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RVSHRM
is an Affiliate of
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President's
Message |
Treasurer's
Report | Diversity Corner
Announcements |
Board Minutes | New
Members & Changes
Monthly
Program
by
Ben Bowman, VP Programs
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December Program
Topic: United Way: Taking Care of What Matters
Most in our Community
Speaker:
Frank Rogan: Executive Director-United
Way of Roanoke Valley
Date: Thursday
December 4th
Location: Roanoke Higher Education Center-Room 212
Cost: Covered by the Chapter- (A Holiday Gift from the
Chapter to You)
This will be an informal holiday buffet luncheon with a focus on giving back to the community. Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to RAM House.
RAM provides support and serves as an advocate for the homeless and poor. RAM helps people in need through a variety of programs, including:
· Emergency financial assistance
· Employment counseling and placement.
· Hot Midday meals served 365 days a year
· RAM House, a day shelter for the homeless
RAM's goal is to empower people to move from dependency to independence. RAM focuses on community needs, putting aside all differences of race or creed.
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President's
Message
by
Mike Leach
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My favorite hobby is on-track driver education. It involves driving a street or track-prepared car at speed on a road course under the tutelage of experienced instructors. For a guy who grew up in the muscle car era and whose blood contains a fair amount of motor oil, it’s great fun.
To date, I have driven the road courses at Rockingham Motor Speedway (Rockingham, NC), Roebling Road Raceway (Savannah, GA), Lowe’s Motor Speedway (Charlotte, NC) and Virginia International Raceway (Milton, NC). My rides (as driver or passenger) have included Corvettes, Mustangs, Porsches, Subaru’s and Volkswagens. They’ve been street, track-prepared and full-race.
My current ride is a track-prepared VW Rabbit. Its top speed is a bit limited, but its ability to stick to the track in a turn is sometimes breathtaking. I’ve had to slow many times as I’ve followed far more expensive cars through tight turns, esses and sweepers. Of course, when we got to the next straight . . . well it is after all only a Rabbit!
As I’ve accumulated a little “seat time” in the sport, I’ve noticed two principles that apply equally to the track and to work: (1) Look ahead and anticipate and (2) Watch your mirrors. On the track, following these principles keeps you safe, and enables you to drive smoothly and quickly. At work, they often spell the difference between success and less.
Look ahead and anticipate. When I took Driver’s Ed in high school, the rule that was pounded into my head was “one car length for every ten miles an hour”. I’m not sure that rule is taught anymore, but I am sure that it’s seldom followed in everyday driving. On some highways that kind of extra room is unheard of and it’s certainly not found on any road course.
On a road course, a driver is responsible for driving within the limits of his/her ability, vehicle’s condition, the weather, the track condition and other factors, all of which change during the day (and often change within a single 30-minute run session). Tires go from cold and lifeless, to hot and sticky, to overheated and greasy. Track surfaces go from cold to warm (maybe even hot), and dirt, grass, gravel, water, oil and anti-freeze often appear where there was clear track just a few moments earlier.
And did I mention other drivers? At Driver’s Ed events, you never have the luxury of a track to yourself. As the weekend begins, you may have as many as thirty cars in your run group. At the beginning of a run session, there may be long “trains” working their way through the curvy sections. The cars usually sort themselves out after a few laps, but there are seldom moments when you can relax.
Running safely, smoothly and quickly requires that you look as far ahead as possible, and anticipate what is going to happen next and how you will need to respond. If no one is immediately in front of you, it means looking down the track. If a car is in front of you, it means looking both at it and beyond it. If several cars are in front of you, it means looking at all of them and beyond them, too. You must also discipline yourself to check the corner stations as you approach them and respond appropriately to any flags presented by the corner workers.
Looking ahead and anticipating what is coming next is a strenuous activity on a road course, but it’s absolutely essential. It’s no less essential on the job. Sure, reacting is easier in some respects (the tasks certainly are more clear), but few of us can build successful careers on reaction alone. Reacting also does not put nearly as much “gas in our tank” as identifying needs and moving proactively to address them. It’s when we are in our proactive mode that we catch a glimpse of what Abraham Maslow tried so hard to describe for us.
Watch your mirrors. I drove a school bus for the State of North Carolina while I was a high school junior and senior. It was a challenge I enjoyed and it allowed me to save some money toward college. I still remember the training session I attended and the emphasis that the Trainer placed on checking the bus’ mirrors.
Check the left mirror, check the inside mirror, check the right mirror, check traffic. Repeat the cycle. Check the mirrors—know where you are and everyone else is at all times.
Part of the mirror ritual in the bus had to do with supervising the children on the bus, but a lot of it had to do with the size of the bus and its relative lack of speed. Vehicles that were not a factor a moment ago could easily be alongside the bus or in front of it when you next looked.
