Conference Sessions

  8:30AM-9:30AM

Networking Breakfast

  9:30AM-9:45AM

Networking Break

  9:45AM-10:45AM

Breaking the Barriers to Rebooting Performance Management

The business environment has experienced significant change driven by globalization and shifts in the workforce's expectations. Despite these changes, more than 80% of global organizations still manage performance with techniques first pioneered in the middle of the last century. Why are so many stuck in the old ways? Join Tamra Chandler as she discusses how to rethink and redesign your approach to performance management, specifically addressing how to rebuild the connection between pay and rewards and performance. Attendees will be on their way to a modern performance management program that's optimized for today's increasingly connected, customizable and Millennial-driven business world.

 M. Tamra Chandler, CEO/Founder, PeopleFirm

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Considerations Before Implementing an Unlimited PTO Program

Challenged to meet or exceed the more than 30 different sick-leave laws across the United States, is unlimited paid time off a viable alternative? Or is it too much of a good thing? In this session, Marina Galatro shares what to know and consider before transforming their total rewards strategy to include an unlimited PTO program. Attendees learn how to rethink paid time off strategies, hear about the pros and cons of unlimited time, and get an overview of organizations that currently have an unlimited PTO program in place and whether it really works for everyone.

 Marina Galatro, PHR, SHRM-CP, Sr. HR Consultant, A.J. Gallagher & Co.

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Education as a Benefit: The Modern Apprenticeship

A tight labor market is translating into annual frontline turnover rates of more than 100% in America's fastest growing job sectors: food service, health care, customer service and hospitality. And top companies are feeling the pain, to the tune of more than $10 billion per year. To combat this, an innovative group of Fortune 500 HR leaders is addressing these challenges by investing in education as a strategic benefit. This fireside chat and Q&A session features leaders from top companies discussing their revolutionary approach to education benefits programs and the dramatic outcomes they're seeing in retention, turnover and promotion.

 Blair Nigro, City Leader, Taco Bell Corp

 Ferril Onyett, Director, Learning and Organizational Development, Taco Bell Corp

 Zoe Weintraub, Vice President of Implementation, Taco Bell Corp

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Effective Sales Compensation: At the Corner of Plan Design and Operational Assessment

Many organizations determine if their sales compensation plans are working by gathering ad hoc information and doing spot analytics. But choosing among a multitude of possible metrics can be difficult - which are the right metrics? Which will have the deepest impact on growth? Which provide the full picture of the sales organization performance, and not just a surface level evaluation? Sales incentive program design and operational assessment are both riddled with pitfalls. In this session, presenters will outline three plan design and operational assessment pitfalls to avoid when rolling out your 2018 sales incentive program.

 Robert Blohm, Senior Vice President, Sales & Alliances, OpenSymmetry

 Mark Donnolo, Managing Partner, SalesGlobe

 Michelle Seger, Global Sales Strategy and Change Management Leader, SalesGlobe

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Gender Pay Equity: What You and Your Committee Need to Know

Gender pay equity is jam-packed with nuance, as most parties agree on the high-level principles but struggle to arrive at a common platform for assessing imbalances. Presenters Takis Makridis and Blair Jones discuss common ways of testing for potential problems and red herrings to avoid in the data. Core to their message: demonstrating to your compensation committee that you are proactively managing this issue. Attendees will learn the types of questions the compensation committee should be asking, how to lead internal initiatives and what constitutes a rigorous analytical approach for arriving at supportable conclusions.

 Blair Jones, CCP, CBP, GRP, CECP, Managing Director, Semler Brossy Consulting Group, LLC

 Takis Makridis, CEP, President and CEO, Equity Methods

 Brit Wittman, CCP, CECP, VP Global Rewards, Applied Materials

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Hot Topics & Evolving Equity: Changing LTI in a Changing World

We know that one size doesn't fit all. But even the right size doesn't fit forever. Long-term incentives must adapt or risk falling behind - and in a world of tight equity budgets and hot job markets, falling behind means failure. What are the ways the world is changing, and how can you refine your LTI plans to adapt? This panel will focus on proxy advisor-driven share pool constraints, acquisitions and divestitures, big changes in your stock price or the broader market, and other timely issues. Learn how to keep your plans performing at their potential in an ever-changing world.

 Timothy Bartl, President & CEO, Center on Executive Compensation

 David Outlaw, Director, Equity Methods

 Dmitry Shmoys, CCP, GRP, Vice President, Compensation and Benefits, Dr Pepper Snapple Group

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Leading Successfully When the Brain Has a Mind of Its Own

Why do some employees fail to reach full potential, despite your best efforts to develop them? The answer lies in the powerful primal functions of our brains, which continuously influence our own behavior and the behaviors of those we lead. Because leadership success is dependent on influencing other people, it's imperative we customize communications and approaches for each individual. This session will focus on the Neuro-Leadership Model and offer a vision of the future of leadership. With so much talent at stake in organizations, leaders are well-served to utilize every tool available to bring out the best in others.

 Michelle Smith, CPIM, CRP, Author. Speaker. Strategist, Michelle M. Smith, CPIM, CRP

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Sponsored Session:
Avoiding the Five Pitfalls of Employee Recognition Programs

Sponsored by Motivosity

You know recognizing employees for great work is important. But given the different backgrounds, experiences, ages and wants and needs of a diverse employee population, the challenge becomes operationalizing recognition into something your entire team looks forward to rather than dreads. Health Catalyst cracked the code, successfully boosting engagement levels from 30% to more than 90%. Join Tom Burton and Joe Staples in this information-packed, entertaining session where they share the story. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of how to deliver an employee recognition program that builds trust, increases visibility, establishes a connection with the team and drives real results.

