforce provides both opportunities and threats to the human capital industry. He will address the changing face of today’s workforce and the need for businesses to evolve the way they think about work models, people models and talent sources.     

11:00-11:15 am
Transition break

11:15 am-12:15 pm
Concurrent Sessions

  • Sales and Marketing Track 
    What Makes for a Highly Effective Staffing Sales Force?
    Sponsored by Monster
    Speakers:
    - Barry Asin, President, Staffing Industry Analysts 
    - J. Mark Davis, Sr. Consultant, Towers Watson

    For staffing firms there is no area more critical to success than developing an effective, motivated and focused sales force. This session will review leading edge research on the topic and provide insights into the practices of successful firms. If your checklist for 2012 includes improving your selling efforts (and whose doesn’t), then you won’t want to miss this important session packed with insights on what makes staffing firms sales management practices work best.

  • Operations and Finance Track
    Benefit of Counsel: You’ve Got Questions and We’ve Got Answers for Your Burning Legal Issues
    Moderator: Subadhra Sriram, Editorial Director, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Neil Alexander, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson P.C.
    - Kevin Barrow, Partner, Osborne Clarke
    - Kathy Breedlove, Director, Compliance Services, Secure Talent
    - Diane J. Geller, Attorney, Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore

    Do you have a legal concern related to your staffing business that has been nagging you for days but you just haven’t had the time to pick up the phone to call your lawyer? Why don’t you email it to us and we will run it by the lawyers for you. From co-employment to misclassification and from term limits to the impact of over-time legislations, there are endless litany of legal risks and risk management strategies facing staffing firms. In this fast-paced session our panel of legal experts will strive to unravel a broad range of your legal conundrums and debunk some of the common myths surrounding them.

    To have your topic included in this session, please email your question by February 15 to Subadhra Sriram at ssriram@staffingindustry.com.

  • Strategy and New Opportunities Track
    20 Underappreciated Business Opportunities
    Speaker: Jon Osborne, VP, Research, Staffing Industry Analysts

    The goal of market research is to identify opportunities. But, much to the consternation of our VP of Research, Jon Osborne, not all opportunities are noticed by staffing firms that access our research. After listening to him bemoan the many opportunities he has seen the staffing industry fail to take advantage of in his seven years at Staffing Industry Analysts, we decided to give him a session of his own to delineate his running list of underappreciated business ideas. Come for this rapid-fire session to hear Osborne set forth actionable items, including some low-hanging fruit that you may have passed by as well as some big ideas that you can implement right away to boost your business.

  • Recruiting and Retention Track
    Road Map to an Orange Revolution
    Speaker: Chester Elton, Employee Engagement and Retention Expert and Coauthor of The Carrot Principle

    The Orange Revolution workshop will take a deeper dive into what makes a team world class. In this workshop, Elton will discuss in deeper detail how the world's best teams commit to world class performance, communicate and cheer for each other. You will come away with team activities and ideas that you can apply on your first day back from the conference to make your team world-class.

    Elton will also give attendees a sneak peak at his new book from Simon & Schuster on how the best managers create a culture of belief that lead to real results. These best practices are based on a global database of more than 300,000 surveys form Towers Watson. Don't miss these 60 minutes of game changing ideas for you and your team from Chester Elton.

12:15-1:45 pm
Sponsored by Benefits In A Card
Networking Lunch
Book signing by Chester Elton (Sponsored by People 2.0)

1:45-2:45 pm
Concurrent Sessions

  • Sales and Marketing Track
    Building Your Global Strategy
    Speakers:
    - Adam Pode, Director, Research and Analysis, Europe, Staffing Industry Analysts
    - Ton Mulders, Director, Strategic Solutions, Europe, Staffing Industry Analysts

    Is your client pushing you to help them out in another country? Or perhaps you are looking to expand overseas to mitigate your risk of relying on just one economy. Or maybe you are interested in playing in the emerging markets. These are all excellent reasons to venture abroad. But the key is identifying the markets where you should get started. We have just the research that you can tap into to help make your decision. In this session, we will share with you:
    - Our evaluation of the potential of different staffing markets based on size, legislative environment, ease of doing business and much more. 
    - How to identify strong prospects among both emerging and established staffing market.
    - The experiences of a few staffing veterans in how they went about building their global strategy and their hard won lessons learned.

  • Operations and Finance Track
    Back of the Envelope Valuations for Your Staffing Firm
    Moderator: Sona Sharma, Sr. Research Analyst, Staffing Industry Analysts 
    Panelists:
    - Al De Bellas, Jr., President, De Bellas & Co.
    - Jim Childs, Managing Partner, CHILDS Advisory Partners
    - Allen Geyer, President, AGR Financial
    - Sam Sacco, Partner, R.A. Cohen Consulting

    Ask for it and you shall have it! For years the research team at Staffing Industry Analysts has been fielding questions about valuations from numerous staffing firms that are toying with the idea of selling. And the answer is always: it depends. It depends on your cash flow, earnings, gross margins, customer concentration, liabilities, the list goes on. It’s always best to ask the experts and that’s what we are going to do in this session.

