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• AI for Mid-Market Leaders — A Practical Field Map

  • When
    13 Aug 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom Meeting

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  Session Update:

  AI for Mid-Market Leaders — A Practical Field Map
  A 60-minute, hype-free overview for owners and CEOs: where AI actually is, what companies your size are really doing, and how to think about your strategy. Led by Rob Silas, Managing Director of Decision Intelligence & AI at Growth Operators.

  What you'll walk away with

  • A clear read on where AI is today and where it's genuinely headed — separating what's real from what's hyped.

  • An honest picture of where mid-market companies actually stand, so you can benchmark yourself.
  • A simple way to decide what your company should do next, based on your appetite for risk, your bandwidth, and your data.

  Four sections (we'll take questions as we go)

  1. Where AI actually is — and where it's going

  • The last two years were a capability explosion; the real story now is whether organizations can use any of it.
  • A straight answer on what's real vs. what's hype.

  2. What companies your size are really doing

  • Where I see most mid-market companies I talk to:  scattered individual use, few real workflows, almost no governance — most companies are busier than they are mature.
  • Why mid-market is its own challenge: real complexity, thin bandwidth, and no playbook to copy from the enterprise or the startup world.

  3. The constraint nobody talks about

  • Capability is no longer the thing holding companies back — absorption capacity is: your organization's real-time ability to take on change across people, process, systems, and culture.
  • A simple decision frame for matching ambition to readiness, so you don't buy the shiny thing before you can use it.

  4. Potential places to start or expand into--I'll provide examples of each

  • Practical, low-risk starting points where the value shows up first — reporting, admin, customer communication. 
  • Treating governance as permission, not police — the unlock for companies frozen by "is this even allowed?"
  • Matching AI to the work: not all work is designed for AI, and when AI is used there are different ways to apply it based on your situation and your people.

  About our Presenter:
  

  Rob Silas

  
  

  Rob Silas leads the Decision Intelligence & AI practice at Growth Operators, a Minneapolis-based firm that works with mid-market companies and the private equity firms that back them. He helps owners and operators cut through the hype and put AI to work where it actually moves the business.

  Rob has spent 20+ years leading companies and practices — as an agency President, a fractional COO, and the founder of two analytics and digital strategy consultancies, the first of which was acquired by a Salesforce partner. He pairs an analyst's rigor with an operator's instincts, guided by a simple belief: most companies don't have a data problem, they have a decision problem.

  He writes and speaks regularly on what AI means for mid-market companies — grounded in real client work, not headlines.

  
  

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• August Networking Event

  • When
    20 Aug 2026
  •  
    5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Kitchi Gammi Club - 831 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802
  • Spaces left
    42

  Register

  August Networking Event!

  Join us for an engaging evening of Speed Networking designed to bring together current members and non-members of the HR community. Whether you're looking to expand your professional network, exchange ideas, or meet fellow HR professionals from across the region, this event is a great opportunity to make meaningful connections in a fun and structured format.

  Date: Thursday, August 20^th 2026
  Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  Location: Kitchi Gammi Club, Duluth, MN
  Light refreshments will be provided
  
  Bring a Future Member & Save!
  Know someone who would benefit from joining our HR community? Invite them to attend!

  Special Membership Referral Offer:

  • If you bring a non-member and they sign up as a new member, you'll receive $5 off your next training event through NHRA.
  • Your guest will receive $5 off their new membership.

   Who Should Attend?

  • Current members
  • Non-members interested in connecting with the HR community
  • HR and Talent professionals at all career levels

   Don't miss this opportunity to expand your network, share experiences, and discover new professional connections in the Twin Ports area.
  We look forward to seeing you there! Please register for this event by Friday, August 7^th and bring a colleague or friend.

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• Designing Career Pathways for the Future Workforce

  • When
    10 Sep 2026
  •  
    3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Kitchi Gammi Club - 831 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802

  Register

  Session Update:

  Designing Career Pathways for the Future Workforce

  Andrea Chartier, Workforce Development, Essentia Health; and Carrie Taylor Kemp, Workforce Development/CECT, Lake Superior College

  Yesterday's talent strategies won't solve tomorrow's workforce challenges. In this session, Carrie and Andrea will explore how organizations can proactively build career pathways that attract, develop, and retain talent from diverse talent pools, including students, emerging professionals, career changers, and current employees. Leave with practical ideas for strengthening your workforce pipeline and preparing for future talent needs.

  Session Details: 

  3:30 PM - session begins

  4:30 PM - casual networking 

  About our Presenters:
  

  
  

  Carrie Taylor Kemp

  
  

  Carrie Taylor Kemp is the Director of Workforce Development/CECT at Lake Superior College. In this role, she leads efforts to expand workforce-aligned programs, strengthen regional partnerships, and advance accessible training that supports both student success and evolving workforce needs.

  Carrie brings more than 20 years of experience across higher education and industry, with expertise in internship and career pathway development, grant management, and workforce solutions. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English.

  She currently serves on the Montgomery Sports Foundation Board as a grant writer and has recently rejoined the Duluth Workforce Board. Outside of work, Carrie is usually found cheering on her two children from the stands of baseball fields and hockey rinks, usually with her Cavalier pup in tow.

  
  

  Andrea Chartier

  
  

  Andrea Chartier is a Workforce Development Specialist with Essentia Health, where she builds strategic partnerships at the intersection of healthcare, education, and community to address workforce challenges and create sustainable talent pathways. With a background as a career counselor in higher education and a consultant focused on retaining young talent in the region, Andrea develops innovative workforce solutions through internships, apprenticeships, early career exposure, and curricular integration.

  Andrea is passionate about creating equitable access to career opportunities and building pathways for all individuals. She believes strong workforce solutions come from collaboration, reducing barriers, and investing in people. A proud advocate for the Twin Ports, Andrea is committed to highlighting the career opportunities, vibrant community, and quality of life that make the Northland a great place to live, work, and build a future.

  Outside of work, Andrea enjoys creating healthy foods with locally sourced ingredients, traveling, spending time on Lake Superior, and creating meaningful experiences with her three children.

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• Annual Northland SHRM Golf Scramble

  • When
    17 Sep 2026
  •  
    12:30 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Pike Lake Golf Course - 4895 Midway Road, Duluth, MN 55811

  Register

  
  

  Annual SHRM Northland Golf Scramble!

  Northland SHRM's premier event of the year! Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just starting out, this event promises to be an afternoon of fun, networking, and friendly competition amidst the stunning backdrop of Pike Lake.

  Event Details:

  • Thursday September 17th, 2026
  • Registration starts at 12:30pm 
  • Pike Lake Golf Course 4895 Midway Rd, Duluth, MN 55811
  • $50 per golfer (4 golfers per team) includes a 9-hole round of golf with a cart and appetizers after the event. Right-handed golf clubs are available to use for no additional cost. 

  Why Attend? 

  • Celebrate 21 years of this great event to support the SHRM Foundation. 
  • Connect with other HR and business professionals. 
  • Enjoy a beautiful September day out on the greens. 
  • Compete for exciting prizes for winning team, longest drive (female and male) and longest putt!

  Schedule of Events: 

  • 12:30pm Check-in
  • 1:00pm Tee-off begins 
  • 3:30pm Raffle, networking, and happy hour 

  Please bring cash for purchasing raffle tickets and mulligans! 

  
  

  Sponsorship Opportunities: 

  • Various sponsorship and volunteer opportunities are available! Please contact SHRM Foundation Director, Shannon Vorderbruggen at shannon.vorderbruggen@tkda.com or visit our Sponsor & Promote page. 

  

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