 Tom Burton, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Health Catalyst

 Joe Staples, Chief Marketing Officer, Motivosity

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Total Rewards for the New Digital Economy

Organizations preparing Future of Work face a number of challenges that need new solutions. Adapting to the digital economy requires innovative talent strategies that drive rapid change. Drastic workforce changes include shifting demographics, developing talent, growing employee expectations, transformation of HR and globalizing workforces. A critical element to be addressed in this transition is Total Rewards, because just as workforces are changing dramatically, rewards programs are evolving as well. This session will help you understand the common workforce challenges emerging in organizations today, share some of the leading practices in rewards functions as practitioners prepare for the changing workforce and unveil critical components needed for successful rewards programs today.

 Juliette Meunier, CPA, Partner, Ernst & Young

 Scott Thoresen, Manager, Ernst & Young LLP

  10:45AM-11:00AM

Networking Break

  11:00AM-12:00PM

5 Lessons Learned by Early Adopters of Flexible and Virtual Work Arrangements

The virtual workplace has come a long way from the traditional workplace to today's environment where workers can do great work from anywhere. History shows great progress, great failures, and great resilience from organizations working to leverage all the tools available to enable their people to do their best work and live their best lives. In this session, a leader in work-life effectiveness and a respected author/academician come together to dive into five crucial lessons learned over the years and share tools and best practices you can use in your own organization to ensure fully effective virtual teams.

 Trina Hoefling, Graduate Faculty, University of Denver

 Kathy Kacher, Founder, Career/Life Alliance Services Inc

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Executive Compensation in Multi-Generational Family Companies

Marvin is a family owned company known for successfully balancing profit and values. In 2017, Marvin made a long-planned but significant transition from the third to the fourth generation of family leadership and governance. While the fourth generation had ambitious plans that included redesigning Marvin's compensation philosophy, guiding principles, and incentive structures, the company's values are unchanging. Attendees will learn how a family business moves from one generation of leadership and governance to the next, how they think about pay and performance, and how they structure their incentive plans to reflect and reinforce the ambitious strategy of a new generation of leadership.

 Donald Delves, EdD, MBA, CPA, Managing Director, Executive Compensation Practice Leader, Willis Towers Watson

 Krischelle Tennessen, CHRO, Marvin Company

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Fantastic Performance Awards and Where to Find Them: The Ever-Evolving World of Performance Equity

Unless you've been living at Hogwarts, you know performance awards are a staple of long-term incentive plans with over 80% of companies now using them. But what are the best metrics? What is the most appropriate mix compared to time-based awards? What are cutting-edge companies doing with performance awards? Join this panel of compensation wizards as they discuss market prevalence, trends, and specific examples of companies that have found an appropriate balance. Attendees will hear results of Aon's Relative Total Shareholder Return survey and insights from two companies about how performance awards have evolved for them.

 Jennifer Armwood, CBP, CCP, GRP, Lead Executive Services Consultant, Florida Power & Light

 Daniel Kapinos, CECP, Associate Partner & East Coast Practice Leader, Aon

 Silvana Nuzzo, VP, Total Rewards, Argo Group US

 Sandra Pace

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Hey Siri, Are Companies Prepared for the 2025 Workforce?

AI isn't coming; it's already here, and the 2025 workforce is fast approaching. From radical disruptions in technology to dramatic shifts in organizational norms, presenter Timothy Mutrie explores the five major forces shaping the future of work, including technological breakthroughs, major social and organizational shifts, connectivity, global talent and collaboration between humans and machines. Armed with a deep understanding of changing employee expectations, an overview of benefits trends built for the new workforce, and a 2025 workplace readiness assessment, attendees will walk away from this session empowered with the tools and insights needed to cultivate an inspired and engaged future workforce.

 Timothy Mutrie, Senior Vice President of Marketing/IT, ACI Specialty Benefits

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Scary, Ugly, Nasty Compensation Questions You Fear Being Asked

"If our company says it hires the best talent, why do we set our base cash targets at median?" "With 3% annual increases, how many years will it take me to reach my salary range midpoint?" We've all been there: The compensation question from an executive or employee that you don't feel comfortable answering. Dow Scott will facilitate this panel of consultants and practitioners who will share some of the toughest questions they've faced over the years and how they've responded. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own questions and leverage the collective thinking of panelists and their peers.

 Donald Hubbartt, Senior Director of Compensation, Siemens Corp

 Tom McMullen, Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry International Inc

 Dow Scott, Ph.D., Professor of Human Resources, Director of Masters of Science in Human Resources, Loyola University Chicago

 Scott White, Vice President, Total Rewards, Levi Strauss & Co

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Sponsored Session:
Rebels with a Cause: Innovative Rewards Rebels Are Breaking the Rules

Sponsored by Reward Gateway

Come for the tools, leave having unleashed your inner rebel who designs and delivers innovative rewards programs. Debra Corey, co-author of "Build It: A Rebel Playbook for Employee Engagement," will share stories from rebels such as The Gap Inc., Buffer Enterprises Inc. and Zappos.com Inc. Joining Debra will be Maryanne Viegelmann, who will share how LinkedIn re-energized the well-being tradition of InDay, which gives employees time to focus on themselves, the company and the world. Attendees who attend this session will come wondering, "How can I kickstart my own 'rebelution' back at headquarters?", and they'll leave with the answers.

