March 12, 2026 | Member Breakfast

March 12, 2026 | Member Breakfast

Ravenna, OH

Join us on Thursday, March 12, 2026 for our Member Breakfast!

About The Event: This is part of our Member Meeting Networking and Learning Series. The purpose of the meeting is to welcome new and returning members as well as guests, provide updates on SHRM Portage County activities, and listen to a speaker present on an HR topic of interest to our membership.

Agenda:

• 7:15am - Registration Opens
• 7:30am - Networking & Lunch
• 7:50am - Announcements
• 8:00am - Presentation Begins

Session Title: Attracting, Engaging and Retaining

Session Description: In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, securing and retaining skilled talent isn’t just an HR priority — it’s a business imperative. Organizations that successfully build a strong, stable pipeline of trained workers position themselves for greater productivity, innovation, and long-term success.

Join us for an insightful session with Tooling U-SME Workforce Development Specialist, Denise Cowburn, as she explores practical, proven strategies to strengthen your workforce from the ground up.

What You'll Learn

• Discuss Current Trends in Attraction and Retention
• Understand the impact of the multigenerational workforce. Explore the latest trends in attracting and retaining talent within a multigenerational workforce.
• Leverage findings from recent Retention Reports: Review recent retention reports and learn how they highlight the business case for investing in learning and development initiatives.
• Examine Best Practices in Onboarding and Training: Discuss effective onboarding and on-the-job training strategies that can directly enhance retention and employee engagement.

Speaker Bio: Denise Cowburn is a Senior Workforce Development Specialist at Tooling U-SME, bringing over 25 years of experience in learning and development within the manufacturing industry. Her background combines deep expertise in workforce training with hands-on experience, including the management of her family’s small machine shop for several years.

For the past 14 years, Denise has led the successful implementation of workforce education and skills development programs for corporations around the world, empowering employees and driving business results. A recognized thought leader, she regularly speaks nationwide on emerging trends and best practices that help manufacturers attract, engage, and retain top talent. She currently resides in Ohio.

Thank you to our sponsors!