2023 Regional Conference

Scholarship Cornhole Tournament / Pizza Party Fundraiser /2023 VPPPA Region VII Scholarship Fund.

Join the Monday Evening “FUN”-draiser!

This year our cornhole tournament will be held in the Des Moines Marriott Downtown hotel.

Team-building networking and fun. To sign-up and register, click here.

Location: The Hilton – Branson Convention Center

  • $75 per participant
  • Includes tournament and food
  • 2 per Team
  • Singles welcome and will be placed on a team
  • 50/50 Raffle fundraisers during event
  • Prizes at the end of event
  • Proceeds to benefit the Scholarship Fund

Be sure to sign up for the cornhole tournament when registering! The cornhole tournament is a selectable item when adding events during registration.

Conference Schedule

  • 8:00am – 4:00pmApplication Workshop
  • 8:00am – 2:00pmSustaining Star Quality Workshop
  • 12:00pm – 4:00pmCPR/First Aid/AED Class
  • 1:00pm – 2:00pmSpeak Up, Listen Up, Follow Up: Psychological Safety In The Workplace —
  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm Walking Working Surfaces, Keeping Your Workers On Their Feet
  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm — VPP Slump
  • 2:30pm – 3:30pm — Maneuvering Through Change —
  • 9:00am – 10:00amUpgrading Your Meetings —
  • 9:00am – 10:00am — Leaving A Safety Legacy — 
  • 9:00am – 10:00am — The Annual Self Evaluation – What is OSHA Looking For? —
  • 9:00am – 10:00am — Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation Workshop & Updated Outcome Metrics —
  • 10:30am – 11:30am — Increasing Employee Involvement — 
  • 10:30am – 11:30am — Static Electricity in Hazardous Areas —
  • 10:30am – 11:30am — Common Deficiencies —
  • 10:30am – 11:30amFact or Fiction, Myths And Misconceptions Surrounding Flame Resistant/Arc Rated Clothing —
  • 8:00am – 2:00pmOSHA 10 Hour Class —
  • 8:00am – 2:00pm — OSHA 10 Class —

Certification Courses Offered

CPR/AED/First Aid Refresher Training Certification (Monday, June 19th)
The refresher course will review critical skills needed to respond to and manage a medical emergency until emergency medical services arrives. Skills covered in this course include basic first aid, CPR instruction, choking relief in adults, children, and infants along with AED use and what to do for sudden cardiac arrest situations. The course is free to registered attendees.
OSHA 10 Hour Class (Thursday, June 22nd & Friday June 23rd) OSHA 10-hour training teaches basic safety and health information to entry-level workers in construction and general industry. It is part of the OSHA Outreach Training Program, which explains serious workplace hazards, workers’ rights, employer responsibilities and how to file an OSHA complaint.

The Hilton – Branson Convention Center

The Hilton Group Rate Reservation Link

The Hilton - Branson Convention Center

Tuesday Evening Vendor Reception

Join everyone Tuesday evening for the vendor reception. Light food and drinks are included with your conference registration. Visit all of the exhibitors and take the time to network with numerous attendees. The silent auction will be in full display with funds going to the annual scholarship fund. This is a great annual event that is attended by many and closes a busy Tuesday conference agenda. Enjoy!

Keynote: Brandon Schroeder

Brandon Schroeder – Believe in Safety

Brandon began his journey as a speaker in 2012 after a work accident in 2011. Brandon has been a journeyman electrician since 2002 and thought that was his future. He was and is a good electrician, he does what he is told and gets the work done on time. But after his accident, he knew there was a different journey he was supposed to go on. He was pursued in 2012 to speak to a company about why his accident happened. Although he was hesitant to do this, he complied. Brandon thought this was a one and done presentation, but what he didn’t know is requests would keep coming. Here he is nearly 10 years later still telling his story and changing safety mindsets. Brandon has spoken for hundreds of companies, from the largest companies in the world to local co-ops. His goal is to get his story in front of the one person that needs it!

Believe In Safety is a message which will take you on a journey that Brandon Schroeder began on a fateful day in August 2011. Brandon has been a journeyman electrician since 2002 and thought he would be until he retired. Little did he know this accident would save his life when it should have taken it.

Brandon has been speaking about his accident since 2012. Although this has not been easy to recount time and time again, Brandon believes his message needs to be heard. He is passionate about sharing his pre-accident mindset and why he believes this accident happened. He believes simple changes could have avoided this very painful time in his life.

Please join me in welcoming Brandon Schroeder

Keynote Speaker – Air Force Veteran, Author, Hero – Brian Shul

Brian Shul’s Website + Book

Brian graduated from East Carolina University in 1970 with a degree in History and Anthropology. He went on to become an Air Force fighter pilot for the next twenty years.  During the Vietnam War he flew 212 missions before his aircraft was shot down. Forced to ride his plane into the jungle, he was severely burned in the ensuing crash, and given up for dead. Eventually rescued, Brian endured one year in military hospitals where he underwent 15 surgical procedures and was told he would never fly again.
After much physical therapy, Brian miraculously returned to active duty flying fighter jet aircraft. He became an airshow demonstration pilot, was selected for the first A-10 squadron, and instructed at the Air Force’s Top Gun School. He culminated his Air Force career by flying our nation’s Top Secret spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest aircraft ever built. Brian flew covert missions in the Blackbird for 4 years and was the pilot who provided President Reagan with detailed photos of Libyan terrorist camps in 1986.
Retiring from the Air Force in 1990, Brian pursued his writing and photography interests. He was the first pilot to write a book about flying the Blackbird, completely illustrated with his own photography. This book won Aviation Book of the Year honors and is today the single most popular book on that plane worldwide. Brian’s remarkable comeback story has inspired audiences nationwide as he is in high demand as a keynote speaker. Brian is a Spirit of Freedom Award winner, a Honorary Thunderbird , and in 2011 was inducted into the Air Force Legends Hall of Fame. He is a sponsor of the Wounded Warrior program and owns Gallery One in California where his nationally acclaimed nature photography is on display.