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HRD’s annual Hot List brings together the best of the best in the industry – an impressive group of 30

high achievers in the HR profession

FEATURES

COVER STORY: HOT LIST 2017

HOTLIST2017

IT’S ALWAYS a pleasure browsing through the final list of HR professionals featured in HRD’s annual ‘who’s who’ guide. These are the people who continue to add value to the profession and increase its standing in the business world. Some of them have appeared on our previous Hot Lists, proving their staying power; others have been featured in the magazine over the past 12 months. Then there are new contenders, the ones who have launched innovative initiatives, tackled tough business-critical challenges or moved the dial on persistent issues like diversity & inclusion.

Many have already been acknowledged as industry leaders – they’ve picked up personal accolades from the likes of the Canadian HR Awards, or the employers they work for have been applauded as an employer of choice by organizations such as Aon Hewitt or the Great Place to Work Institute.

It’s not all about bright optimism, though; some of the HR professionals on this year’s list are in declining markets or at companies that are struggling to reinvent themselves. But rain, hail or shine, HR continues to prove its worth, as the leaders on the following pages prove.

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MARNI JOHNSONSenior vice-president, HR

BLUESHORE FINANCIAL

Under Marni Johnson’s leadership, BlueShore Financial was ranked among Aon Hewitt’s 50 Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada in 2016 for the sixth consecutive year, and achieved Platinum Level status for the second year. Also last year, the company experienced its highest-ever employee engagement score of 82%.

One major initiative Johnson launched in 2016 was a customized, organization-wide digital literacy assessment tool, designed to determine the staff’s level of digital knowledge in areas like cybersecurity and social media in order for management to address knowledge gaps. Following the assessment, the team developed a series of learning tools, including video clips on topics that scored the lowest. They also appointed one digital ambassador from each department to serve as the resource person for the assessment tool and other new technologies implemented.

As the only woman and HR representative on BlueShore Financial’s six-member executive management team, Johnson is dedicated to creating a culture of diversity & inclusion at BlueShore. At present, 50% of the company’s assistant vice-presidents and vice-presidents are female – a percentage Johnson hopes to boost in 2017.

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