Discover HR solutions at the 2025 California HR Conference in Anaheim, [City], on [Date]. Join [Job_Title]s for hands-on workshops and expert-led sessions.
A CAHR18 Message from Mel Robbins for HR Professionals

A CAHR18 Message from Mel Robbins for HR Professionals

Who doesn’t wish there were more hours in the day? In 2018, the pressure to multi-task at all hours is at an all-time high, and yet somehow we can still find ourselves farther than we’d like from our personal & professional goals. Enter Mel Robbins, our Monday Keynote speaker at the California HR Conference. What we love about Mel is her tenacious attitude and mindset, and of course, her data-backed secret weapon “The 5-Second Rule” that she’ll deliver from the Main Stage on Monday, August 27 at #CAHR18. Mel sent us a brief, but special, message for all HR pros in southern California & beyond. Without further ado, here is her message to you:

Make plans to join Mel Robbins and 2,500 other HR practitioners & providers at the 2018 California HR Conference in Long Beach, August 26-29. You’ll gain skyrocketing productivity (and life!) hacks, build your local HR community here in California, and earn up to 16.75 recertification credits through the sessions ranging from HR Compliance, California Employment Law, Total Rewards, Talent Management, HR Business & Strategy, Nonprofit HR, and more.

Don’t look back and wish you had joined us. Register today to invest in your professional world!

The Future of HR Leadership: CAHR18 Masters Session with Vu Pham

The Future of HR Leadership: CAHR18 Masters Session with Vu Pham

The future of HR leadership is being crafted today, and you’ll hear a fresh take with practical tools at this year’s California HR Conference Masters series session.

Elevate Your HR Leadership
This session features the Chair of Elevate, Vu H. Pham, Ph.D. who works with dozens of organizations from the Fortune 500 to government and non-profit agencies. The Elevate program is a partnership with the Center for Executive Development at the University of California, San Diego’s Rady School of Management, as well as Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside’s Career Centers, gathering top minds all across Southern California.

Proven, Data-Driven Results
The Elevate program develops leadership in areas of diversity, strategic thinking, innovation and influence using interactive and visual learning, as well as data-driven research.

What You’ll Learn at CAHR18
Effective and inclusive HR leaders in today’s diverse, global marketplace require strategic thinking and decision-making. What if you can complement these competencies with elements of innovation and alignment to your organizational strategies?

This session provides practical tools and strategies to accompany you on your journey toward more strategic and innovative minds. Tools will include the Synaptic Speedometer and the F.I.S.H. (Failsafe, Innovative Edge, Sacred Cow, Hacks), as well as leading-edge research on high-performing teams. Join the many leaders and organizations who have benefited from Elevate’s sessions that develop more effective leaders!

When & Where
Dr. Vu’s session is titled The Speed of Strategy: Practical Tools for the FutureState Leader and you can catch it on Monday, August 27th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in Room 204 at CAHR18. Our Masters series session is a rare opportunity for the business world to intersect with the top minds and research in academia, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Dr. Pham to present this must-attend session.

Recertification Credits
This Masters series session is eligible for 2.0 Business recertification credts and 2.0 PDC’s. The full 4-day conference is eligible for up to 16.75 General (HR) recertification credits and 16.75 PDC’s.

What’s on Tuesday & Wednesday at CAHR18?
If you’re interested in our other high-profile sessions, you won’t want to miss our Mega Sessions!

We’ll see you at the California HR Conference, where you’ll earn ample HR recertification credits, bring home refreshing insights to recharge your career and your organization, and enjoy yourself while building your #HRtribe and connecting with like-minded HR leaders. If you haven’t registered for CAHR18 yet, reserve your seat today!

Invest in your your career & have a blast building your HR community!

CAHR18 Mega Session: It’s All About the People with Garry O. Ridge

CAHR18 Mega Session: It’s All About the People with Garry O. Ridge

We’re excited to announce that the 2018 California HR Conference is bringing CEO of WD-40, Garry O. Ridge, to the main stage for a mega session! Employee engagement is getting a lot of attention these days, and for good reason. Over 70% of all employees in the United States are disengaged at work, leading to lower satisfaction, lower productivity, and increased turnover. In 2018, engaging your employees and helping them thrive is more important than ever, but finding a blueprint that works for your organization is tough. Luckily, we have the opportunity to learn from Garry, an employee engagement whisperer at WD-40 since 1997!

As chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of WD-40 Company, Garry Ridge is responsible for developing and implementing high-level strategies, all operations, and the oversight of all relationships and partnerships for the company. Garry is passionate about the learning and empowering organizational culture he has helped establish at the WD-40 Company, and his vision and leadership have positively impacted the WD-40 Company in both measurable and immeasurable ways.

This mega session with WD-40 Company CEO Garry Ridge will be a look “under the hood” of one of the world’s most recognized brands, where:
– employee engagement is above 93%,
– 98% say they “love to work at WD-40 Company”,
– and 99% say that their “opinions and values are a good fit” for WD-40 Company.

This high engagement has resulted in a company that has doubled in revenue in the last decade, and is on a trajectory to double again in the next. Garry will share his company’s “learning moments” over the course of his efforts to transform the company’s culture, beginning in 1997.

Register today to hear from Garry, Mel Robbins, Afdhel Aziz, and a Fortune 100 Best Places to Work panel at the 2018 California HR Conference.

Invest in your career & have a blast building your HR support network!

To Certify or Not? The Value and Power of Earning Your HR Credentials

To Certify or Not? The Value and Power of Earning Your HR Credentials

Who would you trust more to rewire the electricity in your home? A licensed, bonded electrician or someone with years of experience and glowing reviews, but no credentials? This is a hot topic in the HR industry because earning your certifications isn’t required for all HR positions, but doing so can have a broad impact on the direction and trajectory of a career in Human Resources. If you’re pursuing your certifications and attending the 2018 California HR Conference, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities to prepare for your certification and earn credits toward your recertification.

For those unsure about whether or not earning an HR certification is worth it, we asked HR expert and PIHRA Leader Richard Dawson about his thoughts on the value of getting certified.

Why Richard Dawson? He’s an MBA (2018), SHRM-SCP, SPHR, PHRca, HRPM, and has 29 years of experience as a full-fledged HR Generalist/Manager with industry acumen.  He is skilled in facilitation, research, analyzing and translating complex business requirements into sophisticated HR strategies. Richard has held board of directors positions with Inland Empire SHRM to include Director of Certification, VP of Finance, President-Elect, and President, CalSHRM as Director of Certification and Communication, Vice-President of Leadership for PIHRA and National SHRM roles as Diversity & Inclusion Expertise Panel, Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Expertise Panel.

He also teaches HR Certification at five local universities in Southern California. He has been facilitating HR Certification classes since 2010. New for Richard In 2018, he has been named the new Director of HR Certification for (PIHRA) Professional in Human Resources Association, tasked with directing and teaching HR Certification. As well as the new Service Provider HR Certification Instructor for Inland Empire SHRM.  He also provides HR consulting and private tutoring on HR Certification and career / organizational development.

Check out what Richard says below about the power of HR certification, then take a look at the pre-conference certification prep-classes and all the recertification credits you can earn at CAHR18.

In your opinion, why should HR professionals become certified?

Richard Dawson: To gain valuable business acumen, HR employment, regulations, and best practices experience, as well as become a better tactical and strategic partner to stakeholders in operations.  Certification aids in enhancing professional development and incorporates creditability with employment practices.  Finally, the recertification process ensures staying updated with the ever changing laws, compliance, and human resource regulations.

Why did you earn your certification?

RD: I earned my certifications to enhance my business and human resources knowledge, as well as to be respected in the HR community by being a credible HR strategist, and to support my desire to educate others on business matters that produce successful and impactful positive outcomes for my students and organizations.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

RD: I love teaching because I enjoy educating others, and hearing how my teaching and career experiences helped others with their professional and organizational development.

If it has been awhile since someone has studied to take an exam, what advice would you give them?

RD: Do thorough research on the process.  Invest in the correct study materials.  Ask questions with the correct individual(s).  Do the work, put in quality time to read, comprehend, and utilize credible practice exam questions to test your knowledge and skills with answering multiple choice questions.

What is one thing you wish someone had told you about certification that you learned on your own?

RD: Read the material for comprehension, and do lots of practice questions.

How did you receive information on the different types of certifications offered?

RD: By joining a SHRM chapter, and taking on volunteer roles within the SHRM organization, and doing research with both HRCI and SHRM, and asking lots of questions with viable sources.

Did obtaining a certification increase your salary?

RD: Throughout my career, yes, and based on my HR Certifications, I was afforded career opportunities that completed some of my bucket list items.

