Calendar Event | Precision Metalforming Association

Human Resources and Training Professionals Roundtable 2025

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Cleveland, OH

Jump To: Agenda | Speakers | Hotel & Location | Registration

The Human Resource and Training Professionals Roundtable offers an invaluable opportunity to network with industry peers and participate in roundtable discussions on key challenging human resource and training-related topics.

This must-attend event is ideal for all training and human resource directors, managers and generalists.

The Precision Metalforming Association is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. This event is approved for 8 PDCs.

The use of this official seal confirms that this activity has met HR Certification Institute’s® (HRCI®) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval. This program has been approved for 8 conference recertification credit hours toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

AGENDA

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

1:30 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
Connie King, Precision Metalforming Associations

1:45 p.m. Presentation TBA
Principal Financial Network

2:00 p.m. Return to Washington: Trump’s Impact on HR
Omar Nashashibi, Inside Beltway
On his first day in office, President Trump issued twenty-six Executive Orders, including one calling for a regulatory freeze. The second Trump administration has moved quickly, ousting members of the NLRB and EEOC, directing agencies to pause pending regulations developed under former President Biden, orchestrating the departure of thousands of federal employees. Omar S. Nashashibi, with PMA’s lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., Inside the Beltway Solutions, will provide the latest from Washington, D.C. on the OSHA heat rule, the suspended overtime salary increase, and what changes President Trump and his administration are making to workforce policy, oversight, enforcement, and training. This session will help your company adapt to the change in Washington and anticipate what to expect in the coming months.

2:45 p.m. Gears in Motion: Labor and Employment Law Trends Every Manufacturer Needs to Know
Anne Duprey, Frost Brown Todd
The legal world isn’t standing still — and neither is your workforce. As innovation drives manufacturing forward, the laws shaping your people practices are shifting just as fast. Join us for a lively and practical session covering the hottest labor and employment law changes impacting manufacturers right now. We’ll unpack the latest cases, legislative updates, regulatory twists, executive orders, and what they mean for your HR strategies. From DEI changes to significant court ruling to AI impacts, you’ll leave with actionable ideas to protect your company and empower your people. Get ready to sharpen your compliance edge and turn legal challenges into impactful opportunities.

3:30 p.m. Break

3:45 p.m. Roundtable Discussion
Topics: TBA

5:00 p.m. Depart for Dinner and Networking
Corleone’s Ristorante & Bar | 5669 Broadview Rd.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

8:30 a.m. Breakfast

9:00 a.m. Modern Day Talent Acquisition
Taylor Evans, Rust Belt Recruiting
How do you attract and retain the best industrial talent in today's landscape? Learn strategies to grow your team by spotlighting your company's best attributes, creating a first-class candidate experience and effectively onboarding new hires.

10:30 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. Igniting Excellence: Building a Positive Workplace Culture that Drives Engagement and Retention
Lisa Ryan, Grategy
Creating a positive workplace culture is essential to attracting and retaining top talent while fostering employee engagement and productivity. This interactive and engaging program provides HR professionals with practical strategies to build a culture where employees feel valued, motivated and inspired to perform at their best. Key takeaways include:

Harnessing the Power of Appreciation: Simple, effective ways to recognize and celebrate contributions, building stronger connections across teams.
Boosting Engagement: Actionable techniques to improve morale, communication and collaboration while reducing turnover.
Tailored HR Solutions: Innovative tools and approaches designed to meet the unique challenges HR professionals face today.

Through real-life examples, actionable insights and interactive discussions, participants will walk away with strategies they can implement immediately to transform their workplace culture and make a lasting impact. Whether you’re a director, manager or HR generalist, this session will equip you with the tools to lead cultural change and elevate your organization.

12:00 p.m. Lunch and Networking

12:45 p.m. Leadership is an Action, Not a Title: Developing your Leaders
Elise Bastian, Executive Bridge Consulting and Brianna Schultz, Manufacturing Works
True leadership transcends job titles—it’s about inspiring, influencing and empowering others to achieve shared goals. In this session, we’ll explore the key traits and actions that define effective leaders at all levels of your organization. From fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration to honing communication and decision-making skills, attendees will learn actionable strategies to identify, develop and support leadership potential in themselves and others. Whether you're an emerging leader or nurturing talent within your team, this presentation will provide insights to transform leadership into impactful, everyday actions.

1:45 p.m. Roundtable Discussion
Facilitators: Connie King, Elise Bastian and Brianna Schultz
Topics: Attracting and retaining, onboarding, workplace culture, accountability and engagement.

3:00 p.m. Adjourn

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SPEAKERS

Elise Bastian, Owner/Consultant, PHR, Executive Bridge Consulting
Elisa Elise Bastian takes a forward-thinking approach to employee development, recognizing it as a key driver of engagement, growth and long-term business success. Rather than following traditional HR methods, she identifies opportunities to strengthen leadership potential at all levels, ensuring employees are empowered to grow within their roles and contribute meaningfully to their organizations.

