Sam Stern, award-winning author of Corporate Creativity, will be the keynote speaker at the Chapter's Employee Learning Week event on the evening of Wednesday, December 9t

ASTDps welcomes Barry Allen, Chief Financial Officer for Corbis, to the Chapter's Employee Learning Week Advisory Board. Allen has more than 25 years of global experience in diverse senior executive leadership roles at public and private companies in the Internet, enterprise technology and real estate sectors. He is a recognized expert in global mergers and acquisitions, responsible for the acquisition or sale of more than a dozen companies, as well as helping to grow revenues in dynamic environments. Barry is also noted around Corbis as a true people-developer.

I am pleased to announce that John Yokoyama, the owner of the world-famous Pike Place Fish Market is the latest distinguised executive from our region to sign on with the ASTDps Employee Learning Week Advisory Board. Working with creativity coach Jim Bergquist, Johnny (as he likes to be called) took a struggling fish stand and, using employee learning, turned it into an internationally recognized entertainment venue and exemplary workplace. You can read a short version of this inspiring story by clicking here.

Mike Katagiri, ASTDps' own technology guru, will be leading the 3rd Annual Imaginative Trainers' Lab on Friday, October 23rd, from 8 AM to noon, at the 2100 Building, 2100 24th Ave South.The Lab was established as a once-a-year offering of the Creativity and Innovation SIG to help the learning and performance community focus on injecting more inventiveness into our own profession.

We all know that eating fish is a great way to nourish our brains. The Chapter's Creativity and Innovation SIG has an even better way to nourish the creative part of your brain (which is most of it): come hear Jim Bergquist, the creativity guru whose on-target consulting turned a struggling Seattle fish stall into the world-class entertainment venue known as Pike Place Fish Market. Jim will talk about his work with the market and share his current views on how to become more personally creative and help your organization become more innovative. You won't want to miss this exciting presentation. Join us Monday evening (doors open at 6:30 PM; the presentation begins at 7) at the Community Center at Mercer View. Register Now!

NO SEPTEMBER CHAPTER MEETING

We aren't having our regular monthly chapter meeting in September. Our next chapter meeting is October 20th. See you in October.

Bev Parnell, the ASTDps Director of Employee Learning Week has this exciting news to share:

Mark Wednesday morning, November 18th on your calendar for what is sure to be a sell-out chapter meeting featuring guest speaker Tony Bingham, President and CEO of ASTD National.

Tony kicks off the dedicated season of Employee Learning Week, just in time for you to help your organization get fired up and ready to go. All attendees will receive a limited edition Employee Learning Week Toolkit.