SPEAKERS
ERIC CHESTER
There is a war for talent taking place on a global scale, and the future belongs to forward-thinking organizations that are focused on creating and sustaining a dynamic and compelling workplace culture.
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Since 1998, Eric Chester has been the leading voice in attracting, managing, motivating, and retaining the emerging workforce. As an in-the-trenches workplace researcher and thought-leader, Chester has cracked the code on the tactics and strategies companies that are recognized as “best places to work” in their respective industries are using to win the talent wars.
On Fire at Work: How Great Companies Ignite Passion in Their People without Burning Them Out (2015) is Eric’s 4th leadership book, featuring top-tier leaders of the world's best places to work who share their best practice strategies for getting employees to work harder, perform better, and stay longer.
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His previous release, Reviving Work Ethic – A Leader’s Guide to Ending Entitlement and Restoring Pride in the Workforce (2012) is the first business book on developing soft skills and core work ethic values since 1904. He is the Founder of The Center for Work Ethic Development and created a work ethic training curriculum that is being taught at hundreds of schools, colleges, workforce centers, and organizations all over the world.
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Eric Chester has delivered more than 3000 paid keynote speeches on three continents and is a 2004 inductee into the National Speakers Association’s acclaimed Hall of Fame. Companies that have invited Eric back multiple times to keynote annual conventions, conferences and meetings include Harley Davidson, McDonald’s, Sprint, Great Clips, and ALCOA, to name a few.
SUSAN STEINBRECHER
Susan Steinbrecher, an internationally acclaimed executive coach, speaker and author, is president and CEO of Steinbrecher And Associates, Inc. a management consulting firm that provides professional development services in the areas of executive coaching, group facilitation, and leadership training.
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Susan works with senior executives and their organizations to develop and implement innovative and profit-building solutions to address the challenges of leadership, operations, human resources and training. The company recently launched Meaningful
Alignment -- a program committed to healing the social divide, one conversation at a time. Meaningful Alignment provides the tools and training to handle high stakes interactions when emotions run high, and viewpoints differ.
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Susan’s expertise has positively impacted companies worldwide, including Aaron’s, ABC Companies, Bank of America, BNSF Railway, Bell Helicopter, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Brinker International, BP, Capital One, Concentra, CVS/Caremark, Delta Airlines, Disney Worldwide Services, Hilton Worldwide, Marriott, Miraval Spa and Resorts, Raising Cane’s, Seneca Gaming and Starbucks Coffee Company.
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Prior to founding Steinbrecher And Associates in 1992, Susan was a rising star with one of the country’s best-known hotel chains for fourteen years. She went from entry level to the chain’s youngest General Manager in history to leading the strategic training and development initiatives.
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Susan is the co-author of Heart-Centered Leadership: Lead Well Live Well, and Roadmap to Success. She is also the author of Amazon best-seller, KENSHO: A Modern Awakening, Instigating Change in an Era of Global Renewal.
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Susan is an Inc.com columnist, Entrepreneur.com contributor and Huffington Post blogger. Her work has been featured on MSNBC’s Your Business, Behind the Scenes with James Earl Jones, The New York Times, Fortune Small Business Magazine, BusinessInsider.com, CNBC.com and CNNMoney.com.
HOWARD BEHAR
Howard Behar is the former president of Starbucks Coffee Company North America and Starbucks Coffee International. He joined Starbucks in 1989 when the company had just begun to venture outside the Northwest region. Initially serving as vice president of sales and operations, he grew the retail business from 28 stores to more than 400 stores by the time he was named president of Starbucks Coffee International in 1995. Under Behar’s leadership, Starbucks opened its first location in Tokyo in 1996. Following this historic opening, over the next three years he introduced the Starbucks brand across Asia and the United Kingdom. After a two-year hiatus, he returned to Starbucks as President of Starbucks North
America until his retirement in January 2003. He was a director of the Company from 1996 to 2008.
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Howard Behar began his career in the furniture business where he discovered it was the people he loved, not the furniture. His sense of the customers as people, his concern for their needs, and his experience of being a part of people’s dreams for their homes and their lives helped him make the next successive moves in his retail career.
A frequent speaker on the topics of organizational and personal leadership, Mr. Behar serves on several profit and nonprofit boards, including Anna's Linens, Sterling Savings Bank, Education Elements and the advisory boards of Anthos Capital and Roadtrip Nation. His non-profit commitments are to the University of Washington Foundation, Global Compassion Council and the Biller Family Foundation. He is sponsoring a joint educational initiative with the University of Washington School of Social Work and the Business School. He also served as the Fritsky Leadership Chair 2008-2009 at the UW's Foster School of Business. He lives in Seattle with his wife, Lynn, and he loves boating and spending time with his children and young grandchildren.