 Debra Corey, Group Reward Director, Reward Gateway

 Nawal Fakhoury, Employee Experience Regional Lead, LinkedIn

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The Compensation Revolution: Technology's Transformative Effect on the Industry

In the past two decades, we've seen technology innovate nearly every aspect of our lives, revolutionizing dozens of industries and transforming how we get our jobs done … except in compensation. Yes, technology has helped, but nothing revolutionary has happened. Join Jeff Laliberte in this session, where he'll discuss where the industry is heading, why compensation is becoming more visible and accountable, and what it all means for your organization's business strategy. Speaker Elizabeth Blencoe will talk about how she's applying revolutionary technology to T-Mobile's compensation practices and the transformation it's driving.

 Elizabeth Blencoe, CCP, PHR, St Director of Frontline Compensation, T-Mobile Inc

 Jeff Laliberte, Co-founder and CEO, Payfactors

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The HSA in Your Future

In 2004, Jack Towarnicky was asked to predict the future of health spending accounts (HSAs). His words: "25 years ago, no one had heard of the 401(k); 25 years from now, everyone will have an HSA." Though only 14 years since that prediction, today there are 20 million HSA accounts and $45 billion in HSA assets - and those numbers aren't slowing. In this session, Towarnicky reviews the growth of HSA activity and projects future growth and explains the available tax preference and how it enhances the value of your rewards program. Attendees will also get specific guidance on how to adopt, implement and execute a defined contribution retiree medical strategy.

 Jack Towarnicky, Executive Director, Plan Sponsor Council of America

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Thriving in a Disrupted World

Mercer will share its newest research into what it takes for companies to thrive in an age of disruption. This includes a focus on how employee expectations are evolving and the four steps for thriving - not just surviving - during disruption: crafting a future-focused people strategy; curating a compelling value proposition; creating a thriving work environment, and cultivating a lab mindset. Attendees will learn how to use personas and technologies to deliver a "workplace for me," and how to use analytics and experimentation to develop a next generation people strategy to help your people and your organization thrive.

 Kate Bravery, Global Practices Leader, Career, Mercer

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Working Collaboratively to Deliver Effective Sales Communication

Working with internal resources to develop and deliver effective sales communication plans for a global organization with six regions, 63 unique plans and more than 300 sellers was daunting. In this session, Malika Terry, Bob Pasko, Randy Hightower and Scott Taylor, all from InterContinental Hotels Group, describe how the organization's global sales operations team partnered with the compensation and benefits team to successfully deliver its best annual sales incentive plans to date. Attendees gain a high-level overview of IHG's path to sales incentive plan redesign, including identifying deficiencies, improving documentation and communication, and addressing process gaps.

 Andrea Hagood, Manager, Amer Compensation & Benefits, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

 Randy Hightower, Consultant Comp & Benefits, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

 Lisa Logan, Director, Compensation & Benefits, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

 Malika Terry, CCP, Director, Executive Rewards, UPS

  11:30AM-2:30PM

Exhibit Hall Open

  12:00PM-2:00PM

Lunch in the Exhibit Hall

Sponsored by: Culpepper and Associates, Inc.

  12:30PM-1:30PM

Tech/Demo Session:
Ensuring Success with a Proactive Approach and Powerful Storytelling

Sponsored by: Salary.com

To stay competitive, best-in-class organizations are leveraging smart technologies like AI and machine learning to transform their compensation processes. In this session, Scott Sargent shares how CompAnalyst's AI and predictive analytics technology can deliver new competitive intelligence, proactive alerts, smart job matches, and improved future-state modeling. Attend this session to see how marrying external market data and internal company data can deliver 360-degree insights and powerful storytelling to your business. You'll learn why a proactive compensation solution is critical to attracting, engaging, and retaining talent in today's market.

This session also being presented on Monday at 12:00 p.m.

 Scott Sargent, CCP, Senior Solutions Consultant, Salary.com

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Tech/Demo Session:
Entering Indebted: Tackling the Student Debt Crisis to Improve Employees' Financial Wellness

Sponsored by: CommonBond

Student debt is rising at a dramatic pace: In 2016, the average graduate had $37,172 in student loans. The stress that comes with student debt affects employees of all ages and reduces employee productivity while at the same time increasing turnover rates. Join Tara Fung in this session to hear key insights on the surprising prevalence of student debt in today's workforce. She will also share what companies are choosing to do to address this growing concern. Learn concrete and simply ways you can start integrating student debt assistance into your organization's benefits packages.

 Tara Fung, VP, CommonBond

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Tech/Demo Session:
There Has Got to be a Better Way to do Comp: Practical advice on avoiding costly missteps that slow the process, lead to unforeseen (and often unrealized) mistakes.

Sponsored by: HRSoft

Compensation is complicated and seems to get more complex with each cycle. What can you do to manage it more effectively? There's a lot you can do, but to get there you must know the end game. Join Jody Burton, Nyna Kent, and Austin Muzumdar as they share insights gained from decades of real-life experiences in effectively planning and implementing sustainable, automated compensation solutions. Walk away with practical advice gained from Jody and Nyna's experience in their internal HR roles and Austin's experience from the consultant/vendor side on avoiding costly missteps that slow the process, lead to unforeseen (and often unrealized) mistakes, and reflect negatively on the organization and the team.

 Jody Burton, PHR, SHRM-CP, Consultant - UltiPro, Wise Consulting Associates, Inc.

