IN-PERSON

Chicago CHRO Executive Summit

October 16, 2024 | Convene at 233 South Wacker Drive (Willis Tower)

October 16, 2024
Convene at 233 South Wacker Drive (Willis Tower)

APPLY TO PARTICIPATE

Collaborate with your peers

Get together with Chicago's top CHROs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CHROs today:

Developing Next-Generation Leaders by Evolving Role Expectations Instead of New Skills

Reshaping a Corporate Culture that Exemplifies Efficiency and Resiliency

Identifying, Growing and Retaining Employees with the Skills Your Business Requires

Chicago CHRO Governing Body


The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven by CHROs, for CHROs.

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Kane Calamari

Ace Hardware
Senior Vice President & CHRO

Donna Dorsey

International
Executive VP, People & Culture

Ismat Duckson Aziz

Kemper Corporation
EVP & Chief Administrative Officer

Amber Kennelly

William Blair & Company
CHRO

What to Expect

Interactive Sessions

Hear from CHRO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.

Community Networking

Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Chicago CHRO community.

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Evanta's Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

Agenda


October 15, 2024

October 16, 2024

6:00pm - 8:30pm  Governing Body Reception

Governing Body Reception

Governing Body members host this dinner for attendees to launch the event with an evening of peer networking.

7:45am - 8:30am  Registration & Breakfast

8:30am - 9:15am  Keynote

The Alchemy of Talent: Teams that Thrive in the Face of Uncertainty

Vijay Pendakur, Ph.D. headshot

Vijay Pendakur, Ph.D.

Team Effectiveness Coach

Guest Speaker

Disruption, change, and extended uncertainty are hallmarks of our time, but can lead even strong teams to fail. How can some teams outperform consistently in these conditions? The Alchemy of Talent is Dr. Pendakur’s proven model for high performing teams, backed by extensive research and his own experience leading teams across numerous complex organizations. This high-energy keynote will focus on the science and skills of trust and team connection, along with the innovation potential of harnessing team complexity.
Audience members will learn:

  • How to harness team complexity as a driver for innovation
  • A new toolkit for using trust to unlock team performance
  • Innovative new approaches to increasing team connection and resilience

9:15am - 9:40am  Networking Break

9:40am - 10:25am  Breakout Session

What the Very Best Leaders Do Differently

Jim Reid headshot

Jim Reid

CHRO Advisor

Ezra Coaching

CHROs have more visibility and exposure across the enterprise than ever before. With shifting expectations from employees all the way to the CEO, it is critical now more than ever for CHROs to model the type of leadership behaviors necessary to build a high-performing organization from the frontline to the top of the organization.

In this session, you will learn:

  • Seven leadership behaviors to boost company performance
  • Strategies to create customer and shareholder value through winning employee experiences
  • Key takeaways to develop change-ready leaders at your organization

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

From Optics to Impact — Getting Strategic With Recognition

Hannah Yardley headshot

Hannah Yardley

Chief People & Culture Officer

Achievers

Claudine Kourkoumelis headshot

Claudine Kourkoumelis

Chief People Officer

Enova International

Angela Mancuso headshot

Angela Mancuso

CHRO

AIT Worldwide Logistics

The research is clear – the more frequently an employee is recognized at work, the better they feel about their well-being, engagement, belonging, manager and even their take-home pay. While frequent recognition helps protect against job hunting, productivity and salary freezes, just 40% of HR leaders report their approach to recognition is strategic.

Join this roundtable discussion to explore:

  • Fostering a culture of belonging with recognition and reward strategies
  • Connecting recognition to business outcomes
  • Sharing tactical, practical advice for HR leaders

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

The Productivity Paradox — Streamlining Talent and Business Outcomes

Asal Naraghi headshot

Asal Naraghi

Global People Strategist

ADP

Elizabeth Brown headshot

Elizabeth Brown

General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer

CSC

Norah Larke headshot

Norah Larke

EVP & CHRO

Wintrust Financial

Almost every large-scale company is taking on some iteration of a productivity exercise that is forcing the hand of HR leaders to consider more cost-effective practices. Because of this pressure, the focus has centered around improving operational capabilities and strategic impact to increase efficiency within HR.

Join this executive boardroom to discuss:

  • The Talent and Skills evolution and the challenges that come with it
  • HR transforming from shepherding people at work to up-skilling talent capabilities and updating its operating model to be people first
  • Leveraging the power of AI to digitally enable the workforce of the future to deliver on business outcomes

9:40am - 10:25am  Executive Boardroom

The New Age of HR — Meeting Higher Corporate Performance Demands

Andrea Derler headshot

Andrea Derler

Principal, Research & Value

Visier

Mark Salisbury headshot

Mark Salisbury

CHRO

Transdev North America

Henry Artalejo headshot

Henry Artalejo

Senior VP, Global Human Resources

Griffith Foods

Corporate performance demands challenge CHROs to focus strategically to develop concise plans to present to the overall enterprise. Data and results can sometimes be muddled and difficult to filter through accurately. How can we be confident in the aggregated information presented to us and what can we do with it?

