Experience

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  Strategic Leadership & Human Capital Consulting, LLC

  • Greater Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix

  • President

    • Mar 2013 - Present
    • Greater Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix

    Strategic Leadership and Human Capital Consulting, LLC "Where Human Capital Counts"Strategic Leader consulting in all aspects of Human Resources....from interim VP of HR, to leading a HR strategic plan or OD process. An accomplished Executive Coach and mentor, a creative and innovative leader of HR solutions.Experienced in improving company culture and employee engagement. Developer of meaningful Human Capital programs that improve the bottom line

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  Oriental trading co.

  • Chief Talent Officer and SVP of HR

    • Mar 2009 - May 2011

    Reported to the President/CEO. Led HR functions including corporate communications and community partnerships, employee relations, OD, training, talent management, benefits, 401(k), wellness, employee services, recruiting, payroll, compensation, HRIS, and community charitable giving. Led strategic planning for HR with a 3 year plan, and turned the HR department from under achieving to first rate. •Developed a comprehensive compensation program which included a Compensation Philosophy, JDs for all positions, a grading and bonus system, and a strategic plan to bring the employees in line with market to assure retention of key employees. •Reduced turnover in Operations by 50%. •Successfully worked with the Executive team to retain all Directors and VPs, including hiring 2 Executives during a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Oversaw Corp. Comm. that planned all communications during that period.•Introduced, upgraded and simplified many HR system such as Taleo, launched perform software, •Did RFP of 401(k). Changed the plan design, reduced the administrative costs and added Retire Secure, giving all the employees free personalized financial planning.•Created first Total Rewards statement, first benefit survey, first wellness board, wellness fair, and first payroll help desk.•Enhanced benefit programs and reduced costs. Increased use of company EAP by 5%.•Created an Employee Intranet, with a monthly calendar with FAQs on events, and an award winning bi-monthly employee newsletter.•Won many Community Awards and Recognition: National 2010 Commmunitas Award, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Award, Corp. Citizenship Award for work with the Omaha Children’s Hospital.•Developed OTC University and the first Management Training, and Talent Management Program.•Managed surveys, including the Gallup Survey with improvement in engagement scores 2 years in a row.

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  Brooks Sports

  • VP of HR

    • Jan 2007 - Jan 2009

    Reported to the President/CEO, and helped lead the strategic planning for the human capital for the company. Oversaw HR functions including employee relations, communication, talent management, performance management, compensation, benefits, Learning and Development, organizational development as well as payroll and facilities. Additional responsibilities included key culture initiatives, being over the “Green” movement, overseeing the design, furniture and actual move to new facilities for part of our employee population, overseeing the bistro, receptionist and employee wellness/recreation. Key in putting together best-in class practices for this value added driven company.•Developed a Compensation philosophy and new compensation process which included a new bonus program that emphases the accomplishment of employee goals. •Oversaw the Development of a new performance review process •Successfully brought greater communication in the company with an intranet site •Led company to be awarded one of the “100 best companies to work for in Washington state”•Analyzed and made organizational structure changes to the company to better improve effectiveness•Added new policies that made the company more employee friendly, and reinforced the culture and values•Key leader in the strategic planning process, brought in ideas and processes that helped build and develop the Executive team•Oversaw the development of Brooks U. that emphasizes L&D for all of the employees•Worked with HR team and executives to development a Leadership Training program for Managers and above using the VPs as the faculty.•Created an expat program, policy manual and benefit program for our employees that travel and work globally. Traveled to China to work with the expats.•Analyzed and did due diligence for the company benefit program, changed brokers and improved the benefits and service and reduced the proposed cost increases from 42% to 6.8%.

