Kathy Somers Email and Phone Number

Drove HR operations and administration for bridge construction company with 150 employees in four states. Consistently solved problems and improved systems to save time and simplify work. Ensured and optimized EEO & OSHA compliance, employee benefits administration, work comp claims and IT issues.• Understood owner’s values, company culture and wrote policies consistent with both.• Stayed up-to-date regarding regulations including Form i-9, OSHA 1904 and 1926, Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Drug-Free Workplace Act, 49 CFR of the Federal Railroad Administration, Family Medical Leave Act and other regulations.• Served as the Education/Training & Workforce Development Committee Chairperson for the Associated General Contractors of Iowa and as a member of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council for southwest Iowa.• Drove recruiting efforts and administered employee training programs,• Created database and mail merge systems for new hires, current employees, benefits, payroll deductions & terminations and other office projects.• Led investigations for disciplinary actions, EEO and OSHA complaints and accidents.• Advised and instructed field supervisors through the hiring, retention and discipline process.• Created onboarding video for new hires introducing them to company history, vision and policies.• Acted as liaison with benefits administrators.• Reviewed compensation and affirmative action goals and recommended changes annually. • Transitioned company to digital documents by creating Adobe Acrobat Pro fillable PDF forms.• Prepared detailed records on complicated unemployment and work comp claims for legal counsel.• Troubleshot IT problems, set up new computers & iPads, worked with support vendors.

Elected to three four-year terms. Worked on various city concerns including ordinances, budgets, tax levies, bonds, street repair, city personnel issues, capital improvement plans, etc.• Chairperson, Personnel and Finance Committee (2012 - 2021)• Mayor Pro Tempore (2014 - 2021) • Cass County Environmental Control Agency Board (Landfill) (2016-2021, Chairperson 2016-2021)• Cass County Public Safety Commission (911 Personnel) (2014 - 2021)• Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Board (2010 - 2013)

Created effective project management and estimating systems for a website development company with remote staff that eliminated work back-log, and improved consistency in meeting launch deadlines, employee/customer trust and retention, as well as profits by $30k ($2k per website). Drove website project scheduling and quality control.

Improved communication and networking with stakeholders by establishing mail-merge databases, newsletters and info brochures that netted 20 new members in a year. Optimized all daily agency operations.• Created websites and marketing materials for initiatives that brought five new businesses to the county.• Created proposal format adopted by the Iowa Department of Economic Development as the state standard.

Composed and coordinated the owner’s confidential communications with boards and politicians. Modernized all forms and ensured daily administrative tasks and phone calls were handled in a timely fashion.

Created a spreadsheet for reporting IFTA info that saved 30 hours annually. Designed databases, newsletters, letterheads and business cards that improved tracking, planning, employee recognition and image.