 Nyna Hurt, CCP, PHR HRIS, Sr. Compensation & Benefits Analyst, Calpine

 Austin Muzumdar, Senior Vice President of Products & Services, HRsoft

  2:00PM-3:00PM

AI, Automation and Machine Learning: The Digital Future of Rewards

The amount of data the world produces doubles annually. It contains information on how we think and feel and, increasingly, it predicts how we behave at work and at home. When nearly everything has been made intelligent, what will total rewards and the TR role look like? For rewards professionals, enhancements in machine learning and AI will center on new human capital and TR strategies, and more effective business practices. Join Chris Dobyns and Angela Hubbe as they recap the current state and discuss the future that AI, automation and machine learning will play in the TR professional's role.

 Chris Dobyns, CCP, CBP, Human Capital Strategic Consultant - Office of Human Resource Strategy and Program Design, National Security Agency

 Angela Hubbe, HR Program Manager, National Security Agency

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Could the Future of Job Evaluation Be None at All? Going Level-Less at Siemens

In a marked departure from traditional practices, Siemens, one of the world's largest, most complex and heavily matrixed multinationals, embarked on a journey to become less hierarchical and more agile, transparent and flexible. The result? The organization eliminated all levels within its senior management group. What are the risks and complications of going "level-less"? Is it a viable model for other organizations? What are the implications for compensation and benefits and HR? Presenters Steven Seltz and Mario Chlebowy discuss their thinking and objectives, and attendees will hear both success and failure stories.

 Mario Chlebowy, CCP, Sr Director Compensation, Siemens AG

 Steven Seltz, CCP, VP C&B Americas and Global Head C&B Strategy & Policies, Siemens Corporation

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Do Incentives Work? Busting Myths and Bringing Evidence to Pay for Performance

Why do we have incentive programs? The reason often is because that's how we've always done it. And everyone else does it, too! However, performance does not automatically improve simply by having an incentive plan. In this highly practical and interactive session, Fermin Diez addresses questions around incentives by delving into recent studies complemented with real-life applications. Topics include team vs. individual approaches, short- vs. long-term plans, the relevance of pay mix, and various pay practices. Attendees will leave inspired in their thinking on how to drive better company performance through smarter incentives.

 Fermin Diez, CCP, SPHR, Faculty, Singapore Management University

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Employee Resource Groups: Engagement Through Connection

One of the most effective ways to influence a culture of diversity and inclusion is through employee resource groups (ERGs). Employee-led groups founded in the spirit diversity and support a diverse, inclusive workplace that is aligned with the organization's mission, values, goals and business objectives. ERGs also offer a platform for developing future leaders, increasing employee engagement and inspiring connection. In this session, Ocean Spray's Kristin Chenevert addresses best practices in building a successful program and shares lessons learned along the way. Learn to improve communication and inclusion across the organization, as well as strengthen connection and brand recognition with local communities.

 Kristin Chenevert, Sr. Wellness Specialist, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

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Fresh Perspective: Incentive Plan Design in a Commodity-Driven Business Environment

In terms of incentive design, semiconductor fabricators are similar to petroleum companies or other businesses that make huge capital investments in anticipation of future commodity prices. These companies are high rollers in a risky game where the volatility of financial results leads to extreme outcomes under traditionally structured rewards programs. Micron's experience provides a fresh perspective for similar incentive design challenges found in very different industries. This session addresses two primary questions: To what degree should executives' rewards be subject to their shareholder risk/return proposition? How do we design and calibrate programs to deliver the desired level of alignment?

 Jill Chris, CCP, CEP, Director of Global Compensation, Micron Technology, Inc.

 Linda Steffen, Lead Consultant, Meridian Compensation Partners, LLC

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Public Policy & Total Rewards: What You Need to Know

Workplace issues continue to be hotly debated by federal policymakers in Congress and the Trump administration, and these public policy decisions can have a significant effect on business operations. Join Melissa Murdock as she walks through a high-level overview of the top issues total rewards professionals need to know to keep their organizations current on pending policy shifts. This session covers FLSA overtime changes; minimum wage; paid leave, the Securities and Exchange Commission's action on executive compensation; the Cadillac tax on employer-sponsored health-care plans; and other important legislative, regulatory and legal issues.

 Melissa Sharp Murdock, Esq., Director, External Affairs, WorldatWork

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Qualified Plan Loans: Evil or Essential?

For most wage earners, their 401(k) or 403(b) account is their largest cash asset. Each month, many Americans pay one or more bills electronically or online, yet almost all plans lack this capability. The failure to offer this basic, 21st Century electronic banking functionality has contributed significantly to the leakage from qualified plans (remember: plan loans aren't leakage unless they're not repaid, and the vast majority are repaid). In this session, Jack Towarnicky challenges service providers and explains why plan loans are the preferred method to access retirement assets before retirement. Attendees will learn how 21st century functionality will actually increase employees' retirement assets.

 Jack Towarnicky, Executive Director, Plan Sponsor Council of America

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Sponsored Session:
Building a Human Workplace Through Recognition

Sponsored by Globoforce

Recognition is strongly linked to business performance by improving employee retention and engagement, and by creating a positive work experience. In this session, speakers from Merck share their journey to create an award-winning global recognition program that inspires nearly 70,000 employees to do their best work. Attendees will hear perspectives on Merck's keys to success as well as the effect recognition has on the culture and how that leverages the capabilities of social recognition. Walk away with an understanding of global vs. phased rollout considerations, how to leverage global ambassadors and ways to overcome challenges with a program of this scale.

