Upcoming Show - Human Resources Executive

                                    Shows Worth Attending

I'd thought I fire off a quick post re: technology shows I attend. I won't do the opposite (shows I avoid) as the list would be too long.

I do like the Human Resources Executive show that Bill Kutik puts together annually. I like this one for the following reasons:

• huge collection of HR vendors - There are more HR technology and functional solutions in one spot than anywhere else. I see all the standards (e.g., Authoria) as well as gobs of new vendors (e.g., last year Workday made their big splash at this event).
• access to HR executives and analysts - My colleague Jim Holincheck (www.blogerp.com) of Gartner is always there as are a number of other influencers and execs.
• the format of the show helps highlight differences in products.

This event is next scheduled for Oct. 10-12 in Chicago (see www.hrtechnologyconference.com).

I also attend :

• MR Rangaswami's excellent Software 2007 event at the Santa Clara Convention Center. This one is big and has everybody who's anything in attendance. (see www.sandhill.com)
• JRocket Marketing's Grape Escape - an invitation only gathering that is intimate where MR's event is colossal in size. Lots of analysts, great food and drink and quality one on one time with tech executives.

With vendors, I try to catch:

• Sapphire - the annual SAP event
• numerous other events when I can get them on my schedule. This year I've already attended events from Progress, Workday and others.

From non-tech firms, I also speak or attend a few events like:

• the REA-25 conference at the Univ. of Delaware last month. Great mind-expanding experience that really awakened me to how accounting transaction driven systems still are today and what must change going forward.
• Arizona State graduate school of business. I've given a number of talks here and at other grad schools. I like giving something back and this is something that do often (although it gets expensive!).
• Merrill Lynch's IT, Software and Internet conference - I caught this one this winter - great event - great tech execs and Wall Street analysts always ask solid questions.

Finally, here are some I'd like to get to if I can get the time, get invited, etc.:

• Supernova - Kevin Werbach puts this together and I keep getting conflicted out by clients or other travel. I'd really like to catch this one asap.
• Lawson & Oracle user conferences - I haven't caught or covered one of their events in eons. I'm overdue on at least one of these big time.
• Many mid-market vendor conferences - I enjoy meeting clients of these firms at these events. They've got a distinct set of priorities and perspectives that's often missing at events catering to really large firms.