2008 Native American HR Conference

Diversity is a track of this year’s conference, and the corporate world is one segment of personnel administration which embraces diversity in its workforce. A panel is formed to speak on that topic at the conference. Leslie Witt of Wal-mart from Bentonville, AR will be a panelist; Wal-Mart being the largest employer in the country, Wal-mart will have plenty to share. Vernelle Chase, Tribal Liaison for Flintco will also be a panelist. The Flintco Companies is the largest American Indian-owned construction company in the world with annual revenues of half a billion dollars and more than 700 employees nationwide.

Diversity is a central themes to this year’s conference; one begins to find there are many ways to utilize diversity, including generational diversity. Trait Thompson is with The Persimmon Group, and adjunct faculty for Rogers State College; he will be the second day keynote for the conference. Trait has worked for the City of San Antonio in the Office of Management and Budget and completed a summer internship in the National Economic Council at the White House where he worked for the Special Assistant to the President for Financial and Tax Policy and the Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and Trade Policy. He received his Master’s degree in Public Service and Administration at Texas A&M.

The 2008 Native Human Resources Conference will finish with a general session highlighting findings from the University of Oklahoma’s Native American Studies program. The program will release and announce finding of impacts of tribal employment in the state of Oklahoma. The session will be led by Dr. Jerry Bread who is heading research among faculty and students.

Attorney Thomas Robertson of the law firm Hall Estill will speak on the topic of Union Avoidance In Tribal Business. Recent activity with the National Labor Relations Board taking on the Mashantucket Pequot’s Casino has brought new issues to the fore in the past year. All human resources professionals in tribal situation needs to be aware of NLRA enforcement and relevant do’s and don’ts. Hall Estill is national in scope with clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations and medium-sized companies to non-profit organizations, emerging businesses and individuals.

Patricia Beck, SPHR, is to keynote the 2008 Native American Human Resources Conference. Patricia is the Director of the Oklahoma State Council for HR Management and also serves as Self Employment Training Coordinator for the Economic Development Center team at the Great Plains Technology Center. She will also have a break-out session following the keynote for those interested in the Society for Human Resource Management.

Further accolades include:

· Past President of the Great Plains Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.
· 2007 SHRM Membership Advisory Council representative for Southwest Central Region.
· 2006-2008 Member of the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development and the South Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board.
· Recipient of the 2007 SBA Oklahoma and Regional Women in Business Champion
· Lawton Chamber of Commerce Red Coat, and serves on the Chamber Small Business Development Committee.
· BS in Education: Vanderbilt University

We are still adjusting the schedule and confirming speakers. The schedule is posted under agenda, but keynotes will be announced by Thursday the 11th. Break-outs sessions will be announced on Friday the 12th and as we have them confirmed after that date.

Listening to last year’s attendees, we are making a more careful selection of session speakers. We are also giving you break out sessions, allowing you personal selection on who you would like to hear.