Opening Plenary
Culture Matters: The Competitive Advantage
Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Chairman, Carlson; Author of How We Lead Matters

Monday, March 11 | 8:45 – 10 a.m.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson is chairman and former CEO of Carlson - one of the world's largest travel and hospitality companies - which includes such brands as Radisson Hotels, Country Inns & Suites, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and T.G. I. Friday's. More than 170,000 people work under the Carlson brands in 161 countries.
 
Mrs. Nelson's career insights are unique in that she is the daughter and successor to the original founder who lead the company for 60 years. She is also one of only a handful of women to head a global company of its size, and she is a transformational leader who guided the company during its “Golden Decade” to record earnings and its position as one of the world’s largest and most respected hospitality giants
 
Mrs. Nelson's leadership is distinguished by her focus on creating both a competitive and caring culture.  She is the author of the bestselling book How We Lead Matters: Reflections on a Life of Leadership.

Plenary
Transforming HR Through Technology
Debbie Brown, VP Human Resources, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts on Workday
Michael Janninck, VP Compensation Americas, Hilton Worldwide on SuccessFactors
Peter Wilde, Hospitality Consultant and former Managing Director, Townsend Hotel, Preferred Hotel    Group on Logi-Serve
Facilitator: Amitava Chatterjee, Associate Partner, Strategy and Transformation, Travel and
   Transportation, IBM Global Business Services

Monday, March 11 | 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

See how leading hospitality businesses are using technology to change the employee experience and deliver HR services – and how you can too. Whether you are a smaller operation or a multi-national, this session will open your eyes to how new technologies can enable your business to transform in the areas of talent assessment, management tools, compensation and recruitment.

From Acquisition to Welcome: Hiring the Caesars Entertainment Way
Paul King, Corporate Director of Talent, Caesars Entertainment
Dwaine Maltais, EVP & GM of US Operations, Technomedia

Monday, March 11 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Caesars Entertainment hires over 14,000 employees a year, truly epitomizing high-volume recruitment. The key to their talent acquisition process is not only delivering on the operational requirements for headcount, but also building loyalty and value in the market. Learn how Caesars’ uses technology, social media, assessments and onboarding to consistently deliver high-quality candidates and enhance retention throughout their casinos, retail outlets, hotels and restaurants.

Making Total Rewards Count
Carolyn Clark, SVP Human Resources, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Michael Janninck, VP Compensation Americas, Hilton Worldwide

Monday, March 11 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

“Doing more with less” is the new mantra in business, but how do you drive performance and engage your high performers with limited compensation budgets? Our speakers delve into how to evaluate the effectiveness of reward spend, explore successful reward programs including base pay, incentives and recognition, and drive values and results through creative reward programs.

ICE Heats Up: Audits, I-9 Forms and E-Verify
Alka Bahal, Co-Chair Immigration Practice, Fox Rothschild LLP
AJ Kamra, Vice President Human Resources, Dow Hotel Company

Monday, March 11 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Immigration is a hot topic. States continue to pass immigration laws requiring the use of E-Verify and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is keeping pressure on hospitality employers to ensure that workers are legally authorized to work in the U.S. Find out what you need to know to comply with current immigration laws, including how to prepare for and survive an ICE I-9 audit. Plus, ensure that your Form I-9 policies and practices are meeting the requirements of the law and voluntary compliance programs like IMAGE. Make sure you’re ready for future challenges by developing a proactive approach to policy and process.

The NLRA: It’s Not Just for Unionized Properties Anymore
Gregg Gilman, Partner & Co-Chair Employment Practice, Davis & Gilbert
Paul Salvatore, Partner, Proskauer Rose, LLP

Monday, March 11 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

The NLRB’s jurisdiction used to be limited to unionized environments. But the new Board continues to reinterpret labor law, defining issues such as those involving social media, privacy and sexual harassment as concerted activity and subject to the NLRA – even when no union representation exists! Join our speakers for a frank discussion of recent cases and decisions that seem to extend the NLRB’s reach in an unprecedented manner and the potential resulting new areas of concern for HR practitioners regardless of whether or not their employees are represented by labor.

Re-thinking HR Services: Does Your Service Delivery Model Meet Business Objectives
Nicholas Franklin, Senior Manager, Human Capital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Michael Yonker, EVP and CHRO, Marriott Vacations Worldwide

Monday, March 11 | 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

In late 2011 Marriott Vacations Worldwide (MVW) was spun from Marriott International and was provided with the unique opportunity to “whiteboard” its HR Service Delivery Model. Coming out of a world-class larger scale HR organization, MVW needed to find a way to structure the new organization's HR model to meet both management's financial and operational expectations as well as deliver the high quality service levels expected. Come learn how to evaluate HR services to optimize costs/operations and deliver a compelling value proposition to the business that meets the important cultural and employee experiences expected of HR leaders.

