2010 WFF Annual Leadership Development Conference
Tuesday, April 6 - Friday, April 9, 2010
MGM Grand
Las Vegas, NV
Tuesday, April 6, 2010 5:00 – 6:30 pm
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Gladys Knight Restaurateur, Businesswoman and Rhythm and Blues soul singer-songwriter Knight and her son, Shanga, own and operate Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles, an independent chain in Atlanta, Georgia, serving authentic southern cooking with a jazz flare that has been featured on Food Network and Travel Channel. Knight and her son are continuing the tradition of Chicken and Waffles that began at Wells Restaurant in Harlem over 80 years ago to satisfy late-night celebrities looking for both dinner and breakfast. An accomplished author, she has written two books, one dedicated to inspiring and helping diabetics titled “At Home with Gladys Knight.” Her second book is her autobiography “Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story.” Nicknamed the Empress of Soul, Knight was a 7-year-old gospel singer when she won Ted Mack’s “Original Amateur Hour” television show contest in 1952, launching her successful musical career featuring her group Gladys Knight & the Pips. After the Pips (named for her cousin, James “Pip” Woods) retired in 1988, Knight began her solo career, which featured the albums “At Last,” “Good Woman” and “Just for You.” An accomplished actress, Knight received a Golden Globe nomination for Best New Actress for her performance in the romantic drama “Pipe Dreams.” She co-starred with comedian Flip Wilson on the CBS sitcom “Charlie & Co.” and guest-starred on several television series, including “Benson,” “The Jeffersons,” “The Jamie Foxx Show” and “New York Undercover.” Knight has a lengthy history of giving her time and talents to help others. She created and directs the 100-member, multi-cultural gospel choir named Saints Unified Voices, which won a Grammy Award for the CD titled “One Voice.” Knight is a national spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association and devoted supporter of the American Cancer Society, Minority AIDS Project, amFAR and Crisis Intervention. Her numerous awards include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995, induction of Gladys Knight & the Pips into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BET cable television network in 2005, and declaration of her being “The Empress of Soul” when she won the 16th annual Ella Award from the Society of Singers in 2007. |
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 8:30 – 10:00 am
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Keith Ferrazzi Founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight Keith transformed professional networking with his first book, the bestselling "Never Eat Alone", which shared the secret of his impressive climb to the top. "Never Eat Alone" has been recognized by Forbes as one of “the best business books” annually since 2005. His second book "Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success–and Won’t Let You Fail" adapts the methodologies found in the world’s most successful behavioral change programs to provide people with a do‐it‐yourself blueprint for creating the kind of relationships and support structure that separate the truly great from the merely good. He is a thought leader and advocate for corporate citizenship, rallying executives around initiatives to improve healthcare and education nationwide. His annual Big Task Weekend event brings together key executives from companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Safeway, and Mars to draft innovative partnerships to improve American health and wellness. He has authored numerous articles for leading business and consumer publications, including Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, the Harvard Business Review, and Reader’s Digest, and has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, Larry King, and other national TV programs. Previously Chief Marketing Officer at Starwood Hotels, Keith oversaw marketing activities for global brands including Sheraton, Westin, The Luxury Collection, St. Regis and W Hotels. He also served as Chief Marketing Officer for Deloitte Consulting, where he developed and managed the industry’s first globally integrated marketing organization. |
Thursday, April 8, 2010 8:30 – 10:00 am
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Gloria Santona
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
McDonald’s Corporation
Gloria has fostered the legal department’s diversity efforts and on-going engagement in pro-bono legal services, which have garnered the McDonald’s Legal Department awards in recognition of the legal and educational services it has provided to under-served communities. Upon her graduation from the University of Michigan Law School, Gloria joined McDonald’s as an attorney and subsequently held a number of management positions in the legal department. She became the company’s corporate secretary in 1997 and has served as general counsel since 2001. She is a director of Aon Corporation, serving on its Audit and Governance committees and as Chairman of its Compliance Committee. In addition, Gloria serves on the Boards of the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, and as a trustee of Rush University Medical Center. She is a member of several professional organizations and is a frequent speaker and panel member on a variety of diversity, legal, compliance and corporate governance topics. She has received numerous awards, including being named as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine and earning the Women with Vision Award from the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. |
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