 Donyel McAndrew, Associate Director, Merck

 Michaela Leo, CCP, GRP, Director of Compensation, Merck

 Brenda Pohlman, Practice Leader, Workhuman

 David Watson, Global Solutions & Relationship Lead, Merck

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The Future of Rewards, in Focus

Globalization, competition for talent, advances in technology and shifts in the composition of the workforce are reshaping how people work and interact. Based on the results of two surveys, researchers Pete DeBellis and Dow Scott examine how these forces have affected - and will continue to affect - employer rewards offerings. Attendees will hear DeBellis address what's working in the field of total rewards from the perspective of rewards leaders. In turn, Scott will share how rewards leaders see technology and will discuss the scarcity of talent and workforce changes that will shape basic rewards programs in the next five to 10 years.

 Pete DeBellis, Leader, Total Rewards Research, Bersin, Deloitte Consulting LLP

 Dow Scott, Ph.D., Professor of Human Resources, Director of Masters of Science in Human Resources, Loyola University Chicago

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Understanding Executive Compensation in 60 Minutes

What can you learn about executive pay in 60 minutes? Find out in this fast-paced, lively review where the expert panel explores information on a wide range of executive pay and board governance topics. They'll start with a few nuggets on compensation strategy, then will address executive pay design as they move through the various components of executive pay. Attendees at this quick, practical session walk away with a broad view of executive pay and be able to spot potential concerns and ask questions that may come up in executive pay design.

 Irving Becker, CECP, Vice Chairman, Executive Pay & Governance, Korn Ferry

 Adam Kahle, CCP, CECP, Principal, Executive Pay & Governance, Korn Ferry International

  3:00PM-3:30PM

Networking Break

  3:30PM-4:30PM

A Fanatical Focus on Total Well-Being

Like many organizations, Navient Corp. constantly strives for innovative ways to build its business and control costs, while at the same time attracting, retaining and motivating top talent. In this session, Mike Smith, Matthew Frost and Marne Bell will recount the two years in which they devoted their passion, skills and attention to transforming Navient's siloed compensation and benefits approach into a highly innovative, personalized and effective employee-centric total well-being strategy. Attendees will learn how to develop a holistic pay and benefits strategy that aligns total well-being to company strategy and values, effective principles to create excitement, and the art of digital engagement.

 Marne Bell, Area Senior Vice President, Client Development, Gallagher Benefit Services

 Matthew Frost, Business Development Director of Communications, Gallagher Benefit Services

 Michael Smith, CCP, Vice President, Total Rewards, Navient

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Creating a 'Yes, and' Culture of Performance & Engagement

Understanding how to communicate and influence others, being present and fully engaged, driving a culture that adapts positively to change and establishing a collaborative team environment are all outcomes of a solid "yes, and" culture. In this session, Galen Emanuele changes how attendees show up and communicate through the improv concept of "yes, and" to create an intentional and cohesive team culture of high-level performance and engagement. Similar to his work with organizations including Microsoft, Shell and Expedia, attendees will participate in three 10-minute activities, each followed by a discussion outlining powerful takeaways and relating content directly to real-world application.

 Galen Emanuele, President, Shift Yes

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Ditch the Calculator: Using Analytics to Solve Broader Pay Inequities

Eliminating pay inequities based on gender, race, ethnicity and other protected statuses is the most important compensation challenge of our time. Pay equity analyses can be used for a lot more than just predicting and adjusting pay levels for individuals - they can provide a window into the inner working of your compensation system and reveal the very practices that bring about pay inequality to begin with. This session will highlight real-life examples of pay equity analyses and is designed to help attendees get their organization started with a pay equity analysis or take their current review a step further.

 Stefan Gaertner, PhD, Partner, Aon

 Brooke Green, Partner, Aon

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How to Design the Right Performance-Based Incentive Plan for Your Organization

Your board has decided to implement a performance-based incentive plan. As a compensation professional working for either a public or a private organization, you are about to embark on a journey that includes creating pay plans based on multiple years, multiple goals and metrics, and a high degree of complexity. In this session, learn a step-by-step review to help you understand LTI planning and the best way to implement the performance-based pay program that is right for your organization, including questions to ask, resources you can use, and how to effectively communicate key information about these plans to participants.

 David Bixby, CECP, Managing Director, Pearl Meyer

 Nathaniel O'Connor, Managing Director, Equity Methods

 Shane Tucker, Partner, Executive Compensation and Benefits, Vinson & Elkins

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If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em: Embracing Automation and Machine Learning

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are popular buzzwords that, for some, are scary and intimidating. For others, they're a promise of the end of drudgery and boring work. Yes, this technology will bring many changes to the compensation profession. And with these changes, these words and terminology often are pitched by salespeople who are overselling or tactical experts who talk about inaccessibly. In this session, presenters Paul Reiman and Bryan Briscoe help compensation professionals move forward by demystifying the buzzwords and sharing ideas and insights. Attendees should prepare for nerdy and inspirational examples beyond traditional compensation analysis.

 Bryan Briscoe, SVP of Alternate Site Business Services, Interface Inc.

 Paul Reiman, Vice President, Rewards and HR Operations, CDK Global

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Modernizing Performance Management: How a 166 Year Old Company Revolutionized the Pay and Performance Paradigm

Faced with high first year attrition rates and expensive performance management processes, Western Union, a company steeped in 166 years of tradition, made a bold change in the way it manages and rewards performance by eliminating ratings. This case study revolves around development of a rating-less performance management system of streamlined processes and documentation, manager training and coaching, frequent performance discussions, and pay decision tools that enable differentiation of rewards. Attendees will learn practical approaches to paying for performance with effective tools that managers can use to communicate the right messages about performance and rewards.

