Midwest Staffing Conference May 20-21, 2020 |
2026 Midwest Staffing Conference - Speakers and Sessions
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DESMOND CLARK - President at Bear Down Logistics, Former 12 Year NFL Vet, Motivational Speaker and Leadership Trainer
Desmond Clark has built a strong reputation as a former NFL player with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Chicago Bears. Desmond has taken his leadership skills from on the field to off the field as a speaker, coach, author, and entrepreneur Desmond authored and published his first book, the Principles of Winning: 5 Keys to Create a Standard of Excellence.
With "Standards over Feelings" as his mantra, Desmond's goal is to lead his audience through real-life personal and professional experiences to help shine a light on effective leadership, team, personal and professional development
Since retiring from football, Desmond has blazed an impressive path as a financial advisor, inspirational speaker, and Founder/President/CEO of Bear Down Logistics.
As a Speaker, Desmond has spoken and consulted for companies, associations, and schools across the nation including Fortune 500 health care company Baxter, Chicago United, Southern Gas Company (Nicor Gas), Loan Depot, National General Insurance, Wyndham Destinations, Echo Global Logistics, Nationwide Insurance and the American Cancer Society (just to name a few). He has also appeared on ABC, Fox, CBS, NBC, WGN, ESPN, and other network TV and radio stations as a thought leader, author, speaker, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and coach.
“After 12 years of being a professional athlete and transitioning into the business world under high-level tutelage, I developed the mindset and the skill set needed to elevate not only myself but also others to extraordinary success. I have the game plan to help you keep Winning the Day. Execute the details in excellence consistently over time. That’s the process of greatness.”
Opening Keynote - April 22, 2026 - No Space Between
Click image to order book by Desmond Clark:In No Space Between, Desmond Clark delivers a powerful, real-life message about what it truly takes to turn dreams into outcomes. Inspired by his harrowing journey to Africa to rescue his son, Desmond challenges audiences to confront a defining question: Is there space between what you say you want—and what you’re willing to do to get it?
This keynote aligns seamlessly with the Dream. Dare. Do. theme by moving beyond motivation and into disciplined execution. Desmond shares how applying the Principles of Winning became the framework that guided every decision in a high-stakes, emotionally charged situation where quitting was not an option.
Through compelling storytelling and practical insight, No Space Between equips audiences to close the gap between intention and action. Participants will leave inspired and challenged to eliminate excuses, raise personal standards, and take ownership of the behaviors required to achieve meaningful results—in business, leadership, and life.
This is not a message about hype or hope alone. It’s about alignment. When there is no space between what you want and what you’re willing to do, dreams become decisions—and decisions produce results.
MAUREEN O'BRIEN, CEO, MOF - Global Women's Leadership Forum®, The Sales Sage™
Maureen O’Brien is a dynamic business leader, globally recognized keynote speaker, and bestselling author known for helping organizations build high-performing teams through trust, clarity, and human-centered leadership.
With more than 30 years of experience leading a multi-generational, service-based construction business, Maureen understands firsthand what it takes to attract talent, develop people, retain clients, and grow revenue in competitive, relationship-driven industries. She is the founder and CEO of O’Brien & Son, Inc., a company she has successfully led for over 38 years, and the founder and Managing Partner of the Global Women’s Leadership Forum®, where she partners with organizations to strengthen leadership at every level.
Maureen’s work sits at the intersection of leadership, sales, and resilience. Her expertise in Relationship Sales and Point of Light Leadership™ equipping staffing professionals to build stronger pipelines, deepen trust with clients and candidates, and lead confidently through uncertainty and change.
A Stage IV lymphoma survivor, Maureen brings a powerful, real-world perspective on resilience, decision-making under pressure, and what truly matters when the stakes are high. Her message resonates deeply with leaders and sales professionals navigating rapid change while still being expected to deliver results.
Maureen is the author of four bestselling books, the most recent, “26 Points of Light—Illuminating One Cancer Survivor’s Journey from Diagnosis to Remission.” All profits from the book go to cancer research and patient care. She is a recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award, and she has been recognized as one of Illinois’ most powerful women. Audiences consistently describe her as insightful, grounded, and refreshingly real — a leader who speaks from experience, not theory.
