Buffalo/Niagara ExecuNet

Upcoming Speakers and Topics:

Friday, April 9, 2010 at Hilbert College (8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
"Don't Interview - AUDITION!"

Nicole Fiorella, Vice President and International Recruitment Specialist
Briand Fiorella Search, Inc.,

Nicole will share with us her secrets to “ace” any job interview. She will tell us about the importance of planning an “agenda” of your accomplishments to discuss during your interviews, preparing specific examples that support your agenda, addressing "soft spots" in your background and experience, and presenting your “agenda” persuasively and in a natural style.  She will also discuss how to express your value proposition in a concise, impactful, and memorable “two-minute commercial.”

Briand Fiorella Search, Inc. is an international executive search firm specializing in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical industries in the areas of sales, sales management, sales training, medical science liaisons, managed care and marketing. Nicole Fiorella joined Paul Briand in 1996, and established herself as one of the top pharmaceutical and biotech recruiters in the country.   Through the First Interview Network, Nicole has won the Individual Excellence Award for recruiting every year consecutively since 1998.

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Friday, May 14, 2010 at Hilbert College (8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
"Leveraging the Leader Within"
Jerry Lojacono, President
Performance Remedy

Jerry will discuss key areas of effective leadership development, with emphasis on the following questions:  Are leaders born or made?  What leadership characteristics are most important in the current challenging economic times? What’s holding you back from tapping your leadership potential?  What can you do to become a better leader?

Jerry's company, Performance Remedy, focuses on providing solutions in the areas of leadership development, sales effectiveness, executive coaching, and teamwork. Jerry brings more than 20 years of practical real world experience in helping organizations improve the effectiveness of their people as they strive for targeted business objectives in highly competitive environments. He has extensive experience in needs assessment, solution development and solution implementation.

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Past Meeting Speakers and Topics (2009 - 2010):

Friday, March 12, 2009

Elizabeth Vealey, Branch Manager, Robert Half International (www.RHI.com)

Devin Stelljes, Division Director, Robert Half Management Resources (www.RHMR.com)

Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, and a recognized global leader in professional staffing and consulting services, with 2009 revenues of $3 billion and operations in more than 400 locations worldwide. Elizabeth Vealey, Branch Manager of Robert Half International in Buffalo, NY, and Devin Stelljes, Division Director of Robert Half Management Resources, will discuss the outlook for permanent, temporary staffing, and consulting services in the Buffalo community.

Friday, February 12, 2009
“Help Your Next Employer to Improve Profitability”
Julie Stiles, President
Acuity Business Consulting, LLC

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust

In this recession, most companies have already done the “quick fix” cost cutting, such as reducing headcount, travel, and training. What can you bring to the table to help your next employer improve profitability? Julie Stiles will show you how the use of Activity-Based Cost Management techniques will help you to “see with new eyes” the real sources of profit and cost - information you can use to develop strategies for improving business performance in a meaningful way. Profitability isn't just the CFO's issue; it's the responsibility of executives in every discipline. Join us for an interesting, interactive discussion of the “ABC's” of profitability management.

Friday, January 8, 2010
“Best Practices in Executive Job Search”
Beth Stefani, Executive Career Coach
President, Inspire Careers, Inc.

“You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish, if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose” - Abraham Lincoln

Persistence and determination are keys to a successful job search. You also need to have the right tools, and be able to launch and manage your search using your time and resources in the most effective manner. Beth Stefani will discuss executive job search strategies that work - and solicit your participation in sharing “best practices” that have worked for you and others who have “landed” new opportunities. During the discussion, we will develop - together - a complete listing of resources and strategies that are “best practices” for executives in career transition.

Friday, December 11, 2009
“Storytelling as a Vital Job Search Tool”
Robert Durante, Business Services Specialist
Buffalo & Erie Co. Workforce Development Consortium

“Those who do not have power over the story that dominates their lives, the power to retell it, rethink it, deconstruct it, joke about it, and change it as times change, truly are powerless, because they cannot think new thoughts” - Salman Rushdie

The need to master the art of narrative, the ability to tell a story and infuse it with meaning, is particularly essential for executive-level job seekers and their counterparts who are employed. This presentation will demonstrate that, when it comes to persuading and motivating people, provoking thought by involving an audience in a readily identifiable narrative, complete with character, setting, action and climactic moments, can give job seekers an edge in winning the trust and confidence of a prospective employer. For employers, stories can also be effective tools for people management and developing and maintaining client trust.

Friday, November 13, 2009
“Strategic Networking - An Overview”
Sue Schnorr, President
Training Insights, Inc.

As an executive in transition, you need a strategic system and an opportunity to hone your skills so you get the appropriate results and offers. In this overview, we'll look at the steps successful executives have taken to land their next great career opportunity. At this presentation, you will:

• Learn what to do and say to build relationships with current contacts.
• Attract career opportunities, future clients and cultivate referral sources for the company you will lead.
• Begin to map out a plan for designing your unique networking strategy.
• Learn the 3 key moments that happen in every relationship
• Tell success stories that help people know how to use your expertise
• Steer "small talk" toward opportunities, referrals, and resources
• Advance through the 5 stages in a relationship

Friday, October 9, 2009
“Franchising A to Z”
Dean LoBrutto, Franchise Consultant
The Entrepreneur Authority Consulting Group

Dean LoBrutto from The Entrepreneur Authority Consulting Group will present Franchising A to Z, a comprehensive overview of the finer points of franchising.

