Have you reached a point in your professional life where your career seems to have plateaued? You know, you’re stuck in a rut? That exhilaration you once felt about your job is not quite what it used to be.
Maybe you’re not motivated to make that extra phone call. Or you’ve run out of new ideas to expand your company or pursue the development of new products or services.
Perhaps the whole technology and social media thing is just passing you by.
Maybe you could use a boost of inspiration or an upgrade in your leadership skills.
And while you’re thinking about, your workforce could use some updated skills and training, as well.
If any of these things ring true, maybe it’s time you reinvested in yourself and your team.
In that spirit, we invite you to attend the BizTimes Get Smarter Conference to be held on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Potawatomi Bingo & Casino.
The conference is founded on the notion that a smarter Milwaukee will be a better Milwaukee.
The conference will be kicked off with an inspirational speech by Karen Vernal, president and owner of Vernal Management Consultants LLC, a Milwaukee company dedicated to “igniting the spirit and skills of leaders through executive coaching, leadership development strategic planning and leadership/organizational retreats.”
Vernal, who writes a column on leadership in BizTimes Milwaukee magazine, provides support for leaders and organizations going through cultural change, often initiated through mergers and acquisitions, leadership change or a change in service or delivery.
Vernal has provided leadership advice to many dynamic organizations, including the Green Bay Packers, Marquette University, Harley-Davidson Inc., Aurora Health Care, Kahler Slater and Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.
At the Get Smarter Conference, Vernal will speak about the value of emotional intelligence, and she will emphasize how effective leaders understand that education is a lifelong journey, not a destination.
Vernal will set the tone for the first panel discussion of the conference, which will focus on “Executive Development.” The panel will feature executives who returned to school to obtain advanced degrees and become better leaders. The panelists will include:
- John Kissinger, who earned his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and is the chief operating officer of Graef USA Inc. in Milwaukee. Kissinger will become the next chief executive officer of Graef in 2012.
- Stephen Scaffidi, field supervisor of special projects for The Nielsen Company. Scaffidi, who is an alderman in Oak Creek, is pursuing his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
- Ayiesha Domino-Brown, service excellence director of Easter Seals Southeast Wisconsin, who completed her master’s degree in leadership studies at Marquette University’s College of Professional Studies.
- Christine McMahon, inspirational leadership consultant and contributing columnist for BizTimes Milwaukee.
The second panel discussion of the conference will focus on “Workforce Development.” An organization is only as strong as its people. The panel will discuss strategies for hiring and maintaining the most effective team. The panelists will include:
- John Kissinger, who also serves as chairman of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board Inc., in addition to his role at Graef.
- Rick Steinke, vice president of manufacturing at Sentry Equipment Corp., Oconomowoc.
- Tom Jacobson, vice president of operations, Bruno Independent Living Aids Inc., Oconomowoc.
- Mike Boelter, executive director of Goodwill TalentBridge LLC in Milwaukee, a member of the Executive Advisory Council for Marquette’s College of Professional Studies and a member of the executive council of Future Milwaukee.
To register to attend the conference, visit www.biztimes.com/smart.
