Event
Ask an Expert Roundtable
Speaker(s)
Pam Thorton
Name Net Worth
Co-Founder & Chief Operating OfficerPam Thornton is the Co-founder of Name Net Worth, which is an app that converts networking activity into sales opportunities. With over 20 years in the human resources, operations and business development disciplines, she is known for her problem-solving approach to each situation and is considered a knowledge leader when it comes to building strategic relationships.
Linkedin Social Media Marketing Expert
Receiving a referral from a happy customer, making a connection with someone who eventually becomes a client and trusting in your network to provide you with repeat business are some of the most important ingredients in creating a solid business foundation. Come and learn an updated way to create meaningful relationships that build business and don’t just eat up your time!
Amy Royal
Royal, P.C.
Founding PartnerAmy B. Royal is the founding partner of Royal, P.C., which concentrates in company-side labor and employment law. She has over sixteen years of experience in private and public sector employer-side representation. Amy has successfully defended employers in federal and state courts as well as before administrative agencies in multiple areas of employment law. Amy provides regular counsel to clients on general workplace matters, performs preventive work such as wage and hour law compliance, recordkeeping audits, management training, and drafts contracts and employee manuals. Amy is a frequent speaker at a wide variety of business associations and organizations, and has authored innumerable articles on employment-related legal topics.
Employee Law
As employment litigation matters continue to increase, employers must not only understand the laws that affect their companies, but also the preventive measures they can take to minimize their exposure. Attorney Amy Royal of the employer-side labor and employment law firm, Royal, P.C., will answer your questions about the newest employment law developments in Massachusetts, including the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act, as well as some of the most common employment law pitfalls you should be aware of.
Jenny MacKay
The Gaudreau Group
Population Health & Employee BenefitsJenny specializes in helping employers uncover their desired outcomes and measure the return on the costly investments they make in their Employee Benefit programs. She utilizes a customized approach with each client, using tools such as Benchmarking, Analytics, and Benefit Administration dashboards in her highly consultative relationships. With a focus on Affordable Care Act compliance, Jenny takes a holistic approach to designing long term strategies for her clients’ benefits and compensation programs.
Healthcare Reform
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made a number of significant changes since 2010. Many of these key reforms became effective in 2014 and 2015, including health plan design changes, increased wellness program incentives and the employer shared responsibility penalties. Certain changes to some ACA requirements take effect in 2017 for employers sponsoring group health plans, such as increased dollar limits. Jenny will answer questions about the upcoming changes.
Tracey Gaylord
Granite State Development Corp.
Vice PresidentLong term banker, lifetime learner! Over 25 years of experience in the financial industry. Committed to fueling our local economy with the growth of small businesses.
Funding Your Next Idea…..Big or Small
Possible funding sources. As an entrepreneur, determining your financing need is the first step in identifying your source for the funding. Whether you are acquiring physical assets, purchasing intangibles such as goodwill, or you need working capital to fund your operating cycle, it is important to understand the different types of loans and sources available to you and your business. You have a number of options beginning with your local bank’s conventional loan offerings and SBA 7A program, or by utilizing bank partners. Granite State Development Corporation is a delivery tool for the SBA 504 program which offers long term fixed rates with low equity injection for borrowers. MassDevelopment specializes in financing projects statewide that may require innovative thinking and provide an economic benefit to the community or Common Capital who offers a number of funding tools to Western MA businesses such as their FastTrack Loan program.
Sheila Magalhaes
Heartsong
Owner & Co-DirectorSheila W. Magalhaes is the owner and co-director of Heartsong Yoga in East Longmeadow, MA, established in 1993. She holds advanced level certifications in several styles of yoga, and specializes in introducing and de-mystifying yoga, meditation, and mindfulness “for every-body”. Along with studio classes, she brings these teachings to schools, corporate, and community centers to students of all ages.
Modern Mindfulness
Sheila is excited to have an opportunity to share the wisdom of the ancient eastern philosophies of yoga and meditation as applied to our 21st century lives. Today, mindfulness has become mainstream, for good reason; it can help one navigate the challenges of everyday life, help restore health and wellbeing, and perhaps even bring more peace, patience and kindness into our world!
Angela Lussier
Speaker Sisterhood
CEO & FounderAngela Lussier is an award-winning speaker, three-time author, two-time TEDx presenter, and CEO and founder of the Speaker Sisterhood, a network of public speaking clubs for women. Angela hosts Claim the Stage, a public speaking podcast for women. She is a contributor to Huffington Post and her work has been featured on ABC, NBC, Forbes, Virgin, and Entrepreneur. Her motto: Stop waiting. Start creating.
