Mark your calendars and arrange to attend an annual user conference with Emphasys in 2008. This year, as we have done in the past, we will host separate conferences for our PHA clients and our HFA clients. In conjunction with ENUG, Emphasys' independent national user group for PHAs, we invite our PHA clients to join us in Denver, CO in September. And in November, Emphasys looks forward to welcoming our HFA clients to Miami Beach, FL. These two exciting, information-packed conferences will feature training, educational and demonstration sessions for clients and product users alike. There will be opportunities for learning, networking, and a little fun, too. So, make sure you check out our PHA Emphasys Users Connect and our HFA Annual User Conference. Hope you can join us this year!
Why Attend?
Network with hundreds of agencies and authorities from around the country
Speak directly to staff and key Emphasys executives
Engage in roundtable discussions geared toward helping you build your operation from the inside out
More than 100 sessions covering a wide range of software interests to help EDs, IT people, finance folks, program administrators and others
Get a first look at and even try out the latest Emphasys software solutions
Discover other products and services from featured vendors that supplement your Emphasys solutions
At Emphasys Users Connect, meet ENUG members and learn about the many benefits of being a member of the organization. Those who are already ENUG members can participate in ENUG's business luncheon held during the conference
What others had to say...
"The conference served its purpose; I received a lot of information to take back." – M.B.
"I enjoyed the group discussion workshops where you get ideas and learn of experiences of other housing authorities; overall, very good." – C.W.
"I feel like the number of tracks available is an excellent way to make sure that people are getting information that is appropriate to them." – T.W.
"The conference was wonderful; learned a lot. By being a new user, the conference really helped me answer a lot of questions and provided guidance in a lot of areas." – T.B.
New Date
Emphasys User Connect is in a new month! This year, Emphasys Users Connect 2007 is scheduled for September 16-19 in Los Angeles in Universal City.
New Conference
Emphasys will host the first Emphasys Executive Housing Conference. The conference is scheduled for Nov 4-7 in Miami in Coconut Grove. At the Executive Housing Conference, senior housing professionals from public housing agencies and housing finance authorities can network and benchmark successes over several days of conference attendance. The conference will also offer training sessions for users of our Single Family, Multifamily and Financial product lines.
Power Breakfast
To enhance your networking experience, Emphasys will offer attendees a Power Breakfast. Each day, you will kick-off the conference day by enjoying a Power Breakfast with others who use the same software system (Monday), operate in the same/similar capacity (Tuesday) or located in the same area of the country (Wednesday).
Solutions Showcase at Emphasys Users Connect 2007
We have expanded the Demo Room to offer you a Solutions Showcase. In addition to viewing demonstrations of hot products for 2007 in the Demo Room, you can now try them yourself on laptops equipped with the featured software products. Product experts will be available for questions and even provide a guided tour upon request.
PHA Emphasys Users Connect
This conference, presented in conjunction with ENUG, Emphasys' independent PHA user group, offers PHA users information-packed sessions on topics including Elite, LIB, Select, Flex, and IT. It also includes ENUG's business activities. A preliminary session schedule is coming soon.
