West Palm Beach, Florida -- October 20, 2009 -- Workforce Alliance is sponsoring the appearance of nationally known authorities on workforce issues at a Palm Beach County Workforce Leadership Forum on January 27 and the fourth annual Workforce Summit in May 2010.  Each event will address topics pertaining to workforce issues commonly faced by employers.

Kathryn Schmidt, President and Chief Executive of Workforce Alliance, said, “We are fortunate to be able to host two outstanding speakers who will provide solutions and unique insight for employers facing workforce challenges.  The vision, principles and ideas to be presented during these events will contribute to our workforce development planning process for the continued growth of the Palm Beach County’s economic and business interests.”

The events are a continuation of the Workforce Forums and Summits of the past three years and are open to all businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, employers and community organizations that wish to participate.  The series of events is intended to identify breakthrough solutions to workforce issues and identify the knowledge, skills and abilities that employers will require in the future.

The opening Workforce Leadership Forum will be held at 7:30 a.m., January 27, 2010 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach with continental breakfast included for attendees.  The cost is $35 per attendee, with a discount for purchasing an entire table. Leadership Palm Beach County and WPBF 25 are partnering with Workforce Alliance to bring Marianne Jennings to the County.

Ms. Jennings is the author of the book, “The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse,” and has authored hundreds of articles for academic, professional and trade journals. Currently she has six textbooks and monographs in circulation and she is a member of the Department of Management in the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.  She has done consulting work for Boeing, Dial Corporation, the Cities of Phoenix, Mesa, and Tucson, Coca-Cola, DuPont, AES, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Motorola, Mattel, Pepsi, Hy-Vee Foods, and IBM.

Her columns have been syndicated around the country, and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Reader’s Digest. She has been a commentator on business issues on All Things Considered for National Public Radio and has appeared on CNBC, CBS This Morning, the Today Show, and CBS Evening News.

Palm Beach County’s fourth annual Workforce Summit will be held at the Kravis Center on May 7, 2010.  The principle speaker will be Geoffrey Colvin, the author of “Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else” and “The Upside of the Downturn: Ten Management Strategies to Prevail in the Recession and Thrive in the Aftermath.”

The Summit includes a full breakfast, participation in the seminar and a copy of the book, “Talent is Overrated,” and will cost $50 per person with a discount for advance registration for individuals for both events and for the purchase of an entire table.  Advance reservations may be made for both or each individual event on line at the website: www.pbcalliance.com, or by calling 561-340-1060, extension 2373.

Workforce Alliance is the non-profit company chartered by the State of Florida to develop and manage a workforce system in Palm Beach County.   It operates three Career Centers and Professional Placement Centers and offers its professional services to all employers and job seekers in the County.  The Forums and Summit fulfill Workforce Alliance’s role as the convener of the County’s leadership to develop workforce solutions that will contribute to the continued economic growth of Palm Beach County.