    You send us your company profile anonymously in advance and we will take it up with our panel of M&A pundits who will provide a quick “back-of-the-envelope” valuation of that company during the session. You will also hear their reasoning behind their answers and in some instances they will also throw in a few tips on how to increase those multiples. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to talk to our panel directly during Q&A too.

  • Strategy and New Opportunities Track
    PEO, Payrolling and Compliance Services: Is the Time Ripe for Staffing Firms to Make Waves in HR Outsourcing?
    Moderator: Adrianne Nelson, Director, Global Services, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Sabrina Clay, VP, Business Development, Synergy Services
    - Jay Starkman, CEO, Engage PEO
    - Karen Turner, VP, Strategic Talent Optimization, SourceRight Solutions

    Is this a good time for staffing firms to consider expanding into the world of HR outsourcing? It sure looks like it. The keen attention of the IRS on independent contractor agreements is making many employers of large number of 1099s sweat over compliance issues. Helping clients achieve peace of mind with IC compliance can be a big value-add that staffing firms can offer. Payrolling and compliance usually go hand in hand … in fact sometimes firms are not sure where one ends and the other begins! Add benefits to this repertoire of service offerings and you enter the realms of the professional employer organization ( PEO) business.
    In this session, our panel of experts will talk about the opportunities available to staffing firms to either reposition and capture some “hot” aspects of HR outsourcing, or partner with such providers to round out their service offerings. You will hear about keys to success as well as barriers to entry in this market and how to play in the HR outsourcing market to accelerate growth and to reinforce your value proposition with customers.

  • Recruiting and Retention Track
    Motivating, Measuring and Managing Your Internal Staff
    Moderator: Scott Wintrip, President, StaffingU and The Wintrip Consulting Group
    Panelists:
    - Dan Campbell, CEO, Hire Dynamics LLC
    - Jay Cohen, President, Signature Consultants

    Retaining your most important assets relies on a consistent approach to leadership that cultivates lasting relationships. This information-packed panel discussion will provide you with best practices to inspire your entire front and back-office team, create powerful accountabilities for producers, and lead your organization to reach its goals. The panelists will provide insights that show you how to:
    - Motivate employees by leveraging their four personality styles.
    - Measure key indicators that enhance motivation and provide a system for consistent and fair accountability.
    - Manage your team effectively while reducing the labor intensity typically experienced in a leadership role.

2:45-3:15 pm
Networking break

3:15-4:00 pm
General session
Voice of the Customer: How to be Relevant and Stand Out in a Sea of Sameness
Moderator: Bryan Peña, VP, Contingent Workforce Strategies and Research, Staffing Industry Analysts
Panelists:
- Melissa Ansell, Sr. Contingent Labor Program Coordinator, Bayer
- Ed Hidalgo, Senior Director, Staffing, Qualcomm
- Clay Lewis, SVP, Staffing Operations Manager, Bank of America
- Greg Muccio, Manager, People Department., Southwest Airlines
- Kirk Reade, Global Strategy/Subcontract Services Sourcing Council, IBM

Much has been said about formulating a true partnership between staffing firms and the buyers of their services. Staffing firms want it, but feel marginalized that all buyers are looking for is squeezing their already compressed profits.  Buyers know they should partner with their providers but are not sure how.  Meanwhile the field is becoming more competitive as providers leverage social media and technology to steal market share.  How do you stand out?  What can you do to make sure your candidates are at the top of the pile instead of the bottom?  It is time to put all the bickering behind us and take a fresh look at this topic.
In this session, some of the largest buyers of staffing services will lay bare the challenges they are facing and well reveal provider practices that get attention in the most competitive markets.

4:00-4:15
Transition break

4:15-5:30 pm
Sponsored by Monster

Keynote: Beyond Shiny & New - How a Business Implements Social Media
Speaker: Chris Brogan, Social Media Guru and President of Human Business Works LLC

Do you have a Facebook policy? Do you want everyone blogging? If not, who should write the blog? How do you track social media efforts to build lead generation, awareness, and retention? How do you integrate listening tools into your duties? The social media space is full of questions and Chris Brogan has the answers. In his keynote,  Brogan will cover best practices in everything -- from profile creation to outreach to conversations and community relations.

