Schedule: TechServe Connect 2020

Mark Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

Excellence in the New Normal Awards

Showcasing our members and industry suppliers and the exceptional work they have done.

Keynote - The IT & Engineering Staffing Industry: Where Are We Now? What Lies Ahead?

Moderator: Mark B. Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

Panel: The TechServe Alliance Executive Committee

Jay Cohen, Founder & CEO, Signature Consultants
Scott Aicher, Vice President, Belcan
Sarah Martin, Founder & President, Dale Workforce Solutions
Tom Nunn, Founder & President, Tom Nunn Consulting

What a year. The onset of a global pandemic. A historic economic downturn. Civil Strife. An election for the ages. With all these developments as background, TechServe Alliance CEO Mark Roberts will kick-off the virtual event with an industry update using TechServe’s latest proprietary data. Mark will then be joined by four industry leaders who will share their unique insights on the opportunities and challenges for IT & engineering staffing firms in the near-term and beyond.

Sponsored by CEIPAL

Conference Sessions

The Lean IT & Engineering Staffing Firm: Driving Extraordinary Profitability By Rethinking the Sales & Recruiting Model

Moderator:

Karen Wilson, CEO & President, MAKE Corporation
Panel:

Ron Seibert, President & CEO, SSi People

Roger Kipe, Senior Practice Director of Staffing, Capstone

Scott Ruthfield, Founder & CEO, Rooster Park

For the typical firm, IT & engineering staffing is a low net margin business. Sales and recruiting compensation, benefits, and employment taxes alone consume 56% of gross profit. However, a few high performing firms have rethought the “way it is done” dramatically lowering sales and recruiting costs. Join us for this engaging discussion with owners and executives who have each reimagined the traditional model in different ways allowing them to achieve extraordinary profitability.

Follow up Live Q& A with Panel

Sales/Recruiting Training

DevOps: An AE and Recruiter’s Guide to Better Understanding One of the Talent Market’s Hottest Skill Sets

Mark Knowlton, CEO & Founder, TechScreen

While DevOps is one of the hottest skills in IT, most account executives and recruiters don’t have a good understanding of the concepts to be able to converse knowledgably with clients and candidates.

In this practical session, TechScreen CEO and Founder Mark Knowlton will provide an overview of the key concepts, the roles involved in DevOps and how to effectively screen for candidates that are a good fit. Designed specifically for AEs & recruiters, this session will cover:

How different paradigms overlap within the DevOps world

How Cloud skills fit into the DevOps equation
How the emerging Serverless push impacts DevOps
Whether there are identifiable subsets within the broader DevOps universe

Mark will help lift the fog that shrouds this complex technical topic. AEs and recruiters will come away better equipped to understand client needs and engage with candidates.

Live remote Training with Chat and Q&A

Conference Sessions

Data-Driven Management: How to Implement the Lessons of the Operating Practices Report & Dashboard for Greater Growth and Profitability

Tom Nunn, Founder, Tom Nunn Consulting

From the Operating Practices Report and Sales & Recruiters Metrics Report that have been produced for decades, to the newly launched Monthly IT & Engineering Staffing Dashboard, TechServe produces the most comprehensive and timely industry-specific benchmarking data available. Despite the enormous breadth and remarkable insights offered by TechServe’s research, many owners and executives fall short in fully leveraging these valuable resources. In this “how to” session, veteran executive and consultant Tom Nunn will share his vast industry experience on how effectively managing by metrics can increase revenue and drive greater profitability.

Live Q&A with the expert

Sales/Recruiting Training

Breaking Through: Avoiding the 5 Messaging Mistakes That Prevent You From Closing More Deals

Henna Pryor, MSA, ACC - Certified Executive Coach & Recruiting & Sales Trainer

The data doesn't lie: In 2020, 90% of professionals screen their phone calls and don't pick up an unknown number. Good sales and recruiting messaging is no longer a "nice to have" in it's a NON-NEGOTIABLE and the recruiting and sales process cannot start without it. A single email has the power to get a job order, attract a passive candidate, and close a deal.

