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, performance management, staff planning and strategic planning.Accomplishments:• 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 policies and benefits structure for mergers and acquisitions and other companies in which Heller held an equity interest. Member of the management team for all company acquisitions. Accomplishments:• 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 recommended and implemented saved the company $350,000 annually and increased participation by 30%.• 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 savings of $500,000.• 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.• Designed and implemented a revised retiree medical plan. Reduced cost by $2,500,000 without affecting retirees or employees within 10 years of retirement.• Revised annual benefit statement making it simpler and more understandable than prior statement.

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 contribution plans, 2 defined benefit plans and 3 non-qualified plans.Accomplishments• 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. • Established plans and policies for company expatriates.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.)

Education record