Comments from the Chair: Jane Sumner What Do You Want From Conference?

I've attended the WFF Annual Leadership Development Conference nearly a dozen times.

In the beginning, my major focus was on the networking opportunity.  It was so energizing to be around successful women -- to hear their stories and learn from them.  As the years went on and my career responsibilities increased, I attended with an eye on the development piece.  I used Women's Foodservice Forum, and particularly Conference, as my professional development partner and took advantage of the educational opportunities to make a difference in my company and elevate my career.

Now, my focus is to learn through executive education and sharing with others to create a dynamic and inclusive culture for my team.   

Whatever your reasons for choosing to attend the 2008 WFF Annual Leadership Conference, having the right mindset and being prepared will dramatically impact your experience.

If you come for the networking...

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What's Up? Leadership Roundtables Offers Local Networking

Take advantage of a great member benefit:  The WFF Leadership Roundtables will be held simultaneously in 15 locations across the U.S. Redesigned in a morning format to accommodate busy schedules, each WFF Leadership Roundtable is limited to 10 individuals to provide an opportunity for great discussion and informal mentoring in an intimate group setting.

Each Leadership Roundtable will be held Friday, February 22, 2008 from 7:30 – 9:00 am in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Denver, Minneapolis, Orlando, Houston, Philadelphia, and New York.The event this year will be sponsored by IHOP and will be held at one of their conveniently located restaurants.

The discussion topic will focus on one of the WFF’s 10 Core Leadership Competencies: Driving for Results. Participants will have an opportunity to submit specific questions around the topic to the leader in advance. This will set the stage for an interactive group discussion that is uniquely targeted to the groups’ specific needs.

For a complete list of cities and to register, please visit www.womensfoodserviceforum.com/events. 

Registration is now open!

Yum! Brands CEO to Lead WFF Book Discussion

In his book, The Education of an Accidental CEO: Lessons Learned from the Trailer Park to the Corner Office, Yum! Brand's CEO David Novak describes his journey from living in trailer parks to snatching the corner office of a major American foodservice corporation. David and his book have received rave reviews from well known CEOs.

On March 25, 2008 at 1:00 CST, David will discuss his book and core leadership lessons with WFF members in a free book discussion teleforum. Members will be able to submit questions for David in advance.

Registration now open at www.womensfoodserviceforum.com.

There are many success lessons to be learned from David. If you have your eyes on one day becoming a CEO, you may want to pay attention to some of the lessons shared here: more

Successful Regional Connect Season Coming to an End

In the most successful season ever, over 2,200 women and men registered to attend one of 27 Regional Connect meetings across the U.S. and into Canada.  The final Regional Connect will be held in Dallas on February 21, 2008.

The Regional Connects Series is presented by the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) as a unique opportunity for WFF members to expand their networking with others within their region. Each Regional Connect is designed to maximize the opportunity to network with others in your area. In addition, we provide educational programming in a unique manner which makes use of energetic leaders in the foodservice industry to discuss their careers and how they have used the WFF’s Core Competencies to build on their success.

This year's markets included Buffalo, Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas, Lexington, Minneapolis, Toronto, Chicago, Columbus, Southern California, Seattle, Houston, Kansas City, New Orleans, Boston, Purchase, St. Louis, Miami, Omaha, Washington DC, Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, Atlanta, San Francisco and Las Vegas. 

Thanks to our great sponsorship support and all the volunteers that helped to make each one a unique success!  National Regional Connect Sponsors are:  ARAMARK, Brinker International, The Coca-Cola Company, Dunkin' Brands, Griffith Laboratories, McDonald's, Sodexho, U.S. Foodservice and YUM! Brands.

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Sunday Morning with Susan Taylor Multicultural Event at WFF Annual Conference

Inspirational… Empowering…  A symbol of Black womanhood…  The face of Essence Magazine... A true role model…These are all words used to describe Susan L. Taylor.

We invite you to join us as we welcome this remarkable woman to the WFF stage at the 2008 Multicultural Event, “Sunday Morning with Susan Taylor,” during the WFF Annual Leadership Development Conference in April. 
Susan is known as an inspiring leader who can effectively transform how an individual sees themselves – and their abilities.  She understands challenges, the business world -- and, as a single parent, how to do it all while striving for personal balance.

If you have already registered to attend this event – we look forward to seeing you.  If you haven’t yet registered for Conference, register today and add this event to your personal agenda for Sunday morning.  (Susan’s event begins on Sunday 10 a.m. – so please consider this as you make your travel plans.)

We look forward to seeing you in Washington, D.C. in April.

If you've been promoted in the past year, we want to hear from you!  We are currently collecting Real Women Real Stories submissions to showcase at Conference in April.  Share your new title, photo and a motivating quote with an email to stories@womensfoodserviceforum.com.