Why Haven’t Women Shattered the Glass Ceiling?
Juliette Boone, Partner, North America, HVS
Leslie Lerude, VP People and Culture, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Diane Turek-Pire, SVP Human Resources, Wyndham Hotel Group
Moderator: JoAnne Kruse, Managing Director, HCpartners

Monday, March 11 | 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Twenty years after the Glass Ceiling Initiative was published, what has changed – and what has not – for women in business? Our panel of accomplished female professionals will examine a recently completed HVS survey that delves into the critical issues impacting female representation in the boardroom and executive positions within Hospitality. Discuss the relevance of personal and professional choices, the role of external factors like networks and mentors, and key programs that are creating effective changes.

Legal Think Tank
Alka Bahal, Co-Chair Immigration Practice, Fox Rothschild LLP
David Sherwyn, Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
Paul Wagner, Shareholder, Stokes Roberts & Wagner

Monday, March 11 | 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Sometimes knowing the legal answer to your question doesn’t resolve the problem. In this interactive breakout you set the agenda! Join us for a dynamic dialogue facilitated by three legal experts ready to discuss how you can get to the solutions you need. With this fun and fast-paced session, you’re guaranteed to walk away with several new ideas for solving a pressing labor or employment law issue.

Diversity and Inclusion ≠ AAP Compliance
Stefani Raggio, Sr. Regional Director of People & Culture, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Brianna E. Williams, Associate, Stokes Roberts & Wagner

Monday, March 11 | 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

OFCCP Audits and Affirmative Action Plans (AAP) have evolved into more than just a complicated federal report. Join employment experts as they delve into how to ensure compliance in your career sites, outreach efforts, investigations and reporting. Plus, explore the broader question of how to integrate diversity initiatives and multinational environments with the (seemingly) conflicting requirements of compliance with AAPs.

Breakfast Session
The Problem States
Paul Wagner, Shareholder, Stokes Roberts & Wagner
Brianna E. Williams, Associate, Stokes Roberts & Wagner

Tuesday, March 12 | 8 – 9:15 a.m.

Join the team at Stokes Roberts & Wagner for breakfast and a briefing on “The Problem States” – those states that have continued to take an aggressive posture with respect to employment law. Plan for a lively discussion covering the latest in leaves, at-will erosion, protected category expansion and whistleblowing – and what you can do to better prepare and defend your employment practices and interests.

Plenary
HR TipsNTrends
Dina Barmasse-Gray, SVP Human Resources, The Cheesecake Factory
Rebecca Henry, VP People Services Allegiant Travel Company
Robert Mellwig, SVP Really Cool People, Destination Hotels & Resorts/Lowe Enterprises
Diane Turek-Pire, SVP Human Resources, Wyndham Hotel Group

Tuesday, March 12 | 9:15 – 10:30 a.m.

This fast-paced panel discussion features four respected industry leaders providing hot tips and cutting-edge ideas for HR practitioners. Panelists will help you tackle critical HR challenges related to Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, Capabilities and Engagement. Plus, they’ll present best practices and solutions for building and sustaining growth using a variety of HR strategies and programs. 

Plenary
50 Legal Tips in 50 Minutes
Ilene Berman, Partner, Taylor, English & Duma
Gregg Gilman, Partner, Davis & Gilbert
Michael Gray, Partner, Jones Day
David Sherwyn, Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
Paul E. Wagner, Shareholder, Stokes Roberts & Wagner
Moderator: Harry Katz, Dean, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Tuesday, March 12 | 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

A high-energy session that combines speed dating with practical tips and strategies – without the legalese. Each of our hospitality law experts gets just 60 seconds to give you a specific legal pointer on class actions, wage and hour compliance, gender bias, social media, micro-bargaining, and other hot topics you need to know about in the labor and employment law arena.

Lowering Healthcare Costs After the Affordable Healthcare Act
Alan Momeyer, VP Human Resources, Loews Corporation
Lee Reichenbach, SVP, Aon Hewitt Health & Benefits Consulting

Tuesday, March 12 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Two years have elapsed since the passage of the Affordable Healthcare Act, but most HR professionals are still trying to understand how to meet the Act’s requirements while delivering cost-effective plans. Learn how innovative health care strategies can help you to achieve compliance, healthier employees, and better financial results. Loews Corporation and Aon Hewitt together provide an insider view as to how creative benefit design, wellness initiatives and other programs that drive healthy behaviors facilitate delivery of comprehensive benefits at a reasonable cost – and how you can too.

Happier Employees + Happier Customers = More Profit
Mark Blankenship, SVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Jack in the Box, Inc.
Bruce Tracey, Associate Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

Tuesday, March 12 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

HR metrics are interesting, but are they really relevant? Get an insider’s view of how Jack in the Box/Qdoba restaurants revolutionized their approach to HR metrics by using them as a tool to help change the very nature of how they operate their businesses. In this working session, you’ll learn how to effectively develop an HR strategy around strategic operating objectives and subsequently ensure successful delivery through appropriate metrics that focus on key people drivers.

