Join leaders from Best Buy and 3M to explore how aligning workforce mobility with business goals is fueling innovation across industries. From social impact strategies to skilled trades development, this session will showcase how alternative pathways are being activated in real-world, tech-reliant careers. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped with insights to spark momentum within their own organizations.

Technology leadership has become one of the most pivotal roles in the C-Suite, with growing expectations for innovation, cross-functional influence, and the ability to lead through complexity. But how do you evaluate a tech leader not just for the problems of today, but for an ambiguous, fast-changing future? In this session, Juliet Fox, CEO of AvidEdge, introduces a research-backed model for selecting and supporting technology leaders who can thrive amid both disruption and transformation. Developed through years of hands-on executive search and placement, this model helps business and talent leaders align tech leadership with business strategy and future-state thinking. This is a session for anyone shaping the next generation of technology leadership built to provide clear, actionable strategies grounded in what’s required to lead with agility, insight, and long-term impact.

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere—but learning to talk about it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This interactive workshop helps individuals and organizations confidently engage with AI, using clear language and practical tools instead of jargon and fear.

Here’s what you’ll get in this session:

• Demystify AI with simple, relatable explanations and real-world examples.
• Benchmark your AI readiness using a hands-on framework (the provided grid) to assess opportunities, risks, and ROI at the individual, team, corporate, and global levels.
• Plan next steps with a roadmap tailored to your organization’s goals and risk appetite.
• Build confidence in leading productive, informed conversations about AI—no technical background required.

You’ll leave with a personalized AI readiness snapshot and a practical framework for future discussions and decisions.

As traditional entry-level tech roles become harder to land, many skilled early-career technologists are finding themselves stuck on the sidelines. However, the analytical and problem-solving strengths honed by tech training are in high demand across a wide range of “non-IT” roles. How can tech leaders support their organizations while creating career mobility for this pool of “stranded” talent? This session challenges the MN tech ecosystem to rethink how we source and identify candidates for high-value positions. By broadening our lens, we can tap into a rich pool of underutilized tech talent and match them with roles where they can drive real business impact.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, feedback is often celebrated for its importance — yet few focus on the tactical “how-to” of giving and receiving it effectively. Join Vivienne Whitfield, Associate Director of Product Management at Best Buy, as she shares practical insights on mastering feedback in the workplace. This session will explore actionable strategies to deliver constructive feedback, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and transform your leadership style to better retain and develop talent. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or looking to sharpen your feedback skills, you’ll gain tools to make feedback a powerful driver of growth, adaptability, and success for both you and your organization.

AI is transforming the future of work, and we believe HR must lead the charge in driving organizational change to ensure bottom-line growth, efficiency, and organizational success. Yet, many HR organizations are still in the early stages of their AI journey, unsure of where to begin or how to accelerate. This session is designed to inform IT professionals how you can help empower HR with the foundational knowledge of AI, provide a framework to assess their current HR maturity, and offer actionable insights, tips, and real-world use cases to guide them forward. Our belief is simple: HR should be at the forefront of navigating AI’s implications for their workforce, culture, and business strategy. Drawing on insights from extensive conversations with CHROs of leading organizations and leveraging the collective expertise of our HR think tank—comprised of some of the brightest minds in the field—we’ve developed a comprehensive approach to help HR teams take the leap forward with AI. In this session, we’ll share those learnings, offering practical guidance and innovative solutions to help attendees confidently embrace the AI journey and position HR as a strategic driver of AI-powered transformation.

What if your greatest competitive advantage isn’t who you hire—but how you grow the talent you already have? In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, external hiring alone can’t keep pace with evolving business needs. The real unlock is internal movement: creating a culture where employees are empowered to explore new roles that stretch their skills, and where leaders intentionally embed movement into talent planning to align expertise with enterprise priorities.

Target’s Internal Movement initiative is transforming how we accelerate delivery and support career growth. By increasing visibility, fostering development-focused conversations, and building a flexible internal talent pool, we’re fueling faster execution, stronger onboarding, and more resilient teams.

In this session, attendees will learn practical strategies for making internal movement both a supported career path and driver of enterprise agility.

As AI reshapes the nature of work, the challenge extends beyond upskilling—it demands a strategic rethinking of how we cultivate a workforce capable of navigating ambiguity, solving complex problems, and continuously adapting. At Land O’Lakes, our AI Academy is not just delivering tools and training; it’s fostering a mindset shift. We’re asking foundational questions: Are we preparing talent for today’s roles or empowering them to shape tomorrow’s possibilities? Are our work practices agile enough to evolve with AI’s rapid pace? Are we building inclusive communities that fuel innovation and resilience?

This session will explore how we’re designing a responsive talent ecosystem—one that embeds critical thinking into learning, encourages iterative experimentation, and equips leaders to make informed decisions in uncertain environments. We’ll share how AI agents are emerging as collaborative problem-solvers, and how we’re laying the groundwork for their ethical and effective integration. Regardless of your technology role, this session will offer adaptable strategies to help your organization move from AI readiness to sustained resilience.