To learn more about the difference between HRCI & SHRM certification, watch our webinars below hosted in collaboration with HRCI & SHRM staff!

If you haven’t registered to attend the 2018 California HR Conference yet and take advantage of the session credits and prep-courses available. Time is running out!

Tuesday Night Entertainment Update from the 2018 California HR Conference

Tuesday Night Entertainment Update from the 2018 California HR Conference

Sometimes even the best laid plans don’t work out they way you want. That’s life, right? We at the California HR Conference are dedicated to putting on the best HR event on the West Coast no matter what curve balls we may encounter.

So while we regret to share the news that Jay Leno will not be performing at CAHR18, we are thrilled to announce that comedians and cast members of Whose Line is it Anyway? Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood will be our new Tuesday Night Entertainment! These legends of improv comedy are bringing the king of laughs that involve the entire audience – the perfect way to wrap up a full day of learning and networking. 

How do I get in on this?

As long as your full conference registration includes Tuesday, or you’ve got an Expo+ Pass, you’re automatically on the list to participate in this hilarious improv performance, described by Mochrie as, “We like to say it’s like a live version of Whose Line without the tall guy and the black guy.” We’re also moving the show onto the main stage of the Long Beach Conference Center, which means we have much more capacity, we’re getting rid of with our waiting list, and you can purchase a guest ticket for a friend or colleague.

Don’t forget to pick up your ticket from SullivanCurtisMonroe at Booth #207!

What’s the show going to be like?

“A lot of games will be familiar to fans of Whose Line,” says Mochrie of An Evening with Colin and Brad. “Because there are just two of us, there’s some games we’ve made up or combined with other games. It’s even more interactive than the TV show. Every scene starts with something from the audience. We have audience members on stage with us for about 80 percent of the games. So it’s a highly interactive evening.”

What about my ticket to see Jay?

If you’ve already registered and got a ticket to see Jay, or were on the waitlist, not to worry. We’re automatically updating your registration for the new show and giving you the option to purchase a guest ticket. If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Reserve your spot today so you can join the fun! Here’s more about Brad, Colin, and the comedy you can expect for Tuesday night.

Brad Sherwood (Cranuis giganticum)
As a young hatchling, Brad Sherwood (Cranius gigantum), fled the ice plains of Chicago for the arid expanse of the Rocky Mountains, where he settled at the epicenter of art and coyote sculptures, Santa Fe New Mexico. Weaned on green chiles and isolation, he became a savant of self-amusement.

Years later, he hopped a hobo train to the Pacific Ocean where he searched for people willing to employ someone with an abnormally large skull. Eventually, he was plucked from the Venice Beach Freak Show by a band of improvising gypsies who passed him from troupe to troupe, until he was sold into servitude to some British Choreographer/Pirates. They, in turn, sold him to a British improv TV show, where he was hired to teach Canadians how to be funny.

Now, he is ward and caretaker of his least successful pupil, Colin Mochrie. Brad is given a stipend from the Canadian government to keep Colin from hurting himself or livestock. As part of Colin’s therapy, Brad tours with him in an improvised stage performance that helps creatively channel Mochrie’s delusions.

Colin Mochrie (Hilaritycus smoothius)
Scotland, that craggy, majestic, malt whiskeyed land, has spawned many myths besides the Loch Ness Monster. One such legend is Colin Mochrie (Hilaritycus smoothius). A migratory creature that left his birthplace for the Great White North (Canada), Colin learned his theatrical craft through repeated behavioral rituals at Studio 58 located in the mountain nestled, sparkling jewel of the Northwest, Vancouver, British Columbia.

A hard-working, imaginative mammal, Colin used his chameleon-like skills to blend in with others of his ilk, never being noticed, until noted anthropologists Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson discovered him at the Toronto Second City. Moving him to the Whose Line is it Anyway Institute in historical and damp London, England, Patterson and Leveson slowly groomed Colin till he became international sensation. Working with Drew Carey at the U.S based institute of the same name, only increased interest in the reclusive beast.

Now touring with the remora-like Brad Sherwood, the pair are constantly flying around the continent, bringing joy with their unashamed antics and bizarre behavior.

We are grateful to our Tuesday Night Event sponsor, SullivanCurtisMonroe, for their continued commitment to bring you this night to remember at CAHR18.

Please send us an email at info@cahrconference.org if you have any questions about your registration. We can’t wait to see you, and laugh with you, in Long Beach!

