Kenexa Announces 2011 World Conference Keynote Speakers: Oakland A's Billy Beane and Former Navy Commander Mike Abrashoff

Beane and Abrashoff to Share Experiences on Transformative Management Strategies and GrassRoots Leadership Methods


WAYNE, PA--(Marketwire - Jun 2, 2011) - Kenexa (NASDAQ: KNXA), a global provider of business solutions for human resources, today announced that internationally renowned speakers, Billy Beane, vice president and general manager of the Oakland Athletics, and Mike Abrashoff, former Navy Commander and author of "It's Your Ship," will present inspirational, leadership-focused keynote presentations during Kenexa's upcoming 2011 World Conference, "The Conference of Grown-Up Dreams."

Considered one of the most progressive and talented baseball executives in the game today, Billy Beane has guided the Oakland Athletics into a perennial postseason contender since becoming the team's general manager in 1997. Under Beane's direction, the A's ended a string of losing seasons, reaching the playoffs four times and winning the second most regular season games of any time in baseball. His management approach of identifying and using undervalued assets to create and sustain a competitive edge and the organization's philosophy are the subject of Michael Lewis' best-selling book, "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," and a full-length feature film due to premier this fall.

Former Navy Commander and author of "It's Your Ship" and "Get Your Ship Together," Mike Abrashoff will explain how GrassRoots Leadership helped transform his former ship, the U.S.S. Benfold, to be the best ship in the Pacific Fleet. Overcoming challenges of exceptionally low morale and poor performance, Abrashoff replaced common command and control management methods with commitment and cohesion, engaging the hearts, minds and loyalties of the ship's workers. Using personal interviews with all team members -- regardless of station -- Abrashoff generated invaluable ideas and inspired his crew, making each member feel invested and improving a ship that few thought could ever change.

"Kenexa is thrilled to have such pioneering leaders as Mike Abrashoff and Billy Beane joining us at the 2011 World Conference," commented Rudy Karsan, Chairman and CEO of Kenexa. "Their keynote sessions will provoke conference attendees to dream big, even in the face of opposition and motivational challenges, and to encourage innovative leadership within their own organizations, ultimately creating a path for heightened levels of success."

"The Conference of Grown-Up Dreams" will be held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. on October 11 and 12, 2011, and include a full agenda of breakout sessions led by industry experts, keynote presentations, entertainment and special events. Additional speakers are to be announced. Those interested are encouraged to register early as extended discount conference rates are available now through June 15, 2011.

More information on Kenexa's 2011 World Conference, including full speaker bios and registration, can be directly accessed at http://www.kenexaworldconference.com/.

About Kenexa
Kenexa® provides business solutions for human resources. We help global organizations multiply business success by identifying the best individuals for every job and fostering optimal work environments for every organization. For more than 20 years, Kenexa has studied human behavior and team dynamics in the workplace, and has developed the software solutions, business processes and expert consulting that help organizations impact positive business outcomes through HR. Kenexa is the only company that offers a comprehensive suite of unified products and services that support the entire employee lifecycle from pre-hire to exit. Additional information about Kenexa and its global products and services can be accessed at www.kenexa.com. Follow Kenexa on Twitter: @kenexa.