UPCOMING EVENTS & MEMBER BENEFITS
UPCOMING NKY CHAMBER EVENTS
Learn more and register at NKYChamber.com/Events
3/31 Government Forum: Policy & the Talent Pipeline –What Employers Need to Know Embassy Suites by Hilton | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
4/21 Eggs ‘N Issues: Beyond Jobs - Understanding the New Drivers of Northern Kentucky’s Economy Receptions Erlanger | 7:30-9:00 AM
5/13 HR 100 Annual Employment Law Update
Prysmian NA | 8:00-10:00 AM
7/8 DisruptHR Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky University | 4:00-7:00 PM
NKY CHAMBER MEMBER BENEFITS
Learn more at NKYChamber.com/Savings
NKY Chamber Guided Growth 401(k) Solution
Fuel your company’s growth with a competitive retirement plan, available exclusively to NKY Chamber members in partnership with T. Rowe Price.
Workers’ Compensation Chamber Association Program
Clearpath Specialty and the Kentucky Chamber collaborate with chambers throughout the commonwealth to create a Workers’ Compensation Program offering members discounts, great rates and excellent service.
Anthem Chamber Advantage & Delta Dental
Learn how to save on competitive and dental coverage options.
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRS
Michelle Cestaric, PHR, SHRM-CP, CSP Director, Specialty Solutions, Staffmark, Co-Chair
April Ritchie, MSLS, APHR Human Resources Generalist, Kenton County Public Library, Co-Chair
Welcome to the 8th annual Workforce Best Practices Symposium. We are pleased to bring together HR professionals and workforce partners from across our community for a day focused on “Future-Ready Workplaces: Building Talent, Data, and Culture.”
The role of human resources and workforce professionals has never been more complex, or more influential. As expectations continue to shift and organizations navigate ongoing change, preparing for the future requires intentional approaches to developing people, leveraging data, and shaping workplace culture. This year’s forum is designed to support that work through sessions that balance strategic insight with practical application.
Our speakers and presenters share perspectives on workforce development, analytics-driven decisionmaking, and cultivating cultures that promote adaptability, opportunity, and engagement. Whether refining existing practices or exploring new approaches, participants will find ideas and tools to support their organization’s next chapter.
The symposium also provides valuable opportunities to connect with peers. The conversations that take place throughout the day, both in sessions and between them, strengthen our professional community and deepen shared learning.
Thank you for joining us and for the important work you do to strengthen your workplaces. We hope this event is informative and energizing.
Sincerely,
The Chairs
SCHEDULE
8:00 AM
8:30 AM
8:40 AM
9:30 AM
9:40 AM
Registration, Breakfast, Sponsor Booths Open for Networking
Bronte Room
Welcome
Opening Keynote
Dr. Aaron Thompson, President, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Break – Time to Move to Breakout #1
Breakout #1 (select one)
Driving Strategic Talent Acquisition Strategies For Success
Bronte Room, Table A
Amy Hehman, Barnes Dennig
Improving Transparency & Empathy in Modern Hiring Practices
Bronte Room, Table B
Dr. Denise Fritsch, Kenton County Public Library
Transforming Leaders into Teachers: Using Plant Data to Build and Grow your Future Workforce
Bronte Room, Table C
Jesse Megenhardt, Amrize
Workplace Strategies For Gen Z Talent Success
Kentucky Room
Samantha Kelly, Beyond Neurodiversity
Debbie Smith, Easterseals Redwood
AI & HR Policies & Practices
Children’s Room
Rene Normand, DeanHouston, Inc.
