Speaker series to be held in cooperation with Niagara University Continuing Education

PROGRAM: ABWA Winter-Spring 2010 Professional Development Speaker Series, presented by the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) Niagara Charter Chapter in cooperation with Niagara University Department of Continuing Education

SERIES DESCRIPTION:

• A monthly series of one-hour professional development sessions designed to increase interpersonal and business skills in an enjoyable learning environment.
• Sessions include organizational change, leadership and management development, organizational and time management skills, finance, accounting, and economic terminology for managers, productive creativity, and motivation techniques.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS SERIES:

• Program topics are designed to address the needs of today’s business and professional women and men to enhance their workplace knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as meaningful networking with other Western New Yorkers.
• Each session will include adult learning strategies appropriate for each topic as well as handouts for effective transfer-of-learning to the workplace.
• Niagara University Department of Continuing Education will issue a certificate of completion for those successfully participating in all five programs in the series.

LOCATION: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 300 Third Street, Niagara Falls NY 14303

TIME: 5:30 pm Networking, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Dinner and Professional Development Program

Cost: ABWA member rate: ONLY $25 per person, per session / Non-ABWA member rate: $45 per person per session*
*Discount available for participants who join ABWA at www.abwaniagara.com, which also includes five free online courses.

Register at (716) 286-8181 or online at www.niagara.edu/ce

Space is Limited! (More detailed registration instructions can be found at the end of this post.)

DATES AND PROGRAMS
(although every effort will be made to retain all the following programs, the organization reserves the right to substitute other quality programs in the event of scheduling or emergency situations with any of the presenters).

#1: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

“Create Change Champions!”

In today’s economic climate, change in the workplace is inevitable. Empower your employees not only weather change, but to embrace it. Gain the tools and insight to introduce positive change in the workplace. Learn how to maintain and improve your corporate culture, develop and strengthen your team through the implementation of change. What you learn in this one hour session is uniquely adaptable to many areas of both your personal and professional life.

Presenter: Amy Christieson
Amy Christieson, GBDS is a Group Benefits Disability Specialist as well as the owner and president of Benefit Brokers of WNY, LLC, a company offering employee benefits, human resource co-sourcing, employee recruiting, and training and development in WNY. Christieson, a leader in her industry for over 14 years, has expertise in sales growth, business planning, reorganization/restructures, process functionality, team and individual training, and development. Through the many changes in her industry and her diverse clientele, Christieson has experienced the challenges companies face when introduction and implementation of change is required. Companies that want to grow require cultures that are acceptant to change and employees who buy into these corporate philosophies. Christieson believes that developing leaders into “Change Champions” is the one of the keys to successful business growth.

#2: Wednesday, February 17, 2010

“Leading and Managing 2010”

Explore both the leadership characteristics and managerial characteristics required in these continuously changing times to achieve the required results of true organizational growth and success. As a leader, the key to success is trust. How trusted are you? Learn how to enhance it. As the manager, the key to success is respect. How respected are you? Learn how to enhance it. If you have both ingredients (trust and respect), you’re ready for 2010!

Presenter: George “Skip” Helfrich
Skip Helfrich owns and operates “Human Energies”, a human resource/organizational development consulting firm he created in April of 1996, having also been a consultant with the Peter Wendel Group and an internal training administrator/consultant with Harrison Radiator, a division of the General Motors Corporation. He enjoys working in the areas of leadership development, emotional intelligence, employee teaming, creative thinking, communications, stress management, conflict resolution, problem solving, DiSC™ Personal Profile System, and more. Skip’s formal studies have focused in the areas of sociology and communications, and have included programs at the University of Buffalo, Niagara County Community College, National Training Laboratories, Crosby Quality Institute, New York University, and Dale Carnegie, and others.

#3: Wednesday, March 24, 2010

“It’s About Time! How to Get it All Done”

Learn organizational and time management skills to achieve greater balance, performance, and success. Assess your current effectiveness and learn best practices in the areas of delegation, prioritization, managing interruptions, organizational ability, and maximizing output.

Presenter: Lori E. Miller, MA, MS
Lori E. Miller is owner and president of Developing Professionals, a company providing training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations in leadership and professional development. She also serves as an adjunct communications professor at Buffalo State College. Her background includes 20 years of management experience in Human Resources and Communications working in Fortune 500 companies, media, and higher education. Miller has a M.S. in Organizational Communication and Development from Canisius College, a M.A. in Student Personnel Administration, and a B.A. in Journalism from Buffalo State College. Areas of expertise include soft skills professional development training, management & leadership development, process improvement and model creation, employee engagement, and goal attainment.

#4: Wednesday, April 21, 2010

“Financial, Accounting, and Economic Terminology for Managers”

Gain a broad yet insightful look at the terminology and concepts essential to managers in today’s environment. Discussion will include historical fundamental principles as well as present-day developments that are important and useful tools for those involved in business.

Presenter: Francis R. Law
Francis Law is a well-seasoned financial officer having experience in developing companies both in the public and private sector. Presently, he is the Chief Financial Officer of Noobis, Inc. and has previously served in that capacity with other firms. Law has been instrumental in negotiating and obtaining venture capital investments and debt offerings, along with significant involvement in merger activities. He has more than 30 years of experience in financial roles, including development of accounting systems, budget and forecasting, audit, tax planning and preparation, communications, and investor relations.

#5: Wednesday, May 19, 2010

“Maximizing Creativity for Motivated Performance”

Are you and your team making the most of your intellect and creativity? How motivated are you and your team to excel at work? Enjoy this series of interactive exercises demonstrating how a climate of creativity and positive motivation can enhance personal and organizational performance. Learn techniques to apply on-the-job to improve results while impacting attitudes in today’s workplace. (This final session in the 2010 Winter-Spring ABWA-N.U. Speaker Series will also link key highlights of all prior sessions.)

Presenter: Nancy P. Askins, M.Ed., CMQ/OE
Nancy P. Askins is an American Society for Quality (ASQ) Certified Manager of Quality in Organizational Excellence with over 30 years of successful multi-industry leadership and consulting experience. She is currently Executive Director of the Center of Renewal Retreat & Conference Center at Stella Niagara, NY where she also serves as a master trainer and certified facilitator helping area organizations excel through a myriad of values-based services: organizational and leadership development, workplace relationships and teams, Baldrige-based performance excellence, strategic planning (driven by customized core values-purpose-mission-vision statements), DiSC™ Personal Style Profile System; conflict resolution; customer relations; attitudes-behaviors-communications; and more. Askins also authors POSITIVE WORKS! which is a periodic Niagara Gazette Sunday business column. A multi-degree graduate of the University of Cincinnati, her current doctoral research focuses on the impact of organizational core values on managerial behavior.

For further information, contact Nancy P. Askins (754-7376, ext. 3)

Additional Registration Instructions

Please note NEW** Registration instructions for all member and non- members:

1. Register and pay through this link: http://apps.niagara.edu/ccforms/ce_registration.php (bring paid receipt to meeting)
2. Call Niagara University 716-286-8181 for registration confirmation.

Please note that all attending must be PRE-PAID. Any walk-in availability will be extremely limited.