Aligning Disability with the Bottom Line: Talent, Market Share, and Supplier Diversity
September 19-22 | Chicago, IL | Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel

The 2010 USBLN® Annual Conference & Expo Aligning Disability with the Bottom Line: Talent, Market Share, and Supplier Diversity is the preeminent national employer-to-employer event that taps into the vast economic potential of people with disabilities. This conference brings corporate, government, disability-owned businesses and BLN affiliates together to create workplaces, marketplaces, and supply chains where people with disabilities are fully included as professionals, customers and entrepreneurs.

(DOC | PDF) - View Postcard

Join us in Chicago, Illinois on September 19-22, 2010 for the US Business Leadership Network’s 13th Annual Conference at the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago Hotel. Enjoy all the best Chicago has to offer including fine dining, world-famous museums, legendary entertainment, and much more.

Registration is available online through September 15,
and then onsite on September 19-22!

The 2010 USBLN® Annual Conference & Expo provides valuable information to participants:

	•	Attendance of over 500-600 senior business executives, government and community leaders;
	•	Tiered educational sessions taught by industry leaders on Talent, Market Share and Supplier Diversity and experts from the USBLN® and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN);
	•	BLN Affiliate meetings and specialized pre-conference sessions;
	•	Key information on how to bring full inclusion to supply chains by integrating certified disability-owned businesses through the USBLN® Disability Supplier Diversity Program;
	•	Entrepreneurs with a disability will learn how to enhance their access to business development opportunities through certification by the USBLN® Disability Supplier Diversity Program;
	•	Tools and strategies to expand internship and mentoring programs to include students with disabilities through the USBLN® TOWER Initiative;
	•	Opportunities to network with corporate Employee Resource Group representatives;
	•	The Expo features companies whose services will be of great interest to our attendees, and federal agencies committed to hiring people with disabilities;
	•	Opportunities to educate the Obama Administration on strengthening workforce programs designed to assist people with disabilities find gainful employment;
	•	2010 USBLN® Annual Leadership Awards;
	•	Special events and networking opportunities throughout the conference;
	•	And much more!

2010 Programming:

	•	Talent: Encompassing Operations and Human Resources from Recruitment through Retention - Hear other companies explain the success they have had in employing people with disabilities within their operations. These sessions will focus on how including people with disabilities and expanding diversity improves your bottom line. Your company can also gain by targeting all aspects of the disability workforce, including youth preparedness, disabled Veterans and additional talent sourcing. Understand the ROI for hiring, promoting and retaining employees with disabilities and discover solutions to common challenges including transportation and universal access. Learn how to help others in your organization understand this business imperative through the creation and development of disability-focused Employee Resource Groups and much more.
	•	Market Share - Learn key trends, strategies and dynamic practices on how to effectively market to consumers with disabilities, while also making marketing more accessible and tapping into a loyal consumer base. Find out about improvements to product development that supports enhanced customer experiences for the disability community and how to tap into a customer base with $220 billion in spendable, discretionary income.
	•	Supplier Diversity - Enhance your corporation’s diversity and inclusion efforts by including businesses owned by entrepreneurs with disabilities in your supplier diversity program. Learn the business case and strategy for the inclusion of certified disability-owned businesses, and begin building relationships with certified businesses in attendance. Discover how certification can benefit your disability-owned business. Network with other entrepreneurs with disabilities.
	•	JAN’s Accommodation Solutions for Business - Discover cutting-edge job accommodation solutions from senior JAN Consultants. Legislative changes effecting disability employment practices will also be explored. Job Accommodation Network (JAN) sessions within the Talent track are designed to significantly increase participants’ knowledge base and skills regarding reasonable accommodation solutions, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its recent Amendments.

PLUS

•

Pre- and post- Conference sessions for Affiliate Chief Volunteer Officers and Chief Staff Officers.

Who Should Attend?