 Tracey McKee, Vice President, Global Rewards & Recognition, Western Union

 Laurie Shumake, Director, Global Talent Management, Western Union

 Lori Wisper, Director, Talent and Rewards, Willis Towers Watson

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Paying for the Relationship, Not Just the Sale

As the balance of power in the buying and selling equation changes, organizations are reconsidering the art and science of selling to reflect this basic shift in the way customers approach the procurement of their products and services. A major part of these re-engineering efforts is the development of sales compensation programs that not only support these changes, but also focus selling efforts on the importance of building long-term customer relationship. This session will examine the dramatic changes in the selling process and recommends specific compensation changes to align with the new sales environment.

 Joseph DiMisa, CSCP, Global Sales Strategy & Rewards Advisory Leader, Korn Ferry

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Reframing Total Rewards and the Talent Value Proposition in the Gig Economy

Companies are attracting, retaining, and engaging an increasingly mobile employee population, as well as a contingent worker population that is growing through contractors, alliances, talent platforms, and even robots and artificial intelligence. Should the value proposition for contingent workers differ from a company's employee value proposition? With many companies now offering benefits to contingent workers, will benefits become less of a differentiator for traditional organizations? How does loyalty factor in? Attendees will learn how the gig economy is challenging traditional employment models and learn how to shift from Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to Talent Value Proposition (TVP).

 John Bremen, Managing Director, Human Capital & Benefits, Willis Towers Watson

 Jeff Newman, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, TEGNA, Inc.

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Talent Trends - Building Your Workforce for the Future

There have been seismic shifts in the composition of the workforce, the skills that drive business performance and the talent pools that will fuel future growth. In this interactive session, presenters will unveil innovative research that incorporates the perspectives of executives, HR, and employees, and will invite attendees to explore the imperatives to succeed in times ahead. Attendees will explore workforce challenges and opportunities identified in Mercer's 2018 Global Talent Trends study, hear what keeps senior executives up at night and how their views differ from HR and employees, and learn how to address the challenges and redefine the value of HR.

 Dan Rubin, Partner, North America Talent Management Practice Leader, Mercer

 Jason Stewart, Principal, Mercer

  7:30AM-8:30AM

Continental Breakfast

Enjoy a light breakfast while networking with other attendees.

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Sponsored Breakfast (plated)
Sponsored by: EX Program (Truth Initiative)

Online Communities: Kickstarting Engagement to Improve Health

Employee use of online social communities can be a scary prospect for employers. But with the right online communities, employers can kickstart - and sustain - employee engagement in improving their health. Join Colleen Young, Community Director of Mayo Clinic Connect, as she shares what works (and what doesn't!) when it comes to using online communities to support effective health management. In addition, Megan Jacobs, MPH, Lead of Integrated Product Design of the EX Program at Truth Initiative, will discuss the essential framework for online communities to help tobacco users quit. Research shows that even complex and costly addictions, such as tobacco use, can be overcome with active support from an online community. Listen and learn how you can help your employee population improve their health outcomes.

  8:30AM-9:30AM

How Nonbudget-Based Incentive Plan Target-Setting Can Help Transform Your Company

When division or business unit managers know their planning goals will become the basis for variable compensation, they are literally being paid to understate the potential of their business. This phenomenon, known as sandbagging, is rampant across corporate America, and a source of frustration among stakeholders in the planning and budgeting process. Sandbagging may seem to be an inherent part of budgeting, but it doesn't have to be. Some companies avoid budget-based targets for their incentive plans, using alternative target-setting mechanisms. This session highlights these mechanisms, where they can and can't be applied, and pitfalls to avoid in their implementation.

 Marc Hodak, Partner, Farient Advisors LLC

 Brit Wittman, CCP, CECP, VP Global Rewards, Applied Materials

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How to Build a Culture that Inspires Work-Life Happiness

Culture is becoming an overused buzzword whose true meaning and potential often is lost behind in-office kegs, ping-pong tables and unlimited PTO. Workplace and culture expert Tom Gimbel challenges attendees to focus on the intangible elements of culture that affect employee engagement - connection to team and leadership, learning, transparency, growth and empathy - to build a truly strong culture. He also evaluates the role everyone plays in contributing to culture. Attendees leave armed with practice examples that can be implemented today, tomorrow and into the future to have a positive effect on employee engagement, and the bottom line.

 Tom Gimbel, President & CEO, LaSalle Network

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Making Working Spouse Provisions Work for You

27% of U.S. employers used working spouse provisions in 2015 to identify employee spouses with access to insurance coverage through their own employers, and that figure was expected to be around 56% in 2017. In this session, Alison Walker leads a panel to discuss when to outsource these provisions, how to choose between surcharge and carve-out options, how often to survey employees, and the potential effect of PPACA repeal-and-replace efforts on the approach. Attendees will learn to evaluate the financial and cultural effects of working spouse provision verification on the organization and navigate key decisions based on pest practices from health-care HR leaders.

 Sharonica Boston, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Benefits and Wellness Manager, HMS

 Debbie Jochim, Corporate Benefits Specialist, Berry Global

 Alison Walker, National Sales Director, HMS

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Pay for Performance in a Ratingless Environment

Imagine an environment in which employees are enabled to do their best every day, held accountable for results and behaviors, and have focused, candid conversations in all career areas. This is reality at FirstEnergy, which eliminated ratings and facilitated real differentiation in performance and pay. Presenters Sara Robinson, Nikki Price and Nikki Farrell discuss how to effectively differentiate performance and allocate investments and rewards in a ratingless environment to drive an engaged, empowered and high-performing culture. The trio will share the process and tools they implemented and their approach for using investments and rewards on a broader basis to help differentiate employee performance.

