Registration is now closed for this event.

The Employer Best Practices Symposium is planned as a virtual session for Wednesday, March 10th.

Northern Kentucky is filled with business looking for talent. Our community’s talent pipeline seeks destination employers who have created jobs that allow them to comfortably live and spend in their community. This year’s Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Employer Best Practices Symposium: Be a Destination Employer will provide employers an opportunity to hear from national and local business leaders about the competitive advantages of creating superior jobs. Good jobs generate benefits for individuals and their families, employers, and communities.

The symposium's keynote panels and breakout sessions will feature experts on hiring, training and workforce practices that improve firm competitiveness and job quality, giving businesses the tools to ultimately become a destination employer. The breakout sessions will highlight the three categories of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions Job Design Framework:

* Foundational

* Support

* Opportunity

During the March 10th Zoom event, three separate breakouts sessions will be available. Attendees will be able to choose their topic of interest in each of the 30 minute breakouts.

Check out our Keynote speakers you won't want to miss:

Symposium Keynote Panel Discussion 1:

The Business Case for Job Quality

Moderator:

Meghan Cummings -Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Meghan is the Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. She brings a broad perspective of leadership and tackling complex systems issues through her experience with non-profit organizations, a corporate charity and a community foundation. She is passionate about addressing poverty and equity issues by igniting public will and inspiring individuals, companies and foundations to collaborate in new ways. Meghan is a past president of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has worked extensively on the chapter’s diversity and inclusion efforts including the creation of a diversity pipeline program called New Faces of Fundraising. She was named to the 2014 class of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s Forty under 40. She serves on the board of Philanthropy Ohio and is an advisor to Queen City Certified, the first employer certification program for gender equity in the US workplace. Meghan holds degrees in Political Science and Journalism from Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University.

Keynote Panel:

Dr. Thomas Kochan - George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management, a Professor of Work and Employment Research, and the CoDirector of the MIT Sloan Institute for Work and Employment Research at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Dr. Kochan focuses on the need to update America’s work and employment policies, institutions, and practices to catch up with a changing workforce and economy. His recent work calls attention to the challenges facing working families in meeting their responsibilities at work, at home, and in their communities. Through empirical research, he demonstrates that fundamental changes in the quality of employee and labor-management relations are needed to address America’s critical problems in industries ranging from healthcare to airlines to manufacturing. His most recent book is Shaping the Future of Work (Business Experts Press, 2016). Kochan holds a BBA in personnel management as well as an MS and a PhD in industrial relations from the University of Wisconsin.

Janice Urbanik: Senior director for innovation and strategy at the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. Janice leverages her past experience as the executive director of Partners for a Competitive Workforce in Cincinnati to help other National Fund sites achieve their full potential. Janice also facilitates the Employer Roundtable of the Cincinnati Child Poverty Collaborative, where employers learn from other employers about the policies and practices they can implement to improve recruiting, retention, and advancement while also building competitive advantage in their industry. Janice and her work teams have been recognized nationally for their work assisting underrepresented populations to attain and retain employment in growing industry sectors in the region.

Symposium Keynote Panel Discussion 2:

The Importance of Embedding Inclusive Leadership in Your Organizational Culture

Moderator:

Dr. Danielle McDonald has been teaching criminal justice at Northern Kentucky University for twelve years. Danielle’s courses examine how people experience the criminal justice system differently based upon their race, class, and gender and explore what can be done to address these inequities. In 2017, she published a textbook titled Race, Class, Gender and Criminal Justice: Examining Barriers to Justice.

Danielle has organized multiple round tables and socials at national conferences with colleagues from across the country on teaching about race and criminal justice to encourage critical discussions and share teaching strategies. She also has worked with NKU students to organize campus-wide events on policing and race and has presented to the community on the topic of race and criminal justice through events, such as the Six at Six Lecture Series.

Danielle also has prior administrative experience working with faculty and students as a program coordinator for criminal justice and the Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project. Currently, she serves as the assistant department chair for the Department of Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership and as the 2021 inaugural Diversity Fellow at Northern Kentucky University.

Panelists:

Kristen Smitherman-Voltaire: Community and Citizenship Manager at Turner Construction. Kristen manages the company’s community outreach and economic inclusion efforts. In her role, she applies her unique combination of community engagement, equity and inclusion, and project management experience to cultivate sustainable economic impact for underrepresented businesses and inspire the next generation of go-getters to imagine themselves in a fulfilling career in the construction industry. She also co-founded and co-leads Turner’s Ohio Inclusion Action Team, the first regional model at Turner designed to enact an anti-racism strategy. She earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Spanish and International Studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a master of science in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change from Northern Kentucky University. She is also a certified project manager, proud alumna of Leadership Northern Kentucky 2015, Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Emerging Leader recipient, and graduate of the YWCA Rising Stars Leadership Program. Kristen is in her element when she contributes her time to supporting and advocating for improved health and well-being of those who are most vulnerable, underrepresented, and often forgotten. To align her community work with her personal passions, she proudly serves on the City of Cincinnati Human Services Advisory Council, the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Strategic Planning Committee, the Northern Kentucky Chamber Board of Directors, the Northern Kentucky GROW NKY Initiative Diversity and Inclusion Sub-Committee, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber Gateways for Growth Immigrant Integration Taskforce.