In this workshop designed for both Account Executives and Recruiters, we will address how to fix the 5 most common mistakes AEs & Recruiters make in their communications:

Sounding like a robot
Writing that is too self-centered
Focusing on features, not benefits
Subject lines that are an afterthought
Not beginning with the end in mind

Conference Sessions

2:45 - 3:15 pm

TechServe Alliance: Leveraging the Collective Scale of an Industry

Don Beemer, Managing Director of Insurance Services, TechServe Alliance

Rick Carlson, Director of TechServe's Sales & Recruiting Management Program

Michele Clarke, CFO, TechServe Alliance
Lori Fitzsimon, Membership Director, TechServe Alliance

Tommy Poulin, Benefits Advisor, TechServe Alliance

There is the data and research. The lobbying. Serving as the voice of the industry. Beyond our leadership role in service to the industry, TechServe Alliance leverages the collective scale of the membership to drive down costs of solutions tailored to the specific needs of IT and engineering staffing firms.
From the robust ComplianceHR suite available to members at no cost, to premium compliance services, to the extraordinarily successful property & casualty insurance program and newly created health and benefits line-up, the offerings are broad and deep.
Join Lori Fitzsimon and other TechServe team members to learn more about how TechServe can help your firm lower your costs of doing business and achieve your business goals.

Keynote

Dr. Jay Cohen Speaks on the COVID-19 Pandemic: Facts, Fiction and...When will it all be Over?

Jay Cohen, Founder & President, Signature Consultants & Chair, TechServe Alliance Board of Directors
In addition to being the founder and CEO of Signature Consultants, one of the largest and most respected IT Staffing firms in the United States, Jay was a highly successful physician with a robust medical practice. With his unique insights, Jay will share his perspective on the coronavirus, the current status of the pandemic, therapies and potential vaccines and when the public health crisis and associated disruption will be over.

OPENING REMARKS
Mark Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

KEYNOTE - What Lies Ahead: An Economic and Financial Market Perspective

Peter F. Ricchiuti

Clinical Professor of Business Administration

Assistant Dean, A.B. Freeman School of Business

Tulane University

While financial markets have largely recovered from their low ebb earlier in the year, broad swaths of the economy are still reeling from the fallout triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. How are we to reconcile these two apparently conflicting trends? Will the recovery continue and is it a V, U, W or the dreaded L? Delivered with his signature humor which has earned him numerous teaching awards, Professor Ricchiuti will share his insights to help make sense of the economic and market signals. Learn what to expect during the remainder of the year and for 2021 and the implications for your business.

Sponsored by Bullhorn

Conference Sessions

12:30-1:30 pm

Success Stories: Landing New Clients in a “Work from Home” World

Moderator: Chris Walters, Senior Vice President, LRS

Panel

Shaun Cheatham, Chief Sales Officer, HAYS US

Casey Jacox, Sales & Leadership Coach at Winning The Relationship

Brent Wiltz, Head of Marketing & Sales Enablement, Genuent

While opening new accounts is challenging during normal times, the hurdles to overcome in landing new clients in a “work from home” world are truly daunting. No meetings at client offices. No traditional business lunches. No taking a prospect to a game. Despite the long odds, some are succeeding in the “new normal.” During this panel discussion, you will hear from several executives whose teams have figured out a way to land new clients in the most challenging of business environments.

Live Q&A with the Experts

Sales/Recruiting Training

Hiring Successful AEs & Recruiters for the New Era

Lance Cooper, President

Rodney Hightower, Vice President

Sales Management Solutions

Whatever the business environment, the need for effective sales and recruiting talent remains eternal. Whether you are looking to be opportunistic and expand your team now or want to be prepared to ‘ramp up’ once the economic recovery fully takes hold, hiring the right people is critical. During this session, Lance and Rodney will explore how to effectively screen prospective AEs and recruiters and hire the best enabling you to drive your firm’s growth and profitability.

Live remote Training with Chat and Q&A

Conference Sessions

The New TechServe Alliance M&A Marketplace: A Better Way to Value, Buy & Sell Firms Under $15 Million in Revenue

Presenters:

John Larson, Founder & Principal Consultant, Keen Insight Associates

Mark Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

For larger firms, the options to exit are straight-forward and plentiful. Sign-up with one of the many traditional investment bankers for a retainer of $10,000 a month and pay a success fee starting at $250,000. But what about smaller firms? If an investment banker will work with you at all, the fees are extraordinarily high relative to the sale price. Often smaller firms are relegated to a “word of mouth” approach which limits the pool of potential buyers and makes confidentiality all but impossible. Would-be buyers are similarly challenged given the difficulty in identifying potential sellers. After a primer on how firms are typically valued, we will provide an overview of a wholly new approach which significantly expands the market for both buyers and sellers of IT & engineering staffing firms while dramatically lowering transaction costs.

Live Q&A with the Experts

Sales/Recruiting Training

Successfully Leading and Coaching AEs & Recruiters in the New Era

Lance Cooper, President

Rodney Hightower, Vice President

Sales Management Solutions

The engine of growth for all IT & engineering staffing firms is prospecting for new clients. While these outbound activities must go on in all business environments, prospecting for new business in the post-pandemic era can be particularly demoralizing. These challenges are particularly acute for “hunters.” Given the reality of the “new normal,” how can you keep AEs and recruiters on your team energized? Teach them become more adaptable? Join Lance and Rodney to learn invaluable ‘takeaways’ you can immediately implement on how to successfully lead sales and recruiting teams during these unprecedented times.

