Leadership conference to feature national and regional executives

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- National and regional executives will share their expertise with leaders in business, health care, higher education and nonprofits at a conference this spring hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (CLOE).

The daylong event, “Leadership and Networks: New ways to build collaborations and relationships,” will begin at 8 a.m. on May 1 at the Foundry Suites, 1738 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo.

Brian Uzzi, PhD, a globally recognized scientist, teacher, consultant and speaker on leadership, social media and big data, and Rob Cross, PhD, professor of management at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, will serve as keynote speakers.

“Brian and Rob are two of the nation’s most thoughtful and articulate scholars,” says Paul Tesluk, PhD, the Donald S. Carmichael Professor of Organizational Behavior and the center’s academic director. “We are delighted that they will share their knowledge of leadership and networks with us.”

Tesluk says the conference also will feature leaders from local and national organizations who are shaping a fundamentally different approach to leadership.

“These executives are on the forefront of building adaptive organizations by introducing novel ways to lead,” says Tesluk. “Together, our speakers and the conference program will provide key frameworks and tools for the future of leadership.”

Additional presentations will feature insights from Michael Cropp, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Independent Health; Ann Monroe, president, Health Foundation for Western and Central New York; Debra France, PhD, leadership development and learning design, W.L. Gore; and Kim DiMaurizio, MBA, director, HR, Campbell Soup Co.

The conference builds upon the success of last year’s inaugural CLOE conference, which offered leaders the opportunity to learn about emerging research and how to put that research into practice in their organizations.

“This year we’ve raised the bar even higher with a special focus on the social networks that have been a leading trend for businesses in recent years,” says Sarah Gilson, executive director of the center.

The formal program will run until 5 p.m., followed by a cocktail/networking reception.

For a full schedule of events and registration information, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/conf2015.

Launched in fall 2013, the UB School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness strives to create more effective leaders and organizations. One of the center’s key objectives is to advance research and teaching in the area of leadership and its impact on organizational effectiveness. It also supports UB 2020’s goals of accelerating academic excellence, translating scholarship and developing leadership capabilities in UB students and business leaders.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York. UB’s nearly 30,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.