Houston CHRO Community
Executive Summit
December 4, 2025 | Hyatt Regency Houston West
December 4, 2025
Hyatt Regency Houston West
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Houston's top CHROs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CHROs today:
Cultivating leadership and management skills to drive success and promote continuous growth.
Develop a cohesive, inclusive culture aligned with company values to boost engagement.
Establish metrics and development opportunities to motivate employees.
Houston CHRO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CHROs, For CHROs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs
Linda Borne
McDermott International
SVP, CHRO
Bill Ennis
Academy Sports + Outdoors
EVP, Chief Administrative Officer
Chuck Kemper
American Bureau of Shipping
CHRO
Shibu Varghese
MD Anderson Cancer Center
SVP, People, Culture, Infrastructure & CHRO
What to Expect
Interactive Sessions
Hear from CHRO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.
Community Networking
Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Houston CHRO community.
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
Agenda
Executive Boardroom Sessions
From Crisis to Catalyst — Sparking Inspiration in the Workplace
Only 16% of employees say they’re thriving in their roles — a staggering number that cannot be ignored. Yet, new insights from O.C. Tanner’s 2026 Global Culture Report reveal how workplaces can become a source of renewal and resilience in uncertain times.
Join this session to discuss:
- Why healthy performance requires both expectations and support
- The 5 behaviors that shape inclusive, high-performing teams
- Why integrated recognition creates a cultural multiplier effect
Pathing to Performance — HR's Role in Career Roadmaps
Gartner research shows less than half of employees are satisfied with their organizations’ career development opportunities. Despite the need to retain and find key talent, the same research shows only 34% of organizations help in visualizing these paths to growth.
In this boardroom, CHROs will discuss best practices in:
- Developing partnerships between employees and managers in career development
- Coaching and career conversations to make employees feel supported
- Building career paths that create opportunities for internal mobility
Retaining Talent in Times of Uncertainty
In an era of uncertainty, talent management leaders face pressing challenges with CEOs prioritizing growth, AI deployment challenges and shifting labor market pressures on talent strategies. How can HR leaders simultaneously retain talent and meet these goals?
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Modernizing talent management to meet organizational skill needs
- Accelerating the readiness of the leadership bench
- Growing talent for engagement and performance
Take Your Workforce Planning From Tactical To Strategic
Frequent, unfamiliar organizational changes and the uncertainty posed by technological, generational and social shifts have changed workforce dynamics. CHROs can leverage strategic workforce planning to guide organizations’ future talent investments in light of business priorities.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Optimizing SWP processes while reducing complexities
- Adapting strategies to meet short and long-term goals
- Matching talent needs with enterprise aspirations
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Houston CHRO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Houston WestYour Community Sponsors
CHRO Thought Leader
Key Sponsor
Program Sponsors
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
