ROTHSCHILD — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is scheduled to speak at the Regional Talent Summit planned for Thursday, May 25 at the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center in Rothschild.

The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Centergy, the Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce & Information Center, the Portage County Business Council and MCDEVCO Inc to offer this important program on talent for the region’s businesses. The Regional Talent Summit will bring together community partners from around central Wisconsin to engage in an important discussion on our workforce challenges.

Attendees will learn how to grow their own talent, find non-traditional sources of talent and improve their talent attraction efforts. This event will be held from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center in Rothschild and, along with the Governor, will be headlined by keynote speaker Ed Gordon, the owner and founder of Imperial Consulting Corporation and an expert in addressing today’s complex workforce needs.

“The regional demand for workforce continues to grow. ” said Dave Eckmann, President/CEO of the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce. “Throughout north central Wisconsin, organizations of all types are looking for new approaches to access and retain a skilled workforce. The Regional Talent Summit will introduce new tools and approaches employers can utilize to access and recruit employees. If your organization is in need of talent, this is a ‘must attend’ event.”
Also at this event, Steve Yaun, senior educational consultant at Anaca Technologies, will present on Inspire, an online tool that connects students and those developing career pathways in business and industry. Inspire is coming to the region soon and Yaun will preview this new tool designed to attract and develop talent.

A panel of experts will offer a session on best practices employers can use to help ex-offenders and individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction find and excel in opportunities in the workplace. Michelle Devine Giese, President of STEP Industries Inc, Jamie Loehnis, Executive Director of The Mooring Programs Inc and Mooring House, and Ray Woodruff, employment programs manager with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections will sit on this panel.

A panel consisting of Angela Bailey, vice president of human resources at Church Mutual Insurance Company, Dr. Lisa Grill Dodson, campus dean at the Medical College of Wisconsin – Central Wisconsin, Cliff King, CEO of Skyward Inc and Mark Snyder of A & B Process Systems Corp will offer best practices for attracting and retaining talent in this competitive market.

The presenting sponsor for the Regional Talent Summit is the North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board. The event’s platinum sponsor is Wisconsin Public Service Corp along with gold sponsors Church Mutual Insurance Company, Manpower, the Marshfield Clinic Health System, Skyward and UW-Stevens Point.

Check-in, a continental breakfast and networking begins at 7 a.m. with the program beginning at 8 a.m., wrapping up at 1:30 p.m.

The cost for members and non-members alike is $35. For more information or to register, visit wausauchamber.com or call 715-845-6231.