 Nikki Farrell, Dir, Total Rewards, FirstEnergy

 Nikki Price, HR Service Delivery Lead, FirstEnergy

 Sara Robinson, Manager, Employee Compensation & Payroll, FirstEnergy

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Retaining and Inspiring Top Sales Team Members

Research shows that 80% of revenue is brought in by 20% of the sales team, with minor variations based on industry. Retaining these key contributors is a strategic imperative, but understanding their motivations is critical to reducing turnover. In this session highlights from recent research on top sales team behavior, challenges, and motivations will be shared. Four specific areas of research will be explored: identifying and understanding the top producers, examining pay and performance, optimizing the career path of top reps, and identifying the risks in sales team turnover.

 Michael Ahearne, Professor - C.T. Bauer Professor of Marketing & Research, University of Houston

 Erik Charles, Vice President, Solutions Evangelist, Xactly Corp

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ROIC: The New Performance Metric of Choice?

The quest for the perfect performance metric continues. Is it TSR? An earnings measure? While there are no one-size-fits-all answers in the world of executive compensation, capital efficiency metrics are gaining traction. Return on invested capital (ROIC) is the most common variety, and one that both investors and proxy advisory groups have praised. This session will unpack how capital efficiency metrics fit into the overall portfolio of long-term incentives, tackle questions such as why shareholders seem to like these metrics, industries where they make more or less sense, and some of the potential unintended consequences.

 Eric Hosken, Partner, Compensation Advisory Partners LLC

 Jennifer Mackin, CBP, CCP, Principal, Mackin Compensation Consulting

 Takis Makridis, CEP, President and CEO, Equity Methods

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The Skills Surge: Why Aetna Doubled Down on Education

To further its goals of workforce agility and sustainability, Aetna embarked on a multi-year initiative to increase employees' access to learning. The strategy revitalized the existing tuition assistance benefit and added complementary programs that create new pathways to career development. Immediate positive responses and strong participation fueled Aetna leadership to double down with a series of benefits enhancements that remove some of the largest obstacles to employees' continued education: the cost of a college degree and the burden of student debt. Kay Mooney and Patrick Donovan detail key business drivers, programs implemented and key talent metrics that help inform future investments.

 Patrick Donovan, SVP of Education Advisory Services, Bright Horizons

 Kay Mooney, Vice President, Employee Benefits and Well-being, Aetna

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Walmart, Wells Fargo, and Deloitte on Job Architecture

Filling an information gap in the marketplace, the findings of the Deloitte 2017 Global Job Architecture Practices Survey provide insight into the critically important, but often overlooked, science of job architecture design. Join us to learn how to practically apply the survey findings to build an integrated framework of consistent job leveling, titles, clear job progressions and pay practices. The session will also feature a panel discussion with HR leaders from Walmart and Wells Fargo. Come hear tips from seasoned pros on how to further evolve your talent program by taking an enterprise approach to managing the job catalog.

 Ryan Miller, Director, Talent Architecture, Walmart

 William Navarons, CBP, CCP, GRP, VP, Sr. Compensation Mgr - Compensation Design & Governance, Wells Fargo

 Lynda Phenix, Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting

 Sheila Sever, CCP, Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP

  9:30AM-9:45AM

Networking Break

  9:45AM-10:45AM

Fresh, Fearless & Formidable: Practical Approaches to Paying New Economy Talent

Companies like Amazon, Lyft and Netflix have disrupted not only traditional business models, but also how companies pay employees. As a result, traditional companies must rethink their talent, compensation and culture to stay relevant. Speakers Cheryl Kennedy, Dan Laddin and Bertha Masuda lead this interactive session and address how traditional companies can compete for New Economy talent. Gain real-world insights on how to provide the same equity excitement candidates find at a tech company or startup, balance the needs of new talent against those who are compensated under more traditional models, and when it's appropriate to create a customized compensation program.

 Cheryl Kennedy, CCP, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Hasbro

 Daniel Laddin, Founding Partner, Compensation Advisory Partners

 Bertha Masuda, CECP, Partner, Compensation Advisory Partners LLC

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Hot-Button Issues in IRS and DOL Retirement Plan Audits

Risks associated with sponsoring a qualified retirement plan continue rising, with a significant source of that risk being the IRS or the DOL's Employee Benefit Security Agency auditing the plan. As these agencies ramp up the number of plan audits, benefits professionals and HR managers must know what to expect to prepare themselves and their plans for such an audient. Patrick Blanchard and Brennan Rittenhouse share the incidence of plan audits, how to respond if your plan is chosen for an audit, and the most frequent errors uncovered by the IRS and DOL.

 Patrick Blanchard, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal Taxand

 Brennan Rittenhouse, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal Taxand

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Making Over the Rewards Function to Address the Future Workforce

Moderated by Alison Avalos, CBP, CCP, GRP, Director, Research & Certification, WorldatWork

Traditional employment is challenged by the Gig Economy, automation is changing the value of skills and prevalence of roles, and workforce demographics introduce new priorities for the employee value proposition. All of this challenges how the rewards function supports the business today and into the future, and it provides an opportunity for TR professionals to use new skills, data and technology. Presenters Paul Reiman, Bryan Briscoe, Chris Dobyns and Angel Alamo Ruiz identify questions, issues and hot topics were rewards "best practices" may need to change, and highlight what innovative thinking and reasoning looks like for these scenarios.