Join this boardroom to discuss:

  • How to harness a powerful yet often underutilized company data set
  • Boosting corporate performance and leveraging AI for enhanced HR influence and decision-making
  • Improving the effectiveness of your business's key asset, your people managers

10:25am - 11:05am  Networking Break

10:30am - 10:55am  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

11:05am - 11:50am  Breakout Session

Total Rewards Revisited — A New Approach to Elevating the Employee Experience

Ariane Hibo Ezeh headshot

Ariane Hibo Ezeh

Workplace Culture Strategist

O.C. Tanner

Organizations everywhere have used Total Rewards programs to attract and retain talent by offering a buffet of benefits to highlight the investment they make in their people. Yet despite these efforts, research shows that workers feel these strategies often fail, not only in addressing their most important needs, but in enhancing their overall employee experience. This session will unveil the latest insights from the 2025 Global Culture Report and foster discussion to help you redefine your Total Rewards programs and provide the right mix of offerings to better communicate authentic care.   

Join this session to discuss:

  • Why employee-centered care must be at the core of Total Rewards strategies that align with what matters most to employees
  • Why recognition done well throughout an organization can make a difference in fostering positive mental health practices  
  • How organizations can approach employee job transitions with the same care and attention given to new hires  

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Why Don’t Employees Feel Supported?

Karen Frost headshot

Karen Frost

VP, Health Strategy

Alight

Amber Kennelly headshot

Amber Kennelly

CHRO

William Blair & Company

Kim Nero headshot

Kim Nero

EVP & CHRO

GATX

Most organizations have expanded benefits in both volume and scope, but many employees are frustrated with information overload and overall employee experience. How can CHROs build meaningful connections between the workforce and their benefits while navigating an ever-expanding technology ecosystem?

Attend this session to learn:

  • Strategies for connecting employee insights to actions to power stronger engagement
  • Ways to integrate employee experiences to increase adoption
  • How organizations can leverage personalization and AI to help people feel seen and cared for

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Beyond a Paycheck — Fostering Financial Well-Being

Michael Woodhead headshot

Michael Woodhead

Chief Commercial Officer

FinFit

Cheryl James headshot

Cheryl James

CHRO

Loyola Medicine

John Smith headshot

John Smith

VP, Head of Human Resources

ACH Food Companies

Employees who do not feel financially secure can struggle to stay productive and are more likely to suffer stress-related health issues. By incorporating financial health into well-being programs, HR leaders can address a critical factor impacting employees’ ability to show up and perform at work.

Join this session for insights on:

  • Understanding workforce financial wellness as a strategic business initiative
  • Equipping employees with money management skills to build readiness and resilience
  • Driving program participation by addressing diverse financial needs and challenges

11:05am - 11:50am  Executive Boardroom

Where Do I Fit In? Creating Belonging at Work

Kimberly Nevels headshot

Kimberly Nevels

Chief Diversity Officer

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Susan Graham-Bryce headshot

Susan Graham-Bryce

Chief Talent Officer

GE Healthcare

CEOs recently rated culture, engagement and morale as their top concern in a Gartner executive survey. CHROs have the opportunity to improve employee job satisfaction, mental health, productivity and lower burnout by making employees feel they belong.

In this boardroom, HR leaders will discuss:

  • Identifying the framework to create models of belonging
  • Establishing metrics and goals to help retention through sense of purpose
  • Creating a culture that positively impacts employees


11:50am - 12:35pm  Lunch Service

12:35pm - 1:10pm  Keynote

Unlocking the Power of AI to Realize Your Skills Strategy

Dr. Caitlynn Sendra headshot

Dr. Caitlynn Sendra

Product Innovation Scientist

SAP SuccessFactors

Becoming a skills-based organization continues to top the HR trends charts as a key imperative, yet many struggle to create a solid foundation to make the shift. By leveraging AI, CHROs can embed skills across HR practices to fuel agility and growth.

Join this keynote to explore:

  • Key opportunities and challenges in realizing a skills-based approach from HR, employee and people manager perspectives
  • How organizations are using AI to identify and address critical skills gaps
  • Four approaches to incorporating skills into HR strategy and the enabling technologies


1:10pm - 1:35pm  Break

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Breakout Session

AI in HR — Separating Theory and Practicality

Ismat Duckson Aziz headshot

Ismat Duckson Aziz

EVP & Chief Administrative Officer

Kemper Corporation

Donna Dorsey headshot

Donna Dorsey

Executive VP, People & Culture

International

Nashunda Williams headshot

Nashunda Williams

Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

JLL

For the last year, Generative AI (GenAI) conversations have dominated the workplace. As GenAI is now being deployed across the enterprise, CHROs need to examine the genuine implications of this technology across their division and the entire organization.