Sunday, September 28
12:00 PM
5:00 PM
Registration Open
6:30 PM
9:30 PM
Welcome Reception
Monday, September 29
7:00 AM
5:00 PM
Registration and Information Center Open
7:15 AM
8:00 AM
Breakfast
8:00 AM
8:50 AM
Opening Session
8:55 AM
9:50 AM
Concurrent Sessions
9:50 AM
10:05 AM
Re-energizer Break
10:05 AM
12:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM
1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
3:10 PM
Concurrent Sessions
3:10 PM
3:25 PM
Re-energizer Break
3:25 PM
4:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions
5:30 PM
6:30 PM
Hospitality Hour
Tuesday, September 30
7:00 AM
5:00 PM
Information Center Open
7:15 AM
8:00 AM
Breakfast
8:00 AM
9:55 AM
Concurrent Sessions
9:55 AM
10:05 AM
Re-energizer Break
10:05 AM
12:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM
1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
3:10 PM
Concurrent Sessions
3:10 PM
3:25 PM
Re-energizer Break
3:25 PM
4:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions
6:00 PM
8:00 PM
Dinner Reception
Wednesday, October 1
7:00 AM
11:35 AM
Information Center Open
7:30 AM
8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
10:25 AM
Concurrent Sessions
10:25 AM
10:40 AM
Re-energizer Break
10:40 AM
11:35 AM
Concurrent Sessions
HFA Annual User Conference
This conference offers Emphasys HFA users information, training, and demonstrations in a range of affordable housing topics including Single Family, Multifamily/Capital Programs, and Financials/Bonds. A preliminary session schedule is coming soon.
Tuesday, November 18
12:00 PM
5:00 PM
Registration Open
6:30 PM
9:30 PM
Welcome Reception
Wednesday, November 19
7:00 AM
5:00 PM
Registration and Information Center Open
7:30 AM
8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
9:30 AM
Opening Session
9:30 AM
9:45 AM
Re-energizer Break
9:45 AM
12:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM
1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
3:20 PM
Concurrent Sessions
3:20 PM
3:35 PM
Re-energizer Break
3:35 PM
5:25 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Thursday, November 20
7:30 AM
5:00 PM
Information Center Open
7:30 AM
8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
10:30 AM
Concurrent Sessions
10:30 AM
10:45 AM
Re-energizer Break
10:45 AM
12:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
12:00 PM
1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
3:15 PM
Concurrent Sessions
3:15 PM
3:30 PM
Re-energizer Break
3:30 PM
5:00 PM
Concurrent Sessions
6:00 PM
8:00 PM
Dinner Reception
Friday, November 21
7:30 AM
11:30 AM
Information Center Open
7:30 AM
8:30 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
11:00 AM
Concurrent Sessions
PHA Emphasys Users Connect will highlight companies that provide products and services that complement Emphasys product lines. As a conference attendee, you will have many opportunities to visit with company representatives and discover how their offerings can further enhance your housing operation. In past years, companies such as Designing Success, eTeklogics, Inc., Hyland Software, Inc. and Mesa Corporation spent time with interested conference attendees at various periods throughout the event.
Booth Setup
Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Monday 7:00 am – 8:30 am
Exhibit Hours
Monday 8:30 am – Noon
Monday 1:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Tuesday 8:30 am – Noon
Tuesday 1:15 pm – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am – 11:45 am
Booth Tear Down
Wednesday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
If you are a company interested in exhibiting your products and/or services at our PHA user conference, please contact
or call 231.347.8787 ext. 3006.
One of the more popular elements of Emphasys conferences is users serving as session presenters. Users from around the country share their expertise and years of product experience as they present detailed and informative sessions on a wide range of topics. These topics cover a number of our products including Elite, LIB/Select, Financials, Single Family as well as general interest topics such as HUD trends, strategic planning and outsourcing.
As a benefit of serving as a session presenter, Emphasys users receive a 25 percent discount for each session they present (maximum four sessions). These discounts are provided in a form of a refund after the conference.
PHA Emphasys Users Connect
This conference offers training and educational
sessions for our PHA products including Elite, LIB,
Select, Flex, and IT.
Register by June 30, 2008 and qualify for our "Early Bird" pricing!
Early Bird Rate: $485
Regular Rate: $585 (begins 7/1/08)
Late Rate: $685 (begins 9/1/08)
HFA Annual User Conference
This conference offers training and educational sessions
for our AOD products including Single Family,
Multifamily, and Financials.
At Emphasys' conferences there are several opportunities to network with colleagues from around the country. These opportunities provide you with a chance to expand on discussions initiated during session, obtain one-on-one support on housing-related issues specific to your operation or simply build on pre-existing relationships established at previous Emphasys conferences.
