Wednesday, April 25, 2012
CBIA | 350 Church St., Hartford
Registration: 8 am | Program 8:30 to 11 am

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Description

Looking to grow your business? Learn how you can successfully access the credit and commercial financing your company needs. Join us for an expert panel discussion on:

• Credit availability
• Preparing your financial information to get your loan approved
• Federal vs. state supplemental loan services
• Non-bank lender alternatives
• Getting started

Other Program Highlights

• Economic overview
• CBIA’s Credit Availability Survey results
• Panel discussion with financial industry leaders
• Individual consultations with panelists*

*To schedule a consultation, contact Cindy Panioto at 860.244.1928 or cindy.panioto@cbia.com.

Cost per person:

• CBIA members, free
• Nonmembers, $25

Parking in Metro Center garage included.

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Where-When?

Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Crowne Plaza | 100 Berlin Rd., Cromwell
Registration: 8 am | Program: 8:30 to 9:30 am | Full breakfast and networking: 9:30 to 10:30 am

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Description

Many family businesses are in danger of going under as rising healthcare costs, lack of access to capital, and increasing business costs shrink profit margins. What can you do to make sure your family business stays afloat?

Find out from Priscilla Cale and David Tate when they discuss their book Sink or Swim: How Lessons from the Titanic Can Save Your Family Business. Meet the authors and learn:

• Strategies for identifying and managing risks to family businesses
• How the Titanic’s design, construction, and operation relate to challenges facing family businesses today
• The five fatal flaws that contributed to the Titanic’s sinking and how family businesses can have the same vulnerabilities
• Guidance to help family businesses avoid failure

What Readers Say:

“Cale and Tate’s comparison of family business and the sinking of the Titanic is right on in my opinion…This wonderful book helps to coach families on how to stay focused on the right things to ensure the business’s long term success.”

— Cynthia Bigelow, President, R.C. Bigelow, Inc., Fairfield, CT

“A comprehensive, insightful review of best practices in managing and governing a family business. Should be read by and pored over by all generations of family members who are owners of a family business.”

— Robert J. Lyons, Jr., President, The Bilco Company, New Haven, CT

Cost per person:

• CBIA members: $35
• Nonmembers, $40

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Online 11 am to noon

Description

Sponsored by Fox Rothschild LLP

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of 1977 was designed to stop bribery of foreign officials and change the way U.S. companies conducted business overseas. FCPA enforcement is at an all-time high. In 2010, enforcement actions increased two-fold over the record set in 2009.

Don’t miss this complimentary webinar on FCPA compliance basics. We’ll discuss:

• The Act’s anti-bribery provision concerning foreign public officials, including potential red flags, definition of a “violator,” understanding corrupt intent and related civil and criminal penalties
• The requirement of publicly traded companies to maintain adequate systems of internal accounting controls and keep proper accounting standards that provide an accurate and fair reflection of the corporation’s transactions (also known as the FCPA’s “books and records” provision)

Speakers:

• Charles A. De Monaco, Esq., Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP
• Paul B. Edelberg, Esq., Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP

Who should attend?

• Any business engaged in or seeking to do business in foreign markets, regardless of size or frequency of transactions.
• Anyone stateside and working through an overseas agent, as you may have FCPA liability and compliance obligations.

Why?

• The current economic climate demands that virtually all U.S. businesses be open to international opportunities. The latest technology and communications levels the competitive playing field, but that demands knowledge of the FCPA and foreign practices.
• Smaller U.S. businesses lacking extensive conduct codes and research resources maintained by larger organizations may be most at risk and dangerously blind to significant compliance issues.
• U.S. personnel who never travel may be held liable for improper conduct of overseas agents.
• If you’ve communicated with any foreign official concerning facilitation payments, do you know if your interaction was  permissible or an illegal payment? And would it matter if that foreign official worked for a public international organization, or is a member of a royal family, local legislative body, or state-owned business enterprise?

Cost: FREE

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Tune to WFSB Channel 3 or WTIC 1080 for cancellations due to inclement weather.

Where-When?

Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Crowne Plaza, 100 Berlin Rd., Cromwell

Registration: 8 am | Program: 8:30 am to noon

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Friday, April 13, 2012
The Courtyard by Marriott, Shelton, 780 Bridgeport Ave.

Registration: 8 am | Program: 8:30 am to noon

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Description

Most Connecticut residents and employers were impacted by Hurricane Irene and the historic October snowstorm. Did you have staff or operation disruptions? What would you have done differently? What could you have done better?

Disasters—natural and man-made—threaten every business in Connecticut. That’s why your organization must have an immediate response and recovery strategy that enables you to quickly adapt to unexpected business interruptions.

