Keynote speaker for Chamber's Business Summit on Healthcare announced

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce's Annual Business Summit on Healthcare presented by Sam Houston State University will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center.

Free health screenings, educational information and resources within the area will be provided by a variety of exhibitors and open to the community from 7:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Reservations are required for the Conference which begins at 8:30 a.m. and includes a variety of speakers addressing topics such as:

-Top Illnesses That Impact Your Bottom Line presented by a Physician Panel of Specialists

-Identifying Trends in the Industry presented by a Professional Business Panel -Tactics to Reduce Premiums, Tax Changes & Litigation Mechanisms presented by a Financial Expert Panel

The Keynote Speaker, Omar Reid, Human Resources Director for the City of Houston will conclude the day presenting statistics on “How the City of Houston saved $40 Million in two years”.

“Our conference theme this year is Healthy Bottom Line and our goal is to provide businesses and our community members with updates on the ever changing healthcare world and address challenges and solutions that impact the business owner and consumer alike. We are thrilled to have Mr. Reid as our Keynote Speaker this year touching on matters that affect our area,” said Ashley Byers, Director of Special Events for The Chamber.

Omar C. Reid, Human Resources Director for the City of Houston, is responsible for the financial and administrative activities of the department. Reid provides guidance and initiates policies for all city departments. His focus and objectives in HR is to continue as a strategic partner with other City departments in managing the City’s workforce of over 22,000 employees. Additional areas of responsibility are HRIS, risk management (safety and worker’s compensation), citywide corporate training, benefits administration, finance and strategic design, employee and labor relations, salary and compensation, workforce and strategic planning. Reid has initiated several major initiatives that significantly improved the services provided to the city’s workforce. With a strategic focus on process improvement and enhanced client services, Reid has:

-Centralized City HR operations resulting in increased efficiency and decreased liability changing the city’s HR ratio from 1:38 to 1:117

-Moved from a fully-insured to self-insured health benefits program resulting in over $19 million dollar cost avoidance in the first year and a cost savings of over $44 million in the last two years

-Implemented a nationally acclaimed Health Assessment and Wellness initiative to cultivate a healthier workforce. Having received the WELCOA Gold level on the first application and leading the City of Houston to recognition as one of the top 100 healthiest places to work in the country

-Revamped the employee evaluation system to one which incorporates SMART goals based on organizational strategic objectives into employee evaluations

-Re-Instituted the Leadership Institute Program (LIP), a nine month training program to develop emerging talent in the organization

-Fully automated a number of processes including benefits open enrollment and all personnel transactions

-Restructured the Risk Management Division adding a Safety Education unit -Established a strong, respectful relationship with the city’s three employee unions

Reid earned his Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from University of Houston – Downtown and his MBA Degree from Texas Southern University. He has over twenty-nine years of human resources and specialized leadership /management experience; his expertise in leadership, team-building, problem solving, and communications have been demonstrated by his successful involvement in both business projects and community activities.

The City of Houston has received many awards/recognition as a result of the efforts of Reid and the HR team. His efforts have provided models for other organizations to emulate. He has been invited to speak or visit with leadership teams and organizations across the country. Listed among his accomplishments, Reid is a published author of The Traffic of Life: Characteristics of Effective Leadership.

Reid has a ‘people come first’ personal philosophy and lives by his three keys to success which are, ‘Trust, Communication & Perception is Reality’. He and his wife, Janice, have a daughter, Brianna, who follows the examples of hard work in education and sports that is exhibited by both her parents.

The funds raised from the Business Summit on Healthcare help benefit various programs that the Chamber hosts such as Economic Development, Mobility, Healthcare and Education that promote the growth of South Montgomery County, its residents and businesses.