Global Cleveland Hosts Global Employer Summit

From Global Cleveland: Business executives, corporate recruiters, human resource professionals and international students will descend on the InterContinental Hotel Wednesday, May 31, for Northeast Ohio’s first Global Employer Summit.

The uncommon conference is designed to help local employers tap the international talent that can enhance their competitiveness and grow the local economy. It is sponsored by Global Cleveland, an economic development agency with a global view, in partnership with the InterContinental Hotel, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University and Squire Patton Boggs.

The conference kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with an address by Dany Bahar, a Global Economy and Development Fellow at the Brookings Institution and an associate at the Harvard University Center for International Development. Bahar is an expert on the intersection of international economics and local economic development.

Also sharing their insight will be national talent acquisition experts, as well local employers who are successfully tapping diverse talent streams. Speakers and their newsworthy topics include:

· Jack Schron, president of Jergens Inc., a Cleveland advanced manufacturer, who will talk about expanding business internationally while maintaining local roots

· Robert Rosing, president and CEO of Dwellworks, one of the nation’s largest corporate mobility service firms, will lead a discussion on building and managing multicultural teams

· Michele Connell, managing partner of Squire Patton Boggs and an expert on international mergers and acquisitions, will talk about trends helping businesses to grow internationally

· Dr. Nizar Zein, chairman of Global Patient Services and Chief of Hepatology at Cleveland Clinic, will discuss correlations between global cities and successful cities

· Jacob Duritsky, Vice President of Strategy & Research with Team NEO will share the results of an updated study comparing international student skillsets with critical, in-demand occupations in the region

Greater Cleveland ranks 5th nationally for the education level of its immigrant population, with more than 20 percent of adult immigrants holding an advanced college degree. Meanwhile, area universities are educating nearly 7,000 international students, many of whom are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.

Many Northeast Ohio companies are tapping this talent stream to enhance their competitiveness in the global economy. But just as many seem unaware of the international talent in their midst or are unsure how to connect with it. At the Global Summit, experts will offer insight into:

· The basic steps for navigating the visa process

· Engaging refugees to build an unusually loyal, productive workforce

· How employers can lead the charge for attracting high-skill immigrants

Other companies and organizations sharing their expertise include Envoy, Oatey Co., Thompson Hine, FWD.us, and the Refugee Services Collaborative.

An International Student Showcase will exhibit business ideas generated by students from around the world.

There is still time to register for the conference at globalcleveland.org/global-employers.

Image Via Pixabay