Making Sense of 2023

A Panel Discussion About the Latest on People, Supply Chain, and Finance

There’s no doubt that the economy has been unpredictable. We have record low unemployment as we enter what appears to be a recession. Will employers take back control in the labor market? We experienced unprecedented supply chain disruptions that are returning to a new normal as China continues to struggle. Are the disruptions behind us and is reshoring really happening? Interest rates have gone up and inflation still grips us. Will businesses continue to thrive and grow? How is all of this impacting Twin Cities businesses?

Join our three panelists, experts in their respective fields of human resources, supply chain, and finance, as we discuss the unique and surprising things happening in our post-pandemic economy.

Agenda:

• Registration and hot breakfast buffet from 7:30 to 8:00 AM
• Panel Discussion at 8:00 AM
• Adjournment at 9:00 AM

Building & Parking Info: The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in St. Lois Park, in the Spring Room.

About Our Panelists:

Steve Schad has been helping businesses with talent strategies that grow results and profits for more than 25 years. His firm, Optima HR Solutions, partners with small and mid-sized businesses to attract, retain, grow, and engage the best people so their clients can compete and win. Over his career, he’s worked across industries and sectors to deliver proven organization and HR best practices, both internally as an HR executive in manufacturing, and externally as an advisor and outsourced HR provider.

Emily LeVasseur is a supply chain geek and co-founder of Waypost Advisors. She left the corporate world after 15 years with the vision of bringing supply chain expertise and flexible resourcing to small-to-midsized manufacturers & distributors. Her experience in execution and leading large supply chains at Cargill developed her skills and passion for the critical end-to-end activities of sourcing, purchasing, planning, transportation, and supply chain processes. Convinced that small and mid-sized companies were underserved in their ability to access necessary supply chain knowledge to enable their goals, Emily left the corporate world in 2020 to build a team of expert supply chain advisors that would focus on delivering solutions and bringing expertise to manufacturers and distributors across the country.

Carrie Cook is a strategist for small entrepreneurial businesses at Revive Financials. Her experience is rooted in over 15 years of business-building strategy and several significant transitions. This experience and that knowledge is the basis of her success today as a Small Business Financial Strategist. Carrie handles each client with care and compassion, with her personal relationship and her educational approach setting her apart in the industry, no matter the size of the challenge or how complicated the situation. Carrie also supports the business community with her Twin Cities Entrepreneur’s Fair each April; Entrepreneur’s Toolkit workshops throughout the year; and the W2BNet businesswomen’s accountability groups.