special section workplace innovation 2015
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SPECIAL REPORT 2015 THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Society for Human Resource Management – Greater Tucson
Innovation WorkplaceInnovation Workplacein the
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HR for the 21st CenturySHRM-GT Provides Training
& Networking SupportBy Christy Krueger
The field of human resources has evolved significantly since the days when the primary role was hiring and overseeing payroll and benefits. To-day, HR professionals focus on talent management, company culture, orga-nizational development and training to build highly engaged teams.
The Society for Human Resource Management is a national organization with 485 chapters that support those in human resources through training and networking programs. SHRM of Greater Tucson is one of the country’s strongest – with 420 members and sev-eral merit awards from the national as-sociation.
Because of high member participa-tion, SHRM-GT is able to maintain almost a dozen active committees, pres-ent a top-notch awards ceremony every fall and bring in national speakers.
SHRM-GT holds monthly work-shops that attract more than 100 at-tendees. “We strive to have continuous education. These workshops provide in-formation, processes and best practices with takeaways that allow members to apply what they learn in their work-place. It helps attendance stay high,” said Jeanie G. Merideth, SHRM-GT executive director. Its mission is to pro-vide HR-related information, educa-tion, expertise and influence.
“Having the number of committees with their high level of activity and program development is unique com-pared to many other SHRM chapters,” said Ann Berkman, past president of SHRM-GT.
Merideth owns Merideth Associates Management and has worked with pro-fessional and trade associations since 1986. She said SHRM-GT stands out
because of its level of volunteerism. “They’re very hands-on,” she said. “It has to do with their sheer numbers. Even having a management company working with them is unique, and they win chapter awards regularly.”
SHRM-GT’s professional certifica-tion committee puts together study groups to prepare members for rigorous certification testing. In the past, SHRM members received designations through a national institute that granted three levels of certification – PHR (profes-sional of human resources), SPHR (se-
nior professional of human resources) and GPHR (global professional of hu-man resources).
Starting this year, SHRM will have its own independent certification arm, granting two designation levels – SHRM-CP (certified professional) and SHRM-SCP (senior certified profes-sional).
“Tests are rigorous and draw on real-world HR experience,” said Garrett Kowalewski, SHRM-GT’s 2014 presi-dent. Typical success rates nationwide for first-time test takers, he said, are around 50 percent. “Our study groups have about a 90 percent success rate.”
One of the largest programs of the year is the Celebrating Innovation in the Workplace awards ceremony in November. The 2014 event took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson – Reid Park, where attendees packed the ballroom to hear keynote speaker Daisy M. Jenkins and to honor the winners in four categories.
Award categories represent some of the vital roles played by HR depart-ments in the 21st century, Kowalewski said. “Today, we still do payroll and benefits – but we also drive talent man-agement and are involved in legal and regulatory compliance and make stra-tegic contributions. Diversity and inclu-sion is an HR business function that cre-ates a stronger team and environment. Process improvement and technology are fundamental to productivity.”
Every quarter the legislative commit-tee sends members a newsletter report-ing on current issues important to the industry, such as legislation changes, pending and resolved federal and state cases, and upcoming issues. The di-
The Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson presents events throughout the year including:
Monthly Workshops/Lunch Second Tuesday of every month except April, September and November DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson – Reid Park 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jan. 13 Workshop DV is Costing Employers Money DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tucson – Reid Park11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Annual Employment Law Update April
National SpeakerSeptember
Celebrating Innovationin the WorkplaceNovember
2015 Events
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versity and inclusion chair and volunteers keep members informed about topics such as hidden or unconscious bias.
The membership committee recruits new members and presents an orientation meeting the first Tuesday of every month with presentations by both membership and chapter engagement representatives. They are introduced to SHRM-GT and its range of committees.
In 2011 and 2013 SHRM-GT was awarded Membership Star status by the national association. The 2013 commen-dation read, “Although our economy continues to be chal-lenging, your chapter was able to overcome these challenges and positively advance SHRM membership in 2013. Many chapters experienced declining membership during the year, so your state’s ability to maintain or realize growth is to be highly commended.”
One of SHRM-GT’s newest committees is community re-lations. “They work with the media, go to job fairs and try to get the association name out into the community,” Merideth said. “We’re striving to be a resource for companies that need to develop their HR practice.”
