Gene Marks

How to Replace Retiring Talent, Transfer Critical Knowledge and Build the Next Generation of Your Workforce

Businesses across the country are approaching one of the biggest workforce transitions in decades. Experienced owners, executives, managers, salespeople, technicians and other key employees are retiring — and when they leave, decades of relationships, skills and institutional knowledge can leave with them.

Businesses across the country are approaching one of the biggest workforce transitions in decades. Experienced owners, executives, managers, salespeople, technicians and other key employees are retiring — and when they leave, decades of relationships, skills and institutional knowledge can leave with them.

At the same time, employers are competing for a younger generation of workers who have very different expectations about technology, career development, flexibility, communication and the workplace itself.

Business owner, CPA, author and nationally recognized business speaker Gene Marks will show business leaders how smart organizations are preparing for this “great workforce handoff” — and what they should be doing now to protect their businesses and position themselves for the next generation.

Drawing on the latest workplace trends and the hundreds of business owners and executives he speaks with each year, Gene will address some of the most pressing workforce questions facing employers today:

• What happens when your most experienced people walk out the door? How organizations can identify critical institutional and tribal knowledge before it disappears — and create practical systems for transferring that knowledge to the next generation.
• What does Gen Z really want from an employer? What younger employees value, where the stereotypes get it wrong, and how organizations can adapt their recruiting, management and retention strategies without abandoning the culture that made them successful.
• Where will the next generation of skilled workers come from? Practical ideas for expanding the talent pipeline through apprenticeships, technical schools, community colleges, industry partnerships and alternative approaches to recruiting.
• How do you turn younger employees into tomorrow’s leaders? Strategies for mentoring, cross-training, career development and succession planning that give high-potential employees a reason to build their careers with your organization.
• Can technology help close the labor and knowledge gap? How AI, automation and digital tools can capture institutional knowledge, improve training, increase productivity and enable organizations to accomplish more in an increasingly challenging labor environment.
• What should business leaders be doing right now? Gene will provide a practical roadmap organizations can use to prepare for retirements, strengthen their talent pipelines, retain their best people and begin transferring critical knowledge before it’s too late.

This isn’t a presentation about Millennials versus Boomers or a list of generational stereotypes. It’s a business presentation about continuity, productivity, succession and growth during one of the most significant workforce transitions employers have faced in decades.

Attendees will leave with specific, actionable ideas they can use to make sure that as one generation exits the workforce, the knowledge, relationships and capabilities that built their organizations don’t exit with them.

The Hill and Guardian columnist Gene Marks explains how leaders are navigating economic changes, tariff uncertainty, workplace challenges and technology investments.

As a regular columnist for The Hill and The Guardian and frequent guest on Fox News and other national outlets, Gene Marks spends his time analyzing the political and economic decisions coming out of Washington — and translating what they actually mean for business owners and industry leaders.

In this high-energy, insightful presentation, Gene connects the dots between public policy and business strategy. He explains how regulation, trade policy, workforce shortages, midterm elections, tariffs, and inflation will directly impact hiring, costs, supply chains, and profitability over the next 12–36 months.

This keynote will address how leaders are:

✓ Utilizing economic data that makes sense

✓ Adapting to the regulatory environment under the current administration

✓ Navigating trade shifts and tariff exposure

✓ Tackling labor market dynamics and workforce shortages

✓ Managing through inflation and higher costs

✓ Preparing for the midterms

✓ Investing in technology

This is not a partisan talk — it’s a practical business briefing designed to help leaders anticipate change, reduce risk, and position their organizations for growth regardless of political outcomes

For more than 20 years, Gene Marks has covered business technology for Forbes, reporting 6–8 times per month on the latest advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and enterprise software. In this fast-paced, practical session, he separates AI hype from business reality and explains what is actually impacting industries like construction, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and financial services.

Drawing from his interviews with Microsoft, Google, emerging AI firms, and real-world companies implementing these tools, Gene will outline where AI is delivering measurable ROI — and where businesses are wasting time and money.

This keynote focuses on:

✓ AI risks and realities

✓ AI agents and automation in operations

✓ AI in sales, CRM, estimating, forecasting and finance

✓ AI in in real life in your industry

✓ Workforce implications and leadership strategy

✓ AI governance, risk, and data management

✓ Where to invest in 2026–2027 for competitive advantage

✓ What to expect in the next 12–24 months

Attendees leave with a clear, practical technology roadmap — not theory — and a better understanding of how smart leaders are using AI to protect margins and drive growth.