Wednesday, August 9 | 1:00 PM
Scott Blair
The Future Won't Wait: Tackling Construction's Biggest Issues Today to Make for a Better Tomorrow
Scott Blair serves as editor-in-chief of Engineering News-Record, including all editorial print and digital products, websites, videos, podcasts and events. Published by BNP Media, ENR's predecessor magazines date back nearly 150 years. Winner of multiple awards from Jesse H. Neal, Construction Media Alliance, Construction Working Minds, AZBEES and The Telly Awards for his writing, editing, photography and videography, Blair frequently posts in-depth project tour videos and interviews with industry leaders on ENR's video channel. In 2023, Blair was selected as the McAllister Editorial Fellow, which promotes the study of business media by placing fellows as teachers and advisors at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He applies his 25 years of experience covering the construction industry as a frequent speaker and moderator on topics such as diversity and inclusion, design and jobsite technology, construction means and methods and marketing. Blair has spent more than 30 years working in almost every facet of media and publishing, including radio, film, television, print and digital media, music composition and public speaking.
Thursday, August 10 | 8:15 AM
Richard van der blom
LinkedIn, the Power Platform for Business Growth
Join us for an informative keynote on why LinkedIn is no longer just a social media platform, but a powerful business tool that every company needs to leverage. Richard will discuss the five pitfalls that often hold back companies in the construction, architecture and engineering industries from achieving success on LinkedIn, as well as the key element necessary for a successful LinkedIn strategy: your employees.
You'll also learn about how to have a successful LinkedIn content strategy, including the rise of AI-powered solutions such as ChatGPT. Our speaker will share valuable tips on how to make the most of the LinkedIn algorithm to boost your views, engagement, and conversions, resulting in more business opportunities and leads.
Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical advice that will help your company succeed on LinkedIn and beyond.
Richard van der Blom is the Founder/CEO of Just Connecting HUB, an international operating agency providing Virtual & Social Selling LinkedIn training and consultancy. Since 2010 he has provided training and sessions for over 250.000 professionals and served more than 850 companies worldwide. Amongst his clients are companies like Nestlé, NetApp, InterSystems, Salesforce, TEVA, Philips and many more. Author of 200 blogs and reports on Social Selling & LinkedIn, and publisher of the annual LinkedIn Algorithm Report.
Friday, August 11 | 9:00 AM
Jennifer Newman
Raise Your Resiliency
Resilience is defined as an ability successfully adapt or withstand misfortune or change. When we experience disruption, some organizations freeze and fail while others innovate, advance, and even thrive. The difference is resilience. This calls for leaders to build organizational resilience to ensure long-term viability by fostering a change-ready culture to lead through disruption.
Similarly, in life, the ability to cope with personal challenges often requires an inner strength that supports an individual’s ability to rebound and recover—also referred to as resilience. Resilient people don't dwell on misfortune, change, or failure; rather, they acknowledge the situation, learn from it, and move forward. While many of us have some level of natural resiliency, it is a skill that can be improved upon with practice. When you replace “Why is this happening to me?” with “What is this trying to teach me?,” everything shifts.
Jen Newman, FSMPS, CPSM, a 25-year A/E/C veteran will share lessons she learned in resiliency through her experience navigating the challenges of starting and growing a business during the COVID pandemic while coping with a cancer diagnosis and the aftermath of treatment two years later that anyone can apply in business or life.
Friday, August 11 | 12:15 pm
Kelly TSAO
Future Thinking in an Uncertain World: A Lightweight Method for Strategic Foresight
What do you do when tomorrow is nothing like yesterday? Nobody can predict the future, but strategic foresight helps us proactively move toward preferred futures instead of blindly reacting to emergencies. Through futures thinking, Kelly Tsao makes strategic foresight accessible to a wider audience the same way that design thinking democratizes design practices. Learn methods such as trend analysis, scenario planning, and back-casting to bring futurism to your everyday life and work.
Kelly Tsao is a UX designer, researcher, and futurist specializing in complex digital services. She has a broad skillset in user research, interaction design, visual design, service design, and visual facilitation, which comes from her previous work experience in financial services, healthcare, and government. Kelly is passionate about topics on the bleeding edge of design and technology, such as human-AI collaboration, systems thinking, and strategic foresight.
