My name is Marilyn Kraut and I’m a proud 38-year resident of Philadelphia and an active member of WorldatWork. I’m so excited to have my professional association coming to my city for its annual conference that I’ve been asked to be a member host for the WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition 2008.

Wow! Me? A Member host! This is an honor! I’m not sure why WorldatWork picked me, although I have been a member since 2005, I'm a WorldatWork faculty member (I teach work-life courses), and I love cheesesteak sandwiches. I don’t know how WorldatWork knew I loved cheesesteaks, but I assure you they picked the right person for the job because I simply love Philadelphia and I want you to love it too! (If you don't know what a cheesesteak sandwich is visit my personal favorite Old Philly Sandwich maker, Tony Luke's.)

In addition to loving my city, I also love my job. I work as the Human Resource Director, Quality of Work-Life Programs, for the University of Pennsylvania, Philly’s largest private employer. What I’m most looking forward to at this year’s conference is that all of total rewards will be represented, with a stronger representation of the work-life component like never before. I heard that WorldatWork is planning some special work-life networking events, workshops, awards and other stuff that I’m not suppose to announce just yet.

Now, even though I work in the work-life realm today, that wasn’t always the case. Early in my career I did compensation. So as someone who has both comp and work-life experience I can tell you that a total rewards conference is really ideal – no matter what your specialty, you’ll find all that you need to advance your career, and your company.

Okay, enough about me. This Web page is supposed to be about Philly, so here’s what you need to do. I want you to come back and explore this site every once in a while and begin planning your trip to Philly by reading about all the fun things to do here, with recommendations from your WorldatWork colleagues. (There might be a Web contest with prizes, so come back often.) And if you have any questions for an insider like me, I want you to e-mail WorldatWork (they said they would forward your questions to me) and I will answer as many as I can and I will try and help.

Now, before I sign off, I’m calling out to all WorldatWork Philadelphia members to contribute to my Web page. What!? You thought I was going to do this alone!? I know you’re out there — I searched the Member Directory! I want you to send me (via WorldatWork) your favorite Philly lists so the 2,000 people who are coming here will know exactly where to go and what to do. I want all of us Philadelphians to band together and guide our fellow colleagues to the best our city has to offer. Send in your lists —  you know — your favorite cheesesteak joints, your favorite dance clubs, your favorite kid restaurants, whatever!

Seriously, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I love my  profession and I love my city. I want to personally invite you and your family, friends and co-workers to Philadelphia to experience all that it has to offer while attending this year’s premier total rewards event.

And don’t forget to introduce yourself to me when I see you at the Pennsylvania Convention Center this coming May. I can’t wait to meet you there! Until next time.

Marilyn

P.S. Be sure to read the December workspan magazine article about me!