Industry Education Session

David Garza, Founder and CEO of COMPASS Human Capital Advisors

Wednesday, January 21 | 7:45 – 8:30 am

Shifting to a Higher Gear with Our People: Three Strategic Levers to Prepare for Your Next Business Crossroad

Whether you are a founder, owner, or senior executive in the heavy-duty aftermarket, you have likely built a strong product or service, found early traction, have gained momentum — and the business is growing. But now you’re feeling the strain:

• Decisions are slower

• Communication is messier

• You’re still pulled into every decision, circumstance, and problem

• Newly hired employees aren’t as effective as earlier, established team members

This isn’t a performance problem. It’s a people ceiling — and it’s completely normal. But if you don’t fix it now, you’ll struggle to scale efficiently, retain key talent, or prepare for the next growth step.

This presentation introduces three strategic human capital levers — workforce alignment, leadership depth, and performance climate — to break through the ceiling and shift your team to a higher gear — without burning out leadership or breaking the culture. 

New! Free 20-Minute AI Consulting Sessions

HDAW attendees can now book a free 20-minute one-on-one meeting with Lauren McCullough, one of the aftermarket’s leading voices on AI and the future of work. Lauren’s keynote at last year’s event earned top marks, and this year she will be onsite to help distributors, WDs, manufacturers and reps get hands on with practical AI workflows.

These quick individual sessions are designed to give attendees clear, actionable guidance tailored to their role or organization. Bring a workflow you want to improve, a business problem you want to solve or any questions about how to use AI inside your team. You will walk away with a simple plan or a workflow you can put to use right away.

Individual workflow improvements:

  • How to automate repetitive tasks
  • Writing better emails, summaries, or reports with AI
  • Organizing daily work, meetings, and follow-ups
  • Using AI to speed up research or data gathering
  • Personal productivity tools that save time each week

Organizational strategy and team adoption:

  • Where companies should start with AI
  • Building simple AI guidelines and best practices for teams
  • How to train employees on AI tools
  • Turning messy data into something AI can use
  • Understanding what AI can and cannot automate today

BOOK YOUR FREE SESSION

Innovation Interchange

Located in the Longhorn Expo foyer, the Innovation Interchange will offer a look into ways the industry is educating and maintaining its workforce. Interested in participating in this exciting space? Suppliers with dedicated training programs or innovative recruitment and retention initiatives are encouraged to showcase their offerings in this dedicated, prominently featured section. 

For more information or to sign up, please complete this form.