Name: Kevin Jeffrey
Organization: Pointbreak Consulting Group
Title: Principal
BC HRMA Region: Coastal Vancouver
Kevin Jeffrey is on the Executive Steering Committee for Conference 2010.
How did you get into HR?
I started my career in a finance role working as an underwriter for employee benefit programs. As my career evolved I moved into a consulting role designing benefit and pension programs and advising clients on HR practices
How did you get involved with the BC HRMA conference?
I had stepped off BC HRMA’s Board of Directors and was asked to speak at conference a couple of years ago. I was then asked to sit on the Executive Steering Committee.
What do you look for in a speaker?
We look for speakers who are engaging and have an important message to deliver.
For speakers who are delivering tactical knowledge, we look for an interesting presentation style and the ability to deliver the program in such a manner so that participants will have immediate take-aways for use in their organization.
For keynote speakers we look for innovative ideas and broad big-picture thinking. We ask the speaker to challenge us.
How many conferences have you been involved with? How many conferences have you attended?
The 2010 conference is my second year on the Executive Steering Committee. I have been involved in conference a number of times over the last 15 years as a presenter and on various program committees. I have probably attended 10-12 conferences.
What makes a good/successful conference?
A conference is successful for me if I come away with one or two great ideas. I enjoy speakers who force me to question my assumptions and cause me to think about something in a completely different way.
Why would you encourage people to attend this conference?
The conference allows you to customize a program to fit your needs and goals. There are grand mind-stretching ideas, and the opportunity to develop practical hands-on tools to deliver immediate value to your organization.
Any words of wisdom to share or anything to add?
Don’t just be an observer at the conference, be an active participant. Seek out new ideas, seek out new contacts. You can learn from a great speaker and you can learn from an active conversation with your peers over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Use every opportunity to create a conference that works for you.