Talent Summit

Hosted by the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce

At the Talent Summit, you will learn about the latest trends, strategies, and practices for attracting and retaining top talent, addressing the most pressing HR and workforce development challenges of the current and future workforce.

Collage of images, a lot of people at a conference, logo that reads Talent Summit
Talent recruitment, onboarding, and management have changed in this transforming and dynamic talent marketplace.

Our Talent Summit kicked off with Dr. Colleen Simpson, President of FRCC, and Marion K. Underwood, Provost and Executive Vice President of CSU, sharing their partnerships, concurrent enrollment, and future goals for the student’s employer’s hire.

Followed by:

  • Dr. Caitlin McKennie is the talent pipeline economist for the Colorado Workforce Development Council Office and the Colorado Department of Higher Education. In this shared-agency position, Caitlin’s role is motivated by data creation and collection as an analytical tool for informed decision-making. She supports the CWDC’s efforts to develop and sustain an industry-led talent development network through her empirical research and analyses centered on Colorado’s workforce from both demand and supply perspectives.

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  • Erin Young, small business owner and Employer Coach for the Colorado Workforce Development Council.
    • Skills-based hiring is a critical tool in the Colorado Job Quality Framework as a recruitment strategy for businesses that increases your applicant pool and finds you more suited candidates.
    • During your time with Ms. Young, you will learn to define/articulate the organizational impacts of skills-based hiring, the use of skills-based hiring as a recruitment strategy and skills-based hiring as a selection strategy.

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  • Northern Colorado Sector Partnerships:

Presented about their Colorado Workforce Development Council Strong Sectors Good Jobs grants and how you, as an employer, can participate. Grants were awarded to those partnerships that are implementing key job quality strategies, particularly those targeted at talent development – i.e. skills-based hiring, apprenticeships, work-based learning, etc. Strong Sectors, Good Jobs grants are to support the expansion and effectiveness of the Colorado sector partnership network to better meet talent needs. 

  • Manufacturing
      • Marcie Willard

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  • Hospitality
      • Lauren Storeby & Jeff Brown

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  • Construction
      • Michael Hensley

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  • Health
      • Anna Von Dreele

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  • NonProfit  
      • Jennifer Hahnke

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  • Emilie Ring, Transition Coach with Integrated Services at Poudre School District will present regarding customized and supportive services for an available talent pool.
  •  Gina Digiallonardo, administrator, New Mercer Commons, has hired employees using the customized and supportive services with incredible success, employee longevity and will share her learnings and successes.
  • Learn about Innovative models of employment increasingly involve the personalization and matching of an individual’s strengths and talents to meet a unique employer need. This model, Customized Employment, results in a win-win for the newly employed individual as well as the employer securing solutions for unmet needs. Please join us to learn more about this model and the team of support to guide you through this hiring process. 
  • Joining:
    • Adam Shake, Miche Lathrop-DVR/SWAP
    • Deidre Sage, COEF representative
    • Mesha Lathrop, PSD-SWAP

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We conclude the Summit with our Keynote Speaker – Jeff Havens.

His impactful keynote addresses will teach you how to kickstart innovation, improve your leadership, perfect your customer experience, or solve generational issues — all while laughing more than ever before.

Us VS. Them

You’ve undoubtedly heard that there are four or even five distinct generations operating side-by-side in today’s working world. Apparently, we’ve been creating entirely new types of people every 15 years, the world is more complicated now than ever before, and you need to learn how to deal with. Us Vs. Them focuses on how all of us are at slightly different points on the same journey. It’s an important distinction, and it will make implementing new solutions easier than you ever thought possible.

Connect with Jeff

2023 Image Gallery

Thank You 2024 Talent Summit Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

UC Health
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Bronze Sponsors

City of Fort Collins logo
Front Range Community College logo
Journey payroll and hr logo
HP logo
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Robert Half logo

Event Sponsors

canvas credit union logo
Clear Path Home Care logo
Pinnacol Assurance logo
Fort Collins Signarama logo