10:10 AM
10:20 AM
Break – Time to Move to Breakout #2
Breakout #2 (select one)
Growing Leaders At Every Level
Bronte Room, Table A
Gary Mertz, Cardinal Compensation & Performance Consulting
Before They Quit: Signals You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Bronte Room, Table B
Rachel Folz, Cerkl
Building Work-Ready Students
Kentucky Room
Dr. Kathy Burkhardt, Learning Grove/Navigo
Sonya Fultz, Adopt A Class
Carolyn Stewart, Campbell County Area Technology Center
From Candidate to Colleague: Humanizing the Talent Journey
Children’s Room
Akshata Bhat, Per Scholas
Fuel Your Fire: Craft Your Personal Mash Bill & Brand
Computer Room
David Noe, Payroll Partners
10:50 AM
11:00 AM
11:30 AM 11:40 AM 12:10 PM 12:20 PM 12:45 PM
Break – Time to Move to Breakout #3
Breakout #3 (select one)
Driving Strategic Talent Acquisition Strategies For Success
Bronte Room, Table A
Amy Hehman, Barnes Dennig
Improving Transparency & Empathy in Modern Hiring Practices
Bronte Room, Table B
Dr. Denise Fritsch, Kenton County Public Library
Transforming Leaders into Teachers:
Using Plant Data to Build and Grow your Future Workforce
Bronte Room, Table C
Jesse Megenhardt, Amrize
Workplace Strategies For Gen Z Talent Success
Kentucky Room
Samantha Kelly, Beyond Neurodiversity
Debbie Smith, Easterseals Redwood
AI & HR Policies & Practices
Children’s Room
Rene Normand, DeanHouston, Inc.
Break – Time to Move to Breakout #4
Breakout #4 (select one)
Growing Leaders At Every Level
Bronte Room, Table A
Gary Mertz, Cardinal Compensation & Performance Consulting
Before They Quit: Signals You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Bronte Room, Table B
Rachel Folz, Cerkl
Building Work-Ready Students
Kentucky Room
Dr. Kathy Burkhardt, Learning Grove/Navigo
Sonya Fultz, Adopt A Class
Carolyn Stewart, Campbell County Area Technology Center
From Candidate to Colleague: Humanizing the Talent Journey
Children’s Room
Akshata Bhat, Per Scholas
Fuel Your Fire: Craft Your Personal Mash Bill & Brand
Computer Room
David Noe, Payroll Partners
Final Break – Return to Bronte Room
Closing Remarks, Key Takeaways
Dr. Abdullah Al Bahrani, Associate Dean
Haile College of Business at Northern Kentucky University
Wrap Up, Door Prize Drawing
` Jesse Megenhardt, EMBA Senior Plant Manager, Amrize
Transforming Leaders in Teachers: Using Plant Data to Build & Grow your Future Workforce
Synopsis: What if we saw every new hire not just as an entry-level employee, but as a future problem-solver? What if every orientation, internship, and mentorship was the first step in teaching them how to win? In today’s competitive labor market, this mindset shift is the key to building a future-ready culture and solving our retention crisis.
In this interactive roundtable, we will move beyond hiring and focus on building. We’ll discuss how to actively “build up” our next-generation workers by using our team’s performance data as a daily teaching tool. This isn’t about just showing charts in a meeting; it’s about making data actionable where the work gets done. We will explore practical methods to transform key performance indicators (KPIs) – like productivity, error rates, and quality – from abstract numbers into concrete, daily teaching moments.
As your facilitator, I’ll share my “leaders as teachers” philosophy and explain how I’ve practically connected educational outreach and work-based learning programs directly to real-time, daily coaching. We’ll discuss how to build systems like cascading performance dashboards that empower teams to see, understand, and own their performance, creating a culture of transparency and accountability where employees become truly engaged problem-solvers.
Bio: Jesse Megenhardt is an innovative Senior Plant Manager and People Leader with over 18 years of expertise in the building materials, automotive, and commercial manufacturing sectors. His leadership is defined by a “peoplefirst” philosophy, which he uses to build high-performance cultures and drive operational excellence.
Megenhardt specializes in P&L management, process optimization, and complex operational turnarounds. He has a proven track record of translating his servant leadership approach into measurable, world-class results – including multi-million-dollar cost savings, significant improvements in plant safety, and drastic reductions in quality defects.