With a background in manufacturing and distribution, Elise has developed proven strategies that help companies maximize their most valuable asset: their people. She believes that investing in employee development not only enhances individual performance but also fosters a culture of innovation, retention and continuous improvement.

With more than two decades of experience specializing in employee engagement and communication, Elise equips organizations with the tools and insights to cultivate leadership, boost morale, and create a thriving workplace where employees and businesses succeed together.

Anne Duprey, Partner, Frost Brown Todd LLP
Anne Anne Duprey focuses her practice on the representation of employers in a broad spectrum of labor and employment matters, including employment litigation, traditional labor work, and advising employers on day-to-day personnel issues. Anne regularly assists clients with litigation and advice regarding discrimination and harassment issues, navigating tricky FMLA and ADA issues, and wage and hour compliance. In addition, Anne frequently assists employers with addressing employee privacy issues and protecting company confidential information through non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements. Anne has represented a wide variety of small, mid-size, and large employers, across many industries, as well as, several Ohio municipalities.

Anne is a regular speaker on labor and employment trends, discrimination and harassment issues, and best employment practices. She also provides ongoing education and training to many clients, which allows employers and their staff to identify and address human resources concerns with confidence.

Taylor Evans, President, Rust Belt Recruiting
Taylor Taylor Evans is the founder and president of Rust Belt Recruiting, a leading manufacturing recruiting agency. A vocal and active advocate for the growth of skilled, technical and professional workforce in our communities, his company is committed to serving as a catalyst for change within the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.

Taylor has found the perfect intersection of his passions: economic and social impact, workforce development and community revitalization. He focuses on company vision, community engagement and business development. Taylor is actively involved as the vice chair and an executive committee member of COSE’s Board of Advisors and is the current chairman of the COSE Small Business Caucus. He also is an executive committee member of the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s Board of Directors and a member of their Government Affairs Council. With Team NEO, the region’s economic development agency, he is a member of the Talent Development Council. On a national level, he is an active member of the National Small Business Association’s (NSBA) Leadership Council. Civic engagement is at the core of his daily work and drives his professional decision making.

Lisa Ryan, Chief Appreciation Strategist, Grategy
Lisa Lisa Ryan is owner and chief appreciation strategist at Grategy, Cleveland, OH. She works primarily with manufacturers to help them keep their top talent from becoming someone else's. After spending 13 years in industry, including seven years in the welding industry (and yes, she does weld), Lisa developed a process to attract, recognize and retain employees that works.

Lisa received her MBA from Cleveland State University and is past-president of the National Speakers Association, Ohio chapter. She has served on many other boards including those of The American Welding Society, Association for Equipment Manufacturing Professionals, and Toastmasters International.

Brianna Schultz, SHRM-SCP, Vice President, Learning & Development, Manufacturing Works
Brianna A Cleveland transplant from Michigan, Brianna’s passion in life is helping people become the best version of themselves through education, learning and development. Currently, she is able to fulfill that passion through her daily work as the vice president of learning and development with Manufacturing Works. In this work she helps people connect with and grow their careers in manufacturing – from frontline supervisor to business owner. She also is the founder of HumanEdge Strategies, LLC where she focuses on working alongside leadership to develop human-centered solutions related to a variety of human resource functions. Prior to working at Manufacturing Works, Brianna served as the program and service director for City Year Cleveland for 10 years where she was part of a team that improved the organization’s ability to help students stay on track to high school graduation.

Brianna earned her Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University and her Master of Business Administration with a Human Resources Specialization from Ashland University. She volunteers her time as the VP of strategic programs with the Cleveland Society for Human Resource Management (CSHRM) and is a facilitator for the New Politics Leadership Academy. She also is an alumnus of the 2011 class of Cleveland Bridge Builders.

Omar S. Nashashibi, Founder, Inside Beltway
Omar Omar S. Nashashibi is the founder of Inside Beltway, a nonpartisan lobbying and strategic consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Having worked in the nation’s capital for more than 25 years, Omar provides strategic consulting services to companies while also lobbying the White House and Congress on behalf of manufacturing associations, defense firms, nonprofits and other sectors. He works with policymakers on trade, taxes, environmental and workplace regulations, supply chains, job training and identifying grants and funding to support projects.

Having started his career in Washington, D.C. in 1995, Omar worked for the Office of Management and Budget, a branch of the White House, a large multi-state law firm, and founded a previous lobbying firm in 2005. He graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he studied Political Science and International Affairs.

FACILITATOR

Connie King, Workforce Development Director, Precision Metalforming Association
Prior to joining PMA in May 2022, Connie served as the director of professional development for Baldwin Wallace University, where she created and delivered original, competency-based learning programs for external organizations and university employees. Connie also previously worked for the University of Akron as a manager of business solutions, where she developed and implemented internal and external organizational development programs, and created community, industry-based consortiums for assessing and satisfying skills demands. She has more than 20 years of experience in learning and development, and is passionate about the future of our workforce.