HRAConnection

November Meeting

HR Voice, Member Involvement

Bernard C. Coleman, III, Member Advocacy Specialist, SHRM

Bernard currently serves as the Member Advocacy Specialist at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). In that capacity, he is responsible for developing and implementing SHRM’s integrated member advocacy program known as HRVoice. Bernard also serves as a vital information resource to the Society’s volunteer leaders, members, staff and others stakeholders, facilitating the Society’s member advocacy program. Bernard began his professional political career as a Member Services Assistant at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in Washington, DC, where he was later promoted to Deputy Director of Member Services where he served as the staff liaison to over 175 Members of Congress. He later became a National Field Coordinator at the Committee, where he was charged with implementing voter turnout programs and other advocacy programs. Prior to joining SHRM, Bernard served as Executive Director of now House Democratic Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer’s reelection campaign where he oversaw all fundraising and administrative activities relating to the campaign. Bernard resides in Springfield, Virginia and is a graduate of Hampton University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Trinity University where he received his MBA with a concentration in International Business.
Program

As an HR professional, you have a responsibility to know what is happening regarding workplace public policy. The HRVoice program assists SHRM members in shaping public policy affecting the HR profession. Learning Objectives: -Understand the basic steps of becoming involved at the state and federal levels. -Build relationships through HRVoice programs such as the “Day inside the District” and “Day inside the Beltway” programs. -Utilize SHRM’s letter writing program, “How to Write Your Elected Official.” Note: This program is not a legislative update, but rather a how-to program on strategies for raising awareness on issues and organizing joint efforts to affect legislation.

This program has been approved for recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org

Date:	Thursday, November 15, 2007
Topic:	HR Voice, Member Involvement
Location:	The Murat Center Michigan and New Jersey Streets, Downtown Indianapolis Parking is included (be sure to mention you are with HRACI)
Speaker:	Bernard C. Coleman, III, Member Advocacy Specialist, SHRM
Agenda:	11:30 a.m. Registration & Networking 12:00 noon Luncheon 12:20 p.m. Program 1:20 p.m. Adjournment
Register Now

--return to top--

HRACI Networking Event

Join us a the Blu Martini (96th and Gray Road) from 5:30-7:30 p.m on Tuesday, November 13th for another networking event! Appetizers will be provided for our group.
RSVP to Alysia 317-841-3236 or alysia@mprecords.com

Volunteer Recognition and Committee Information

Committee Initiatives/Responsibilities:

The Certification committee is primarily responsible for creating, coordinating, and promoting HRACI's PHR/SPHR certification preparation programs to facilitate the certification of chapter members. At this time, HRACI offers preparation programs in both the Fall (for the December 1 – January 31 test date) and Spring (for the May 1 – June 30 test date).

Currently, there are two (2) members on the committee – Jennifer Lange, PHR who is HRACI’s Director of Certification and Dee Dee Deffez who helps coordinate the downtown location at Indiana Business College this fall (she is also a student in the prep class).

The Certification committee is always looking for new members. Some of duties of committee members could include:
• ensuring that the materials HRACI uses are the "best"
• establishing a facility to host class(es) and making arrangements with the "owner"
• ordering the student materials for the class(es)
• finding and securing PHR/SPHR certified facilitators for the class(es) and making sure that they have all of the information the need
• coordinating and facilitating the "facilitator get together" a week or two before the class(es) start
• being onsite at the study group to take attendance, ensure the facilitator has everything he/she needs, distribute/collect surveys, answer questions, etc.--this does NOT have to be every class but a few would help!
• following up with class participants to find out what exam he/she is taking, when he/she is taking it, and if he/she passed to be used to determine the success of our class(es)
• tallying the results of the feedback survey for each unit/facilitator and communicating those back to the appropriate parties
• getting Certification information posted to the chapter via the monthly newsletter(s)

Additionally, there are many HRACI members who help the committee by serving as facilitators and those this Fall are:

• Bob Boudrot, SPHR
• Cheryl Thomas, SPHR
• Chris Tyler, SPHR
• Jason Sims, SPHR
• Javier Contreras, SPHR
• Laura Miller, PHR
• Regena Bradley, PHR
• Sharon Wardrip, SPHR
• Susan Crawley, PHR
• Tina Bowles, PHR

Committee Accomplishments:

This Fall we have 24 HR professionals enrolled in our Fall prep class. We hope to continue our success and have a terrific pass rate!

The chart below represents our pass rates based upon the number of students who sat for the exam:

	Spring 2007	Fall 2006	Spring 2006	Fall 2005	Total # Passed
PHR	72% passed	79% passed	100% passed	90% passed	45 people
SPHR	75% passed	50% passed	50% passed	75% passed	14 people

Anything else to note:

The committee is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in assisting in any capacity – please contact Jen Lange at 317-706-9531 or jennifer.lange@oldnational.com. Volunteering on a committee is just a one-year (1) commitment and will provide you the opportunity to network, meet new colleagues, and make a difference within the business community and to HRACI.

