Last Year's Conference - April 20, 2018

Sesil Pir, Founder and Principal Consultant, SESIL PIR Consulting. Sesil Pir serves as an active HR Functional Thought Leader, Founder and Principal Consultant of SESIL PIR Consulting GmbH, a management consultancy, focusing on organizational development and effectiveness topics across multi-disciplines and industries, and Founder of Whirling Chief, a global online HR/OD collaboration platform. Mrs. Pir has been published in the Harvard Business Review, HR Zone and UK’s HR Magazine, and has contributed to several Human Resources Management books. She started her career as a Marketing Consultant with Deloitte & Touche in 1999. Since, she has worked for Honeywell International, Cargill Inc., Microsoft Corporation and Novartis AG. She holds an MA-HRIR from Carlson School of Management, an Executive MBA from Harvard University, and a BA from Eastern Michigan University. She is a certified Six Sigma in project management and is also certified to administer a variety of 360-degree feedback and organizational Assessment Tools. She is an honorary faculty at Indian School of Business & Istanbul University.

Jennie Carlson, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, U.S. Bancorp.  Jennie Carlson is executive vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer (CHRO) at U.S. Bancorp. She oversees compensation, employee benefits, employee relations, payroll and all other human resources related activities. She is a member of the U.S. Bancorp Managing Committee.
Jennie has 25 years of experience at U.S. Bank with the last 15 as CHRO. Before serving as CHRO, she served as general counsel for predecessor organizations Firstar and Star Bank. She joined the organization in 1991 when it was known as Star Banc Corporation. Star Banc Corporation merged with Firstar in 1998 and retained the Firstar name. In February 2001, Firstar merged with U.S. Bancorp, which formed the new U.S. Bancorp.
Jennie holds a J.D. from the Vanderbilt University School of Law and was the managing editor for the Vanderbilt Law Review. She also holds a B.A. from the Centre College of Kentucky and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Jennie is currently on the Board of Mia, the Minneapolis Institute of Art; YUSA, the parent organization for YWCA's in the United States; Way to Grow; and the Midwest Affiliate of the American Heart Association.

Kevin Ames, Director, O.C. Tanner Institute
Kevin Ames is one of the highest ranked speakers at the Evanta Leadership Summits. He’s spoken to thousands of people and leadership groups at conferences and companies such as National Grid, Dow Chemical, Frito Lay, Bose, Miller Thompson, Pier 1, Kennedy Health, and more. An expert in the areas of workplace culture, engagement, great work, teambuilding, leadership, and personal development, his presentations have been called, “dynamic, insightful, clear, honest, and informative.”

Sarah Beaty, HR Director, Assessment, Engagement & Development, General Mills
Sarah Beaty is an HR Director for Assessment, Engagement, and Development at General Mills. Over the last twenty years, Sarah has worked in the consumer products industry with companies including Procter & Gamble and General Mills. Her career path has incorporated leadership positions in sales, university recruiting, learning and development, executive coaching and talent management. Sarah and her team are currently working to both modernize and globally scale assessments, engagement listening and measurement, and employee and leader development.

Avner Ben-Ner, Professor, Carlson School of Management
Avner Ben-Ner is Professor in the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies in the Carlson School of Management and Affiliated Professor in the Law School at the University of Minnesota. His principal contributions to scholarship concern theoretical examinations of the reasons for coexistence of different types of organization in the mixed economy. He analyzed theoretically the reasons why producer cooperatives, employee buy-outs and nonprofit organizations exist alongside private for-profit firms and public organizations. He emphasized that various organizations in the social economy represent collective responses to diverse problems of asymmetric information between workers and management and between consumers and sellers. His theoretical investigations were followed by empirical studies. Professor Ben-Ner has also been working on behavioral economics, and has done theoretical and experimental research on cooperation, trust, identity, giving by children relative to parents, and values. He currently works on projects related to diversity in organizations and society. His favorite current research examines the relationship between team composition in Bundesliga teams in all the soccer (futbol) games that took place during the 2000s, evaluating factors that affect player and team performance. He is happy to present this project at departmental workshops and seminars. His contributions appeared in economics, law, management and psychology journals, including the Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, American Economic Review, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Yale Law Journal, The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, Industrial Relations, Journal of Economic Psychology, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Personality and Individual Differences, PLOS ONE and more, and has written and coedited several books. He has served in various academic administration and faculty governance roles, and was President of the Association for Comparative Economic Studies and Chair of the Public and Nonprofit Division of the Academy of Management. He has been a regular or visiting professor at Yale, University of California at Davis, University of Haifa, Stony Brook (where he also received his Ph.D. in economics), Tel-Aviv University and Central European University. He has taught short courses in China, South Korea, France, India and Poland.

