March 2008 Program
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
Registration: 11:30 a.m.
Networking: 11:30 a.m. - Noon
Lunch: Noon
Program immediately following lunch
"Making a Difference with Solution-Focused Training"
Presented by Dr. Chuck Terrell
Virginia Western Community College

Virginia Western’s Workforce Development Team will present how its services and programs are designed to be customized for local employers. Whether you’re playing on your own or as a team, your goal is to improve your business and personal skills through education and training. Our goal is for you to get the training you need to meet the workforce challenges of the 21st Century. We will review the wide variety of training options available to the business community. We will also review what we see as trends in the coming months in Workforce Development.

For the past five years Dr. Terrell has served on the National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET) Board as a Regional Director for the Middle Atlantic Region and currently as the VP of Marketing.

Dr. Terrell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban & Regional Planning at East Carolina University, a Master of Science in College Counseling at Longwood University and his Ph.D. in Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. He resides in Roanoke County with his wife, Michele and their two very active boys, Cory and Noah.

Please make reservations by utilizing the on-line event reservation form or e-mailing Joy Hanson at jhanson@rkehousing.org. Please include "RVSHRM RSVP" in the subject line. Registration Deadline is Wednesday, March 19.

Program sponsor:

Time: Is it on your side?

Although Mick Jagger claims that “time is on his side” (who wouldn’t agree given that he is still touring at age 65) is it really on our side? Are you making progress toward the goals and objectives that you established earlier this year? Or is time slipping away from you? Taking regular stock of where we are and where we are going not only helps keep the day-to-day in perspective, it also ensures that we move forward toward those items that we consider important to our larger life and professional goals. Time is only on your side if you pay attention to its passing.

The RVSHRM Board recently held the annual Planning Meeting on March 5th. We had the opportunity to reflect on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that we face as an organization. We discussed the many accomplishments of recent years, especially those that relate to “Serving the Profession” (STP). We also considered a renewed focus on “Advancing the Profession” (ATP). For more information on STP and ATP, please read the SHRM publication STP/ATP Definitions and Examples: What does it mean to serve and to advance? As a group, we decided to begin the process of developing a strategic plan that can serve as a guide for future board members in developing annual goals and objectives. While time moves on, we are dedicated to a focus on planning for the future of RVSHRM.

An Update on the Wage and Salary Survey:

If you will recall, RVSHRM is sponsoring the TMA Wage and Salary Survey. This can be a valuable tool for local businesses WHEN MEMBERS PARTICIPATE. As with any survey, the output is only as good as the input. We need members to complete the survey to provide enough data to be of service to all participants. I cannot stress this point enough. If we participate, it will be a great survey! To assist with getting the ball rolling, TMA will offer an educational workshop on completing the survey. (Lori Cummings, Manager of People and Organization at Novozymes, gets credit for this idea!) This free training session will be held near the due date for completion of the survey because of timing issues and the deadline for completion will be extended. Look for more information on this in the next couple of days. Tina Ragland, HR Manager at Advance Auto, is coordinating this effort on our end. Please contact TMA for technical questions regarding the survey.

A Reminder:

I would like to remind you to consider taking part in the TAP Job Fair which will be held on April 1st at the Roanoke Civic Center. Members can also support TAP by donating “gently used business clothing” between 11:30 and noon at the March 25th meeting. There are still a couple of weeks left to do your spring-cleaning. I can assure you these donations go to a good cause and are very appreciated! You will receive a tax receipt at the time of donation.

I look forward to seeing you on March 25th. Don’t let time get away from you – register early!

Sincerely,

Johna Campbell
RVSHRM 2008 President

February 26, 2008
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The following Board Members were in attendance:
Johna Campbell, Sandy Hamilton, Michelle Glynn, Jaime Clark, Debbie Honaker, Joy Hanson, Sharon Bowers, Phil Peters, Tracy Hale, Becky Reynolds, Jeff VanDoren, Todd Leeson, Donna Tatum, and Lauren Siegel.

The meeting was called to order by Johna Campbell, 2008 President.

Motion was made by Sharon Bowers and seconded by Becky Reynolds to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2008 meeting. The motion was passed.

Tracy Hale announced that a search is underway for quotes for a new logo and branding for RVSHRM. Jaime Clark volunteered to contact her graphic designer for a quote. The HR logo on the website will be removed from the website as promptly as a new logo is found.

Debbie Honaker presented the 2008 budget. Discussion was held concerning revisions to the budget as follows:

Legislative reduced to $500
Marketing increased to $2000
Diversity reduced to $1000
Certification increased to $1500
Student Scholarship increased to $1500
Student Chapter increased to $1800

Debbie Honaker will revise the budget and e-mail Board Members for approval.

Johna Campbell announced that the wage survey is moving forward.

Donna Tatum announced that an e-mail for special interest groups has gone out. Facilitators have been found for the following groups:

Large Corporation
Training & Development
Benefits & Compensation
Staffing
Facilitators are still needed for the following groups:
Diversity
EEO
Affirmative Action
Turnover
Networking for Professionals

It was decided that coffee and doughnuts will be provided for the first meeting of these special interest groups.

Lauren Siegel provided an update on Workforce Readiness. On Thursday, February 28th, the Workforce Readiness Committee will be working with the Roanoke County Insight Program.

Jeff VanDoren and Todd Leeson will work on the by-laws and present their findings to the Board.

