Laura Stack is America's Premier Expert in Productivity™. In 1992, Laura founded her company, The Productivity Pro, Inc., which specializes in business performance, strategy execution, and employee productivity. As a highly-regarded speaker and author, Laura shares her vision and methodologies around the globe on creating Maximum Results in Minimum Time®. A sought-after thought leader, Laura writes on high-performance cultures, human potential, and peak performance in her columns in The Business Journal, Success, Training, Productive, and Time Management Magazines. Widely regarded as one of the leading experts in the field of human performance and workplace issues, Laura has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Forbes magazine. Laura is bestselling author of six books by major publishers including Random House, Wiley, and Berrett-Koehler, most recently Execution IS the Strategy.

Follow Laura on Twitter @laurastack.

Steve is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and was recognized in 2015 as one of the top 10 motivational speakers globally from over 9,000 candidates.

In addition to being one of the most sought-after speakers in North America, he has written 11 books and was named Author of the Year by Advantage/Forbes for his book Enjoy The Ride.

Steve built a multimillion-dollar company, which the Pittsburgh Business Times named one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the region. Steve is one of SHRM’s top-rated speakers. This is his 18th consecutive year speaking at the SHRM Conference.

 

James is a rare mix of management consultant, change specialist, adventurer and motivational speaker. James helps turn busy and over-worked managers into inspirational leaders.

Brad is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and executive coach, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, and USA Today. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial’s Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management, which you can read in Mandarin (assuming you can read Mandarin).

Prior to creating JB, Brad spent 15 years at advertising agency Leo Burnett in Chicago. Today, Brad presents for major organizations including Eli Lilly, Securitas, Top Tier Capital Partners, and Saint Laurent. When he’s not enjoying a robust buffet, you can find Brad playing racquetball or drafting the perfect fantasy football roster. Brad is left-handed.

Cathy is a former educator, wellness/employee assistance coordinator, and Kansas City Chiefs NFL Cheerleader. Cathy engages audiences in an experiential way to laugh, explore and engage in content. Through her dynamic and interactive presentations, Cathy helps people take the risk to stretch themselves farther—handling change, performance improvement, wellness, or work/life balance with confidence. Cathy is the author of three books: RISK IT, It Takes Character, and Living in Full Swing.

Will Knecht is the CEO of Wendell August, America's oldest and largest forge, producing hand-wrought ornamental giftware in aluminum and other metals since 1923. On March 2010, two days after receiving its largest order ever, a fire destroyed millions of dollars in equipment and materials, their offices and their flagship store. Instead of ceding to the devastation, Wendell August Forge upped its workforce, struck distribution deals with 600 stores nationwide and broke ground on a new facility. While Will Knecht credits divine intervention and a supportive staff and community for his company's revival, he said rising from the ashes challenged him to take Wendell August Forge higher than it had ever been before. "We were forced to rethink how we did business and what we were as a company. We already had a solid foundation of incredible customers and loyal employees, but suddenly we had an absolute blank canvas to paint on," Will says. "Our insurance team told us to prepare to be out of business for nine months. But the team, the community, all of Western Pennsylvania rallied together, and we had the workshop up and going in five days."

JoAnn Corley is an experienced human resource professional and a dynamic, inspiring speaker-trainer, author & coach. She has a contagious passion and energy for the topics she teaches and has shared that passion with thousands through-out North America specializing in seminars on Effective Management and Leadership, Time & Organizational Management, Personal Empowerment, Emotional Intelligence, Creative and Innovative Thinking,  Team Productivity & Collaboration. She has the unique distinction of having conducted seminars in every state in the U.S. and every major city.

She is author of the newly released book, Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed, How to Manage Your Time, Space, & Priorities to Work Smart, Get Results, & Be Happy, Wisdom@Work and The 1% Edge – Power Strategies to Increase Your Management Effectiveness. She is also contributing author to the book, Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Success, a collaborative effort with some of the top female motivational speakers in North American and hailed by Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame as a must read.

Mr. Wilkinson is the Managing Director of Leadership Strategies, Inc. - a leadership training and strategy consulting firm specializing in group facilitation. He is considered a national leader in the facilitation industry. • Author of The Secrets of Facilitation and The Secrets to Masterful Meetings. • Board member of the International Institute for Facilitation. • Founder of the FindaFacilitator database. • One of the first five Certified Master Facilitators in North America. • Named Facilitator of the Year in 2003 by the Southeast Association of Facilitators. Active in both the private and public sectors, he has provided leadership training and strategy development assistance to such diverse organizations as The Coca-Cola Company, Unisys, Sears, EPA, CDC, KPMG Peat Marwick, and the American Cancer Society. Mr. Wilkinson is a much sought after facilitator, trainer and speaker, both in the U.S. and around the globe. He has completed international assignments in Bangkok, Brisbane, Glasgow, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Milan, Singapore, Sydney and Wellington. Past participants have commented that his dynamic presentation style, combined with his unique insights, make for an intense, power-packed session. Prior to Leadership Strategies, Mr. Wilkinson spent six years with ADP and eight years in the information technology practice of Ernst & Young's Manage¬ment Consulting Group. He is a High Honors graduate from Dartmouth and resides with his wife and two children in Atlanta.