Volunteer Recognition goes to Jennifer Lange, PHR, Director of Certification. A graduate of DePauw University, Jennifer began her career in HR as an HR Assistant for Precision Machine Company in September 2000. A year later she moved into the HR Manager role at which time she began serving on HRACI Certification committee. In December 2003, she received her PHR designation. After leaving Precision, she joined AUL/OneAmerica. In April 2005, Jennifer was named HRACI's Director of Certification. In December 2005, Jen moved to Old National and is the HR Business Partner supporting the Insurance division. In January 2006, she began her first elected two-year term as the Director of Certification. She was re-elected in October for the 2008 – 20010 term.

The Diversity Committee hosted a Diversity Networking event at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on Friday, October 12. It was a great success and we had over 40 people in attendance. Thanks to everyone who came and shared in the fun. Attendees have a chance to win a family membership to the IMA. Be checking your email for the trivia question!

HRACI members and their friends munched on appetizers, had drinks and great conversations along with exploring great art. People toured the galleries and saw first hand the new Roman Art exhibit—for free! The Roman Art exhibit really is second to none! If you weren’t able to attend the event, you need to put a trip to the IMA on your calendar. Check out www.theromansarecoming.com for more details.

Bill Karlson presented, How to Bring Infectious Passion into the Workplace, Thursday, October 18, 2007 as the Key Note speaker at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and HRACI 43rd Annual HR Conference and Expo. Bill Karlson has worked for several corporations and brought to the audience thought provoking questions and antidotes. Click onto http://billkarlson.com/billkbio.pdf for his complete biography.

Some concepts that Karlson discussed were, “Do a better job on the job you have”, People doing the jobs know how to do it best”, and that most people’s number 1 goal is their family. Karlson believes that people leave jobs because of personality blending, as our personality is encoded into us. The parting thought is that, “you are where you were”, with the notion that what has happened in your life creates you where you are now”.

--return to top--

HR Consultant’s Forum Networking Event

HR Consultant’s Forum Networking Event

Thursday, November 8
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast Served

Neace Lukens
6510 North Shadeland Avenue
Indianapolis
(Directions are below)

Please RSVP to alysia@mprecords.com or to 841-8202

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED!

Please join us for a hearty breakfast and an opportunity to connect with other consultants and speakers from past HR Consultant’s Forum programs.

The networking event will be held on the Northeast side of Indianapolis in the 2nd floor training room at the Neace Lukens office building at 6510 North Shadeland Avenue, Indianapolis IN 46220.
? If you are driving east on I-465 you will exit onto Binford Blvd. Turn left, or east, at the 1st light which is 75th Street, or you can travel further south to 71st Street. Turn right, or south, at Shadeland Avenue. Continue on Shadeland Avenue. The Neace Lukens building will be on the right, or west, side of Shadeland Avenue at 6510.
? If you are driving in from the north using I-69, it turns into Binford Blvd. after you pass 82nd Street and the I-465 exits. Then follow the same directions as above.
? If you are driving north on I-465 you will exit onto 56th Street and Shadeland Avenue. Continue on Shadeland Avenue heading north going straight through the Fall Creek intersection. The Neace Luken’s office building at 6510 is before 71st Street on your left.

--return to top--

HRACI Needs YOU....To Get in the Game!

Do you remember what it was like the first time you attended our monthly luncheon and saw a room full of people but didn’t know anyone? It can be a little intimidating to say the least! Now YOU can make a difference for a new member joining HRACI or coming to their first event. If you enjoy meeting new people, and are enthusiastic about our wonderful organization, then becoming an HRACI Ambassador could be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you!

This new Ambassador program is designed for busy HR professionals or associate members. As an Ambassador, you will introduce HRACI to a new member via the phone, meeting before the luncheon, or going for a quick cup of coffee during the week. Your primary role is to share your HRACI experience, answer questions, and help the new member feel welcomed into our organization. This volunteer opportunity does not require a set time for commitment, instead, you have the flexibility to be an Ambassador as often as your schedule allows.

For more information contact Connie Whisner at connie.whisner@elwoodstaffing.com or Cat Bates at cbates@cort1.com. Additional information regarding this exciting new program can be found by clicking here .

HRACI Ambassador Program

Goal of the Ambassador Program
The goal of the Ambassador program is to help assimilate new members into the organization and ensure that each new member receives the most value possible from their HRACI membership. The ultimate goal of the Ambassador program is to ensure that members continue their membership in HRACI and help build the organization by bringing in new members.