This workshop addresses challenges faced during a crisis and how to prepare for a smooth resumption of operations.

Topics:

• Priorities and planning
• Insurance
• Worksite security
• Worksite safety
• Workforce and financial management issues
• Government assistance

Cost per person: $25

Register for April 3 >> | Register for April 13 >>

Tune to WFSB Channel 3 or WTIC 1080 for cancellations due to inclement weather.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
10:00 am, Online

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Have you experienced:  

• Lost or disgruntled customers due to disorganized office practices?
• Frustrated employees or low morale caused by office inefficiencies?
• Backlogs or delays or unnecessary waste caused by ineffective business processes?

Use Lean techniques and improve your operation effectiveness and efficiency.

Lean tools and techniques previously used by the manufacturing industry are now being used in to improve office practices. Applying Lean principles to your operations can solve these problems and create efficiencies that will give you a real competitive advantage.

Attend this free webinar and learn how to incorporate Lean office practices into your operations and eliminate inefficient procedures, paperwork and bureaucracy.

Speakers:

Ken Branco, President, R.E.V.V. International
Tom Guerra, Director of Products & Services, CBIA

Cost:

Free

Register >> 

Brought to you by CBIA, CERC, and the Stamford Chamber of Commerce

Where-When?

Friday, March 9, 2012

The Sheraton Stamford Hotel
700 East Main St., Stamford
Registration: 8 am
Program: 8:30 am to noon

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Description

What’s in store for commercial and industrial real estate in Fairfield and Westchester counties? Get expert insight into what to expect as these regions regain their economic footing.

Keynote speaker: Ken McCarthy, Senior Economist, Senior Managing Director, Research, Cushman & Wakefield Inc.

Program highlights:

• The Fairfield County Commercial Real Estate Brokers Panel on the local commercial and industrial outlook
  • Moderator: Steven F. Kirn, Partner, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP
  • Jim Fagan, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield of Connecticut, Inc.
  • Jeff Ryer, SIOR, CCIM, Chairman & CEO, Ryer Associates – Danbury
  • Glenn Walsh, Senior Director, Brokerage Services Group, Westchester County, NY, Cushman & Wakefield
• Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) update on the Sitefinder® real estate tool
  • Rachel Gretencord, Director of Real Estate, CERC
• Release of survey on real estate market expectations conducted by CBIA, CERC, and DataCore Partners. Sponsored by Farmington Bank and O’Conner Davies Munns & Dobbins LLP.
  • Peter Gioia, Vice President and Economist, CBIA

Cost per person: FREE

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Questions? Contact Lise Cliche at 860.244.1977 or registrar@cbia.com.

Tune to WFSB Channel 3 or WTIC 1080 for cancellations due to inclement weather.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Crowne Plaza, 100 Berlin Rd., Cromwell
Registration: 7:30 am
Program: 8 am to 4pm    

Cost per person:    

• CBIA and CT SHRM members, $149
• Nonmembers, $200

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Get a fresh perspective on the most important topics in human resources. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the experts and network with your peers.   

