The HRSouthwest Conference Update

Feb. 20 Deadline to Submit Speaker Proposals is Fast Approaching

Are you a subject matter expert in an area of human resources? Do you have proven best practices that could make a difference in the industry? Will your knowledge teach and inspire others toward excellence in their workplace?

The HRSouthwest Conference – to be held in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 25-28, 2015 – is looking for subject matter experts to maintain our history of educational excellence by delivering high-quality educational sessions that will engage, empower and energize attendees in the following subject matter areas:

-Business Acumen & HR Strategy

-California Law

-Employment Law & Labor Relations

-Global HR & Cultural Effectiveness

-Human Resources & Organizational Development

-Leadership & Personal Development

-Risk Management

-Students

-Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

-Total Rewards

All proposals must be submitted through The HRSouthwest Conference Speaker Portal. To submit your proposal for 2015, go to hrsouthwest.com/proposals. The deadline for submission is Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. The speaker selection process will be completed in the spring, and notifications will be sent out by May 1.

For more information, visit hrsouthwest.com/speakers or email speakers@hrsouthwest.com.

HRSWC Announces David Pogue as Opening Keynote Speaker

David Pogue, founder of Yahoo Tech, has been selected as the opening keynote speaker for The HRSouthwest Conference and will address the general session on Monday, Oct. 26 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. He was groomed for his current position by 13 years as the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times. He’s also a monthly columnist for Scientific American and host of science shows on PBS’s "NOVA." In addition, he’s been a correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning" since 2002.

With more than three million books in print, David is one of the world’s bestselling how-to authors. He wrote or co-wrote seven books in the "for Dummies" series (including Macs, Magic, Opera and Classical Music); in 1999, he launched his own series of complete, funny computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes 120 titles.

David graduated summa cum laude from Yale in 1985, with distinction in music, and he spent 10 years conducting and arranging Broadway musicals in New York. He’s won two Emmy awards, two Webby awards, a Loeb award for journalism and an honorary doctorate in music. He’s been profiled on both "48 Hours" and "60 Minutes."

HRSWC Announces Soledad O’Brien as Closing Keynote Speaker

Soledad O'Brien, award winning journalist, documentarian, news anchor, producer and television personality, has been selected as the closing keynote speaker for The HRSouthwest Conference and will address the general session on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.At the forefront of the biggest breaking news stories of the past two decades, O’Brien is one of the most sought-after journalists of current day.In June 2013, O’Brien launched Starfish Media Group, a multi-platform media production and distribution company dedicated to uncovering and producing empowering stories that take a challenging look at the often divisive issues of race, class, wealth, poverty and opportunity, through personal stories.

O’Brien was the originator of the highly successful documentary series for CNN "Black in America" and "Latino in America," which will continue being produced under Starfish Media Group.O’Brien recently entered into a multifaceted partnership with HBO, the premium cable and satellite television network. Through SMG, O’Brien will also contribute additional programming to CNN, as well as short-form segments for Al Jazeera America. Furthermore,O’Brien will take over the reigns as executive producer and moderator for The Geographic Bee later this year.

O’Brien recently entered into a multifaceted partnership with HBO, the premium cable and satellite television network. O’Brien joined the "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" team in June 2013, giving her the opportunity to further delve into the compelling storytelling she is known for, except now through the vast prism of sports. In addition to appearing on the award-winning program, the deal with HBO encompasses a first-look opportunity for scripted projects and long-form programming concepts with O’Brien’s Starfish Media Group.

Earlier in her career, O’Brien co-anchored for "Weekend Today" and contributed to segments on the "Today Show" and "Nightly News."In 2003, O’Brien transitioned to CNN where she was the face of CNN’s morning news shows for many years, and in 2011, won an Emmy for "Crisis in Haiti Report" on Haitian orphanages, following the massive earthquake. In 2013, she won two Emmy awards for reporting on "Kids and Race" and for the networks reporting of the 2012 Presidential election. Her coverage of Hurricane Katrina earned her and CNN a George Foster Peabody award. She also received another Peabody award for her coverage of the BP Gulf coast Oil Spill. Her reporting on the Southeast Asia tsunami garnered CNN an Alfred I DuPont award. O'Brien's critically acclaimed documentary series, "Black in America" and its follow-up "Latino in America" are among CNN's most successful domestic and international franchises. In 2013, "Latino in America 2," the story of a Latina boxer who dreams of Olympic glory, won the celebrated Cine Award for documentaries. Her documentary "Gay in America: Gary and Tony have a baby" and "Unwelcome, the Muslims Next Door" also won numerous journalism awards. O'Brien was named journalist of the year by the National Association of Black Journalists and one of Newsweek magazines "10 People who Make America Great."

In 2013, O'Brien joined Harvard University as a Distinguished Fellow and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the foundation for The National Archives.

In the wake of hurricane Katrina, O'Brien and her husband, Brad, created The Starfish Foundation to help disadvantaged young women get to and through college. This year, they will award scholarships to 25 deserving young women.

Texas SHRM Chapter Representation

We’re happy to report a wider representation on the HRSWC board of directors and planning committees this year from a number of Texas SHRM chapters, including: Austin HRMA; DallasHR; Central Texas HRMA (Temple); Fort Worth HRMA; Panhandle HRA (Amarillo); and Texas Bay Area SHRM (Houston).

Special thanks to each of our volunteers for contributing their time and talents!

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