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Be Deliberate About Your Leadership Development!
Attend WithIt's 2014 Professional Conference
Women from all segments of the home and furnishings industries are headed to Atlanta August 11-13 to take advantage of an unparalleled opportunity for personal and professional growth: WithIt's 2014 Annual Professional Conference.
"Regardless of where we are in our careers, we need to be deliberate about seizing opportunities for our own professional development," says Pat Bowling, AHFA, WithIt's Education Chair. "WithIt's annual professional conference provides the forum for women in all segments of the home industries, at all stages of their careers, to grow, build leadership skills and enrich their lives."
The 2014 event, titled "The Art & Science of Leadership," will present accomplished leaders from a variety of industries to inspire and educate attendees. Register at www.withit.org. The cost is $300 for WithIt members and $425 for non-members.
"This year's program has been carefully crafted to help attendees identify, value and cultivate a wide variety of leadership attributes," explains Conference Chair Carol Gregg, red egg. "Some of these attributes - like building rapport and influencing others - are more of an art, while others - like harnessing technology to be more productive and developing the skills needed for effective negotiating - are more of a science. "
New features within the 2014 event include a series of "expert exchange sessions" allowing attendees to gain insights and build new connections in focused topic areas, as well as "Ideas Worth Spreading!" - WithIt's take on the popular "TED Talks."
"For this rapid-fire, 45-minute session, we'll have three inspired speakers ready to take the stage and share a short, powerful message on topics ranging from reinvention to staying relevant," Gregg explains. "Their ideas will leave us smarter, happier, more productive ... or all three!"
Additional program highlights include:
 Keynote Presentation: The Art & Science of Leadership
Trish Mueller, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, The Home Depot Inc.
Trish Mueller is responsible for the strategic branding and advertising direction of The Home Depot and its subsidiaries. The road to senior leadership at the world's largest home improvement retailer has taken her through senior marketing management roles at The Sports Authority and American Signature - the $1 billion-plus furniture retailer based in Columbus, Ohio - as well as ShopNBC, a home shopping network. As our opening keynote presenter, she will share lessons from her leadership journey, including how she acquired and honed the skills to become an effective and successful leader.
 The Power of Networking: Essential Relationship-Building Inside and Outside Your Company
Helene Lollis, Partner and President, Pathbuilders
As the head of the leadership team at Pathbuilders, Helene Lollis guides strategic direction and program development and provides high level partnership with clients. Trained as a chemical engineer, she spent 12 years with Amoco and BP Corporation. She speaks frequently on the topics of mentoring, networking and career planning. Her session on networking will include an active, out-of-seat experience to enhance our Conference experience and ensure everyone leaves with new connections that will benefit them personally and professionally for many years to come.
 Industry Roundtable: What's Choking the Pipeline of Women Advancing to Senior Roles
Paula Scott Fogarty, Freelance Writer and former President of Kindel Furniture
A leader in the home and furnishings industry for 20 years, Paula Scott Fogarty served as president of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Kindel Furniture from 2000-2006, and led public relations, then sales and marketing for 12 years prior to that. She also ran a successful marketing and communications firm for four years before beginning her research for a book she is writing on the changing role of women in the furniture industry. Drawing on her own experiences, as well as the research she has thus far conducted for her book, Paula will describe some of the obstacles she has observed to women advancing in our industry. Then she'll turn her attention and expert interviewing skills to our panel of leading industry executives, from whom she'll cull additional insights on how to bridge the gender gap in the home furnishings C-suite.
Harnessing Technology to Pump Up Productivity
Evernote-sponsored Speaker (TBD)
Evernote produces business apps that help entrepreneurs, small businesses, service providers and home office workers use technology to help organize their lives. In this super-practical session, Conference attendees will learn easy ways to take control of their paper, space, time and technology to boost their productivity.
 Living a Life of Purpose: How to Volunteer, Give Back and Make an Impact
Lisa Robison and Kim Turner, Dwell With Dignity
Dwell with Dignity is a Dallas-based non-profit group of interior designers and volunteers dedicated to creating soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty. They provide and install home interiors that include furnishings, art, bedding, kitchen supplies and food for the pantry, believing that if they can change a person's surroundings, they can help change their outlook on life. Lisa and Kim will inspire us to engage and make a difference no matter where we are on our career path - entrepreneur, small company, or major corporation. Then they'll share the story of Dwell With Dignity and give us a sneak peak at their first Atlanta installation!
 In addition to this stellar speaker lineup, you won't want to miss the 2014 WithIt Appreciation Dinner, with table décor sponsored by Currey & Company and entertainment from Atlanta folk singer Amy Andrews. Born in Baltimore, Amy was brought up on the sounds of Sinatra, Bonnie Raitt, and country and blues, but she trained for a career in musical theater and classical performance. She began her journey to folk musician by cutting her teeth as the lead singer of a Baltimore folk trio, and after a few tours through the Southeast, determined that relocating to the South would be an auspicious career move.
Connect with your peers, be inspired by fresh voices, and give yourself the opportunity to see challenges in a new light. In short, be deliberate about your professional growth and personal wellbeing and attend the 2014 WithIt Professional Education Conference August 11-13 in Atlanta!
For more information and to register go to www.withit.org.
Thank you to our conference sponsors!
Havertys, BDI, American Leather, La-Z-Boy, Wright Global Graphic Solutions, Currey & Company, Whole Log Lumber, Richard Frinier Collection, Brown Jordan, Sunbrella and Century Furniture.
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