Harvesting Partnerships is a half-day conference focused on top-tier educational programming. It features a networking reception, WBCS Year in Review session, Women’s Business Enterprise led roundtable discussions on business themes (such as marketing, human resources, etc.), keynote luncheon, and the Lillie Knox Investment Award presentation.

Registration Deadline is Friday, November 4th!

Agenda

8:30 - 9:00 | Check In and Networking

9:00 – 9:30 | WBCS Year in Review Session

9:30 – 9:45 |  Networking

9:45 – 11:25 | WBE Led Roundtable Discussions

11:25 – 12:00 | Networking

12:00 - 1:30 | Keynote Luncheon and Lillie Knox Investment Award Presentation


WBCS Year in Review Session

The WBCS President will share organizational highlights from the year, announce the incoming Board of Directors, and provide insights about the year ahead.

WBE Led Roundtable Discussions

The morning is dedicated to Women’s Business Enterprise led roundtable discussions on business themes such as marketing, human resources, etc. The WBE host remains at her table while others rotate. Spots are open on a first-come, first-served basis. 

There are three rounds of discussion. Each discussion is 30 minutes, with five minutes between rounds to transition.

9:45 – 10:15 | Discussions Round 1
10:20 – 10:50 | Discussions Round 2
10:55 – 11:25 | Discussions Round 3

Discussion Topics (as of 10-27-2022)

Creative Employee Benefits and Perks - Daris Frencha, The Benefit Boutique

Disrupting the Status Quo in Business - Chanel Christoff Davis, Davis Davis & Harmon

Effective 401K Management - Kathleen Hunt, Personalized Payroll Services

How Unconscious Bias Affects Hiring - Jolene Risch, Risch Results

Inclusive Strategic Planning - Lisa Warner, AMP Creative

Innovative Storytelling - Amy Day, Cowtown Creative

Master Your Moods: Reduce Stress and Improve Performance - Deb Degner, The Leadership Bridge

Mitigating Burnout (specially for women, minorities, and "onlys") - Jennifer Carter, EWF International

Retaining Employees Amid The Great/ Quiet Resignation - Reena Batra, Software Professionals, Inc.

Sales Success - Brisa Renteria, Improve Growth

Understanding Your Business and Achieving Optimization - Monica London, London Power Innovations

Why you Should Register with Supplier Portals and How to Submit a Successful RFP - Andrea Rowe, Marfield

Lillie Knox Investment Award Presentation and Donations

The Lillie Knox Investment Award is a cash prize of up to $20,000, exclusively available to WBCS Women's Business Enterprises, to help further business growth. Current members, in good standing, are welcome to apply annually for consideration. Winners will be announced at the event.

The Lillie Knox Investment Award is funded solely by member donations. 100% of your donation goes directly to women-owned businesses. Donate now to help women-owned businesses grow!

Want to learn more about the impact of of Lillie Knox Investement Award? Check out these case studies from our 2021 Award Winners!

How a Lillie Knox Award Streamlined Gifting with Sol

How a Lillie Knox Investment Award helped Redesign Customer Experience for A La Carte Catering & Cakes, Inc.

How a Lillie Knox Investment Award helped Star Wellness Better Serve Their Clients

How a Lillie Knox Investment Award transformed Fireman's Paving Contractors

Keynote Speaker

Sandy Cross | Chief People Officer with PGA of America

Sandy Cross has built a solid reputation of developing, engaging, and leading a company’s greatest assets – its people – to create valuable, meaningful, and purpose-driven change. She cultivates inclusive cultures that challenge the status quo and move businesses forward. As Chief People Officer at the PGA of America, Sandy is a member of the C-suite leading organizational development, while continuing to pioneer diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She has transformed the organization to a values-based, people-centric culture by instituting shared values at every stage of the employee experience. She also launched and continues to lead a strategy that embeds inclusion throughout all lines of the business, enabling the association to better capitalize on its mission to serve its members and grow participation in golf.

In her previous role as Senior Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Sandy established the department and laid the foundation for inclusion programming. In her role as Director, Women’s & New Market Initiatives, she spearheaded the groundbreaking strategic Initiative “Connecting with Her,” designed to attract and retain more women in the sport of golf. She drove business and revenue growth as Director, Business Development where she built some of the PGA’s most coveted partnerships, including PepsiCo and National Car Rental. Earlier in her career, she launched Golf Retirement Plus, a supplemental retirement program for PGA Professionals.

Sandy holds a Master of Arts in Sport Administration from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo where she distinguished herself as a NCAA Division I student athlete in volleyball. She is a Certified Diversity Professional and a Certified Chief Human Resources Officer.