Volume 9 Issue 11

November 2004

RVSHRM is an
Affiliate of

President's Message | Treasurer's Report | Announcements | Board Minutes
Members in the News | New Members & Changes
 

Monthly Program by Ben Bowman

November 2004 Program Tuesday, November 23, 2004 The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center Registration: 11:30 a.m. Networking: 11:30 a.m. - Noon Lunch: Noon Program immediately following lunch. Please join the Diversity Committee as we take a look at contemporary issues and explore alternative solutions. This will be done in a fast moving atmosphere filled with fun and challenges. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative and informative responses to the situations.   Please make reservations by utilizing the event reservation form or e-mailing Thomas Engl at tengl@businesssolutionsinc.net. Please include "RVSHRM RSVP" in the subject line. Registration Deadline is Wednesday, November 17th.

President's Message by Charlotte Mason

Fall is a time of change. The leaves are changing colors, and we’re bracing for colder weather and the thoughts of snow. As I think about the change in season, I also think of the changes we face in the workplace. Simply put, change requires the dismantling of the old to make way for the new. But the new can also be seen as the unknown. Fear of losing the familiar and fear of personal and professional harm are normal anxieties in times of change.  One of your key roles as a manager or professional is to become an expert at reading the statements behind questions and discerning the emotions underlying the statements. You develop expertise by starting with yourself: Write down your fears and concerns as they arise and set aside time to address each one as it relates to a change. You can also help other employees and co-workers in the same manner. Doing something different requires work, concentration and effort. Yet nothing really prevents us from making this happen except our own reluctance. Empowerment begins within ourselves. Be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. Consider your own attitude toward change and be able to ask yourself—and answer—at least these two questions: How creative can I be in dealing with change? What do I need to do to accept change as a challenge to my creativity,  rather than to my endurance? Charlotte Mason, PHR President

Treasurer's Report By Sherry Buckner

RVSHRM TREASURER'S REPORT FOR: October 2004 Balance as of September 30, 2004 $23,434.92 INCOME Monthly Meeting $348.23 TOTAL INCOME $348.23 BALANCE $23,783.15 EXPENSES Web Site Hosting & Programming $232.50 Monthly Meeting $100.00 Golf Tournament $250.00 Merchant Bank Fees $46.10 TOTAL EXPENSES $628.60 Balances as of October 30, 2004 BALANCE OF CHECKING ACCOUNT $23,154.55 MONEY MARKET BALANCE $2,547.72 CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT BALANCE $11,920.79 BALANCE OF ALL RVSHRM ACCOUNTS $37,623.06

Board Meeting Minutes by Sharon Bowers

October 2004 Minutes The following 2004 Board members were in attendance: Charlotte Mason, Sarah Wilson, Dan Oyler, Dan Semones, Sharon Bowers, Barbara Phelps, Joy Hanson, Mike Leach, Beth Pinson and Sherry Buckner. Topics discussed: Charlotte Mason opened the meeting. First item of discussion was a review of the Chapter’s Constitution and By-Laws. The board made several recommendations for change and asked Charlotte to contact Terry Finch, SHRM Sr. Regional Coordinator for his input. Charlotte will report her findings to Dan Oyler and Dan will disburse the information via email to the board for approval. Charlotte Mason, Sarah Wilson and Sharon Bowers reviewed the slate of proposed officers for the 2005 Board. The slate will be presented to membership during the November luncheon meeting for vote of approval. Sarah Wilson reviewed a list of names proposed to Chair the 2006 State Conference. She will contact each person. Mike Leach reported that our membership now stands at 272. He added that the membership committee would be asking 2005 renewals and new members to supply their SHRM number and expiration date when they submit their local dues. Further, the web site will not accept a new member or renewal without this information and “paper” applications will be returned if the number and date are not supplied.  Sarah Wilson will be attending the SHRM Leadership Conference in November. Also, she wishes to hold a board meeting November 30, 2004 with both the current and new officers. The board agreed to pay the 2005 local dues for Gail McKee, Student Chapter Advisor. Further, since our Chapter has been without a Student Chapter Chair for several months, the board agreed that there would not be enough time to grant a student scholarship this year.