Kate Bischoff, Owner, tHRive Law & Consulting LLC
Kate Bischoff is an enthusiastic and energetic employment attorney and SHRM-SCO/SPHR- certified HR professional. She advises organizations in a wide range of industries on employment law and human resources issues, from recruitment and workplace culture to terminations. Kate is passionate about improving company culture and using technology in the workplace. Prior to founding tHRive Law & Consulting, Ms. Bischoff served as a Human Resources Officer for the United States Department of State at the U.S. Embassy Lusaka, Zambia and for the U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem. Kate is also an Adjunct Professor at Mitchell Hamline, serving as faculty for the School of Law’s HR Compliance Certificate Program.

Nikki Broderick, Manager of HR Solutions for Salo, LLC.
Nikki Broderick holds an MA-HRIR from the University of Minnesota and a B.B.A. from Georgia State University. She has 15 years of experience in US and International Human Resources and HRIS providing consultative and strategic business partnering for:  recruiting, performance management, succession planning, strategic workforce planning, post-merger integration, training, and leadership development. She has experience managing all aspects of HR program delivery including business process redesign, project management, change management, and training. She has also led several teams through vendor selection and the implementation of various HR technology solutions.

Paul Casselman, Director of Business Intelligence and Analytics, Target
Paul Cassleman is a Director of Business Intelligence and Analytics at Target, specializing in HR and driving the health of Target’s +320,000 person team. In this role, Paul has led significant advancements in the data, reporting and analytical capabilities of Target HR through cutting edge techniques and strong business partnerships. His previous roles include leading Target’s 6Sigma program, enterprise process optimization management and merchandising, where Paul discovered his passion for using data to make smarter decisions. Paul received a B.S. in Business Economics from Indiana University and a MBA from MIT Sloan.  

Jason Grover, Vice President HR, Polaris
Jason has over 18 years of Human Resources leadership experience. He joined Polaris Industries in 2014 after broad experiences in consulting, Exxon, and most recently General Mills. Jason received his MBA with an emphasis on Human Resources from Purdue University, and a BS in International Relations/ Organizational  Behavior from Brigham Young University. Since that time, Jason has held a variety of cross-functional and Human Resource leadership positions with increasing responsibility, including HR Director for Global Technology leading the global rollout of SAP-HR, HR Director, Asia and Greater China, Director of Solution Development, Supply Chain Strategic Initiatives, Plant HR manager, HR Specialist Compensation and Benefits. Currently, Jason is Human Resource Vice President, aligned with the rapidly growing Global Operations Organization within Polaris.

Jill Hauwiller, Founder and Principal, Leadership Refinery
Jill Hauwiller is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Leadership Refinery, a Career and Leadership Development consulting firm in the Twin Cities. She has over 17 years of experience in Global Talent Management, Leadership Assessment and Coaching, and Career Strategy and Transition. She has worked in and with global organizations, top-ranked business schools, and professional services firms. Jill specializes in coaching high potential leaders through career changes and accelerated development, using a future-focused and strengths-based approach to creating sustainable change. Jill earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and German from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and her Master of Arts in Communication from Bethel University, with an emphasis in Conflict Management and Emotional Intelligence. Jill speaks to local and national audiences on leadership and career development. In addition to being a credentialed coach with the International Coaches Federation (ICF), she is certified to use many tools and assessments, which she applies to her executive coaching and facilitation.

Lila Kelly, Principal, Lila Kelly Assoc., LLC & DiversityIntegration.com
Lily Kelly has over 20 years’ experience in the areas of diversity and inclusion, recruitment and selection, and career transition. She began her work in the diversity arena in 1992. In the late l990’s, after seeing numerous qualified applicants fall through the cracks, particularly diverse applicants, she realized there was a missing link in the on-going topic of “recruitment and retention.” That missing link was the interview process. This realization led her to conduct research on diversity in the hiring process and publish several books and online trainings on this topic. While teaching a college course on Managing a Diverse Workforce, Lila became grounded in the process of strategic diversity action planning. She supervised over 100 adult students in conducting organizational assessments and developing diversity action plans, many of which were implemented in their organizations. She has since consulted in this area for several organization. This experience led to publishing the Diversity Action Plan Workbook. She consults in the areas of diversity education and action planning, integrating diversity into the employee selection process, and developing structured interview practices and centralizing recruiting efforts. Her work has spanned many industries, including government, healthcare, education, non-profit, corporate and technology. Lila has facilitated a monthly diversity discussion group for over 15 years, which is sponsored by the Association of Talent Development and Human Resource Professionals of Minnesota. These powerful discussions have helped her keep her finger on the pulse of the diversity movement. Prior to starting her own business, Lila worked as a Human Resources Director and a Recruiting Manager. She holds a M.A. in human development and a B.A. in business management and communications.