In the spring the chapter holds an employment law update where attorneys speak about new laws that may affect mem-bers in their HR positions, such as the latest on medical mar-ijuana. And every fall it hosts a national speaker presentation for the business community. “We get heavy hitters from the international speakers circuit. These are not just HR, but business topics, and the public can come,” Kowalewski said.
He emphasized the importance of SHRM’s function both locally and nationwide. “What we do is important. This or-ganization is well managed and very influential on a global scale. We build and improve entire workforces and leader-ship teams.”
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“What we dois important.
This organizationis well managed
and very influentialon a global scale.
We build and improve entire workforces and leadership teams.”– Garrett Kowalewski, 2014 President
Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson
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Innovation in the Workplace
Awards
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BizAWARDS
CommunityImpact AwardsCriteria: The winning com-pany demonstrates a com-mitment to community vol-unteerism through human resource programs, makes a significant impact on pro-grams that support workforce needs and acts as a role model within the community to create positive change through human resource ef-forts.
1. Golden Goose Thrift Shop Small Company
Thanks to the help of hundreds of volunteers, Golden Goose Thrift Shop donated 100 percent of its profits over the past 11 years to local programs benefiting children, seniors and fami-lies in need.
The nonprofit organiza-tion has developed a highly effective system for recruit-ing, training and retaining its volunteer workers, in-cluding regular orientations and cross-training efforts. This brings purpose to the lives of many seniors, valu-able job skills to teens and young adults, and teaches the meaning of community service to all involved.
Golden Goose store man-ager Stephanie Urdiales said, “Our staff is mostly volunteers, so we’re sharing this with about 500 people.”
2. Arizona’s Generation & Transmission Cooperatives Medium Company
Arizona’s G&T Coopera-tives provides power gener-ated by its 605-megawatt plant to six member cooper-atives across the Southwest, totaling 155,000 electric meters.
For the past four years, employees have assisted in teaching and organizing the Launch into Life program, a financial management and workforce development educational opportunity for high school students. Partici-pants regularly score excep-tionally high gains in their pre-to-post program evalu-ations in knowledge and life skills, demonstrating the great impact of Arizona’s G&T Cooperatives’ efforts.
Company representative Emery Silvester said, “This award is recognition of four years of hard work that truly brought the commu-nity together to help support youth.”
3. Pima Community College Desert Vista
Campus Large Company
One of the primary goals of PCC Desert Vista is to make connections with the local business community to identify workforce needs, then build educational pro-grams that fill these needs. Career training is offered in locally in-demand areas such as aviation technology, culinary arts and behavioral health.
One of the methods PCC uses to form relationships with local employers is invit-ing them to serve on adviso-ry committees. In addition, PCC Desert Vista offers grants to low-income adults who train in healthcare posi-tions, creating a win-win so-lution for students and local businesses.
Kathleen Marks, program manager, academic services, and Brian Stewart, aca-demic dean, accepted the award. “A number of people worked on this program for three years,” Marks said. “It’s an award for them. It was grass-roots,” Stewart added.
Other Finalists• Abrams Airborne Manufacturing• Cadden Community Management• YMCA of Southern Arizona
Diversity and Inclusion AwardsCriteria: Honorees have a track record of strengthen-ing community relationships, adding measurable value to the company and benefiting the employees’ quality of life and work life through an environment of diversity and inclusion.
4. The Offshore Group Small/Medium Company
Headquartered in Tuc-son, The Offshore Group is a leading provider of Mexico outsourcing solu-tions, helping manufacturers establish low-cost, low-risk operations.
The company’s HR man-ager, Kate Goldman, has introduced new ways of thinking to the workplace, thus creating a more diverse and inclusive company cul-ture. Examples include hir-ing more female workers, creating a lactation room for new mothers and changing the names of holidays cel-ebrated at the company to encompass more faiths and backgrounds. These chang-es have made employees feel more valued and appreci-ated.
Carla Quevedo, HR gen-eralist, and Pedro Valen-zuela, director of import/export operations accepted the award on behalf of Goldman. “We’re proud of Kate,” Quevedo said. “We are honored,” Valenzuela said.