Announcements

"Why Become Certified?” By Alisa Goldschmidt It wasn’t too long ago when we were riding high on the technology wave. It was a job seeker’s paradise—too many jobs and not enough workers. Today, workers struggle to keep their jobs, job seekers are finding new jobs scarce, and employers are trying their best to keep up with the changing economy without sacrificing the quality of their products and services. During challenging times, an effective HR staff must demonstrate more than “good people skills.” “Good people skills” won’t overhaul an organization’s compensation structure, won’t develop and assess an organization’s training program, won’t help an organization be proactive in developing a culture free of sexual harassment, and won’t develop an OSHA-compliant health safety program. One way to assess the effectiveness of an HR professional is by certification. An HR department whose staff is professionally certified can—and should—make a significant contribution to the management and strategic direction of an organization. They can ensure that the organization’s people strategy is correctly aligned with its business strategy. How do you determine which professional certification to look for when staffing your HR department? The most respected certifications for HR professionals are the Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Earning one or more of these designations validates that a professional possesses significant knowledge and experience in all areas of HR, including strategic management; workforce planning; human resource development; compensation and benefits; employee and labor relations, and occupational health, safety and security. Today there are more than 70,000 HR professionals certified by HRCI. Most HR professionals who take on the challenge of the PHR, SPHR, and GPHR exams demonstrate more than knowledge. They display a true dedication to the HR management profession. They show it when they agree to study in excess of 40 hours and when they arrive at the testing center to take the examination. Certificants continue to demonstrate dedication to the profession when they maintain their designation by recertifying every three years through professional development or by retaking the examination. They are leaders in the HR profession. Recruiters take note of the designations as well. Although there may not be an abundance of jobs available today, the lack of jobs has not eased the skills shortage. The lack of a skilled labor pool is still a serious long-term issue. Recruiters should routinely include “PHR, SPHR or GPHR preferred” in advertisements for professional-level HR jobs. Recruiters need not worry that adding this preference may decrease the applicant pool. In fact, stating this preference may likely increase the pool of qualified candidates for the position and help separate the wheat from the chaff. Many certified professionals are members of local chapters of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). This organization is an excellent source for certified HR talent and resources. Workforce Readiness Committee NOW, is the time to get involved with developing the workforce of tomorrow. As I mentioned in our meeting we presented to almost 100 students at the Blue Ridge Technical School, and as you heard Rick Calhoun say it was a big success for teachers and students. Laura Elliott with Jr Achievement recently shared that these are her needs. I am sorry to say that not one of our members has called Laura to volunteer to teach a class. I know we are busy, please take a moment and consider the following opportunities – (SS stands for Success Skills – this is a wonderful program that has a kit full of tools and the preparation time is minimal): Roanoke Area: Noel C Taylor Learning Center Beginning December 2 on alternating Thursdays 1 Success Skills (SS) for Donna Irvin's class. Joy Hairston 2 SS 7:45-8:40 and 11:05- 11:50. There will be classes at Fleming & PH most likely 2nd semester Possible classes in Middle schools classes Addison Community Learning Center Addison after school program1 SS with 8th grade students 2nd semester. Please contact Laura directly, she then shares with me if one of our members are teaching.  Laura Elliott Educational Marketing Manager Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia, Inc. 3433 Brambleton Ave Roanoke, VA 24018 540 989-6392 Let Their Success Be Your Inspiration! I also met with a Michele Dowdy from Roanoke County Schools Monday November 1st. She liked the topic listing from the Blue Ridge Technical presentation and will endorse our involvement in the county schools. The topics were things that effect us every day such as dress code, work ethic, respect, how to request a job application, basic communication skills and more. We will meet with the Roanoke County Principals soon, and have opportunities for 1 hour presentations to JR’s and SR’s. Once we have sign ups at our next meeting, we will have a short training meeting, no more than an hour. I need your help presenting to these students, this is something we have been working towards for 2-3 years. I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting. Please, consider giving of your time and talents, students need a business professional’s influence. If you are involved in other active opportunities within our SHRM chapter I understand that you may not want to step forward, but if you are not an active member on a committee – I encourage you to be a part of workforce readiness – I need your help to make our goals happen please ck out the sign up table. HRM Certification Course Mary Baldwin College will offer a spring study course for HR professionals interested in sitting for the PHR or SPHR designation exams. This certificate program comprises twelve three-hour classes that meet weekly on Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00 p.m. beginning on January 20. MBC has offered this program for RVSHRM members and valley–wide businesses and organizations for several years, and Dan Oyler facilitates the classes. Participants receive the 2005 SHRM Learning System, from which the certification exams are taken, and a certificate and CEUs from the college. For information on this program, contact Dan Dowdy at (540) 343-8724, or visit the web site at www.mbc.edu/learninc. 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.

Members in the News

Beth Pinson has been promoted to Regional Vice President at Adecco. In her new role, Beth will be responsible for Adecco's operations in most of Virginia and some of Tennessee. She can be reached at beth.pinson@adeccona.com.   Thomas Engl has joined the medical equipment company Stryker Endoscopy as a Sales Representative. Thomas was previously associated with Business Solutions. He can be reached at (540) 556-6051 or thomas.engl@cox.net.   Members—Please help us highlight Chapter members who have something to celebrate. If you have information on yourself or others you’d like to share, let us know. Job changes, awards, achievements, family additions, unique experiences . . . we’re interested in all of them. Contact Mike Leach at mleach@advanceautoparts.com or (540) 561-6899.

New & Returning Members & Changes

Rich Mercer VP-HR Hanover Direct 5022 Hollins Road Roanoke, VA 24019 (540) 561-7842 mercer@hanoverdirect.com Dolores Switzer (returning member) HR Assistant Parts Depot Inc. 2177 Dale Avenue Roanoke, VA 24013 (540) 345-1001 dolores.switzer@parts-depot.com Rita Dupont VP-HR BusinessBridge 1911 Merriman Way Road Moneta, VA 24121 (540) 721-4595 rita.dupont@charter.net How about a date? That is, an update of your Member Profile! Your fellow members in RVSHRM use the member information at RVSHRM.org daily to locate names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Is the information posted on you correct? Does it correctly reflect your name, title, employer, mailing address, phone numbers and e-mail address? Is the picture listed with your name a picture of you? Checking your Member Profile takes only about a minute. Adding or correcting information takes but a moment more. Here’s how to do it: To check your Member Profile Click on “Members Only Enter Here” Click on “Update Your Membership Record” Enter your login and password • Your login is your first initial and last name. For example,   “jsmith” for John Smith. • Your password is “rvshrm”. • Enter your first name or your last name in the “Search” box • Click on your name (there may be several persons with   the same first or last name) • Check the accuracy of the information displayed To update your Member Profile • Click on “Edit My Information” • Revise any outdated information • Click on the “Update” icon at bottom of page   (don’t forget this step!) That’s all there is to it. You can repeat the process as often as necessary to keep your Member Profile accurate. Still unsure you want to try it? Give Mike Leach, Chair of the Membership Committee a call and he’ll walk you through the process, or send him an e-mail with the correct information and he’ll update your Member Profile for you. You can reach Mike at (540) 561-6899 and mleach@advanceautoparts.com