The speeds are different, but the need to watch your mirrors is every bit as essential on the track. Sure, part of it is that I drive a Rabbit. Takes a long straight section for me to see the high side of one hundred! But spend enough time on or around a track and you’ll soon realize that there is always someone faster, no matter what you’re driving. On some part of the course or sometime during a run session, someone is capable of closing on you. And some of them are capable of closing on you QUICKLY!
Nobody enjoys being blindsided. (At least that’s true if the result is unpleasant. Now, unexpected pleasantries . . . well, that’s another subject altogether.) In life, getting caught off guard is embarrassing. On a road course, being caught off guard can be disastrous. The other car that wasn’t even close moments ago can appear right in the middle of the piece of track you were planning to use.
Being surprised on the track will cause you a few skipped heartbeats, even if you don’t lose any paint or cut any track side grass. Being surprised at work can cause you embarrassment, damage your reputation and render you unable to deliver the high quality work product of which you’re capable.
No checkered flag. There’s no checkered flag in on-track driver’s education events. They are non-competitive, so there’s no winner or loser. The clock runs out, you and your buddies pull off the track and another run group goes out. You check the car, find something to eat, put your feet up, and wait for your next run session.
Sounds a lot like work doesn’t it (except for the feet up part). It’s your turn to go, you run hard, the clock runs out, and before you know it, it’s your turn again. No winners, no losers—little real closure, until it’s time to go home. Starting to make sense now?
Happy motoring!
Mike Leach
November 2003 |
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Treasurer's
Report
By
Sherry Buckner
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RVSHRM
TREASURER'S REPORT FOR: November 03 |
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Balance
as of October 29, 2003 |
$22,336.22 |
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INCOME |
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Monthly
Meeting |
$1,717.52 |
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Local
Dues |
$175.00 |
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CEO
Breakfast |
$30.00 |
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Golf
Outing |
$150.00 |
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SHRM
Refund |
$1,462.50 |
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TOTAL
INCOME |
$3,535.02 |
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BALANCE |
$25,871.24 |
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EXPENSES |
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Monthly
Meeting |
$984.01 |
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Web
Site Hosting & Programming |
$328.75 |
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SHRM
Foundation |
$250.00 |
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Merchant
Bank fees |
$38.42 |
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Scholarship |
$1,000.00 |
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Leadership
Conference |
$178.00 |
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National
Dues |
$160.00 |
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Postage |
$37.00 |
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Office
Supplies |
$15.84 |
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TOTAL
EXPENSES |
$2,992.02 |
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Balances
as of November 30, 2003 |
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BALANCE
OF CHECKING ACCOUNT |
$22,879.22 |
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MONEY
MARKET BALANCE |
$2,544.59 |
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CERTIFICATE
OF DEPOSIT BALANCE |
$11,920.79 |
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BALANCE
OF ALL RVSHRM ACCOUNTS |
$37,344.60 |
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Board
Meeting Minutes
by
Kellie Rakes, Secretary
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Minutes
November 25, 2003 Board of Directors Meeting
2004 Budget
Board Members offered suggestions for the 2004 Budget. Sherry Buckner agreed to develop a draft of the 2004 Budget for consideration at the Board’s “hand-off” meeting in December.
Web Site Enhancement
Board Members discussed further expanding the Chapter’s web site to allow for the posting of job opportunities and resumes. After discussion of the implementation cost and additional effort required to maintain the new features, as well as the alternatives available both to parties seeking candidates and to persons seeking employment, the Board tabled the project.
Luncheon Sponsorships
Ben Bowman requested the Board add information to the Chapter’s web site fully describing the opportunity for parties to sponsor a monthly Luncheon Meeting. The Board agreed to do so.
50th Anniversary
Matt Duffy briefed the Board on plans for the January 27, 2004 celebration of the Chapter’s 50th Anniversary. The Board approved the expenditure of up to $2500.00 for various expenses related to the event.
Chapter Membership Renewals
Board Members reviewed the renewal process used in 2003 and the results it produced. Also discussed was the fee charged by the transaction processor for each membership renewal or luncheon fee charged to a credit card. In hopes of completing the membership renewal process early in 2004, the Board recommended the Membership Committee mail “paper” invoices to all current members before December 31, 2003. The Board also approved an increase in the annual membership fee to $30.00 to offset the loss of income to credit card processing fees.
Membership Scholarships
Board Members revisited a topic discussed at the October 2003 Board Meeting: Making membership in the Chapter more affordable to HR practitioners in the Roanoke Valley whose employers will not pay their national and chapter membership fees. The Board allocated $1000.00 for “membership scholarships” for use in 2004.