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5. Mister Car Wash Medium/Large Company
Headquartered in Tuc-son since 1996, Mister Car Wash is the largest car wash chain in the nation, with nearly 5,000 employees in 14 states. It supports numer-ous Tucson organizations by providing individuals in sometimes overlooked pop-ulations with opportunities for employment.
Many who are disabled, those in refugee programs, youth and veterans are find-ing rewarding careers with Mister Car Wash. And, in turn, they’re inspiring more team-building within the company.
John Torre is manager of talent acquisition. He said, “I’m super proud of the work we do, especially in the diversity category.”
Other Finalists• Cadden Community Management• Community Food Bank
of Southern Arizona• JW Marriott Starr Pass
Tucson Resort & Spa
Technology/ProcessImprovement AwardsCriteria: Winning companies have implemented a system that enhances employee pro-cesses, improves employee participation in a program, realizes cost savings and has resulted in measurable change.
6. American Board of Radiology Small Company
This 80-year-old, physi-cian-led nonprofit organi-zation certifies diagnostic radiologists, radiation on-cologists and medical physi-
cists throughout the nation. A majority of its staff mem-bers work in the Tucson of-fice.
ABR recently implement-ed a continual-process-im-provement philosophy that led to better communica-tion between departments, increased productivity and employee involvement. Specifically, the IT depart-ment went from zero soft-ware development projects in 2013 to 11 completed in the first six months of 2014. ABR achieved a savings of $400,000, and employees feel more energized, pro-ductive and engaged.
Karyn Howard, director of HR and administration, said, “The entire staff de-serves this award. It’s a huge honor. It was a huge team effort. We can’t do it on our own.”
7. Arizona Canning Company Medium Company
As the U.S. affiliate of Mexico-based Conservas La Costeña, Arizona Canning Company is the second-largest supplier of canned beans in the U.S. Its state-of-the-art Tucson facility manufactures canned foods.
ACC managers felt the company’s HR processes had become outdated and were no longer efficient. With the goal to improve the integrity and accessibil-ity of employees’ benefits and payroll information, three areas were upgraded – online benefits enrollment, the human resources infor-mation system and online personal time off requests. The changes led to higher accuracy, increased produc-tivity and more convenience for employees.
Arizona Canning’s HR manager Elaine Jackson said, “I’m very proud of our work and happy to share with our team.”
8. University of Arizona Facilities Management Large Company
After performing a review of its workforce, UAFM de-termined that in 10 years, 60 percent of its employees would be retirement eligi-ble. Coupled with a shrink-ing local labor workforce in the trades, department heads realized an immedi-ate change was imperative. To address the looming skills gap, UAFM estab-lished a registered appren-ticeship program.
Once implemented, along with a succession plan, the department attained a sig-nificant reduction in the cost of filling vacant posi-tions. Active employees be-came more engaged in their work through mentoring. And more Tucsonans are being given opportunities for training, education and employment without leav-ing town. These new work-ers will continue the UA tra-dition of quality work and dedication, benefiting the entire community.
Jenna Elmer, UAFM as-sistant director of HR, said, “This took a lot of hard work and involvement from lots of people in facilities management.”
Other Finalists• The Offshore Group• University of Arizona
Campaign for Common Sense
• Xeridiem
Judges for 2014SHRM-GT Awards
These 12 business leaders served as judges for the 2014 Celebrating Innovation in the Workplace Awards presented by the Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson:
• Gary M. Bridget Human Resources Director Town of Oro Valley
• Lola Kakes Founder, EffortlessHR
• Cathy Kloos Human Resources Director Safeway of Arizona
• John P. Lewis CEO Commerce Bank of Arizona
• Linda Lohse Managing Director Tucson Foundations
• Lea Marquez-Peterson President/CEO Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Barbara McClure Executive Director IMPACT of Southern Arizona
• Gail Painter-Weidman Global Diversity & Employee
Rights, The Boeing Company
• Dave Perry President/CEO Greater Oro Valley Chamber
of Commerce
• Robert D. Ramirez President/CEO, Vantage West
Credit Union
• Hailey Thoman Executive Director Linkages
• Kay Williams Educator University of Phoenix
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LeadershipIndividual AwardsCriteria: Individuals in this cat-egory must demonstrate the ability to lead through chal-lenges, adapt to change and inspire a workplace culture of accountability and engage-ment.