Ambassador Role/Job Description
An Ambassador goes beyond just greeting and assisting members at HRACI meetings. The Ambassador will also make contact with a new member outside of the normal meeting venue. Contact frequency will be mutually determined. The Ambassador should be willing and able to spend some time with a new member in the first 1-3 months to answer questions, suggest resources within HRACI, and make the new member feel that they are a welcome addition to our organization.

Selection Criteria
An Ambassador is ideally someone who has been a member of HRACI for at least six months, and has attended a minimum of two meetings. An Ambassador should be someone who strives to help others feel comfortable, enjoys sharing and gaining knowledge, and understands and embraces the value of belonging to HRACI.

Required Time Commitment
The time commitment and number of new members coached is at the individual Ambassador’s discretion (ideally no more than three per Ambassador at any given time). This enables the Ambassador to commit based on personal and business demands. For example, a member whose workload typically is slower during the second quarter may request to be an Ambassador during that time period, but opt to step out of the program at the beginning of the third quarter.

Time commitment will vary as each new member may desire a different level of interaction. Each Ambassador is encouraged to make contact with the new member(s) at least twice. Initially, the Ambassador should invest time either on the phone or in person with a new member, discussing the benefit of involvement in HRACI. The duration of the relationship between Ambassador and new member is at their discretion.

--return to top--

It's HRACI Membership Renewal Time!

The end of the year is fast approaching and we would like to encourage you to renew your membership early this year. Renewal rate for 2008 is $90 for an entire year of comprehensive, up-to-date, current areas of interest to HR professionals with many programs featuring national speakers. As an exciting incentive to renew early, all individuals who renew by Dec. 15th, will have their name entered for a drawing to win one of the following prizes to be given away at our December meeting: (2) SHRM State Conference Registrations, (2) “Attend a Luncheon Meeting Free” Coupons (excludes ½ day conferences), and (2) $25 gift cards. Please be sure to update your contact information if anything has changed.

Click here to complete your membership renewal now.

--return to top--

Who's Who on the Board?

JoDee Curtis will be the HRACI’s Treasurer in 2008. JoDee started her career while in college where she double majored in HR and accounting. After nine years working as an auditor, she moved into an operations role which grew in human resources from 30% to 70% of her time. Currently, JoDee is the Director of HR for Katz, Sapper & Miller – her first 100% HR role.

JoDee loves recruiting! “Having the feeling of making that match of the right candidate with the right team of people is so exciting. It really is all about sales, and I’m fortunate to have a great product/team to sell!” She was surprised to learn that people do not know how to interview.

Benefits is another area in hr she finds interesting. “Researching the options and figuring out what is best for our people and cost effective for our Firm is challenging.”

JoDee is PHR and SPHR certified and find her job focuses more on the “softer” sides of the business. In addition, she is a CPA. She feels that HR organizations are a tremendous help and that networking is critical! “We need to bounce ideas, share information, and “test” our theories on others; I’m all about stealing concepts from others.
Her advise to someone who is new to the field? “Enjoy it!” She says to, “take advantage of learning all areas of HR – recruiting, benefits, compensation, training, and more!! Then, decide which is the best fit or if you want to remain a generalist.”

Patti Daniels, Director of Sponsorship has been re-elected and will be continuing in her role for the next few years. Patti started her career in HR primarily because of her teaching and service background. “The opportunity was appealing because I enjoy people!”

Patti feels that working with and managing people are both interesting and challenging, especially in terms of workforce development and employee engagement. People/talent are the most important asset an organization has and should be valued, thinks Patti.

“In an HR role and within the business environment, it is extremely valuable to learn how to foster an attitude/environment that embraces continuous change and to learn how to present the value of HR strategically.” Patti feels that having experience in change management, competitive market environment, providing high quality customer service, and establishing and maintaining relationships as well as motivating employees by using various strategies are all helpful to performing in the HR arena.

Patti says, “As an HR Consultant over the pat several years, I have had opportunities to constantly learn and apply the experiences as well as advance in my career.” She feels that the biggest learning experience as an HR professional is the opportunity to become adaptable, resilient, and customer-focused in order to not only succeed personally but to assist organizations in their success. “As an HR professional/consultant, I’ve had to evolve to play a more strategic role in order to be an employee advocate and a change mentor within organizations. I’ve learned as an HR Professional, my focus must be a business driven function with a thorough understanding of the organization’s big picture and to sustain the ability to influence key decisions and policies.”

If you are new in the field, Patti says to obtain your certification which will demonstrate your level of knowledge, professionalism, and add credibility to your profession. “Network with other HR professionals and search for learning opportunities to apply every day on the job”, are important. The industry will, “continue to be a significant, growing profession and HR professionals will be coaches, counselors, mentors, and succession planners to help motivate members of organizations as well as to influence their loyalty.”

