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Ideas Shared. Connections Made. And We’re Just Getting Started.
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What a day! More than 600 business professionals, thought leaders, and UW–Madison experts came together at Monona Terrace for the 2026 UWEBC Annual Conference, filling the day with new ideas, practical takeaways, and conversations that continued well beyond the sessions.
Across six conference tracks, attendees explored some of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing organizations today, from AI and technology to customer experience, leadership, supply chain, marketing, and manufacturing. Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their expertise, asked thoughtful questions, and helped make this year’s conference such a memorable day. We’re grateful for this community and already looking forward to what comes next!
More information about each session will be coming soon. Follow us on LinkedIn to see highlight videos and more!
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Dennis Armstrong Brings a People-First Approach to Talent Strategy at UWEBC
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Dennis Armstrong is serving as a Talent Practice Director in Residence, bringing more than 30 years of HR and business leadership experience to the UWEBC community. With a Master’s degree and a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology, Dennis has held leadership roles at United Airlines, Limited Brands, Victoria’s Secret, Vitamix, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and most recently Blain’s Farm & Fleet, where he retired as Chief Human Resources Officer at the end of 2025.
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Throughout his career, Dennis has worked with CEOs and executive leadership teams to align HR strategy with business strategy. His experience spans succession planning, performance management, compensation, learning and development, employee engagement, and organizational design. One principle has guided much of his work: talent practices should be practical, focused, and easy for business leaders to use.
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Creative Strategy in the Age of AI: Blending Human Imagination with Machine Intelligence
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Click on the image above to watch the video.
Over the past 100 years, new technologies have forced marketing to change. Those technologies included radio, television, the Internet, and pay-per-click advertising. In each case, marketing adapted and improved. AI presents a new challenge.
Marketing and creative professionals gathered for our Creative Strategy in the Age of AI virtual event on September 22 to discuss the unique ways human imagination and AI can work together to strengthen brand strategies. Featuring speakers from Schaefer Marketing Solutions, Komatsu, Associated Bank, and Twin Disc, the conversation explored how marketers can embrace AI while keeping human creativity, judgment, and connection at the center.
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Registration Is Open: Wisconsin Customer Experience Symposium
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Registration for the third annual Wisconsin Customer Experience Symposium is now open! Join us at the Memorial Union in Madison, WI on March 9, 2027, for a day of fresh ideas, meaningful connections, and candid conversations about what’s happening in CX right now.
Hear from professionals shaping customer experience within their organizations, explore emerging strategies and technologies, and walk away with practical insights you can put to work.
In celebration of CX Day, register this week (October 6–10) to take advantage of special CX Day Celebration pricing! This limited-time rate is available for the first week only, so don’t wait to secure your spot and join us for a day dedicated to learning, connecting, and advancing customer experience.
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Partner Offering Spotlight: Business Analytics
UW–Madison has a wide breadth of professional development courses offered each year, diving into a variety of topics. Here is one upcoming event in particular that we thought may interest you:
October 12-14, 2026 In Person in Madison, WI
Data analytics is a critical decision-making tool for leaders. This program will help non-data science leaders develop the acumen needed to leverage data to drive business decisions and identify cases for artificial intelligence and machine learning.
UWEBC members receive a 20% discount.
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Upcoming UWEBC Events
Note: Attending the events listed below requires UWEBC membership, unless otherwise specified. All are virtual unless otherwise specified.
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October 22: Building a Culture of Psychological Safety - Enabling Frontline Voice & Innovation
Customer Service Peer Group
When employees stay silent, organizations miss opportunities to improve, innovate, and prevent problems before they grow. Join this session to learn how building a culture of psychological safety empowers frontline teams to speak up, collaborate, and contribute their best ideas.
November 4: Cybersecurity is National Security - Why Your Cyber Decisions Matter
Cybersecurity Special Interest Group
Cybersecurity is increasingly inseparable from national security—but much of the nation’s critical cyber terrain is owned and operated by the private sector. This session examines how enterprise cybersecurity decisions intersect with broader national security concerns, including economic stability, critical infrastructure resilience, supply-chain integrity, and public trust.
November 10: Leadership and Change Through the Lens of Manufacturing
Manufacturing Special Interest Group
Discuss practical ways manufacturing leaders can help teams adapt to change while maintaining performance, trust, and focus on the shop floor.
November 12: Equipping Mid-Level Leaders for Transformation
Leadership and Change Management Group
Identify tailored development and support for middle managers, who translate strategy into action and drive culture change on the ground.
November 17: Digital S&OP - Tools and Technology That Actually Help
Sales and Operations Planning Special Interest Group
Discuss practical ways to evaluate and use digital S&OP tools that improve planning, collaboration, and decision-making.
November 19: Agile Leadership and Coaching Maturity
Agile Special Interest Group
Modern agile leadership requires more than applying frameworks or managing delivery processes. It calls for leaders who can coach, empower, and create the conditions for self-managing teams to thrive. This session explores how organizations can mature their agile leadership practices by shifting from process control to coaching, enablement, and continuous learning.
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Join a LinkedIn Group and stay connected
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