In today’s evolving business landscape, HR leaders are expected to move beyond administrative support and become true strategic partners. This session is designed for HR professionals ready to elevate their impact by adopting a consulting mindset that drives measurable business results.

Attendees will learn how to transition from transactional HR work to strategic leadership by leveraging data-driven decision-making, proactive problem-solving, and strong business acumen. Through practical frameworks and real-world examples, this session will explore how to align HR initiatives with organizational goals, influence key stakeholders, and navigate complex challenges with confidence.

Participants will walk away with actionable tools to build their own HR scorecard, strengthen their consulting skillset, and position themselves as trusted advisors who contribute directly to growth, performance, and long-term success.

Neil Katz is the Founder and CEO of Exceptional HR Solutions, a national HR services firm that becomes the HR department for growing companies. Exceptional HR Solutions partners with organizations ranging from 5 to 500 employees, providing hands-on, end-to-end HR support so leaders can stay focused on running and growing their businesses.

With more than 25+ years of experience, Neil has built a firm designed for companies that need real execution and advice. Exceptional HR Solutions delivers day-to-day HR operations, employee relations, talent acquisition, compliance, benefits support, leadership development, and organizational infrastructure. For larger organizations, the firm also provides targeted HR project support, including investigations, exit interviews, policy redesign, compliance clean-ups, and organizational initiatives.

Under Neil’s leadership, Exceptional HR Solutions has assembled a national team of experienced HR professionals who operate as an extension of their clients’ leadership teams. The firm is frequently brought in when companies have outgrown informal HR, lost internal HR capacity, or want to remove the administrative and compliance burden from their leadership team entirely.

Neil is known for helping leaders reclaim their time by taking HR off their plate—without sacrificing quality, accountability, or employee experience. His philosophy is simple: HR should reduce friction, not create it. By owning the work, the systems, and the follow-through, Exceptional HR Solutions allows executives to get back to leading their companies instead of managing HR issues.

Neil is a frequent speaker, webinar host, and podcast guest, where he shares practical insights on scaling organizations, leading teams, reducing people-related risk, and building sustainable HR foundations. He also has a strong focus on using technology, automation, and AI to streamline HR operations and improve responsiveness.

Neil holds an MBA from Amberton University, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Lutheran University, advanced executive coaching training from the University of Texas at Dallas, and senior HR certifications (SPHR and SHRM-SCP).

Outside of work, Neil serves on the board of Hope International, a Dallas-based adoption agency, and remains actively involved in community and nonprofit initiatives.