9. Sharon Lurtsema CorporateCARE Solutions Small Company
Three years after forming CorporateCARE Solutions, Sharon Lurtsema launched her agency nationally. Cor-porateCARE Solutions part-ners with employers to offer child and adult backup care for employees’ families us-ing a nationwide network of caregivers. For Lurtsema, the implementation of tech-nology has been essential, allowing for almost imme-diate response times to cli-ent requests, the ability to offer 24/7 availability and for building an extensive net-work of providers.
Employees who receive the benefit of Lurtsema’s services through their employer have peace of mind that capable caregivers are at home with their loved ones. As a result, workers become less dis-tracted, increase their pro-ductivity and often feel more valued.
“I’m in a little bit of shock,” Lurtsema said. “We just launched this year. It’s so exciting.”
10. Ryan George Simpleview Medium Company
As founder and CEO, Ryan George developed in-novative cloud-based man-agement systems for destina-tion marketing professionals who promote cities and re-gions to travelers and meet-ing planners. The impor-tance of these systems is their ability to be accessed and
upgraded from anywhere at any time.
George’s passion for tech-nology keeps him involved in the development of all Sim-pleview products and ser-vices. He fosters leadership among his directors and en-courages open communica-tion between staff members.
He said, “We get a lot of awards, but the ones most special are those that apply to people. This one means a lot to me.”
11. John Torre Mister Car Wash Large Company
John Torre stands out as a leader in numerous ways, but he is most passionate about helping others and connect-ing with the community. He forms partnerships with local organizations, such as Good-will, Beacon Group and Our Place Clubhouse, providing job opportunities to those they serve – populations that he feels are often underuti-lized in the workplace.
Torre has been a strong representative of the com-pany and has increased its visibility in the region. He’s also a believer in leading with integrity and inspiring others to do the same.
Upon receiving his second 2014 Celebrating Innova-tion in the Workplace Award, Torre said, “I’m fortunate to work for a great company surrounded by people who work hard.”
Other Finalists• Fanni Acosta Town of Marana• Karyn Howard American Board of Radiology• Suzanne Machain Town of Marana• Jennifer Martin JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa
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Ann P. Berkman*Assistant Human Resources Director, Town of MaranaBerkman’s responsibilities with the Town of Marana include development and administration of town-wide programs and systems that support leadership and talent development, performance management and organizational development. She also oversees benefits, leave management and onboarding. Her positions with SHRM-GT are past president and membership chair.
Keli BrinkeFounder, Career TransitionsThis 2-year-old company provides support for professionals seeking a career transition. Brinke guides her clients through their job search, helping them find their focus and teaching them how to market and brand themselves. She is the SHRM-GT chapter engagement committee co-chair and volunteers with Tucson Metro Chamber as an ambassador and a member of the new busi-ness growth committee. Brinke helped launch “This is Tucson,” a local movement promoting Tucson with the goal of recruiting and retaining top talent for the area.
Ila Cipriani**Executive Administrative Director, Goodwill Industries of Southern ArizonaCipriani directs the human resources, safety and administrative functions for more than 500 em-ployees as they carry out the mission of providing services, training and jobs for individuals in the community who have barriers to employment. She is currently chair of SHRM-GT’s professional development committee while also serving as an advisory board member for Pathfinder Strategies.
Chris Dominiak*Benefits Analyst, University of ArizonaDominiak is a liaison between the benefits unit and University Information Technology Services of the University of Arizona. Using PeopleSoft HRIS, he monitors benefit transactions, researches and resolves issues and ensures accurate benefit deductions for the university’s 12,000 benefits-eli-gible employees. His responsibilities with SHRM-GT include secretary/treasurer and co-chair of the programs committee. Dominiak is a member of Eller College Associates, which is an alumni volunteer program at UA.
Trish KordasVP of Human Resources & Development, Tucson Federal Credit UnionKordas drives the development and execution of the HR&D strategic plan to support business strategies in the company, including policies, procedures, systems and initiatives. Kordas is SHRM-GT president for 2015. In addition, she works with community organizations such as Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and domestic violence awareness and cancer research charities.
