Recruiting the next generation of talent.

The Talent Development Council

The Talent Development Council engages participating members in a long-term research initiative to advance best practices, practical methods, and tools for B2B distributors and manufacturers to implement talent acquisition, development, and retention in their businesses. Each year, the council will focus on one talent area.

The Research Team, comprised of members of the AD Education Team and Texas A&M University, will meet with each participating company individually to gather insights into their current practices related to the topics being researched. The findings are then consolidated and used to inform and build out a virtual workshop, which participating member companies will have exclusive access to.

2 Research
Meetings
Six Online
Workshops
25-30
Companies

Council Structure

  • Member companies will have input in shaping the final topic list.
  • The Research Team will interview and collect data on member companies’ current practices and policies.
  • Spring workshops and fall workshops will be held via Zoom.
  • Member companies can bring unlimited attendees for each workshop.
  • All results, methods, tools, and examples will be shared with all participating members.
  • The workshops and resources are exclusive to participating member companies.

Participant Benefits

  • Benchmark your current practices with best-in-class.
  • Discover new talent strategies, methods, and tools.
  • Identify talent processes for improvement.
  • Connect with the next-generation workforce during panel discussions.
  • Network with distributors from multiple channels.
  • Get better at recruiting, developing, and retaining people. Win the race for talent!
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Details & Investment

Audience

The Talent Development Council is for human resources professionals and managers focused on attracting, developing, and retaining talent. It is also available to all employees at participating member companies, regardless of job title or expertise.

Investment

The $10,000 membership fee covers all council benefits, providing your company with access to best practice methods and tools essential for talent acquisition.

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Membership Advantages

Implementation Strategy
  • Includes talent best practices, methods, and tools
Access to Engagement Opportunities
  • One-on-one strategy meetings with the Research Team
  • Six virtual workshops held in partnership with Texas A&M University
  • Optional networking events with Texas A&M University and AD
Access to Comprehensive Digital & Print Resources
  • 2025 social recruiting guide
  • 2025 social posting calendar
  • Talent Matters - 50 weeks of micro-learning emails
  • Quarterly book summary

2025 Focus Area: Talent Acquisition

The 2025 focus area for the Talent Development Council is talent acquisition. It supports member companies by helping them discover new talent strategies and methods to improve recruiting efforts and employee retention. Membership includes access to a thorough resource folder, one-on-one company meetings, digital and print resources, and unlimited attendance in six virtual workshops hosted by AD in partnership with Texas A&M University.

Fall 2025

Crafting Employee Value Preposition

Why should someone work for your company? How to develop and present an authentic and differentiated EVP. How to use it to recruit the right talent.

Employer Branding + Social Recruitment

How to showcase your company culture, employee engagement, and leadership. What is your social media plan? How to get ROI on your digital talent acquisition initiatives.

Creating Stellar Job Descriptions

How to design job descriptions and postings that stand out and speak to the needs and wants of next-gen talent.

Spring 2026

Designing Internship Programs

How to execute well-designed Internship programs and increase acceptance of full-time offers.

Setting up Career Paths

Entry-level development & leadership programs - design and execution. Cohorts, rotations, and milestones. Evaluation and measuring effectiveness.

New Hire Onboarding Program

Improve your new hire onboarding process with 30/60/90 day & 3/6/12 month plans. Create checklists, templates, and success plans for employees and managers.

Meet the Talent Development Research Team

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