Live remote Training with Chat and Q&A.

Conference Sessions

The Taxman Giveth: Proven Strategies That Minimize IT & Engineering Staffing Firm Tax Liability

Jerry Grady, Partner, UHY Advisors

Loni Winkler, Principal, UHY Advisors

Alison Dunleavy, Senior Manager, UHY Advisors

As the old saying goes, it’s not what you make, but what you keep. Are you taking all steps necessary to minimize your firm’s tax bill? Join accountants with deep staffing industry experience who will outline the ways to reduce your tax liability. Learn what planning is required to take full advantage of the tax code to lower your federal and state tax burden.

Live Q&A with the Experts

Sales/Recruiting Training

The Keys to Greatness in the New Normal in Sales, Recruiting and Prospecting: Developing Ambition, Strengthening Emotional Intelligence, and Focusing on Your Noble Aim.

Lance Cooper, President

Rodney Hightower, Vice President

Sales Management Solutions

Among other challenges to business in the “New Normal,” salespeople and recruiters are under tremendous pressure to adapt and change very quickly. Clients and prospects are expecting better-than-ever communications and more meaningful leadership from you. Understanding your personal sales style will be more important than ever, because everyone is under stress and most will need you to help them figure out what they need. You will need to mentor more, listen more, and innovate more in order to truly help your clients.

Live Q&A with our Trainer

TechServe Alliance Executive Women’s Happy Hour

Change Makers & Thought Leaders - A Live Discussion

Leslie Vickrey, CEO, ClearEdge Marketing
Teresa Carroll, President, Oasis Outsourcing
Candace Whitaker, Chief Human Resources Officer and Counsel, Signature Consultants

If the past six months have taught us anything, it's that we need to focus on our greater communities, our health and the continued fight for inclusivity. We believe these extraordinary times require: Resilience.

For the 14th straight year, ClearEdge Marketing is proud to sponsor TechServe Alliance's Executive Women's event, featuring changemakers and thought leaders from across our industry. While we have always met over lunch, this year we're going to wrap-up day two of the conference by coming together to celebrate over Happy Hour.

To kick-off our event, ClearEdge CEO Leslie Vickrey will shine the spotlight on staffing industry leaders Teresa Carroll, President, Oasis Outsourcing, and Candace Whitaker, Chief Human Resources Officer and Counsel, Signature Consultants. We'll learn about their personal stories of resilience and triumph, and walk away with action-based ideas around doing the work now to create change and drive equality for generations to come.

Following the keynote interviews, we'll have moderators help with small breakout group discussions, and like in years past, share one ah-ha moment from each group as we close out the session. We hope you can join us to connect, learn and grow during what is thought of as a signature event of the conference.

Sponsored by: ClearEdge Marketing

Opening RemarksMark Roberts, CEO, TechServe AllianceKeynote - Inside the Mind of the Client: CIOs & IT Leaders Speak

Moderator: Mark Taylor, CEO, SIM

Panel: SIM Board of Directors

Joe Bruhin, CIO, Breakthru Beverage Group
Steve Heilenman, Former CIO, Computer Aid (CAI),
Joan Holman, CIO, Clarkhill
Rich Hook, CIO, Penske Corp
Joel Schwalbe , CIO, Transnetyx

An exploration of how client thinking has changed since the onset of COVID-19

Is the talent shortage over? How has the skill set mix changed? Are these changes transient or permanent? What are the technologies and skill set of the future? Has the pandemic altered the location and manner in which IT needs are likely to be met? Domestically or offshore? Internal hiring, solutions providers, or IT staff augmentation? Join us for this candid dialogue with senior IT leaders and gain a better understanding of their evolving needs both now and in the future.

Sponsored by: Avionté

Keynote

The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations – Part I

Jeff Wald, Founder, Work Market

The world has witnessed three revolutions that led to massive increases in productivity and thus the need for fewer workers. As we enter the fourth great leap forward in technology with robots and AI, we face the first services revolution. Join visionary and author Jeff Wald, as he shares lessons from his recently released book The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations on what we can learn from the past, the current state of the labor market, and what the future of work looks like.

The End of Jobs: An Open Dialogue on its Implications for IT & Engineering Staffing - Part II

Sales/Recruiting Training

Recruiters and Account Executives – You’re on the SAME team!