Regarded as a pioneer of the social media revolution, Brogan will enable you to tap into the power of social networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and overall value. He has been deeply involved in social media since 1998, creating a blog back when the activity was still known as “journaling.” He first realized the power of new media tools when he was able to save a telecommunications company he was working for $3 million by getting valuable manufacturer information from an audio podcast. His blog at chrisbrogan.com ranks in the top five of the Advertising Age Power150 and in the top ten at Technorati.

Brogan translated his online experiences onto the printed page in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Trust Agents, co-written with Julien Smith. He hosts the Inbound Marketing Summit and Inbound Marketing Bootcamp events with CrossTech Media, bringing together experts in the field of new media marketing to share the latest strategies, tools, and best practices to utilize new marketing methods to grow businesses. He is also the co-founder of PodCamp, an international new media conference series that has held over 60 events around the world.

5:30-7:00 pm
Sponsored by Sendouts
Networking Reception

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 - TECH DAY

AM Concurrent Sessions  |  PM Concurrent Session

7:00-8:30 am
Networking breakfast, Registration & Exhibits Open
   
8:30-9:30 am
Sponsored by JobDiva
Keynote - CIOs Strike Back: The Coming Technology Challenges and Opportunities Facing Staffing Firms
Moderator: Sona Sharma, Sr. Research Analyst, Staffing Industry Analysts
Panelists:
- Bryan Ackermann, CIO, Adecco Group NA
- Sheldon Arora, CEO, LiquidAgents Healthcare LLC
- Joe Drouin, SVP/CIO, Kelly Services
- Michael Whitmer, Global CIO, Hudson

In this keynote panel with leading staffing industry CIO’s and tech leaders we will explore the major challenges around technology that are facing staffing firms, as  well as the many opportunities.  If you are wondering whether your firm is on top of the trends that matter most, then don’t miss this session with some of the leading lights of staffing technology.  From social media to mobility to the recent advances in video or the latest in front and back office systems, this session will explore the main tech challenges you need to know about to succeed in the years ahead.

9:30-10:00 am
Sponsored by Avionté Staffing Software
Networking break
     
10:00-11:00 am
Concurrent Sessions

  • Thriving in Uncertain Times: How Technology Can Help
    Sponsored by Bullhorn
    Moderator: Andrew Hally, VP, Marketing, Bullhorn Inc.
    Panlists:
    - Dan Hoffman, CEO, M5 Networks Inc.
    - Kelly Robinson, CEO, Broadbean Technology
    - Fred Shilmover, CEO, InsightSquared

    In down times, staffing leaders look at technology as a cost to cut. When business is booming, it’s all about investing to supporting growth. But what about uncertain business climate like today’s? In fact, your technology platform is a huge asset for navigating times like these. This session will show participants how to leverage their recruiting technology to:
    - Detect emerging opportunities before others
    - Increase agility to pursue new growth
    - Optimize team performance to capitalize on returning growth
    - Lower cost structures in case the climate worsens

  • Recruitment in the Cloud
    Sponsored by Monster
    Moderator: Matt O'Connor, VP Staffing, Monster
    Panelists:
    - Dimitri Boylan, CEO, AvatureCRM
    - Nancy Cromwell, VP, Business Development, The RightThing, an ADP Company
    - Michael Hakeem, Manager, Talent Attraction and Staffing Operations, Novo Nordisk
    - Nikos Livadas, Director, SeeMore, Monster
    - Rob Lowry, EVP, Delivery, Apex Systems
    This information-packed session will address the impact of cloud computing and semantic search on recruitment and how staffing firms and companies are adapting to the changes. Our panel of experts will provide an overview of cloud computing as it relates to recruiting, analytics and delve into the phenomenon of the convergence of cloud computing and semantic search, demonstrate how these technologies enhance talent matching, and discuss how staffing firms are leveraging cloud computing to show increased ROI for their clients. We will also discuss the importance of search driven analytics and the powerful impact it can have on your staffing business.

  • Social Media for Beginners: Writing A Social Media Plan
    Speaker: Hinda Chalew, SVP, Marketing and Interactive Services, Staffing Industry Analysts

    Social media has taken the staffing world by storm. The marketing function within staffing firms has come to maturation with the advent of social media for not only branding, but also for recruiting.  However, many firms are still struggling with how to use social media effectively and how to integrate it with their company’s strategic goals. In this session, Chalew will walk us through steps to formulate a social media plan by:
    - Penning down a strategy that clearly states who will own the social media function and how it will be used.
    - Which social media tools can be used based on what the company is trying to achieve
    - Providing essential and sufficient training to those using social media in your company on how to use these tools.