Agenda

Opening Plenary: 8–9 am Strategies & Business Innovation: HR’s Contribution Speaker: Kenya J. Rutland, KJR Consulting    HR plays a key role in business innovation. As companies dig out of the recession, HR must go beyond traditional responsibilities and adopt a strategic plan that syncs with new company goals. We’ll review ways to make sure your plan:    Gets management buy-in to invest in HR Communicates clear internal and external messages Measures progress
Concurrent Breakout Sessions: 9:15–10:45 am
[A] Leaves: Measuring and Managing in the New Paid Sick Leave World Speaker: Attorney Beverly Garofalo, Managing Partner, Hartford Office, Jackson Lewis    Connecticut’s new paid sick leave law complicates HR’s usual strategies for managing job protected absences. We’ll review:    The metrics of absenteeism Measuring and categorizing absences Assessing costs Devising behavior-changing incentives	[B] Using Change Management to Succeed Speaker: Susan Lesser, Principal, nPlusOne Consulting    Change is vital to organizational success. HR can and should take on a leadership role in implementing organizational change. Ironically, the implementation of change is often resisted by the very folks who extol its virtues. This session covers:    Change management tenets for overcoming obstacles (your own as well as others’) Tracking your forward movement Measuring your success
Concurrent Breakout Sessions: 11 am–12:30 pm
[C] I’m an HR Department of One…Help! Speaker: Carol L. Kardas. SPHR, CCP, KardasLarson, LLC Human Resource Solutions    An HR practitioner in a small office does it all—fights fires, educates senior managers, and serves as a buffer between staff and management—with limited resources. That means more stimulating strategic initiatives are often overlooked. We’ll show you how to:    Balance and prioritize your strategies Create an agenda to establish credibility Understand what the CEO really wants to know Take your HR office to the next level	[D] Bullying: Educate, Legislate, or Litigate? Speaker: Deena Gilbert, CCP, SPHR, President, Gilbert & Associates    Every year legislators push for new laws to make workplace bullying illegal and to permit victims to seek legal recourse based on the theory of hostile work environment. This is one of many possible approaches to a very real problem. We’ll review:    The status of legislative efforts to address workplace bullying Preventive and remedial strategies to identify and respond to bullying Solutions that establish a safe work environment
Concurrent Breakout Sessions: 1:45–3 pm
[E] Social Media Update: NLRB Oversight Speakers:    Patrick J. McHale, Partner, Kainen, Escalera & McHale, PC Jonathan B. Kreisberg, Regional Director, National Labor Relations Board, Hartford The complex relationship between social media and federal labor law continues to evolve as more businesses find their place in an electronic world. We’ll update you on:    The latest attempts by the NLRB to protect employee social media conduct  Employer efforts to simultaneously use this effective communications/networking tool in a positive way How to avoid triggering accusations of federal labor law violations	[F] ADA: Website Accessibility and Accommodation Speaker: Kathy Gips, Director of Training, New England ADA Center   The federal government is increasing its scrutiny of employer intra- and internet websites to ensure they comply with ADA accessibility standards. We’ll review:    Regulatory issues Practical first steps Examples using affordable assistive technologies
Closing Plenary: 3:15–4 pm Legislative Update: Connecticut General Assembly 2012 Session Speaker: Kia Murrell, Associate Counsel, CBIA    Register >>    Tune to WFSB Channel 3 or WTIC 1080 for cancellations due to inclement weather.		This program has been approved for 6.5 (General) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.

Hosted by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) and the Connecticut Power & Energy Society (CPES), this exciting event brought together industry experts and stakeholders for a day of networking, policy review, education, and the exchange of ideas and information on business energy products, trends, and technologies.

Conference highlights:

Morning keynote address (Gov. Dannel P. Malloy)

Video of Gov. Malloy’s keynote address

A Review of PA 11-80: An Act Concerning Connecticut’s Energy Future

PowerPoint presentations:

Jessie Stratton, Director of Policy, DEEP

Bryan Garcia, Clean Energy Financy and Investment Authority

Liddy Karter, Managing Director, Enhanced Capital Partners

Alex Kragie, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, DEEP

Richard Steeves, Office of Consumer Counsel

James Gildea, Bigelow Tea

Brian McCarter, Sustainable Real Estate Solutions

Tristam Coffin, Whole Foods Market

Where-When?

Online: September 28 at 11 am

Description

Are you paying premiums on ineligible employees?

Failing to coordinate your company’s leave policies with the eligibility and termination provisions of your benefit plans can result in paying premiums for inactive, ineligible employees and dependents. Join us for a review of the causes, solutions, and preventive strategies.

We’ll discuss:

• FMLA eligibility and notice failure
• COBRA notice failure
• Conversion coverage notice failure
• Covering persons not eligible for coverage under company plans
• Misrepresentation to insurance carriers
• Workers compensation retaliation issues

Speakers:

• Joseph Lazzarotti, Partner, Jackson Lewis LLP
• Michael J. Soltis, Managing Partner, Jackson Lewis LLP

Cost per person:

CBIA members, $15; nonmembers, $50

Register >>

Where-When?

Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Registration: 8 am
Program:  8:30 to 10:30 am
CBIA, 350 Church St., Hartford

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This program has been approved for 2.0 (Specified -Strategic Business) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit

Description

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently published final regulations on the ADA Amendments Act, strengthening the protections enacted over two years ago.

While the regulations are intended to simplify the definition of disability and make it easier for some individuals to seek ADA protections on the job, they also create significant management challenges.

That’s why HR professionals like you need to understand what’s changed and offer your company’s top managers the insight they need to focus employee relations efforts.

Join our legal experts for

• A review of the revised regulations
• Critical guidance on how to avoid discrimination and assess an individual’s qualifications for a job
• Insight into how to effectively evaluate possible accommodations

Speakers:

• Francis Alvarez, Partner, Jackson Lewis LLP
• Beverly W. Garofalo, Managing Partner, Hartford office, Jackson Lewis LLP

Cost per person*

• CBIA member companies, $60
• Nonmember companies, $100

*Metro Center garage parking included on June 7

 Register >>