Opening Keynote - April 23, 2026 - The Relationship Advantage: Leading, Selling, and Succeeding in a People-First World
In an industry built on people, relationships remain the most powerful competitive advantage, especially in times of uncertainty.
As staffing leaders and professionals navigate rapid change, emerging technology, and evolving expectations from both clients and candidates, one truth remains constant: trust, clarity, and connection drive results. In this session, Maureen O’Brien brings a powerful blend of real-world business leadership, sales insight, and personal resilience to explore what it truly means to lead and sell when everyone owns the outcome.
Drawing from decades of building and leading a successful business, and through her own experience navigating life-altering uncertainty, Maureen challenges audiences to rethink leadership, sales, and accountability through a people-first lens. With warmth, candor, humor, and practical wisdom, she shows how the strongest pipelines, partnerships, and teams are built not through transactions, but through intentional relationships.
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
- Strengthen trust and connection with clients, candidates, and internal teams—even amid uncertainty
- Lead with greater clarity, confidence, and shared accountability from every seat
- Apply relationship-driven strategies that elevate performance, retention, and results
- Reframe change and disruption as opportunities to lead more humanly and more effectively
This is a call to lead boldly, sell with purpose, and build relationships that last--no matter what the future holds.
Sales Panelist- April 23, 2026
Click image to order book by Maureen O'Brien: 26 Points of Light: Illuminating One Cancer Survivor's Journey From Diagnosis to Remission
NOAH YOUSIF - Chief Economist, American Staffing Association
Ziba Alizadeh is Vice President at Employbridge Professional Solutions. She brings over 20 years of experience in staffing and leadership with a focus on contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire solutions. She manages large, multi-million-dollar territories and has fostered long-term, exclusive partnerships with 95% of her clients. Ziba is currently leading and overseeing the strategic growth and expansion of EmployBridge’s Professional, Healthcare, and Contact Center Solutions across the nation. Her ability to navigate nuances in these large diverse markets has been instrumental in her success.
Ziba is an active member with various associations including Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) and American Staffing Association (ASA). Currently, she is a committee member for several councils. Alizadeh has been a featured speaker at prominent industry events, including the American Staffing Association’s Staffing World and the Ohio Staffing Association’s Annual Conference. In 2025, she was honored by Staffing Industry Analysts with inclusion in its prestigious 40 Under 40 list, which recognizes outstanding emerging leaders and innovators shaping the future of the staffing industry.
THERESE GOPAUL-ROBINSON, MPH
CORY MCNELEY - Managing Director at UHY Consulting
Cory McNeley is Managing Director at UHY Consulting. He has 22 years of industry experience with focus on technology, process optimization and materials management. Accomplishments include:
· Managing implementations of over 20 ERP systems for fortune 200 and 500 organizations with experience with SAP, JD Edwards, Sage, Acumatica, NetSuite, Epicor, and Dynamics
· Design, development and implementation of inventory management system for international retail organization
· Development of predictive technology using machine learning for forecasting margin improvement opportunities for fortune 50 retail organization
· Design, development and implementation of proprietary point of sale system for fortune 100 international retailer
RICHARD ROSNER - Founder at Staffing Shark
MARK WINTER - CEO at WinSource Group
Mark Winter is an expert at driving sales performance, keeping focus on customers, and keeping things simple. For 20+ years, Mark has held every sales role out there- from Branch Manager to Vice President of Sales and Enablement for a $2.5B publicly traded staffing company. During that time, he has spent countless hours figuring out what works and of course, what doesn't. This enables Mark to sniff out things that are blocking performance, remove the barrier, and get people to act. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and holds master certifications from some of the top sales training organizations in the world. Whether its strategic planning, sales process development, sales training, customer acquisition & engagement, sales team performance, or system and tool adoption, Mark can help get your team on track.
Midwest Staffing Conference May 22-23, 2019 | Thank you to all who attended the 2019 Conference! |