11:00-11:30 am
Transition Break

11:30 am-12:30 pm
Concurrent Sessions

  • Trends in the VMS Landscape
    Moderator: Tony Gregoire, Sr. Research Analyst, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Jason Ezratty, Managing Partner, Brightfield Strategies LLC
    - John F. Martin, CEO, Emerging Markets/CTO, IQNavigator
    - Sean Paley, CTO, Beeline
    - Jai Shekhawat, CEO, Fieldglass

    As Vendor Management Systems play an increasing role in contingent workforce management, staying on top of trends in the VMS landscape is critical. In this session, our panel of experts will discuss where we are seeing the most growth in the VMS market, how technology requirements are changing, and what it all means for staffing firms. Their analysis and outlook will help your company take advantage of the rapid changes in the marketplace.

  • Keys to Selecting and Implementing Front/Back Office Software
    Moderator: Craig Johnson, Managing Editor, Staffing Publications, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Judi Bell, VP, Strategic Development, People 2.0
    - Rusty Burnett, CIO/EVP, Burnett Staffing Specialists
    - Chuck Lane, CIO, iSymmetry
    - Dan McNulty, EVP/COO, QPS Employment Group

    Front and back office software plays a crucial role in the day-to-day operation of a staffing firm — from tracking candidates to invoicing clients. Choosing the right software is important. Also critical is putting it in place and getting everybody onboard. Even the best software won’t live up to its promises if people don’t use it.
    This information-packed session will include discussions with industry experts on what to look for when searching for software as well as best practices when it comes to putting software in place.

  • Leveraging Social Platforms and Technologies to Power Your Recruiting Practices
    Sponsored by LinkedIn
    Moderator: Jim Duddy, Director, Staffing Solutions, LinkedIn
    Panelists:
    - Mike Dwyer, Senior Consultant, @Cruiter Works
    - Jocelyn Lincoln, VP, Americas Recruiting, Kelly Services
    - Steve Zales, Chief Knowledge Officer, Hudson

    Social networks have fundamentally changed the face of recruiting by making candidates more accessible than ever before. What’s more, social platforms represent a critical branding opportunity for your firm, given the explosion of touch points with your existing and future clients. Our panel of experts will share leading-edge practices in leveraging social technologies for both purposes: as an incredibly rich source of candidates and for creating a highly compelling brand that catapults your business to new heights.

12:30-2:00 pm
Sponsored by Snagajob
Networking lunch

2:00-3:00 pm
Concurrent Sessions

  • Building and Keeping Your IT IQ: Recruiting CIOs, CTOs & Tech Gurus
    Moderator: Adrianne Nelson, Director, Global Services, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Lynn Dunn, Management Consultant, Lynn Dunn Consulting
    - Cindy Parish, Senior Director, Product Management, SeatonCorp.
    - Pamela Wasley, CEO, Cerius Interim Executive Solutions

    This session will explore finding and keeping technology leaders, from CIOs/CTOs to IT product managers, to spearhead your staffing technology solutions. It’s about knowing when the time is right to add a tech guru to your company, or IF you need one. Does your recruiting plan match your technology goals and is it part of your overall growth strategy? When do you need to do project-specific recruiting and get a temporary technology resource, be it a CIO or product manager? Find out how technology leaders are important for your big picture and strategy for success and how you can retain and reward successful performers in this mission critical area.

  • Enhancing Your Website
    Moderator: Hinda Chalew, SVP, Marketing and Interactive Services, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Seiki (Stan) Hirota, Corporate Officer, The CSI Companies
    - Mark Marsiglio, President/CEO, ThinkCreative
    - Dane Reese, President, Stark Talent
    - Tom Sweetman, President/COO, Productive Data Solutions Inc.

    Your website can be a great tool to market your staffing firm and to attract great candidates. However, developing your company's website can eat up a great amount of your resources. In this session, our panel of experts will talk about:
    - How to use your website to achieve the strategic goals of your staffing company
    - How to decide what you want to do in terms of your website and then prioritize.
    - Measure, measure, measure. There is no point in spending all this money in creating a great and informative website and not know what it is delivering for your business.

  • Tech Recruiting Tools: The Best and the Brightest
    Moderator: Subadhra Sriram, Editorial Director, Staffing Industry Analysts
    Panelists:
    - Kay Colson, President, Resource Business Inc.
    - Libby Dodge, VP, Business Development, TalentRooster
    - Tim Leonard, Founder/CEO TalentReef
    - Karen Turner, VP, Strategic Talent Optimization, SourceRight Solutions

    Recruiting is no longer about your rolodex, telephone or in person interviews. Instead there are a slew of new tools involving infographics, video, chat, questionnaires and “friends.” This session will feature the new and latest recruiting tools out there. YouTube might just be your next interviewing platform and Evite might be your next screening tool. Find out which tools work, learn the coolest ones and ones that don’t make the grade. Find out how the top recruiters are using these tools to great effect. If you are overwhelmed by all this new technology, this session will help you make sense of the gizmos out there.

3:00 pm
The 2012 Executive Forum concludes