CAHR18 Standard Rates End Next Week

CAHR18 Standard Rates End Next Week

As we place the finishing touches on the 2018 California HR Conference, we’re wondering where the last few months went. Our Standard Rates end in one week (July 31, 11:59pm PT, to be exact) and we’re just over a month away from kicking off the conference. Are you as excited as we are?

It seems like only yesterday we were telling you about Mel Robbin’s 5 Second Rule keynote, the history of Long Beach, and all the ways you can advance your HR career by attending CAHR18. Before you know it, you’ll be sharing pictures from the conference with friends old and new, admiring your fresh recertification credit count, and feeling a renewed sense of pride and dedication to your role in the advancement of the larger HR community.

While this all sounds fun, maybe you haven’t registered yet because you can’t get away for the pre-conference sessions AND the full three days of content and networking. Hey, we get it. Sometimes the hustle takes priority even if getting away can put you ahead of the game. However, if you can get away for even just one day, it’s totally worth it. 

Here’s an example of what your Monday, August 27th experience at CAHR18 could look like:

6:15am – 7:00am: Meet to Move!
Start your day energized and ready to rock at Meet to Move! On Monday, we’ll be led through a Vinyasa Yoga program, where the breath acts as an anchor as our FitPro guides your flow from one pose to the next, increasing your strength and flexibility in equal measure. Bring comfortable clothing and a towel – and if you have a yoga mat, go ahead and bring that too.

7:30am – 8:45am: Concurrent Sessions
Get up to speed on the latest California-specific compensation info with Sense on the Dollar: Pay Equity Trends and Strategies for Compliance. If you want to get connected to the CAHR18 community, you’ll want to opt for our interactive New Attendee Orientation during this timeslot. The best part of our early morning concurrent sessions is we’ve already brewed the coffee for you!

9:00am – 10:30am: General Session
Find inspiration in a moment at our Opening Keynote with Mel Robbins, who will rock your world with The 5 Second Rule.

10:30am – 11:15am: Marketplace & Refreshments 
Grab coffee and a snack in our Marketplace and make some new connections. Have you ever had Porto’s? If not, you’re literally in for a treat. We’d also recommend snapping your headshot at The Headshot Truck before the line gets too long later in the afternoon!

11:15am – 12:30pm: Concurrent Sessions
Prepare yourself for what’s what’s next in the HR ecosphere at Future-Proofed: Reimagining HR Jobs in the Artificial Intelligence Economy.

12:30pm – 2:00pm: Lunchtime!
Take your time enjoying a delicious Kailua pulled pork, toasted coconut rice and tropical salad lunch in the Marketplace while discussing the morning’s sessions with other attendees. When you finish eating, why not peruse the PIHRA Foundation Silent Auction, and check out some of the exhibiting companies’ solutions?

2:00pm – 3:15pm: Concurrent Sessions
Make sure your organization’s numbers are lining up with success at Return on Talent Investment – The Final Frontier in Human Capital Metrics.

3:15pm – 4:00pm: Marketplace & Refreshments
Recharge for the last stretch of afternoon sessions with coffee and donuts! While you’re in the Marketplace, check out a few sessions at our HR Business, Learning, and Career Solutions Stages. Plus, visit the exhibitors who’ll stamp your Passport and help you enter to win prizes!

4:00pm – 5:15pm: Concurrent Sessions
Dial up the strategy behind your recruiting with lessons from a tech giant at Reaching Candidates: Make the Job Search like an Amazon Buying Experience.

That’s a lot to cover in one day, plus, if you’re a PIHRA member, you won’t want to miss the PIHRA Annual Meeting from 5:30PM to 6:00PM.

And who are we to tell you what to do with the rest of your night? Long Beach hosts a fantastic night life with a little something for everyone. It’s the perfect little city to cap off your CAHR18 experience. 

Don’t miss the chance to take $50 off ALL this content and opportunity. Register before July 31 to save!

#CAHR18 1-Day Registration Rates

Until
April 12

Until
June 7

Until
July 31

Starting
August 1

PIHRA Member
$345
Nonmember

$495

PIHRA Member
$370
Nonmember

$520

PIHRA Member
$395 
Nonmember

$545

PIHRA Member
$420 
Nonmember

$570

 

Gaining Approval To Attend

 
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Use this customized request letter (word document) to share with your supervisor the sessions you want to attend, and the value you will bring back to your organization.

Invest in your yourself and your career!