Each conference offers you networking opportunities throughout the event as well as after those long days of information-packed sessions.
PHA clients can also benefit from the conferences' association with the Emphasys National User Group (ENUG). ENUG is an independent user group focused entirely on the best use of Emphasys products.
Other Networking Opportunities
Welcome Reception
Breakfasts
Re-Energizer Breaks
Hospitality Hour
Dinner Reception
The Emphasys User Awards Program is designed to recognize clients who demonstrate notable performance in innovative software usage, beta testing and employee support with Emphasys' range of products. It places focus on those exceptional clients to help encourage the development of a user group culture dedicated to supporting software advancements and ongoing improvements in the operation of PHAs, HFAs, and IHAs.
The Emphasys User Awards Program sets out to recognize notable clients who have improved their business processes through the utilization of Emphasys software products; promote sharing of best practices among Emphasys clients; and provide models for other housing agencies and authorities in assessing their own housing operation for improving efficiencies and overall effectiveness.
Program Awards
Most Innovative Partner: To qualify for this award, a client must demonstrate innovative ways of using Emphasys software products.
The Emphasys Pioneer: To qualify for this award, a client must illustrate characteristics of an early adopter, willingness to engage and actually participate in beta testing Emphasys's unreleased products.
Emphasys Wall of Champions: To nominate an employee for this award, a client must believe that an individual employee serves as a champion for improving internal operations through software utilization.
Program Benefits
Public recognition at annual Emphasys Users Connect conference
Twenty-five percent refund for one Emphasys Users Connect registrant
Profile on Emphasys website
Community announcement through press release to local newspapers
Award Announcement
Emphasys Software will announce the 2007 winners during its annual users conference on September 18, 2007.
Award Program Overview Document
For a PDF of the User Awards Program document outlining the full program, including scoring criteria, click here.
Presentation materials from past conferences are available for review at our client information portal, www.myEmphasys.com. Once you login to myEmphasys, you can find the past conference materials under the Training tab.
What our clients had to say:
Networking with other users, hearing about practical experiences and seeing demonstrations of new technology were all great – W.K.
It was a great experience and I will try to send more staff next year – J.A.
The conference was a great learning experience; other attendees were polite and helpful; the information on Emphasys products was very helpful; the staff is knowledgeable in their field. – M.S.
Great conference, great meals, loved boat trip – P.E.
I found the demos very helpful; also, the staff was available for a one-on-one if needed – B.S.
Individual sessions were excellent – J.K.
Very good conference with helpful information – D.C.
Using clients to assist in presentations was great – B.H.
The conference was very informative and I gained a lot of useful knowledge – G.P.
Thank you for the extra touches – S.P.
The overall conference was enjoyable and educational – S.T.
I liked the ability to share ideas with others – K.S.
This year’s conference was very good, providing a wide range of topics for the attendees. The conference was truly informative – P.H.
Fantastic job! – D.M.
The technical sessions were successful; I liked being about to speak directly with developers – B.M.
I really enjoyed it; the sessions were informative and helpful; the staff was great and I enjoyed meeting other users – D.S.
Great people; lots of knowledge – D.I.
The topics of the sessions and the opening session was all very good – X.W.
As a first time attendee, I enjoyed the flow of the classes and the topics that were available in this time of change – L.H.
Very informative – T.E.
Great information – J.V.
The conference was very well organized and provided useful information – M.H.
I am walking away with more knowledge of features and it will be very useful at the office – K.D.
I enjoyed it very much; I was just sorry that I couldn’t attend every session – B.J.
Awesome! – D.W.
I learned a lot more than I expected – C.M.
The presentations were very helpful to me – L.H.
Overall conference was very good; sessions informative and staff helpful – D.B.
The flow of each session was very smooth – J.L.
I enjoyed the conference tremendously; the staff is great – N.D.