Pamela Dolas, PHR, HRACI’s re-elected Vice President of Membership finds the process of developing people, especially managers, very interesting. “Being a trusted advisor/business partner is something I really value,” she says. Something that she has learned over the years is how much a value to the company HR professionals provides. She says that she is fortunate to work for a company who values her knowledge and contributions and who continues to challenge her to grow.

Pamela graduated with an associate’s degree in Interior Design and worked in the field for a few years. From there she went to work for a friend who owned his own company and was promoted within six months the Human resources position. Utilizing the association with HRACI, Pamela feels that it is the networking and programs that were, and are, of the greatest benefit to her. Pamela has been a member of the HRACI for 14 years. Sitting for the PHR and passing the exam was her greatest accomplishment. “To me that just reaffirmed that his was the career I needed to pursue.”

Two items that she wishes someone had told her about of the industry when she started are the ongoing people issues and proving HR’s value to the company. “Dealing with some of the “people” issues – it comes with the territory, but really stretches my creativity in resolving some of them at times.” Having Customer Service in her background has helped her in HR. Pamela says, “I have had customer contact in every position I have ever ad and I feel that in my job, every employee that I work with is a customer of mine – I live by the golden rule – treat others as I want to be treated. I also feel that being a strong communicator is critical to my position and success within it.”

Pamela feels that everyday brings new challenges and that she remains open to those challenges, and learns and grows from them. She wants to continue to educate herself, encourages us to see our networking opportunities and to use them as often as possible, and to be professional in all we doe and say.

Jennifer Lange, Director of Certification, Lisa Helms, Director of SIGs, have all been re-elected and are all returning for a few more years. The rest of the board members are:

Cherilyn Stephens, PHR, President
Brian Cox, President Elect
Andrea Cranfill, SPHR, Past President
Helena Masters, PHR, Vice President of Programs
Toni Thompson, PHR, Secretary
Scott Kincaid, SPHR, Director of College and Community Relations
Karen Seketa, Director of Communications
Tami Murphy , Director of Volunteer Management
Erin Brothers, Director of Diversity
Dennis Stull, SPHR, Director of Legislative Affairs

For more information, please visit: http://www.hraci.org/HRACIboard.htm

--return to top--

SHRM Workplace Diversity Conference

SHRM Workplace Diversity Conference,
Philadelphia, PA
October 18-20, 2007
by Erin Brothers

The SHRM Workplace Diversity Conference was a breath of fresh air for those in the trenches of the HR realm, struggling with diversity decisions on a regular basis. With close to 900 attendees, the three-day conference was filled with excellent speakers, practical and new ideas, and opportunities to network with Diversity and HR professionals from all over the country.

Over the three days, I attended sessions dealing with the Age Boom, Recruiting Generation X and Y, Diversity Implementation and Making the Right Choices, Global Talent Management, Overcoming Barriers to Diversity, Legal Applications and Analyzing Your Organization. We heard from great speakers in the general sessions as well, including Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, independent consultant Grace Odums, Jai Rodriguez from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and Chris Gardner. Gardner’s life story was published as an autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness, and made into the movie, starring Will Smith in 2006. Diversity has greatly affected their lives, as I learned it truly has all of us, whether we realize it or not.

The biggest take away I gleaned from the Diversity Conference held in the city of Brotherly Love is to understand that we all bring our own perspective and “lens” to any situation. Our backgrounds, upbringing and past experience all affect how we make decisions and approach difficult situations. We all have biases, whether we know it or choose to admit it. Once we bring this realization to the forefront in our minds and have some awareness, only then can we begin to change the outcomes of conversations and decisions we make. I know how critical this thought process is in our organizations, and love how SHRM chose speakers who recognized this from the many angles of diversity.

Maya Angelou said “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”

While at the conference, I purchased a few great books relating to diversity, including the 71 Ways to Demonstrate Commitment to Diversity by Tracy Brown, and Cultural Diversity in the Workplace by Sally J. Walton. I would be happy to share these reading materials with anyone interested in borrowing them.

I would highly recommend this conference, which will be held next year in Atlanta, GA, October 27-29, 2008. Evening opportunities for networking abound, and the participating vendors were great resources, and kept attendees involved, even giving away $1,500 one evening to a lucky attendee!

--return to top--

Welcome New Members

Jill Clark
Emily Meyerrose
Nancy Hugon
Shawn Severns
Karen McCutchen
Therese Reckley
Drew Poston
Mark Felty
Phillip Lewis
Maryanne Dorsey

Patricia Gamble-Moore
Brian Anders
Rebecca Lingner
Susan Kline
Brian Logan
Regena Bradley
Jack Pomprowitz
Peggy McCaslin
Lori Barnes
Noel Hinshaw

Sincere thank you goes out to Deidre Shireman and Dee Dee Deffez for their assistance with 2007 HRACI’s communications. In addition, the committee thanks all of the HRACI’s committee directors and volunteers, and Terri Ryckaert, for monthly article contributions.

--return to top--