Served as a member of Indianapolis leadership team responsible for shaping business strategy for 125 company locations, in five states. Managed HR staff supporting full spectrum of HR functions and needs of more than 7,000 employees including recruitment, on/off boarding, employee relations, compliance, federal and state labor audits, compensation and acquisitions/divestitures. • Consulted with leadership to ensure alignment of business and people strategies with business plan and integrated into solutions resulting in increased customer counts and profit.• Facilitated succession planning and talent reviews for operations team, assessed historical performance and leadership behaviors, and identified top talent.• Met with top talent to discuss career opportunities, create development plans and provided coaching to improve quality of goals and development plans. • Mentored managers, supervisors and restaurant management teams to give guidance and advice on interpretations and application of state and federal regulations to avoid compliance issues.• Reduced monthly complaints by 67% by providing onsite coaching/training to management teams.• Utilized business and people diagnostics to evaluate and improve business results. Partnered with key customers to interpret reports, facilitate feedback and coach on action planning process.• Reduced 90-day turnover by 10% over 13 months through executing hiring, orientation and training practices.• Lowered annualized turnover (157% to 136%) by implementing bonus programs, launched employee engagement activities, and increased staffing levels from 56 to 62 employees per restaurant.• Facilitated program rollouts with regards to benefit administration, educational program and ensured ample training of customer population.• Collaborated with crisis management team to anticipate and determine responses to crisis situations (e.g., third party interventions, health and safety issues and wage and hour audits.

Supported leadership in driving execution of people initiatives and tactics aligned with key HR strategies. Focused on execution of people processes and tools for assigned profit center; 25-40 locations. Built strong relationships and consulted with operations leadership team to ensure effective implementation of people strategies and programs to drive high-performance, people-focused culture. • Collaborated with HR and operations manager to identify future people-related issues and ensure consistency of people strategies (e.g., staffing, retention, performance management, and succession planning) with current and future business needs.• Utilized business and people diagnostics (e.g., risk management, ROIP, commitment survey and HR audits) to help line management improve business results. • Reduced annualized turnover from 300% to 150%.• Improved staffing levels by an average of 15 per location (42 to 57).• Investigated and resolved employee relations issues. • Provided onsite training to line management on employee practices/treatment, resulting in reducing EEOC/legal claims by 82%.• Managed performance development process and compensation planning for market by facilitating calibration meetings, providing performance feedback, reviewing performance reviews, and ensuring performance ratings and merit increases aligned with performance and compensation guidelines.• Assisted with local restaurant divestitures and acquisitions.

Manufacturing. One of the largest suppliers of store-brand grocery goods, including barbecue sauce, jams and jellies, peanut butter, and table syrup. It also produces private label mayonnaise and salad dressings, salsas, and sauces• Led human resources practices providing employee-oriented, high-performance culture emphasizing quality, productivity, standards and achievement of goals. • Managed personnel programs including staffing, turnover, award recognition, performance reviews and integration of records/data for 265 hourly employees. • Formulated HR management policies and established program plans and work rules. Including reviewing, establishing and implementing policies and procedures.• Provided counsel to managers and supervisor on appropriate corrective action regarding employee performance, disciplinary issues and employment laws. • Conducted investigations, determined appropriate corrective actions and administered disciplinary/corrective action for employee issues. • Collaborated with management regarding recruitment/staffing needs and ensured staffing levels were appropriate to meet production needs.• Reduced staffing turnover from 30% to 7%.• Interviewed, hired and conducted new employee orientation for facility. • Managed employee assistance substance abuse program, coordinated external employee assistance services and conducted supervisory training regarding use of Employee Assistance Services. Monitored the progress of employees in the program.• Managed affirmative action plan. Monitored applicant tracking, internal movement reports and met with management to discuss problem areas and correction of deficiencies.

One of the largest and most diversified marine transportation and manufacturing companies in the country. Providing customers with a reliable, innovative and competitive barge transporation solutions. • Safety and Marine personnel assistant 1989-1990. Scheduled interviews, testing, orientations and maintained employee files.• Employment and Administration Assistant 1990-1998. Performed a variety of administrative support duties including reporting, special projects and presentations for the VP HR, HR Manager and Training and Development Manager. • Human Resources/Safety Assistant 1996-1998. Assumed additional responsibilities in the safety Department assisting with the drug free workplace program and compiling weekly/monthly injury statistics.• Human Resources Assistant 1998-1999. Assisted HR Director and Legal Department with employee issues. Prepared documentation for EEOC cases. Assisted in collection and preparation of data for AA/EEO statistical reporting. Prepared VET 100 and EEO-1 reports. Maintained vendor Compliance Letters. Assisted with preparation of severance packets, documentation and outplacement services. Maintained databases relevant to restructuring process with regards to company mergers, acquisitions and restructuring. Assisted with developing career path model and succession planning.• Corporate Recruiter 1999-2003. Managed recruiting process for all salaried positions. Managed recruitment activities and determined qualifications required for open positions. Researched and recommended applicant tracking system. Assisted with implementation of People Soft. Counseled managers at all levels, regarding hiring techniques and legal issues concerning hiring practices, interviewing and staffing procedures. Developed external relationships with community organizations and recruiting sources. Developed and maintained HR recruiting budget. Performed job analysis, assisted with developing job descriptions and market pricing.