Becky Reynolds suggested that a notation be placed on the website concerning our scholarship program and a notation that directs requests to Barbara Phelps. Five scholarships (payment of National and local chapter dues) are available. The criteria for these scholarships are:

Employer does not pay for the dues
Person requesting scholarship does not have to be a current member
Person requesting scholarship should attend six meetings a year
Person requesting scholarship should volunteer in some capacity
RVSHRM should be the primary chapter

Members in transition will be routed to the National website for payment of National dues. In order for members in transition to obtain payment of local dues, person applying for scholarship will need to meet the following criteria:

Attend at least six RVSHRM events
Volunteer in some capacity
RVSHRM should be the primary chapter

Joy Hanson announced that there will be a buffet luncheon at today’s meeting.

Becky Reynolds will send out a notice on the SHRM Superstar Program. We are averaging about five new members a month. The Membership Committee also suggested that an “ambassador program” be established. This suggestion will be considered at a later date.

Becky Reynolds also presented a proposed new SHRM membership application. Board Members are to review this application and be prepared to discuss it at the next Board Meeting.

Phil Peters reminded us of scholarships which are available for certification.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandy Hamilton
Secretary

March Diversity Calendar

Deaf History Month
Greek-American Heritage Month
Irish-American Heritage Month
Mental Retardation Awareness Month

16 - Palm Sunday (Protestant, Roman Catholic)

17 - St. Patrick's Day (Ireland, United States) Ireland's patron St. Patrick was born between 370 and 390 C. E. in the Roman Empire in Britain. At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. He remained in captivity for six years during which time he worked as a shepherd and began to have religious visions. During one of the visions, Patrick became aware of a rescue ship and he fled to France, eventually returning to Ireland as a missionary and succeeding in converting the Irish to Christianity. He used a shamrock to explain the Trinity to potential converts. Patrick is also reported to have driven all of the snakes, a pagan symbol, out of Ireland and into the sea where they drowned. This is perhaps a metaphor for driving paganism out of Ireland since biologists believe there were no snakes in Ireland at the time. St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States are secular and date back as far as 1737 when Boston held its first St. Patrick's Day parade. However, in Ireland, the day is primarily a religious occasion.

20 - Holy Thursday (Christian)

21 - Good Friday (Protestant, Roman Catholic) occurs on the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus.

21 - Purim 9 (Jewish) A joyous Jewish celebration which occurs on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar in the Hebrew calendar beginning at sunset. The king of Persia, Ahasuerus, was nearly convinced to kill all the Jews in his land. Ahasuerus' chief advisor Haman despised Jews, especially a man named Mordechai who had refused to bow before Haman. Mordechai's niece, Esther, was Ahasuerus' queen. Esther intervened on behalf of her people by telling the king that she was Jewish. Upon hearing this, Ahasuerus ordered Haman's death instead and Mordechai assumed Haman's position as chief advisor.

21 - Naw-Ruz (Baha'i, Persia) A Persian national festival which celebrates the Iranian New Year. Unlike many other festivals in Persia, Naw Ruz is not exclusive to one religious group. The date of Naw Ruz is determined by the solar calendar and begins on the first day of spring. The festival lasts for thirteen days and is a time of renewal and joy.

23 - Easter (Protestant, Roman Catholic) Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, the most joyous occasion in Christianity. It also marks the end of Lent. The date of Easter varies each year but always falls between March 22 and April 25. The date is set by determining the Sunday following the full moon on or after the vernal equinox.

For more details on these and other religious and cultural events, visit http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/.

Thank you for your donations which will go to the RVSHRM Foundation and the Scholarship Fund.

Sharon Bowers was the winner of the 50/50 draw and donated her winnings of $45.00 back to the fund; thank you Sharon.

Carman Boone, VP of Human Resources with Member One Federal Credit Union and Donald Potter, President of Benefit Strategies won a set of John C. Maxwell books.

Please let me know if your company would like to donate an item for the monthly drawing.

If you would like more information on the SHRM Foundation, contact Donna Tatum at 540-389-8979 or donna.tatum@expresspersonnel.com.

CONGRATULATIONS to Kathleen Herrin for earning her SPHR in January!

Workforce Readiness Committee

The Workforce Readiness Committee participated in the Roanoke County Insight Program last week. This program is designed for students that are juniors and seniors in a Roanoke County High School. These students are very strong academically. Each student is working with a different mentor in a field of interest. The students spend 50 hours with their mentor and 25 hours in seminars. The purpose is to help the students obtain knowledge and skills in areas that will help them in the “real world”. The students also receive credit as well as a grade for participating in this program. We had the opportunity to assist with mock interviews for the 35 students present. Thanks to Liz Fitzgerald, Brooke Perry, Sonya Payne, Amy Fulton and Beth Firestone for their time and commitment to this project.

Academic and Certification Scholarships for SHRM Members

100 scholarships totaling $100,000 will be awarded to SHRM members in 2008. The awards program is designed to assist working SHRM members in meeting their professional development goals. Individuals may apply for either a $1375 education scholarship or a $750 certification scholarship. The Southeast Region has a total of $20,000 to distribute which guarantees that there will be 20 scholarship winners (12
certification awards and 8 academic awards). These scholarships are made possible by tax-deductible contributions to the SHRM Foundation.

Application Deadline: July 15, 2008

Eligibility: National SHRM professional, general and associate members pursuing a college degree or working towards PHR, SPHR or GPHR are eligible to apply. SHRM student members are not eligible for these awards.

How to Apply: Visit www.shrm.org/foundation and click on *Scholarships & Awards* to print out an application or learn more about the Regional Scholarship Program.

Constitution and By-Laws of the
Roanoke Valley Society for Human Resource Management
Click for a PDF