The National Pork Board (NPB) is hosting a human resources conference in Raleigh designed to help swine managers as they deal with the challenges of personnel management on December 8-9 at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel downtown. 

NPB's Employee Management Conference will offer sessions ranging from hiring and firing to performance improvement derived from feedback and coaching. 

The National Pork Board, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is responsible for providing consumer information, performing industry-related research and the overall promotion of pork as a food product.

Deborah Johnson, chief executive officer of the North Carolina Pork Council, noted, "This is a terrific opportunity for our pork producers and production company employees, especially those who are moving into the arena of managing people. We are strongly encouraging attendance."

The conference's keynote speaker and featured lecturer is Michael Brandwein, author of Levity and Learning I. Brandwein's keynote talk on the morning of December 9 is "Houdini's Greatest Secret Was That There Was One: Unlocking and Unblocking the Path to Personal & Organizational Success."

Registration is free and open to pork producers, their managers and production company associates. However, all participants are asked to register in advance by calling 800-456-PORK or faxing a registration form to 515-223-2646. 

Here are links to the: 

• Full conference agenda
• Registration form
• Complete brochure

A limited number of guest rooms, under the NATIONAL PORK BOARD group name, is available at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel at the rate of $119 per night. Room reservations must be made with the hotel at 919-834-9900 before November 15.  

Registrants may also call the NCPC office at 919-781-0361 for more information about the conference.