Alieu Nyassi is the System Director, Diversity & Inclusion, at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Alieu is an HR professional with extensive experience in diversity training/management, strategy and change management, labor and employee relations, diversity recruitment, conflict management, career development, coaching and consulting. Alieu is experienced in employment laws and regulations, team building and implementing workforce development and performance enhancement initiatives. As an International traveler, Alieu has extensive knowledge in immigration laws and related matters. Additionally, Alieu is multi-lingual in 4 languages with diverse cultural and geographical knowledge.
Specialties: Human Resources: Employee and Labor Relations, Diversity Management, Recruitment and Retention, Training and Development, Performance Improvement, Community and International Development, Study and Volunteer Abroad Program Management.

Scott Koloms is a leader in the good business movement in Kentucky. As President/ CEO of FMS pbc, the first certified B-Corporation janitorial service in the world, and Founder of Canopy, a non-profit aiming to make Kentucky first in good business, Scott’s mission is to have a positive impact on people and communities. Scott is a sought-after speaker who inspires audiences to unite with a common purpose of adopting socially-conscious business models. His presentations focus on both his personal journey towards social entrepreneurship and the concepts behind his FMS for-profit social enterprise. Scott was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and attended the University of Louisville where he earned his BA in English and completed coursework towards an MA in Literature. In addition, Scott pursued his PHD in Literature and Rhetoric at Kent State University.

Our breakout sessions included the following subject matter experts:

FOUNDATIONAL Note: Attendees will be able to choose their topic of interest in each of the 30 minute breakouts.

Topic: Fixing Pay Inequality....It's the Right Thing To Do.

Employee pay is typically one of the largest expenses on a company’s income statement — and with good reason. Pay drives financial performance, efficiency, and productivity and helps to attract and retain the best talent. Plus having a diverse talent pool can significantly improve financial performance. Join us for a discussion on fairness, equity, and respect related to pay. Co- Presenting will be John Hawkins and Michael Wagner; MPI Consulting,

Topic: Transforming the Vicious Cycle of Turnover

Employers struggle with the same challenges: attraction, retention and engagement. This session will cover concrete, actionable recommendations to transform your lower-wage workforce, giving you a competitive advantage in this tight labor market. Meghan Cummings will present

Topic: Mental Health and Your Workforce

At such a time of stress, the investments made in your employees’ mental health and well-being can mean the difference between a productive and an unproductive workforce. Join us to learn ways to assist your employees with resources you may already have available. Presenting will be Carrie Taylor; Marsh & McLennan.

SUPPORT Note: Attendees will be able to choose their topic of interest in each of the 30 minute breakouts.

Topic: What Employers Need to Know to Attract & Retain Military Spouses & Veterans in Transition

The USO Pathfinder® Transition Program extends the USO experience to active duty, Reserve, National Guard and military spouses by offering professional development services throughout the duration of the service member or military spouse’s career, as well as when they transition out of the military and settle into their new communities. Join this session to learn how to be the employer of choice and how to connect directly with this highly skilled talent pipeline. Lauren Kovaleski, Transition Manager for USO Pathfinder Transition Program will present.

Topic: Employer Community Based Organization Partnerships-Talent Pipeline Solutions

Learn how to conquer workforce obstacles including recruiting, retention, and training costs by incentivizing and creating a skilled workforce through internships and collaboration with training providers. Co-Presenting will be Lauren Allhands; Brighton Center & Jessica Cleek; St. Elizabeth Physicians

Topic: Need a Ride? Learn How NKCAC Can Provide a Lift

For many, transportation can be a major barrier to employment. The Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission is removing this obstacle with support from the Boone County Fiscal Court. Learn how NKCAC is facing this challenge head on and providing a lift to jobs through programs such as LINK VAN and Career Kickstart. Presenting will be Douglas Beard; Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission

Topic: Quality People Practices...It's a Culture Thing.

Knowing that together we can be the best, Logan values team members through a progressive EMPLOYEE BENEFITS and TRAINING PROGRAMS that support employee wellness, growth and development as well as security in retirement. Our employees don’t just work here, they are our business partners. Presenting will be David Fusting; Logan Aluminum

OPPORTUNITY Note: Attendees will be able to choose their topic of interest in each of the 30 minute breakouts.

Topic: The Importance of Culture & Employee Morale

When was the last time you checked in on your employees? Not on their work product, but on them as an employee? Do they have the technology needed? Do you have remote culture boosters in place? Do you offer flexible work arrangements?

In this session hear from Erin Young, HR Consultant with VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm, where she will discuss the importance of remote culture and improving employee morale.

Topic: Attracting & Retaining Talent:More than a place to go, be a place to grow.

In a labor market flooded with competition, employers who invest in their workforce and provide pathways for advancement attract the most motivated and promising candidates.From apprenticeship tracks to tuition reimbursement and custom training programs, learn about resources available in our community to promote growth and retain talent within your organization. Christi Godman of Gateway Community & Technical College will present.

Topic: Engaging your workforce: It's not about the pay. Really.

Bonnie Curtis - Castellini Group of Companies will speak of the employee engagement journey at Castellini and the experience of leading HR for a mid-sized privately held company in a low-wage industry. She has worked for three years to improve engagement through communication, training, careers, and recognition for the entire workforce.

4.25 SHRM Credit-Approved

3.75 HRCI Credits

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Employer Best Practices Symposium 2021: Be a Destination Employer