95th Annual HR Conference 

Breakfast

• The Changing Face of Leadership with Carmen Schwab
  Employee expectations are ever evolving, but that evolution has been accelerating in recent years. The ascendancy of new generations in the workforce and shifting employee expectations around flexibility and purpose make us rethink our approaches to the workplace. How will we equip and support organization leaders and team members to thrive in this environment?
• Non-Executive Compensation and Best Practices with Mike Blanchard
  This session will address pay equity regulations, benchmarking positions using industry surveys, using this market research to establish and set salary grades, and linking salary increases and performance to positioning in a salary grade. We will also provide information surrounding performance-based cash incentive plans. Typical plan design parameters are explored along with common goals and range of payouts that are utilized. We will also briefly discuss such items as FLSA job classifications, performance evaluations, and job descriptions. Our focus in this session is to help HR professionals sort through the compensation-related challenges they may encounter.

• Banking is a Team Sport – Be a Captain, a Coach and a Cheerleader with Joe Micallef
  Great banks are built by teams that communicate well, support one another, and work together toward shared goals. Every banker has the opportunity to positively influence the success of their team — whether by encouraging coworkers, sharing ideas, helping customers, or leading through example. Banking is truly a team sport, and the strongest teams are made up of people who are willing to be contributors, mentors, motivators, and problem solvers.
  In this energetic and practical session, Joe Micallef will share proven strategies for creating stronger teamwork, improving communication, and helping bankers become more confident and influential teammates. Drawing on more than 30 years of banking leadership and coaching experience, Joe will provide simple ideas that can help every banker contribute to a more positive, productive, and successful culture.
  
  
• And tons of Networking Sessions!

Reception

Breakfast

• Strategic Succession Planning: Building Leadership
  Continuity in Community Banks with Danielle Damon
  This presentation makes the case for why banks, especially those operating in Texas, need formal succession planning, citing data on looming CEO retirements, the lack of formal plans across the industry, and the M&A wave driving rapid leadership transitions. It walks through a complete succession framework—from understanding what to consider before planning, to a step-by-step model covering key position identification, competency selection, talent assessment, and development. Throughout, it ties strategy to the Texas market’s unique pressures, including economic growth, consolidation, and a tight talent pool, and highlights tools like behavioral and emotional intelligence assessments. The presentation closes with the cost of inaction, self-assessment questions, and a concrete timeline of next steps for building lasting leadership resilience.
  
  
• General Session TBD