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  Shurgard Self Storage

  • VP of Global Human Resources

    • Apr 2005 - Dec 2007

    Shurgard Self Storage, purchased by Public StorageEnvisioned and implemented the key strategies of the HR infrastructure for 650+ stores over a multi state, multi country Real Estate/Retail company. Reported to the President/CEO and worked extensively with the compensation committee of the Board of Directors. •Successfully led the first Executive Succession Plan for the company•Oversaw the development and administration of an in-house 360 review process for Executives in both a domestic and multinational venue that reflect the values of the company.•Set up Long Term Incentive Plan for the European leadership that closely matched the US plan using Restricted Stock Units and varied the plan by country.•Instituted the first HR Intranet site for Shurgard employees, giving them access to all the benefits, policies and company information.•Worked with leadership and the HR team to develop a Strategic HR plan that involved auditing the HR function, gap analysis, upgrading HR positions, reorganizing the global and domestic HR structure and added quarterly metric reporting.•Enhanced the Benefit program to be more competitive for retention and recruitment by improving the life insurance, adding an Employee Assistance program and vision plan•Reenergized Learning and Development by adding a Director position resulting in the introduction many new training program such as CD Rom training for multiple locations and self learning, coordination of training in Europe and the US.•Instituted a formal Safety program, and turned around the trend of accelerated costs, and reducing workers compensation costs.•Orchestrated change management for the transition plan during a hostile takeover.•Oversaw the transition of the merger of the Shurgard employees to Public Storage which included out placement, benefits and equity information, transition letters and legal oversight.

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  Wizards of the Coast

  • SVP of HR

    • 2000 - 2005

    Reported to the President/CEO. HR leadership over 100 retail stores and Distribution center, International HR for Wizards of the Coast, and one year also included VP over Creative and Production Services.•Successfully reorganized company after an acquisition and declining revues by setting up programs that downsized the organization changed some leadership positions, offered out placement to those leaving and change management classes to remaining employees and communicated all changes. Planned activities that emphasis the positive culture. This set the company up for greater productivity and profitability.•Set up extensive employee development and training programs which increased employee satisfaction and lowered turnover by 10%? •Improved retail customer service by product and customer service training videos.•Set up HR intranet site which increased corporate, retail and employee communication. •Established International Human Resources practices; organized International offices to meet objectives with goals, compensation, benefits, policies and employee relations.•Championed MBO goal process for company, and developed a performance review and Individual Development Plan system with training to align the employees to the company goals and vision.•Developed succession plan for leadership development as well as a key employee plan, to minimize turnover, resulting in less then 5% turnover of the key employees over the life of the program.•Established metrics, benchmarking and long term strategic planning for HR and facilities team •Laid the foundation for all federal compliance, i.e., AA Plan, filing and record retention, required training, which reduced legal fees, and successfully met the objectives of an OFCCP audit.•Led the 90 person team of Creative and Production Services for over a year during a time of transition. Maintained all production, and reorganized the team for improved productivity.

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  Oberto Sausage Company

  • VP of HR

    • Apr 1989 - May 2000

    Reported to the President of the company. Presented information and recommendations to the Board of Directors. Direct reports were in multiple locations.•Set up training and HR practices that limited the litigation costs, and the company averaged less than $5,000/year in attorney fees; total litigation payout $11,000 in 10 years.•Took over the management of the Safety program and reduced number of accidents by 50% to incident rate 10.25, and set up a self-insured workers compensation program. Savings from safety program $336,166.•Changed benefits plan from traditional to cafeteria plan. Set up self-insured program that reduced costs by $500,000 in 1999 with no reduction in services, and maintained the “family.”•Set up a MBO Bonus and performance review program for management and employees that helped increase productivity, and established the bonus program as an objective process.•Organized and developed annual leadership conference and training and recognition program.•Prepared due diligence in acquisition of new company and reorganized all Human Resource policies and programs. Successfully integrated company cultures.•Added in house recruiter and recruiting programs that reduced cost $120,000 first year.•Started ESL classes, Spanish classes, Train the Trainer, and employee recognition programs that resulted in Oberto winning a Diversity Award for employment practices.•Set up a federal Grant program to pay for orientation training for new production employees.•Developed executive compensation program, and restructured compensation programs for hourly employees.•Implemented hourly goal sharing incentive plans in the production plants. All profit improvements were shared 50/50 with the company and the employees.•Instituted employee survey & feedback communication and action plans including 18 different languages.