 Angel Alamo Ruiz, CCP, Head of Compensation & Benefits, Houzz

 Bryan Briscoe, SVP of Alternate Site Business Services, Interface Inc.

 Chris Dobyns, CCP, CBP, Human Capital Strategic Consultant - Office of Human Resource Strategy and Program Design, National Security Agency

 Paul Reiman, Vice President, Rewards and HR Operations, CDK Global

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People First, Bottom Up: Maximizing M&A Deal Value to Retain Top Talent

In today's M&A environment, buyers are operating with less information, investing in new geographies, and deploying unprecedented levels of capital, but there's one common denominator driving deal value: People. Successful acquirers routinely manage their people assets with the same rigor and discipline they apply to managing balance-sheet risk. In this session, Jeff Cox and Gregg Passin discuss the three primary people practices that drive M&A deal value, while attendees learn the actions that both buyers and sellers can take to hedge flight risk, engage critical talent and drive an affordable retention plan.

 Jeff Cox, Global M&A Transaction Services Leader, Mercer

 Gregg Passin, CECP, Senior Partner and Executive Rewards Practice Leader, Mercer

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Presenting to the Board in the Current Environment

Being asked to make a presentation to the Board is a milestone for most professionals. It presents a two-fold challenge. One is how to get invited to present to the Board. This is a hurdle for many who prepare or even create presentations but do not get to deliver them. Second is how to achieve a favorable outcome for your request and a positive opinion of yourself. You do want to be invited back and remembered as a talented individual. Attendees will gain insight into how to accomplish being asked to present, as well as key tips on how to be successful.

 Jo Anne Moeller, Principal, J.A.R. Moeller LLC

 Cheryl Spielman, Board Member, First Republic Bank

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The Stories of 2030: Preparing for a Changing Workforce

Remember 2004? Flat-panel TVs were burgeoning, iPhones weren't around and everyone was finally recovering from Y2K fears. Life can change drastically in 5,000 days - how far we are from 2004, and the same time until 2030. Presenters Marcy Ewald and Neil Shah share snapshots and stories of regular people in 2030: Where they'll work, the jobs they'll have, how they'll train for them and, most importantly, how their companies will support them. Attendees will participate in a discussion on how to prepare for those changes today, from launching training programs with current competitors to preparing the office for a remote workforce.

 Marcy Ewald, Senior Account Manager, Aspire Company

 Neil Shah, Director, Aspire Company

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Using Data Analytics to Profile, Identify and Develop Sales Effectiveness

In this panel discussion, presenters discuss how they addressed the challenge of creating a more effective salesforce regardless of the obstacles they faced, from hiring the right talent, developing the salesforce or understanding what success looks like. Each presenter shares a story about his or her talent problem, the solution and achievements in 5 minutes and 15 slides. Presenters discuss how they transformed salesforce effectiveness through valid sales audits, assessments, profiles and their approach to recruiting. Fun, entertaining and fast-paced, attendees will leave with ideas on how to apply similar methods in their own organizations.

 Marie Holmstrom, Southeast Market Leader - Talent, Willis Towers Watson

 Bethan Jones, Talent Management Consultant, Willis Towers Watson

 Tiffany Shortridge, NA Assessment Practice Leader, Willis Towers Watson

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Workplace Harassment: Shifting from Prevention Toward a Respectful Workplace

For decades, HR professionals have presented harassment-prevention training to employees, but research (not to mention mainstream headlines) indicates it's not working. Rather than staying the current and ineffective course, today's practitioners can shift the organizational mindset away from prevention and focus instead on cultivating behaviors that lead to respectful, engaging and productive workplaces. Noted consultant and respectful workplace trainer Amy Polefrone explores the research, data and best practices in this interactive session, and discusses the how and why for reframing discussions that will result in respectful workplaces and organizations that can reach maximum potential.

 Amy Polefrone, President and CEO, HR Strategy Group, LLC

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Zoned Out: An Innovative Approach to Compensation

There is more than one way to successfully approach the salary-setting process. While most organizations have some type of traditional, formal salary structure in place, some are forgoing those traditional structures for single job market pricing. This session will discuss the details of Ocean Spray's unique approach to compensation, including what a Market Reference Pay Structure entails, how jobs are priced, and as how an individual is positioned to market based on their individual attributes. Attendees will learn how effective communication plays a critical role in discussing employee pay as it relates to implementing a more transparent compensation structure.

 Laura Maffucci, Compensation Manager, Ocean Spray Cranberries

  11:00AM-12:00PM

Closing General Session with Ben Casnocha

The Start-Up of You: Transform Your Work and Career with Entrepreneurial Thinking

In a keynote based on his #1 New York Times bestselling book, Ben Casnocha presents a blueprint for how to thrive in this new economic landscape. The key: learn to think and act like an entrepreneur. In other words, move up that jammed escalator by running your career like it's a start-up business: a living, breathing, growing start-up of you.

You don't need to start your own business, but you do need to adopt the mindset and learn the skill set of entrepreneurs.

Why? Start-ups - and the entrepreneurs who run them - are nimble. They invest in themselves. They build their professional networks. They take intelligent risks. They make uncertainty and volatility work to their advantage. These are the very same skills professionals need to get ahead in today's fractured world of work.

 Ben Casnocha, Keynote Speaker