"Ugly" Isn’t a Protected Category
AJ Kamra, Vice President Human Resources, Dow Hotel Company
Carolyn D. Richmond, Co-Chair Hospitality Practice, Fox Rothschild LLP

Tuesday, March 12 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

How do you best reinforce your company’s brand and image without running afoul of discrimination laws? Carolyn Richmond and AJ Karma will show you how to hire and retain employees that match a desired standard, while still complying with the law. You’ll explore recent cases that redefine the very definition of a “protected category,” and how you can find the right balance between the image you strive for and compliance.

The Hard Part of Recruitment Isn’t the Search: Compliance in Hiring
Celeste Yeager, Partner, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Debbie Brown, VP Human Resources, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Tuesday, March 12 | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

As if finding the right candidates wasn’t difficult enough, new regulations and interpretations in matters impacting the hiring process continue to baffle even the most diligent of HR professionals. During this hands-on session, you’ll explore the realities of the hiring process while navigating through compliance requirements. This highly participative session covers I-9 compliance, work visas, drug testing, keeping assessments meaningful, and how you can get the most from background checks.

The Cobbler’s Children: Development of HR
Jill Johnson, Director, Human Resources, ARAMARK
Michael Warech, Ph.D., Owner & Managing Director, Warech Associates

Tuesday, March 12 | 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Building a pipeline of trained and experienced HR professionals doesn’t just magically happen. Explore some of the latest thinking around talent development, and what industry leaders are doing to ensure a future of internally developed HR talent. Discussions will address the need to balance experiential, behavioral and functional knowledge-building with the challenges of career and performance management processes for the gatekeepers of these programs.

Royal Caribbean International: Identifying the DNA for Service
Eric Stewart, Director Global Talent Acquisition, Royal Caribbean Cruises

Tuesday, March 12 | 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

The Royal Caribbean’s customer satisfaction indicators are among the most critical tools in delivering repeat business. Through a combination of assessments and a clear understanding of candidate behaviors and personality traits that can predict the ability to deliver customer satisfaction upon hire, the Company has built a compelling talent management program. Find out Royal Caribbean’s tools and methodology for effectively sorting through thousands of candidates to fill critical frontline and leadership roles, while identifying future service leaders across the organization.

Wage and Hour and the DOL
Michael Gray, Partner, Jones Day
Carolyn D. Richmond, Co-Chair Hospitality Practice, Fox Rothschild LLP

Tuesday, March 12 | 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Fifteen years ago, FLSA claims were a minor annoyance, now they are major company lawsuits. This session will cover every aspect of FLSA claims, from tipping to overtime calculations. Using mock exercises as well as real-life examples, this session will show you how to ensure compliance on the often conflicting requirements at the federal and state levels.

New Risks for Sexual Harassment
Alan Momeyer, VP Human Resources, Loews Corporation
David Sherwyn, Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

Tuesday, March 12 | 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Recent changes in sexual harassment case law have made avoiding these claims increasingly difficult. Find out what employers and franchisors MUST do in this new era to avoid liability. You’ll learn about the interpretation of liability for franchisors, expansion of the definitions to include sexual orientation and bullying, plus how to prevent or limit employer risk, including the use of arbitration as an alternative to litigation.

Plenary
4th Annual Cornell University Executive Summit

Wednesday, March 13 | 9 – 10:15 a.m.

This is a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the strategic and cultural debates that occur in boardrooms today. A select group of Chief HR Officers and hospitality employment attorneys will debate several controversial HR issues in the industry – chosen by you. Plus, an open Q&A session following the Summit allows you to add your input!

Panelists:
Mark Blankenship, SVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Jack in the Box, Inc.
Debbie Brown, VP Human Resources, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Carolyn Clark, SVP Human Resources, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Gregg Gilman, Partner & Co-Chair Employment Practice, Davis & Gilbert
Rebecca Henry, VP People Services, Allegiant Travel Company
Harry Katz, Dean, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Leslie LeRude, VP, People and Culture, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Robert Mellwig, SVP Really Cool People, Destination Hotels & Resorts/Lowe Enterprises
Alan Momeyer, VP Human Resources, Loews Corporation
Diane Turek-Pire, SVP Human Resources, Wyndham Hotel Group
Paul Wagner, Shareholder, Stokes Roberts & Wagner
Nancy Yaffe, Partner, Fox Rothschild
Facilitators: Bruce Tracey, Associate Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
David Sherwyn, Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration

Plenary
Labor and Employment Law After the 2012 Elections: What Will the Future Hold?
Ilene Berman, Partner Taylor, English & Duma
Paul Salvatore, Partner, Proskauer Rose, LLP
David Sherwyn, Professor, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
Moderator: Harry Katz, Dean, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Wednesday, March 13 | 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.

In recent history there has not been a more divided political agenda in Washington. Join our panel as they explore the implications of Obama’s re-election for Human Resources and the hot topics likely to arise in the next four years.