Barb Bruno, President, Good as Gold Training

During this unprecedented time of disruption, it is more critical than EVER, that Recruiters and Account Executives are aligned to achieve goals. Learn from industry expert, Barb Bruno, Good as Gold Training, on how to maximize the potential of your team. Learn practical and proven methods that Account Executives and Recruiters can put into action today to grow business.

During this session you will learn:

Solutions to your new challengeof working as a remote team
Inside Information ONLY Recruiters can provide to their Account Executives
What information Recruiters truly need from the Sales Team to fill the reqs
Daily Sales Leads Recruiters can provide to their Account Executives
How to do more business

Live Q&A with our Trainer

Conference Sessions

Avoiding Legal Minefields in a Post-Pandemic World

Moderator: William S. Josey, Attorney, Freelance General Counsel and Compliance Consultant & TechServe Premium Services legal consultant

Panel:

Robert Brown, SR VP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Signature Consultants

Michael Hammond, Attorney, HNM

As if there were not enough challenges on the business side, the pandemic has given rise to a host of legal issues. From compliance challenges associated with everyone working from home, new leave obligations, onerous immigration restrictions, to liability when you “reopen,” the list of issues with the potential to keep owners and executives up at night continues to grow longer. Join our distinguished panel of legal experts with deep industry expertise on how to avoid liability and still get things done amid the “new normal.”

Live Q&A with our Experts

Sales/Recruiting Training

The Virtual Interview = Solution to current Challenges!

Barb Bruno, President, Good as Gold Training

The Pandemic has led to the rapid adoption of virtual interviewing, hiring, and onboarding. While initially viewed as a temporary accommodation to current circumstances, those with hiring responsibility have begun to realize that performing these functions virtually has benefits that will remain relevant once the public health crisis has abated. In addition to saving both time and money, virtual interviewing is more likely to limit the influence of emotion and bias during the hiring process. During this session, recruiters will gain a better understanding of the benefits of virtual interviewing for:

Clients & Prospects

Candidates
Hiring a more group of diverse contractors

Recruiters

Live Q&A with our Trainer

Successfully Selling During New Normal

Rick Carlson, Founder, Harvyst Consulting & TechServe Sales & Recruiting Management Program

As the pandemic continues to change the landscape of selling, it is imperative that you adapt to these new challenges. In this 90-minute workshop we will explore what has changed and what you can do to continue to operate and grow your business.

Topics will include:

Shifting from in-person meetings to doing business virtually
A new approach toward prospecting
Developing strategies to engage new contacts
Ways to hold the attention of prospects and clients
Effectively utilizing your newly discovered “free time”
Common client objections during the “New Normal’ and how to overcome them

This workshop is followed by Live Q&A with our Expert

Closing Remarks & Panel Discussion: What Will Drive IT & Engineering Staffing Firm Success in the Future?

Moderator: Mark B. Roberts, CEO, TechServe Alliance

Panel—The TechServe Alliance Executive Committee

Jay Cohen, Founder & CEO, Signature Consultants
Scott Aicher, Vice President, Belcan
Sarah Martin, Founder & President, Dale Workforce Solutions
Tom Nunn, Founder & President, Tom Nunn Consulting

In closing remarks and the conference’s final panel discussion, TechServe Alliance CEO will explore what will drive IT & Engineering Staffing firm success in the future. How has the pandemic reshaped the industry and what trends will endure? Will the qualities that brought IT & engineering firms success in the past be the same characteristics that will enable a firm to thrive in the future? Join Mark and industry leaders for final thoughts on what it will take to win in the IT & engineering staffing industry in 2021 and beyond.

Sponsored by: JobDiva

Special Invitation to CIO Networking Event for TechServe Members & Virtual Conference Attendees

Society for Information Management (SIM) Foundation Virtual V.I.P. Networking Event

In the first joint networking and charitable endeavor of its kind, TechServe members and virtual conference attendees are invited to join more than 500 CIOs and IT leaders from across the United States to participate in SIM’s Virtual V.I.P. Networking Event in support of STEM educational initiatives. Top TechServe contributors will be eligible to win virtual one-on-one meetings with select CIOs! As a national sponsor of the event, TechServe has committed to match the collective contributions made by TechServe Alliance members up to $10,000.

Emcee: Gary Beach, Publisher Emeritus, CIO Magazine

Invited speakers include:

Scott McNealy, Co-Founder, Former CEO, Sun Microsystems, Inc
Jim McKelvey, Co-Founder of Square, Venture Capitalist, Successful Entrepreneur, Glass Blower

VISIT SIM Virtual V.I.P. Event