	•	Professionals with disabilities
	•	Employee-Resources Groups (ERGs)
	•	Entrepreneurs with disabilities
	•	HR Professionals
	•	Diversity Professionals
	•	Hiring managers and Corporate Decision Makers
	•	Procurement professionals using the disability-owned businesses in their supply chain
	•	Marketing representatives interested in targeting people with disabilities
	•	Youth with disabilities – community affairs, mentoring
	•	Government – Procurement and HR professionals
	•	Universal Design and Technology professionals
	•	Job Accommodation professionals
	•	Affiliates

USBLN® 2010 Annual Conference & Expo: 30 Days Left to Register

WASHINGTON, DC (August 10, 2010) - The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) will host its 13th Annual Conference & Expo on September 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois. Registration for the four-day conference including over 40 educational sessions, Expo, special events and many meals is the low rate of $395.00. There are 30 days remaining for online registration which will close on September 10, 2010. Single day rates and an additional discount are offered for two or more attendees from the same organization. For more information about the conference or to register, please visit www.usblnannualconference.org. (DOC | PDF)

USBLN® 2010 Annual Conference & Expo: Last Chance for Discounted Early-bird Rate

WASHINGTON, DC (July 14, 2010) – The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) will host its 13th Annual Conference & Expo on September 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois. Attendees are encouraged to register today and take advantage of their early-bird rate of $325.00 through July 15, registration increases to $395.00 thereafter. (DOC | PDF)

Agenda Now Available for the USBLN® 2010 Annual Conference & Expo

WASHINGTON, DC (July 8, 2010) - The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) has posted its agenda with confirmed sessions and speakers to date for its 13th Annual Conference & Expo being held on September 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois. To view the agenda, please visit: www.usblnannualconference.org/agenda.html. (DOC | PDF)

US Business Leadership Network Announces Confirmed Outstanding Speakers for its 2010 Annual Conference: 15 Days Left for Discounted Early-bird Rate

WASHINGTON, DC (July 1, 2010) - The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) announces a dynamic line-up of speakers to date for its 2010 Annual Conference, "Aligning Disability with the Bottom Line: Talent, Market Share, and Supplier Diversity" being held on September 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois. The conference will offer informative and valuable general plenary and breakout sessions with the following outstanding speakers confirmed to date (line-up subject to change without notice): (DOC | PDF)

USBLN® 2010 Annual Conference & Expo: 30 Days Left for Discounted Early-bird Rate

WASHINGTON, DC (June 15, 2010) - The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) will host its 13th Annual Conference & Expo on September 19-22, 2010 at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel located in Chicago, Illinois. Conference registration is now open with an early-bird rate for the four-day conference including over 30 educational sessions, Expo, special events and many meals for $325.00. After July 15, 2010 the rate increases to $395.00. As an added incentive to the $70.00 discount off the standard conference registration, early registrants will be entered to win fabulous prizes. Single day rates and an additional discount are offered for two or more attendees from the same organization. For more information about the conference or to register, please visit www.usblnannualconference.org. (DOC | PDF)

EXPIRED:  Call for Speaker Presentations at the 2010 USBLN® Annual Conference & Expo

WASHINGTON, DC (April 13, 2010) – The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) invites interested speakers to share their experience and expertise with their colleagues at the 2010 USBLN® Annual Conference & Expo, “Aligning Disability with the Bottom Line: Talent, Market Share, and Supplier Diversity” at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel in Chicago, Illinois on September 19th – 22nd. The deadline for proposal submission is May 10, 2010. More than one presentation may be submitted for consideration; however, one form per presentation must be completed.

The USBLN® has a tradition of using educational conference sessions as a platform for innovation in the areas of employment and advancement of people with disabilities; the preparedness for work of youth and students with disabilities; marketing to consumers with disabilities; contracting with vendors with disabilities and in the inclusion of disability-owned businesses in supply chains. The USBLN® strives to offer a balanced program by selecting proposals that best fit within the framework of the conference in our Talent, Market Share and Supplier Diversity tracks. The programs selected will be based upon two primary policies: disability best practices and replication applicability. Alternative views and counterpoint issues are welcomed particularly when lessons learned from first-hand experience are offered as models/examples.

US Business Leadership Network Offers ‘Early-bird’ Registration

(March 26, 2010) – The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) is pleased to announce its 2010 Annual Conference & Expo being held on September 19-22, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois at the Westin Michigan Avenue hotel. For a limited time, we are offering Early-bird registration at $70.00 off the standard conference registration; this offer is only available until July 15, 2010 and all Early-bird registrations must be made by credit card only. As an added incentive, early registrants will be entered to win fabulous prizes! Prize drawing will take place at the conference and attendees must be present to win.