In today's highly competitive changing environment, a strong and capable leadership team makes the difference in navigating change. One of the biggest challenges facing successful small to mid-sized businesses is: who are the future executives? Succession planning requires more than organizational charts; it must be part of strategic planning, future vision and aligned to business goals. But how do you convince management that succession planning is important, and how do you effectively implement to assure positive responses?

In this session, learn about strategies to:

• Gain management commitment for succession planning and talent management initiatives
• Frame a common leadership culture through values and behaviors
• Operationalize talent management programs linked to succession planning

Key issues of importance to HR professionals will be at the forefront of consideration in the second term of the 109th Congress, federal agencies, and the courts. The outcome on key issues such as the solvency of Social Security, initiatives to reform the employment-based immigration system, as well as effort to quality outcomes in health care coverage, could dramatically affect the workplace. The presentation will discuss legislative issues in these areas as well as provide an up-to-date discussion on current federal regulatory and judicial activity.

Want to attend all or part of the SHRM Conference in 2006 for free? The world's largest HR conference and exposition is coming to Washington, D.C. June 25-28, 2006. It’ll be held at the new Washington D.C. Convention Center and it’s going to be great. But before anyone can attend and benefit from this great conference, we need hundreds of volunteers to help make it happen! Why help? In addition to knowing you’ve given back something to the profession, you’ll get one free conference day for every six hours of on-site volunteering.

You may look up these and other members' information in the HRA - NCA online membership directory, using various search categories. Log in through the "Member Login" on the HRA - NCA Web site home page. Keep your membership record up-to- date so we don't lose touch!

Please join us in welcoming these new members to the HRA-NCA group.

HRA-NCA invites organizations to sponsor our newsletter - or any of the following: monthly speaker presentations, our Web site, special events, etc. Interested? Contact Bob Corlett, HRA-NCA's Vice President, Marketing and Community Relations, or access our information on the Web site. For this issue, sincere thanks to the following sponsor.

The Performance Institute
The Performance Institute's 2005-2006 Human Capital Management Course catalog is now available! This comprehensive series of courses is designed to assist in human capital planning, succession planning, employee performance evaluation and key HR management issues. This is the only HR certification program designed exclusively for government. Recruit, retain, motivate and deploy a quality government workforce! Download the full course catalog at www.PerformanceWeb.org/HR5