HRFutureFest Wrap-Up
North America’s Most Exciting HR Festival
As someone who is passionate about HR, it was a privilege to be invited as a guest of Kati Bradshaw, the Business Development Manager of the Canadian HR Reporter/Key Media to attend the HRFutureFest Conference at the Toronto Event Centre on June 3rd, 2025.
I graciously accepted the invitation and could not have been happier that I did. As usual, I arrived at the venue early! The very first person I ran into was my good friend Laura Williams who is the Owner of Williams HR Law LLP. We were lucky to have Laura as the master of ceremonies for the day! Laura is captivating, she kept things running on time and in the usual Laura Williams fashion, she is quite engaging, entertaining and just fun to be around.
Marty with Laura Williams at HRFuturefest
The Trade Show floor was incredible. A majority of it was outdoors and we could not have asked for better weather. We had the opportunity to play a little cornhole and ping-pong as well. Sitting poolside with a few pink flamingoes floating in the pool while listening to industry leaders was very refreshing. Finally, the golf simulator sponsored by the Ontario Chiropractic Association GFG was a huge hit!
There were so many educational and thought-provoking breakout sessions. Some of my favourites were my good friend Jody Steinhauer, CEO of Kits for a Cause who discussed why philanthropy fuels connection, culture and business success.
Another was the “Because I Said So: Keeping Cool During Mandated Return to Office” panel. The Moderator Stephen Muscat did a great job while the panelist, Leena Yousefi, Michael Gizzi and Joe O’Connor shared a lot of information on how to navigate employee pushback for those companies that need to get their employers back into the office.
As well, Michael Ripley, who is a Communications Skills Coach talked about Commanding Presence. Some takeaways were that we need to let go of perfection, have a memorization process and the importance to having flexibility in the moment. It’s also important to know the importance of being able to speak off the cuff.
It was also great to catch up with my fellow WBE Canada colleague, Nicolette Gowan of Gowan Consulting, who is an expert when it comes to workplace health and productivity solutions. Gowan Consulting had a great booth beside the pool and the bar, along with some comfy couches.
Time spent with my colleague and friend, Ann Gomez of Clear Concept Inc. was very enjoyable. Ann helps me to keep on track with my email and time management, I’ve become a workday and e-mail warrior because of her!
It’s events like this that remind me why staying engaged and open to new ideas is so important in our ever-evolving industry. Again, I’m grateful for the invitation to attend from Kati Bradshaw and for all the people who made the experience so impactful. I’m walking away with fresh ideas, new contacts and a deeper appreciation for where the HR industry is heading.
If you were at the conference too, I’d love to hear what stood out for you. And if not, let’s connect – I’d be happy to share more about what I learned.