MERC 2025 Annual Conference Day Agenda

Interlachen Country Club, Edina, MN
Thursday, September 25, 2025

8:00 – 9:30 AM | Corporate Roundtable — Domestic
Corporate-only discussion focused on today’s domestic relocation challenges, benchmarking, and peer solutions.
Audience: HR/Mobility practitioners (suppliers excluded)

9:00 – 9:30 AM | Registration Open
Pick up your badge, coffee, and say hello to the MERC crew.

9:45 – 10:00 AM | Welcome
Opening remarks and housekeeping.

10:00 – 10:05 AM | Sponsor Recognition
A thank-you to our MERC sponsors.

10:05 – 12:00 PM | Opening Session

Consulting in Motion: Building Smarter Relocation Programs Together
Interactive workshop blending expert insights with table-team exercises to design practical mobility roadmaps.

In today's rapidly changing business world, global mobility professionals must go beyond managing policies to add strategic value to their organizations. It’s an evolving journey, and this interactive workshop offers practical insights to help you achieve the most impactful results.

Ask the experts

Now’s your chance to tap into extensive mobility knowledge and expertise. Come prepared with the top two questions, challenges or roadblocks you’re encountering at any of the following key milestones:

1. The role of technology and data

2. Workforce management and mobility

3. Stakeholder engagement / buy-in

4. Mobility brand elevation

5. Mobility governance

6. Adapting to change

Key takeaways

• Gain actionable insights tailored to your organization’s unique challenges

• Learn how to position mobility as a strategic enabler within your company

• Build a toolkit of practical solutions to address evolving workforce and stakeholder needs

Moderator:

Brenda Thoeny-Johnson — Director, Strategic Business Solutions, Cartus 

Panelists:

• Jenny Harrington — Global Consulting Director, Altair Global

• Martin Foxwell — SVP, Global Compensation & Consulting Services, Bristol Global Mobility

• Kathy Burrows — Senior Director, Global Advisory Services

• Claudia Snyder-Romano — Global Consulting Leader, Americas

• Kristin White — Director, Communications & Thought Leadership

• Gina Grover — Practice Leader, Consulting

12:05 – 12:45 PM | Lunch
Sit-down lunch service with time to connect.

12:45 – 1:45 PM | Educational Session 2

Navigating Economic Currents: Insights for Relocation Decision-Makers
A forward-looking economic briefing with practical implications for mobility.

Andrea Sorensen from US Bank will share critical economic updates that impact global mobility—from interest rates and inflation to housing trends and labor market shifts. With a focus on how these macroeconomic forces influence relocation strategy, Andrea will offer practical insights to help mobility leaders make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving environment.

Whether you're managing budgets, policy design, or vendor partnerships, this session will equip you with the economic context needed to steer your relocation program in a new direction.

Presenter:

• Andrea Sorensen — Economist, U.S. Bank

1:45 – 2:45 PM | Corporate Roundtable — International
Corporate-only discussion on international program pressures, tax/immigration intersections, and policy modernization.
Audience: HR/Mobility practitioners (suppliers excluded)

1:45 – 2:45 PM | Supplier Educational Session
Road Warrior Tips & Best Practices
Practical tactics for traveler wellness, compliance, and efficiency.

2:45 – 3:00 PM | Break

3:00 – 3:15 PM | Sponsor Recognition

3:15 – 4:45 PM | Educational Session 3

AI in Your Everyday: Tools, Tactics, and Transformation
Hands-on session exploring how AI can streamline content, research, and decision support across mobility operations. Includes demos, prompt templates, and safe experimentation guidelines.

AI is quickly becoming the extra teammate you didn’t know you needed—one that works 24/7, never steals your coffee, and can completely change how you get things done.

In this hands-on breakout session, we’ll explore AI in Your Everyday: the simple, surprising ways global mobility teams are already using AI to save time, spark ideas, and support organizational priorities. You’ll see live demos of AI tools turning meeting transcripts into action plans, building local DSP-style guides in minutes, and generating communications, research, and even music.

We’ll also pull back the curtain on how AI helped plan this very session—from writing invites to brainstorming content—and share concrete examples you can use right away. Then we’ll talk policies and guardrails to help you experiment safely.

This session is interactive and collaborative. Come ready to share your own experiences and ideas as we build a roadmap for using AI to optimize relocation programs—together.

Presenter:

• Lori Ryan — Founder, Lorignite | Benivo

4:45 – 5:00 PM | Wrap Up & Sponsor Drawings

5:00 – 7:00 PM | Networking Reception
Hosted cocktails, appetizers, and raffle prizes.