Bonnie Keppers, President and Principal Consultant, Report Partners, LLC
With passion for inclusion, Bonnie Keppers works as an independent consultant specializing in affirmative action compliance, alignment of inclusive practices into HR systems and procedures, process evaluation and improvement, risk mitigation and strategic planning. She enjoys helping people of all backgrounds build their understanding of diversity topics, comfort with differences and cultural proficiency. She specializes in working with federal and state contractors to develop affirmative action plans and incorporate HR practices that move beyond simply meeting compliance requirements to help support achievement of inclusive practices and strategic business objectives. She also helps clients develop career and compensation frameworks. Ms. Keppers has extensive HR experience and has worked globally. She worked in Medtronic’s Office of Workplace Inclusion, enhancing and reinforcing inclusive employment practices. Ms. Keppers’ background combines HR, IT, process improvement and change management experience across a variety of industries and companies of all sizes. Ms. Keppers has an MBA in HR and Information Technology, certifications in Organizational Development from the NTL Institute and Project Management through George Washington University. She lives with her family in Duluth, MN and volunteers for an equestrian therapeutic riding organization that serves individuals with disabilities.

Sheila Krejci, President, Sheila K Consulting, Inc.
Sheila Krejci, M.Ed. HRD Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota is a learning and development consultant influencing organization managers, leaders, trainers and teams in multiple industries including healthcare, financial and other professional services, public education and city and state government since 1981. As consultant, instructor and facilitator of adult learners, Sheila designs and delivers training events, learning processes and peer coaching opportunities for organizations nationally. Integrating neuroscience and adult learning theory with practical, relevant application, is the hallmark of Sheila’s engaging style with participants whether developing leaders, training trainers or facilitating team interventions. Sheila has been an adjunct staff member at the Universities of Minnesota, Arizona and St.Thomas, the Dakota County Business & Professional Center, a consultant and trainer for MNSCU Colleges, an award-winning partner in Wiley Publishing and President of her own training and development consulting company. As a consultant to the League of MN Cities, she has trained and coached hundreds of leaders, police and fire support staff, professional, technical and support employees and elected officials to recognize and mitigate the risks of inappropriate behaviors, investigate incidents of harassment claims and model behaviors that encourage respect for healthier, happier, more productive workplaces.

Larry Morgan, Owner, Orion HR Group, LLC
Larry Morgan has a BA from Augsburg College in Communications and Political Science with a minor in Psychology and an M.A. in Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota. He holds the SPHR, SHRM-SCP, GPHR designations and is the owner of Orion HR Group, LLC, an independent HR consulting organization. Larry has worked for a variety of organizations in lead Compensation roles including Best Buy, Lawson Software, HB Fuller, JD Edwards, Grant Thornton public accounting where he served as national practice leader for Compensation Consulting, CUNA Mutual Group Insurance and National Car Rental where he served as HR generalist for employees in the eastern half of the United States. Larry teaches a variety of courses for the University of Minnesota, Metropolitan State University, St. Mary’s University, SHRM nationally and internationally, the International Foundation of Employee Benefits and the Minnesota Society of CPA’s. He has served on the Board of the Twin Cities Compensation Network (TCCN), the Twin Cities Human Resources Association and the Board of the Human Resources Executive Forum. He currently serves on the Board of the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies.He has been quoted in HR Magazine, World at Work, Upsize Magazine, WCCO TV, Minneapolis Star and Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Employee Benefits Planner Magazine, Minnesota Society of CPA’s Magazine, Twin Cities Public Television and Business Week magazine. Larry was presented with the Lifetime Recognition Award by the Twin Cities Compensation Network in 2017 for his work in compensation and human resources.

Todd Schmidt, People Planning, Facebook
Todd is a People Planning Leader at Facebook where he ensures the rapid growth and constantly changing business strategy are supported by the right people, in the right place, at the right time. He provides thought leadership around all aspects of HR analytics including data quality, systems and most importantly, the connection of People and Business strategies. Before moving into the tech world in 2017 he was the Leader of Workforce Planning and HR Analytics at GE Capital and a member of the global GE Strategic Workforce Planning COE. He started his HR career at Towers Watson in Chicago. He is passionate about simplification and HR innovation, developing contemporary visualizations, analytics super-charged by artificial intelligence and user-friendly tools to push HR forward into the future.

Stacey Swanson, Senior Manager HR Consulting, Salo LLC
Stacey Swanson is a Senior Manager with Salo’s HR Solutions practice. With over 25 years of progressive Human Resources experience, Stacey partners with clients to identify and provide solutions to a variety of HR challenges including organization structure, benefits, compensation, and strategy. Stacey has extensive experience in cultural assessment, change management, and has ensured the success of multiple acquisitions across a wide variety of organizations. Prior to joining Salo, Stacey held HR leadership roles with Walser Automotive Group and Buffalo Wild Wings. Stacey holds a M.A. in Management from Saint Mary’s University, and a B.A. in Business Economics from the University of Minnesota-Morris.

Kristin VanderHorst, SVP, Team Member Insights, Wells Fargo
Kristin VanderHorst is the Head of Team Member Insights at Wells Fargo. Her team provides research, insights and reporting for all Human Capital data to help HR and business leaders make informed, data driven decisions. Kristin has over 20 years of experience leading a wide range of teams focused on data insights and reporting, leadership development, vendor management, sales and service training. She has worked in large and small organizations including Deloitte Consulting as the Director of Learning & Development for the Project Controller community where she built their development program and led the expansion for this role overseas as well as working for a number of dotcom companies building their development strategies before joining Wells Fargo.