Garrett KowalewskiCEO, Staff Matters Kowalewski is responsible for the overall direction of Staff Matters, including staff management, customer service, operations and human resources. He is also an individual contributor in a sales and account management capacity for the company’s technical and professional services division. Kowalewski served as SHRM-GT’s president in 2014. Other local organizations he’s active with include Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Arizona Technology Council’s Ambassador’s Committee, Southern Arizona.
*Certified Professional of Human Resources **Certified Senior Professional of Human Resources
Board of Directors/Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson
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Bonnie Mattes**Human Resources Adviser, American Red CrossMattes performs as adviser and consultant for the American Red Cross West division, supporting 300 employees in both the blood collection and call center groups, and she assists with various task forces across the country. She serves as chair of the SHRM-GT legislative committee.
Jeanie G. MeridethExecutive Director, Society for Human Resource ManagementMerideth is owner of Merideth Association Management, which handles the everyday functions of professional and trade associations, including serving as executive director of SHRM-GT.
Linda PitneyHuman Resources Generalist, CARF InternationalPitney supports CARF’s goals by performing HR activities that contribute to organizational ef-fectiveness and are in compliance with company policies and other applicable regulations. Pitney is chair of SHRM-GT’s workforce readiness committee, which offers high school students work-shops and projects related to job search and career skills. She volunteers as events coordinator of CARF’s wellness committee. In 2013 and 2014 the Wellness Council of Arizona recognized her as a Champion of Worksite Wellness.
*Certified Professional of Human Resources **Certified Senior Professional of Human Resources
Board of Directors/Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson
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Lori Prince **Director of Human Resources, Focus HRPrince oversees the full HR function for Focus HR and fulfills the human resource needs of its 250-plus clients on a consulting basis. She was co-chair of the 2014 SHRM-GT Celebrating In-novation in the Workforce awards committee. In addition, Prince is an instructor at the Arizona State University Lodestar Center School of Nonprofit Management for The Art of HR Manage-ment program.
Janet Rico Uhrig **Director of Talent Acquisition, Recruitment & Retention – Human ResourcesTucson Unified School DistrictUhrig coordinates the district’s efforts in the recruitment of qualified diverse individuals to fill vacancies across the academic and business-related functions, recently implementing a new ap-plicant tracking system. Her roles with SHRM-GT include 2012–2014 diversity and inclusion committee chair and 2014 VP. She is the SHRM-GT president-elect for 2016. She volunteers with Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona and for the Superior Court training/education program.
Gladys Walker **Human Resources Manager, LasertelWalker is responsible for overseeing multiple HR functions, including compensation and benefits, recruitment, training and employee relations programs. She supervises the implementation of processes and policies in compliance with corporate strategies to ensure that financial and strategic goals are attained. Walker served as co-chair of the 2014 SHRM-GT Celebrating Innovation in the Workplace committee. During the previous year she was a finalist for an award.
*Certified Professional of Human Resources **Certified Senior Professional of Human Resources
Board of Directors/Society for Human Resource Management of Greater Tucson
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Daisy M. Jenkins took the stage by dancing to Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” – her self-proclaimed theme song.
Jenkins was the keynote speaker at the Celebrating Innovation in the Workplace awards event presented Nov. 13 by the Society for Human Resources Management of Greater Tucson.
Her attention-getting introduction was followed by an entertaining, inter-active presentation about innovation and collaboration in the workplace. She emphasized HR’s role in leading em-ployees toward company goals by rec-ognizing the innovators, encouraging collaboration within the workforce and making employees feel valued.
“HR can no longer use yesterday’s lenses to select top talent. Today’s best and brightest talent also come with tat-toos, piercings and dreadlocks,” she said. “If we’re not careful in our selec-tion paradigm, HR becomes an im-pediment to bringing in top talent that can lead to a company’s competitive advantage.”
Jenkins spent 28 years with Ray-theon Company and Hughes Aircraft Company, holding various positions, including VP of human resources at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson. She was the first director of global di-versity at the company’s Massachusetts headquarters. Jenkins then became ex-ecutive VP and human resources officer for Carondelet Health Network.
She is now president of Daisy Jenkins & Associates, which specializes in hu-man resources consulting and develop-ment coaching.
“To keep people, you must make them feel valued and recognize how their contributions align with the com-pany’s goals. HR must be involved,” Jenkins said.
Daisy Jenkins Makes Listeners
HappyBy Christy Krueger
BizHR
