IMA Summit 2018 - Concurrent Education Sessions

Education Session #1
Tuesday, July 24, 1:00 - 2:00 pm

International Trends & Experiences in Incentives & Rewards

Education Track: Growth 

This is a session to help the audience appreciate the risks and opportunities when expanding into new countries. Presentation followed by a panel discussion.

Presenter & Panelist: Rob Purdy, CEO, Carlton One Engagement ULC
Moderator: Fintan Connolly, Global eCommerce Manager, Globoforce
Panelist: Catherine Parsons, International Operations Director, Uwin Iwin Incentives
Panelist: Brian Dunne, CEO, Gift Card Consulting
Panelist: David Gould, MD, Corporate Reward Solutions


The 3D Bell Curve - A Key to the "Motivation Revolution"

Education Track: Growth

There is revolution happening in the Incentives/Engagement industry - science, research, and economics (and arguably our own experiences) are showing us that sustainable growth cannot be sustained by extrinsic incentive programs alone. This session will unpack the “revolution” and add a new dimension to the traditional performance bell curve. Attendees will leave this session with a choice to make, a model to follow, and most importantly, an understanding that in order to protect and grow their incentive programs, we must design strategies that improve the “brand’s connection” with participants and that grow the long-term value of their overall relationships.

Chris Galloway, Owner & Lead Designer, Animate Growth Partners

Transforming Loyalty with Blockchain

Education Track: Tech & Opportunities

“Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that can bring transparency, scale, almost zero cost, automatic settlement and reconciliation to all types of transactions. These benefits can be applied to the Gift and incentive industry to drive very interesting and scalable use cases. Join us for a lively and informative panel discussion that breaks down the Blockchain architecture and its potential impact for the incentive industry”

Panel Discussion: 
Moderator:  Rebekka Rea, Global Business Development, Swych, Inc/Innovative Prepaid Solutions
Panelists:  
Deepak Jain, CEO, Swych, Inc
Holly Glowaty, Co-Founder, K & H Connection
Kristen Thiry, Co-Founder, K & H Connection

Education Session #2
Tuesday, July 24, 2:30 - 3:30 pm

Program Growth Through Vertical Market Strategies

Education Track: Tech & Opportunities

Join gift card veteran Hollis Thornton of CashStar’s Velocity B2B Services team as she shares winning strategies merchants can employ to market and sell their gift card program well beyond the traditional B2B marketplace. This session will help gift card program managers, especially those with mature programs, chart a new phase of growth and prepare them to capitalize on opportunities with industry verticals that align with their brand.

Hollis Thornton, Senior Account Executive, Velocity B2B/CashStar,

A Tale of Three Growing Companies

Education Track: Growth

Three companies from our industry each focused on different areas—digital gift cards, physical gift cards and solutions that feature merchandise—all have experienced growth and success in this market. Join our panelists in a discussion on how each of their organizations defines what equates to growth and how each has been successful in growing their market share.

Panel Discussion: 
Matias Marquez, Founder & COO, Buyatab Online Inc.
Michael Donnelly, CPIM, President, Hinda Incentives
Rick Rubin, Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, National Gift Card

The Life of an Incentive Program (Presented by the IESP)

Education Track: Growth

This will be an interactive panel discussion regarding the nuts and bolts of the incentive/performance industry.  Experts from four solution providers will share first-hand insights into identifying potential clients, penetrating the layers of decision makers, scheduling that first presentation, planning and budgeting. They will also discuss the many approaches to launching, the methodology of statistical measurements and, the importance of seamless reward programs. Learn the key to turning that successful Incentive program into a long-term relationship.

Panel Discussion:
Moderator:  Peter Cannon, President, Ticket Jones 
Panelists: 
Brant Dolan, CPIM, West Region - Business Development, Quality Incentive Company
Theresa McEndree, VP Marketing, Hawk Incentives
Jonathan McClellan, Employee Recognition Segment Director, Hallmark Business Connections
Cindy Mielke, CPIM, Vice President, Marketing & Sales Operations, GC Incentives/GiftCertificates.com
Juan Manuel Valenzuela, CPIM, CEO, Above Target


Education Session #3
Tuesday, July 24, 3:45 - 4:45 pm

Market Opportunities: Insights from the IRF's Signature Voice of the Market Study

Education Track: Growth

Based on in-depth interviews of 50 client-side program owners, the IRF has new insights on how the people at the center of our marketplace think - about their reward and recognition programs and about our industry.

Megg Withinton, Managing Partner, Intellective Group; Group / Chief Research Adviser, Incentive Research Foundation


Life Stage Influences... Putting it all Together to Change Behavior 

Education Track: Conquering Challenges

Understanding a participant’s life stage offers a much clearer picture of the underlying circumstances driving their behaviors. But not all of your prospective incentive program participants are at the same life stage simultaneously.  That’s why you should focus your efforts on building a program and awards selection that appeals to a variety of people at different life stages.  Studying people at different life stages simplifies creating an of award selection to inspire behavioral changes.

Panel Discussion: 
Michael Donnelly, CPIM, President, Hinda Incentives
Ric Neeley, Director Marketing, Hinda Incentives
Eric Sorensen, Chief of Product Delivery, Augeo Affinity Marketing, LLC

Education Session #4
Wednesday, July 25, 9:00 - 10:00 am

Artificial Intelligence: It's Effect on Our Society and in Your Business

Education Track: Tech & Opportunities

Professor Shannon Vallor, an internationally-recognized expert on the social and ethical implications of emerging technologies, will provide some basic insights regarding the science behind artificial intelligence, help distinguish the coming realities of AI from common myths and hype, discuss where AI is headed and might take us, and how labor and business are likely to be affected. 

Professor Vallor will also address the considerable ethical risks and opportunities that AI brings, and how we can steer ourselves toward a positive future with AI, in which humanity and the workforce is enriched rather than diminished by machine intelligence.

Shannon Vallor, Professor, Santa Clara University
Sponsored by IESP


Fraud - How Big Is Our Problem?

Education Track: Conquering Challenges

Panel discussion on how each aspect of the incentive industry is seeing fraud (Gift Card/Virtual Card providers, fulfillment vendors, merchandise, travel) and what we are doing to help stop it! 

Moderator: Tom Niedbalski, Vice President, Global Partnership and Sales, First Data
Panelists:
Billie Reise, CPIM, Vice President Administration, Incentive Concepts 
KC Fox, Radial
Jenny Jeansonne, CPIM, Director, Partnership & Growth, Stockpile 
Paul Hubert, Vice President, Customer and Merchant Services, GC Incentives, A Division Of Giftcertificates.Com
Nancy Alderman, IP, Associate Director, TSYS Loyalty

Education Session #5
Wednesday, July 25, 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Is Your Incentive Program AI Ready?

Education Track: Tech & Opportunities

Artificial Intelligence is coming. The hype has gotten to feverish levels, but many people in our industry are wondering how and when it will affect their business. We know autonomous cars are coming, but what about autonomous incentives?

Jesse Wolfersberger, Chief Data Officer, Decision Sciences Maritz

The Power of Personal Incentives

Education Track: Growth

Engaging and influencing consumers becomes more difficult as the number of and variety of touch-points continues to increase.  Learn how incentives tied to the things people care about most can be a powerful influencer on behavior.   The effect of personal motivation in the scrip market will be shown in terms of the amount of household spend going through the channel, and how things like promotions and greater convenience can increase spend.

Margaret Murphy, CEO, Great Lakes Scrip Center