Dean will share information about this dynamic yet misunderstood industry. Did you know there are over 5,000 franchise concepts and that over 50% of all retail dollars are spent at a franchise? For those interested in learning more about franchising and other forms of self employment you won't want to miss this.

In this brief presentation you will learn:

• Industry trends and mistakes to avoid
• What are “Zee's and Zor's” and how to tell a good one from a bad one
• Myths and buyer frustrations
• Legal and lending issues related to self employment, franchise and otherwise

Friday, September 11, 2009
“Using LinkedIn to Accelerate Your Search”
Greg Taylor, AKA Sir LinkedAlot
Managing Partner/Recruiter - Excelsior Search Partners

Greg Taylor from Excelsior Search Partners, and AKA “Sir LinkedAlot,” will present on how to use LinkedIn, an online social networking tool, to widen your network, stay better connected, promote yourself, and build your brand.

Greg will provide an overview of the features and functions of LinkedIn, with emphasis on those elements of LinkedIn which are often overlooked by most users when fast-forward building their networks. Greg believes that, by using ALL of the features on LinkedIn, you can dramatically accelerate your results.

In this brief presentation you will learn:

• Why LinkedIn is a critical tool for building your career.
• What matters most in your Profile.
• How to customize your LinkedIn experience using Settings.
• How to share your expertise and gain recognition using Answers.
• How to use LinkedIn features and functions that are most overlooked by LinkedIn members.

Friday, June 12, 2009
“The Importance of 'Mind Set' in the Job Search”
Bill Knoche, High Performance Coach
President, Integra Enterprises

What does “Mind Set” have to do with the job search? You might be concerned with the economic downturn, the fierce competition for jobs, and the discouraging results of your current search efforts. How are you selling yourself? Are you “sold” on yourself? What's your mind set? What's your plan?

Bill Knoche, High Performance Coach, and his team at Integra Enterprises, help business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales people move their businesses from Good to Great! He will help you understand the power of your mind - and how to use that power to transform your job search from a painful struggle to a personal success through the use of your mind. Bill says “You either use your mind or your mind will use you,” and since 95% of the unconscious brain operates on auto pilot, there is bit of work to do if you are going to take the controls back.

Are you thinking any thoughts that don't serve you? If you are, you are not alone... most people are. Come find out how important Mind Set is to your success in your job search!

Friday, May 8, 2009
“Personal Branding and Your Search Identity”
Beth Stefani, Executive Career Strategist
President, Inspire Careers, Inc.

In today's competitive marketplace, your success in managing your career is dependent upon your ability to understand and express what is unique about you. Beth will discuss how to build, communicate, and manage your “personal brand,” by understanding your unique attributes - your strengths, skills, values, and passions - and by using this information as you communicate your unique promise of value. We will use real-life examples (Beth's clients!) to illustrate how others have been successful building and managing their personal brands.

Past Speakers and Topics (2003 to 2005):

From 2003 to 2005, we held ExecuNet Executive Networking Meetings in Batavia, New York, drawing executives and professionals from the Buffalo/Niagara region and the Rochester/Finger Lakes region. Some of our past speakers and topics have included:

Steve Conner - “Market Yourself: You're a Big Ticket Item!”
Steve Conner & Associates
Business Brokers New York

Rob Eimer - “Franchise Ownership - A Solution for Career-Minded Executives”
Business Consultant, The Entrepreneur's Source

Richard Glaser - “Venture Capital and the Executive Job Market”
Managing Partner, Village Ventures (currently a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch)

Jack McGowan - “Emerging Business Opportunities in WNY”
President, WNY Venture Association
Principal at Insyte Consulting
(Former Director of WNY Technology Development Center)

Panel Discussion - “Economic Development in Western New York”
Victoria Pratt, Managing Director Business Development, Greater Rochester Enterprise; Ed Flynn, Director of Community Development, City of Batavia; Jerry Murphy, Executive Vice President, Buffalo/Niagara Enterprise

Vincent Papi - “Interim Executive Management - A New Business Model”
Managing Director, Boyden Interim Management

Recruiter Panel - “Meet the Recruiters”
Featuring respected recruiters from the Buffalo and Rochester area

Ed Ryan - “Executive Coaching - A Career Management Strategy”
Executive Coach, E.J. Ryan & Associates (Deceased)

Beth Stefani - “Roundtable: Employer Direct Mail & Recruiter Campaigns”
Executive Career Coach, President, Inspire Careers, Inc.

Beth Stefani - “Federal Jobs for Executives”
Executive Career Coach, President, Inspire Careers, Inc.

Beth Stefani - “Personal Branding and the Executive Job Search”
Executive Career Coach, President, Inspire Careers, Inc.