Board “Hand-off” Meeting
Mike Leach reminded the Board of the joint meeting of the 2003 and 2004 Boards scheduled for December 11, 2003. Mike asked each 2003 Board Member to prepare for the meeting by reflecting on what they had set out to accomplish during the year, what had been accomplished, what tasks needed to be carried over to 2004, and what new tasks they would recommend the 2004 Board consider for the new year.
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Diversity
Corner
by
Debra
Lovelace, Diversity Chair
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Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The Month of Ramadan is also when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation"
It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation.
During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. In the evening following the iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.
According to the Holy Quran:
One may eat and drink at any time during the night "until you can plainly distinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daylight: then keep the fast until night".
The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things -
• the telling of a lie
• slander
• denouncing someone behind his back
• a false oath
• greed or covetousness
These are considered offensive at all times, but are most offensive during the Fast of Ramadan.
During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque) and spend several hours praying and studying the Quran. In addition to the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer.
On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. And according to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the world for the following year.
When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray in congregation and for large meals. In some cities fairs are held to celebrate the end of the Fast of Ramadan. |
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Announcements
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The Roanoke Chapter Sponsors Memberships
In 2004, the Roanoke Chapter will sponsor memberships for several HR Professionals whose employers do not fund their National and Local SHRM memberships. Through these one-year memberships, the Chapter hopes to better serve the community and to reach persons engaged daily in the field of HR who may not currently be participating in the either organization.
Recipients of the Chapter-sponsored memberships will be expected to pay their own fees for the Chapter’s monthly luncheons and other events. They will not be identified to Chapter members as recipients of sponsored memberships.
Persons interested in applying for the one-year membership should submit the following items as soon as possible:
· Letter of interest, describing their current position and the
benefits they hope to receive from National and Local
SHRM membership
· Resume
· Letter of recommendation from their employer that includes
confirmation their memberships will not be employer-paid.
If you’re interested, please contact Barbara Phelps,
Matt Duffy, or
Debra Lovelace. Funds available for this new program are limited, so you are encouraged to act promptly to ensure your request is fully considered.
"The Real Cost of Turnover"
Should we be measuring turnover at all? A thought-provoking article on the topic is available in the Members' Resources section of
this web site.
RVSHRM's 50-year
Celebration
Any members interested in helping to plan RVSHRM's 50-year celebration, please call Matt Duffy at 342-7561 or email him at
matt@refimm.roacoxmail.com. Also, if you have any information/articles/pictures/etc. from the "early days" of RVSHRM, please let him know.
PHRs & SPHRs
Everything You Need to Know About
Computer-Based Testing
Beginning in May 2004, the PHR and SPHR exams will be offered in a computer- based testing
(CBT) format. Following is information about the new CBT program:
• Exam content will not change. Mastering the HR body of knowledge continues to be the best way to prepare for exam success. The existing HRCI Certification Guide accurately outlines the test specifications and HR body of knowledge.
• Computer-based testing was chosen in response to examinees' requests for consistent, stable testing environments; immediate results and greater choice in dates and locations.
• The exams will still be offered twice a year. Instead of just one date per exam administration, an eight-week exam "window" will be available for each exam. The Spring/Summer PHR and SPHR exams may be taken between May 1 and June 30. The Fall/Winter exams may be taken between mid-November and mid-January.
• Online exam registration procedures will not change significantly. Once candidates receive notification that they are eligible to take the exam, they will be directed by letter to schedule their exam at a Prometric test center near them. This may be done either online or by phone, and instructions will be included in the Admission-to-Test letter that they will receive. Candidates should definitely register and schedule their exams as early as possible, since the test centers also schedule test-takers for many other exams.
• At the test center, candidates will be able to take a self-paced tutorial before starting the exam. The tutorial is designed to familiarize test-takers with the computer and show them how to read questions and indicate responses. The tutorial will not be counted in the four hours allotted to complete the exam.
• A "virtual tour" of a Prometric test center is available online. The tutorial may be accessed through the
"CBT Corner" of
www.hrci.org.) The latest information about computer-based PHR and SPHR exams is found in the
"CBT Corner" of the HRCI web site.
For more information click
here.
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New
Members & Changes
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Barbara Turner
Enrollment Counselor
Averett University, Graduate & Professional Studies Program
Address: P.O. Box 2670
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: 434-791-7303
Fax: 434-791-5872
barbara.turner@averett.edu
Leith Ann Atkins
Director of Human Resource
Atlantic Credit & Finance
3353 Orange Avenue
Roanoke, VA 24012
Phone: 540-772-7800
Fax: 540-772-7895
latkins@acf-inc.com
Kimberly Carte
Manager, Human Resources
Integrity Windows
5115 Bernard Drive Suite 100
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
Phone: 540-777-1310
Fax:
kimc@marvin.com
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