Beth Nielsen Email & Phone Number

Greater Chicago Area

Provide volunteer Human Resource Consulting to non-profit organizations. The projects have included Performance Management, Volunteer Management, Board Development and Strategic Management.

Chairperson, Career Day Program, Prairie Middle School, 2 yearsVice President, Parent Teacher Organization Roslyn Road School, 2 yearsChairperson, KidsKards Roslyn Road School, 4 yearsChairperson, Book Fair, Roslyn Road School, 2 yearsChairperson, Welcoming, Roslyn Road School, 1 yearCub Scout Den Leader, 5 years

• Recruited to manage the benefits staff of 5 on a part-time basis while IRI searched for a full-time benefits managerAccomplishments:
• Ensured 401k plan compliance.
• Improved internal benefit plan accounting procedures.
• Renegotiated all medical plans with providers and implemented cost-saving plan changes.
• Consolidated HMO providers for cost and management efficiency.
• Hired and trained the new full-time Benefits Manager.

• Human Resources Manager with responsibility for the International Division, the Equity Business, the Human Resources Department and the Chairman’s office, including compensation administration, employee counseling.
• Developed and implemented a new non-management Incentive Compensation Plan for the entire company.
• Created Core Competencies for Human Resources Department. The methodology was further developed and used later for the entire organization.
• Revised Heller’s practices for expatriate relocation and COLA adjustments.

• Responsible for the management of all employee benefit plans including strategic planning, plan design and administration. Managed a staff of 5 employees. Consulted with business units to review human resources.
• Revamped 401k plan – implemented an investment policy, selected new funds, reduced company administrative time and costs, and improved employee communication and employee perception of adopted plans. Changes I.
• Implemented Heller’s backup child care program (the City of Chicago’s first center). Heller’s actual usage was double what was expected based on Heller’s population.
• Rewrote all summary plan descriptions to ensure they were in legal compliance, more reader-friendly and an improved reference tool for managers and employees.
• Overhauled company’s medical plans – implemented a point-of-service plan, consolidated HMOs and improved employee communication. My initiatives resulted in 82% in-network usage (70% usage was expected) and an annual.
• Implemented a new defined benefit retirement program. Communicated all changes, developed a retirement planning disk, calculated past frozen benefits and automated the pension calculations process.

• Responsible for the management of all JMB’s employee benefit programs including for 5 affiliated companies. JMB increased in size by 400% over my years of employment through numerous acquisitions. Oversaw 5 defined.
• Consolidated benefit administration functions from acquisitions to parent home office.
• Reduced the number of benefit plans and reconciled numerous benefit discrepancies.
• Automated the benefit component of the HRIS system.
• Assumed management of the pension plans of an acquired conglomerate that held over 20 separate plans at acquisition.
• Improved plan management and reduced administration costs while consolidating plans to two resulting plans, one cash balance plan.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.)

Education record