Keynotes & Highlights
Richard (Rick) Stephens
Senior Vice President,
Human Resources & Administration
The Boeing Company
Keynote: Forum 2012
Richard (Rick) Stephens is senior vice president, Human Resources and Administration for The Boeing Company, and member of the Boeing Executive Council.
Stephens, a 31-year Boeing veteran, oversees all leadership development, training, employee relations, compensation, benefits, Global Corporate Citizenship, and diversity initiatives at the Chicago-based aerospace company.
During his career with Boeing, Stephens, 59, has led a number of business areas at sites across the U.S. and around the world including Homeland Security and Services, Space Shuttle, Tactical Combat Systems, and Internal Services.
Stephens serves on a number of non-profit and business-focused boards and has been recognized for his long-standing leadership in local and national organizations. Passionate about improving education both inside and outside of the classroom, he works directly with community and education leaders to prepare future workers to meet the challenges necessary to succeed in an ever-changing and competitive business environment.
A former U.S. Marine Corps officer, Stephens currently serves on the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Advisory Committee designed to assist governors in developing comprehensive STEM agendas. He also is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics where he is chair of the Career and Workforce Development Steering Committee, a member of the Business-Higher Education Forum, founding member of the Business and Industry STEM Education Coalition (BISEC), member of the Illinois P-20 Council, chair of the Global Midwest Alliance and chair of the Illinois Business Roundtable. Stephens also is part of the Chairman's CEO Leadership Caucus for the Orange County (Calif.) Business Council. He has served on the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council, the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, the President's Board of Advisors on Tribal Colleges and Universities and on the National Science Resource Center Advisory Board.
Stephens received his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1974 from the University of Southern California, where he is the Boeing executive focal, and his Master of Science degree in computer science in 1984 from California State University, Fullerton.
Stephens is an enrolled member of the Pala Band of Mission Indians and served as tribal chairman from 1988 to 1989.
Jonas Prising
President of the Americas, ManpowerGroup
Keynote: Forum 2012
Jonas Prising was named president of the Americas in 2008. In this role, Prising oversees all aspects of ManpowerGroup’s $3.8 billion business in North, Central and South America.
Prising joined ManpowerGroup in 1999 and has served as managing director of Manpower Italy; director of Manpower Global Accounts – Europe, Middle East and Africa; and president of North America.
A recognized expert in labor market trends, diversity and workforce development, Prising is regularly invited to speak at conferences and summits, and regularly appears in national and international media.
Before joining the company, Prising worked for Electrolux, a Swedish multinational. During his 10-year tenure with Electrolux, he held various international positions within the consumer goods and business-to-business divisions, including regional manager for Asia Pacific, managing director of Sales Companies in France and the United Kingdom, and finally head of Global Sales and Marketing for one of its business-to-business divisions.
Active in the community, Prising presently serves as chairman for Junior Achievement USA and on the board of directors for Junior Achievement Worldwide and Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc.
Prising holds an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics and has participated in executive programs at Stanford, INSEAD and Yale. He speaks five languages: English, French, German, Swedish and Italian. Prising and his family reside in the Milwaukee area.
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