In this conversation, CHROs will discuss:

  • Practical and HR-specific uses of GenAI
  • Communicating AI to employees strategically and effectively
  • Best practices for working with IT peers for deployment

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Making Manager Roles More Manageable

Kevin Bohan headshot

Kevin Bohan

CHRO

ProDriven Global Brands

Sarajeni Hammond headshot

Sarajeni Hammond

CHRO

AG Growth International

Managers are struggling with responsibility overload as they face simultaneous pressure from organizational leaders and employees to deliver on expanding aspects of their roles. As CHROs seek to increase managerial effectiveness, Gartner research finds that improving job manageability has five times more impact than focusing on individual skills.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Resetting manager role expectations to align workload with ability
  • Increasing process efficiency to promote high-impact tasks among leaders
  • Designing purposeful leadership development programs to build managerial competence

1:35pm - 2:20pm  Executive Boardroom

Conflict Resolution in Uncertain Times

Craig Haydamack headshot

Craig Haydamack

EVP & CHRO

USIC

Julie Mann headshot

Julie Mann

CHRO

Neogen

Soofia Syeda headshot

Soofia Syeda

CHRO, Chief of People and Culture

Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

Social issues, union disputes and the upcoming election can all cause heightened tensions in the workplace, create hostile environments and impact employee morale. CHROs have the opportunity to set up effective ways to handle conflicts quickly and fairly.

Join this session to discuss:

  • Maintaining productive work through heightened climates
  • Integrating labor relations into strategic planning
  • Fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace environment

2:20pm - 3:00pm  Networking Break

2:25pm - 2:50pm  Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Breakout Session

Skills and Fulfillment — a Retention Case Study

AJ Brow headshot

AJ Brow

CHRO

White Lodging

Steve Ransone headshot

Steve Ransone

VP of Organizational Capability

White Lodging

According to Gartner research, more than 70% of employed job seekers believe other companies offer more opportunities to build new skills. By developing a robust and clear career mapping program, organizations can increase employee job satisfaction through development while simultaneously reducing burnout and attrition.

In this case study with White Lodging, CHROs will learn:

  • Fostering a culture of employee growth and development planning
  • Holistic approaches to career mapping to stay ahead of industry trends
  • Creating greater employee job satisfaction and buy-in

3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Filling in the Gaps for Stronger Leadership

Charmaine Williams headshot

Charmaine Williams

SVP & CHRO

The Obama Foundation

Randy Yu headshot

Randy Yu

Chief People Officer

Misumi Group

Only 34% of HR executives are satisfied with the quality of senior leaders within their organization according to Gartner research. Even fewer are confident they have emerging leaders to meet future needs.

In this session, CHROs will discuss:

  • Identifying key leadership capability gaps
  • Building foundational skills and behaviors at all levels of your organization
  • Integrating time for learning amid competing priorities 


3:00pm - 3:45pm  Executive Boardroom

Modifying Org Design for an Efficient Future

Terra Martire headshot

Terra Martire

VP, HR

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery

Paul DeSousa headshot

Paul DeSousa

Vice President Talent Planning, Learning & Development

Ulta Beauty

The complexities of the modern workforce are reshaping the landscape of business operations and redefining employee responsibilities. In the midst of this ongoing transformation, CHROs must be agile in prioritizing current business needs while championing the development of essential skills.

In this session, CHROs will discuss:

  • Reorganizing the business to ensure efficient workflows and resource allocation

  • Utilizing emerging technologies for employee development

  • Structuring organizational design for long-term success

3:45pm - 4:10pm  Break

4:10pm - 4:45pm  Keynote

HR Finally Has The Keys — Now It’s Time To Drive

Kane Calamari headshot

Kane Calamari

Senior Vice President & CHRO

Ace Hardware

In a post-pandemic and hybrid world, a spotlight has been put onto the department to continue to be strategic drivers of change for the entire organization and a trusted partner to the CEO.

In this keynote with Ace Hardware SVP & CHRO, Kane Calamari, you will learn how to:

  • Make yourself and the HR department more valuable to the organization
  • Become a strategic partner in reducing costs across the enterprise
  • Bring a proactive people strategy to improve retention

4:45pm - 5:00pm  Closing Comments and Prize Drawing

October 15, 2024

October 16, 2024

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming in-person gathering


Evanta cares about the health and safety of our community. Please review the following recommendations prior to attending the gathering.

Location


MORE INFORMATION

Your Community Partners


CHRO Thought Leader
Key Partner
Program Partners

Community Program Manager


For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Melissa Bermudez

Community Program Manager

971-230-3526

melissa.bermudez@evanta.com