Finding Your Voice & Being More Assertive
Learn how to relax about public speaking and actually enjoy it! Try a few new techniques to improve your presentations and learn how to speak up with ease. If you think you’re not ready, then now is the perfect time.
Lorenzo Macaluso
The Center for EcoTechnology (CET)
Director of Client ServicesLorenzo Macaluso, Director of Client Services, has worked at The Center for EcoTechnology (CET) since 2000 and is a national expert on business waste reduction systems. He works with government, foundation, and industry partners to develop award-winning waste diversion solutions for businesses and homeowners to help them reduce waste, save energy, and improve environmental performance. He serves on the MassDEP Organics Subcommittee and has presented at numerous state and national
conferences as a waste reduction infrastructure development expert. He designed and implemented a variety of environmental programs throughout the Northeast, and consulted with many others nationally. Lorenzo has a Masters of Public Health with an Environmental Health focus, and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management; both degrees are from the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst.
How to Make Your Company Green
The Center for EcoTechnology helps people and businesses save energy and reduce waste. We make green make sense. For more than 40 years, CET has offered proven advice and resources to save you money, make you more comfortable at home, and help your business perform better.
Jonathan Butler
1Berkshire Chamber
PresidentJonathan was appointed President & CEO of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce in the Summer of 2014. Since then, he has transitioned through the merging of multiple organizations and become the President and CEO of 1Berkshire. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Franklin Pierce College and is a candidate for a Masters in Public Administration and a Masters in Political Science from Suffolk University.
Jonathan began his professional career working as a Legislative Director for former State Senator Benjamin Downing at the Massachusetts Statehouse before going on to became Town Administrator of Adams, MA at the age of 27.
Jonathan serves on multiple boards and committees including the Governor’s Economic Development Planning Council, the Berkshire County Education Taskforce, the Berkshire Leadership Impact Council, the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, the Compact for Higher Education, Forest Park County Club and as a Trustee of Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter School.
He was also a founding member of ProAdams, and served on the board of the former Berkshire Visitor’s Bureau. Jonathan was also recognized in 2016 as part of the first Forty Under 40 class in the Berkshires. Jonathan lives in Adams with his wife Michele Butler, and his dog, Jackson.
Board of Director Succession Planning
The members of a board of directors play critical roles in defining the vision and strategic goals of a company or nonprofit, as well as ensuring the organization meets its stated mission. Some board members are short-term volunteers, while others serve many years. Creating succession plans to ensure a seamless transition when a board member leaves or changes positions is critical to maintaining continuity.
Ira Bryck
Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley
PresidentIra Bryck runs the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley, a community of private and family companies, who attend dinner forums, morning workshops, and roundtable discussions. We provide an advice column, radio show and customized facilitation. Ira created three family business plays, including one about his 4th generation childrenswear store on Long Island, where he was simultaneously president, marketer, salesman and tailor.
Helping Your Family Business to Plan, Decide, Grow and Stay Healthy
This roundtable discussion will cover how to improve life in your family business, including professionalizing, while keeping the familyness; agreeing on good policies; discussing risk, growth, death, money, change, and ennui; how to function, in spite of dysfunction; how to make decisions when you seriously disagree; and just talking together with others who in many comparable situations, or who once were, and you can learn from how they learned.
Tiffany Appleton
Johnson & Hill Staffing Services
Director of Accounting & FinanceFor over ten years, Tiffany has been a staffing specialist for a variety of professional roles. She takes pride in her dedication to quality and truly advises her clients, offering them valuable, honest feedback as they work together. In addition to her skills in sourcing top talent, she also blogs and speaks regularly on various key topics in recruiting.
How to Interview like a Boss!
Ever thought about why you interview the way you do? For this key skill, managers seldom receive training, and it can be the make-or-break that determines your ability to secure top talent in today’s competitive market. Pull up a chair with a recruiting expert and get the solutions and best practices to all your interviewing questions.
What if you had free access to sit down with an area expert who could help you reach new heights in your career?
Ask the Expert Roundtables are an opportunity for attendees to ask successful area professionals questions about various specialties and issues. Hand-picked experts handle topics in their specialty, and conduct chats, answer questions and share opinions during this 45-minute networking and education session. Each expert sits at their own roundtable and attendees sit at their table of choice for the full 45-minute session . There are only nine seats available at each expert’s table, so make sure you register fast to secure your space! Attendees have the opportunity to submit questions prior to the event through registration.
This roundtable discussion will cover how to improve life in your family business, including professionalizing, while keeping the familyness; agreeing on good policies; discussing risk, growth, death, money, change, and ennui; how to function, in spite of dysfunction; how to make decisions when you seriously disagree; and just talking together with others who in many comparable situations, or who once were, and you can learn from how they learned.
Design & Development by Wild Apple Design Group
