R&R Expo and U., April 27, Focuses on Engaging Rewards Research, Trends

The latest trends and research in the rewards & recognition field will be highlighted in a comprehensive, half-day education program at the Rewards & Recognition Expo and University, April 27-28, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, part of Engagement World.

Registration is free at RandRexpo.com to qualified managers at companies that use or recommend the use of rewards & recognition to end-user clients.

The R&R Expo program will include a half-day Rewards & Recognition University; the Rewards & Recognition Expo featuring the industry’s leading brands, wholesalers and technology firms active in the field; and the Engagement Services and Technology Fairs on both days, in conjunction with the Expo.

Also free to attendees of Engagement World, including Engagement University, the E2MA Red Diamond Congress, the Loyalty Academy and all paid exhibitors, the Rewards & Recognition University education program, scheduled from 9 am-12:30 on Tuesday, April 27, will offer:

essential, fast-paced education for anyone involved with the use, purchase or sale of rewards & recognition products and services for any purpose in business.
the latest trends and research from leading resources, practitioners and experts.
best practices and key issues related to merchandise, gift cards, travel and technology.

American businesses are estimated to spend in the tens of billions of dollars on non-cash rewards annually, and yet the subject is not commonly taught in business classes. As a result, many companies make significant decisions without an adequate grounding in best practices and research. This program is designed for people who use, buy or sell non-cash rewards for incentives, recognition, fundraising or any other business purpose seeking authoritative information from research and industry leaders on best practices to maximize results.

This half-day-day program, held in conjunction with the Rewards & Recognition Expo, will enable all attendees to rapidly catch up with the latest research and best practices in all aspects of rewards & recognition, and then meet with leaders in all areas of the field. Sessions will feature a panel of experts in each category sharing their views on the latest ways organizations are using different types of rewards to engage their audiences with maximum impact.

Fast-paced education will cover every aspect of the rewards & recognition business. The program includes the opportunity for all attendees to meet individually with the leading suppliers of rewards & recognition products and services to see how these principles can be applied on the front lines. Sessions will include:

Rewards in the Era of Research. This two-part program will present the research, address what is actually happening in the marketplace and discuss how businesses can use this information to improve their programs. Speakers: Allan Schweyer, Chief Curriculum Officer of the Enterprise Engagement Alliance, and Sandi Daniel, President, Fire Light Group and outgoing Chair of the Incentive Research Foundation.
Expert Panel Discussion: How the Industry Can Use Research to Improve Program ResultsPanelists include: Mike Donnelly, President, Hinda Incentives; Elizabeth Maize, Senior Product Director, Strategic Buying, Maritz; Bruce Hollander, Senior Vice President, Don Jagoda Associates; Steve Lipic, President, Lipic’s Engagement; Ted Moravec, Vice-President Elite Creations.
Merchandise and Fulfillment, with panelists Elizabeth Maize, Senior Product Director, Strategic Buying, Maritz; Rob Purdy, President, Global Reward Solutions; Eric Anderson, Director of Sales, PMC Division of Almo; Ted Moravec, Vice President, Elite Creations.
Technology Best Practices and Trends, with panelists Jim Kilmetis, Vice President, Hinda Incentives and the URE; Randy Nobles, President, Eagle Recognition; Steve Lipic, President Lipic’s Incentives; Brian Dodds, Vice President of Sales, WorkStride.
Gift Card Best Practices and Trends, with panelist Melanie Miller-Pusateri, Senior Vice President, Frosch Rewards & Incentives, and others.
Travel and Experiential Best Practices and Trends, with moderator Allan Schweyer, EEA Curriculum Chair and IRF Research Contributor, and panelists Patty Pae, Vice President, Travelink American Express; Sandi Daniel, President, Fire Light Group and outgoing Chair of the Incentive Research Foundation; Bill McCoy, Founder, Nibble; Jean Schulte, Director of Corporate Sales, Midwest & Incentive, IfOnly.

Hands-On Engagement Services and Technology

In addition to education and exhibits, R&R Expo and Engagement World attendees alike will be able to learn about a wide variety of engagement services and technologies from nearly two dozen companies, many of them leaders in their field.

Wednesday, April 27: Engagement Services

1 pm-1:30 pm – Kevin Sheridan, Engagement Assessment and Worklife Expert

1:30 pm-2 pm – theEMPLOYEEapp, Employee Engagement Platform

2 pm-2:30 pm – Dr. Bob Nelson, Recognition Program Design Services

2:30 pm-3 pm – Culture Works, Culture and Leadership Training Program

3:00 pm-3:30 pm – Vistance, Analytics-Based Recognition Platform

3:30 pm-4 pm – Life Leadership Corporate Training

4 pm-4:30 pm – The E-Zassi Innovation Platform

4:30 pm-5 pm – The Vestrics Predictative Analytics Platform

Thursday, April 28: Incentive and Recognition Technology

9 am-9:30 am – Carlton Group, Power2 Motivate Platform

9:30 am-10 am – WorkStride Incentive and Recognition Platform