Keynote Speakers
Filled With Inspiration

Start Each Day Inspired


The HRSouthwest Conference keynote experience brings thousands of HR professionals together to begin the day with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and a shared sense of purpose. More than just a presentation, keynote sessions set the tone for the learning and conversations that follow, delivering thought-provoking insights from world-class speakers who challenge you to think differently, lead boldly, and embrace what's next in the workplace.





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9:30 AM Monday, October 12

"I Love It Here"

How great leaders create organizations that their people never want to leave. 

What if the single most powerful thing you could do as a leader costs nothing — and changes everything? 

​Employee retention expert and corporate speaker Clint Pulver delivers a message every HR professional needs to hear right now. At a time when employees are demanding more than a paycheck — more purpose, more connection, more growth — Clint reveals why mentorship isn't just a "nice to have." It's the defining difference between a team that stays and a team that walks out the door.  

Through groundbreaking research and the deeply moving story of Mr. Jensen — a man who changed a young life with one small, simple gift — Clint shows you that every person in your organization is just one caring leader away from a phenomenal success story. And that leader could be you.  

Sponsored by 

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About Clint Pulver 

Founder and President, The Center for Employee Retention and Organizational Culture

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Clint Pulver is an Emmy Award winner, Hall of Fame Speaker, Pro Drummer, and one of the world’s leading voices on employee retention and organizational culture. He’s the bestselling author of I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave, and was named one of Business Q Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 for his groundbreaking research as the Undercover Millennial.


 As founder and president of The Center for Employee Retention, he has helped organizations like the NBA, Microsoft, Red Bull, and NASA create engaged, loyal, and thriving workplaces. He’s also appeared on America’s Got Talent, acted in feature films alongside stars like Jack Black and Jon Heder, is an avid helicopter pilot, and—fun fact—is a proud member of the R2D2 Builders Club. He is also the president and founder of Dream Machines, a foundation that gives children with disabilities the gift and magic of flight.






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3:15 PM Tuesday, October 13

"Bringing Great Work to Life! "

The workplace is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in modern history. The question is not whether work has changed. The question is whether leadership has changed with it.  The cost of poor leadership has never been greater, and the expectations of today’s workforce have never been higher. 

Combining research, business insight, and real-world experience, Dr. Scott examines how technology, workforce expectations, business velocity, and economic uncertainty are fundamentally altering the employee experience. Traditional approaches to pay, benefits, flexibility, performance, and rewards are being challenged as organizations race to keep pace with a rapidly evolving environment. Yet the greatest disruption may not be technological at all. 

As employees seek greater transparency, authenticity, and purpose, trust in leadership has emerged as one of the defining issues of our time. Great work does not happen by accident. It is built through intentional leadership, courageous decisions, transparent pathways, and a commitment to creating workplaces where people and organizations thrive together.



About Dr. Scott Cawood, CCP, GRP, CSCP, CBP

CEO, World at Work


Dr. Scott Cawood has been the CEO of WorldatWork, a global nonprofit association for HR professionals and Total Rewards practitioners, since 2015. With a career dedicated to improving the workplace, Cawood is known for his deep expertise in organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and workplace culture. Before joining WorldatWork, he held senior leadership roles at W.L. Gore & Associates, where he led global organizational effectiveness strategies, and at Synygy, a global compensation and sales software company. He also contributed to workplace excellence initiatives at Revlon and the Great Place to Work Institute, which curates Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.


A passionate advocate for employee-centric workplaces, Cawood is also a bestselling author. His 2023 book, The New Work Exchange: Embracing the Future by Putting Employees First, explores how organizations can thrive by prioritizing people. Known as a “work nerd,” Cawood believes that treating employees as whole individuals—not just as workers—unlocks innovation, productivity and long-term success.










Contact Us


For registration questions, email:  attendees@hrsouthwest.com

For exhibitor and sponsor questions, email: exhibitors@hrsouthwest.com

For questions about speaking, email: erin@dallashr.org


(214) 631-8775