Susan Gard Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Executive HR position supporting 4 family-owned companies located in 3 states and serving over 400 employees. Developed Business and HR strategies to support expansion and acquisition. • Facilitated the leadership team in developing a strategic plan for short-term and long-term growth.• Developed an annual leadership program involving 12 three-hour sessions. 100 participants trained over a 3-year period. • Developed an Emerging Leaders Program involving 3 sessions including business technical training, individual development, and cross company group projects. 20 participants over 2 years.• Developed retention strategy that reduced turnover by 20% and 30% below the industry standard. • Developed a recruitment strategy inclusive of branding on social media and schools, military outreach, schools’ segmentation and partnership, and referral programs.• Implemented employee survey program to encourage employee engagement.• Transition plan of institutional knowledge of retiring long-term employees.• RFP for transition of 401K brokers and investment team inclusive of plan design changes.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

• Introduced and implemented a talent acquisition program doubling the size of the company.• Transitioned benefit brokers and implemented benefit program changes that reduced employee cost enhanced offerings while reducing employer costs by a million dollars over a 2 year period.• Championed safety program reducing EMR score from 1.3 to .96. Coordinated OSHA Grant.• Integrated company values and culture through recruiting, onboarding, performance management, succession planning, training / development, and recognition.• Implemented succession planning at department level inclusive of development plans. Introduced Career Interest / Development forms for management and leadership program participants.• Standardized performance management process updating forms to reinforce company values.• Successfully transitioned outside sales team from salaried to base plus commission compensation.• Developed executive variable compensation plan.• Updated company handbook to align closer with culture and abide by legal updates.• Completed Federal and State Affirmative Action Plans.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

Reported to VP HR, as Director HR served as the top HR executive for a $5 billion revenue feed agricultural division.• Served as HR Lead for Feed Re-Vitalization Team directing five transformational projects focused on doubling the business in three years. Role included identifying organization and employee impacts and developing strategies to ensure success.• Analyzed, designed and implemented programs to address talent development gaps stemming from changing business focus. Re-structured sales organization to better attract and retain large customers. Developed a “grow our own” PhD talent program including support of research projects, tuition reimbursement and university partnerships.• Analyzed three separate businesses, identifying synergies across organizations and leveraging sales organization and marketing expertise. Re-structured Milk Replacer Business resulting in more efficient go-to-market strategy.• Developed streamlined HR Merger and Acquisition process contributing to three seamless acquisitions. Included revising roles and responsibilities and developing a standardized playbook.• Designed integration plan for a fully owned subsidiary into LOL allowing for better leverage of functional expertise to support growth strategy, and capacity to address upcoming leadership retirements. Managed significant culture/organization changes for former family-owned business.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

Reporting to CHRO, as Director HR served as the top HR Executive for Corporate organization in addition to Dairy Foods division.• Operated as HR project lead for acquisition of Kozy Shack business including integration of corporate headquarters and two manufacturing facilities in New York and California.• Provided HR expertise on team to exit Dairy America partnership and in-source all milk powder sales leading to $1M profit increase and strategic movement from commodity based to value added business model. Recruited key sales skillsets already possessing industry relations.• Co-led project to review complete organization structure of Dairy Foods and reduce layers, resulting in $2.2M in ongoing savings. Process was then rolled out company-wide. Implementation included transition plans, risk mitigation, retention strategies, communication plan, culture changes, and change management. Project resulted in creation of new International Division.• Facilitated Foodservice Division planning session to drive business growth by 25% resulting in identified focus areas incorporated into long range division plan. Developed 3-year strategies, game plan, and organization structure to support growth objective. Foodservice business doubled in earnings from $13M in 2011 to $26M in 2014.• Served as change management lead for project to improve spend on all indirect goods and services resulting in $40M in savings. Focused on standardized policies and procedures, technology, creation of centralized procurement team, and strategic sourcing of goods and services.• Strengthened organizational talent by implementing internal career profiles and individual development plans, initiating bi-annual cross company talent discussions, conducting diversity review, and leading the development of action plans to address opportunities.• Conducted division-wide talent review. Upgraded talent and exited 12% poor performers against a goal of 10%.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

Reporting to the CHRO, as Director HR served as the top HR executive for $4.5 billion revenue food division made up of three different businesses including Food Service, Retail and Global Ingredients.• Partnered with Foodservice leaders to roll out new business strategy focused on multiple key customer interaction points. System-wide impacts included re-organization, new culture and reward systems introduction, career pathing, sales competencies, and new skillset development.• Designed and implemented a formalized training and mentoring program in Dairy Foods Sales for entry level sales position, increasing preparedness for next level sales account management.• Developed Marketing MBA intern program inclusive of strong business participation and leadership support. Defined major and minor projects, onboarding plan, training, mentors and buddie systems, leadership lunches, and marketing networking events leading to a 50% increased conversion rate.• Consolidated calibration and succession planning meetings resulting in talent discussions that both optimized and simplified the process.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

Reporting to VP HR, HR Business Partner for Supply Chain organization including nine manufacturing operations, logistics, quality and safety.• Introduced performance rating and ranking calibration meeting and succession planning meeting, addressing bench for management positions, retention risks, and development discussions.• Created project team to implement ERP system acting as change lead. Transitioned 30 key top performing employees from various departments to support the project and seamlessly coordinated backfill or restructure to support the move.• Served as project lead to integrate the HRIS and Payroll systems of two JV operations in California into Land O’Lakes system. Original scope of project increased to include benefits system and deadlines moved forward. Met new aggressive project schedule and budget.• Led HR cost saving initiatives resulting in over $726k in cost savings against a goal of $500k. Savings were achieved through contract negotiations, Kronos time keeping system implementation, driver outsourcing, and revised scheduling projects.• Increased minority representation from 6.1% to 8.4% against a goal of 6.7%. Reduced minority turnover rate from 18% to 0% against a goal of 9%.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

HR Business Partner reporting to CEO of CPI, a manufacturing joint venture with Land O'Lakes as the operating partner. Additionally, provide regional support to Golden Valley Dairy Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes. Brought in as a key business partner to lead failing start up organization through a turnaround resulting in an $8.4 million YTY financial improvement and a successful completion on a $32 million expansion that came in on time and on budget. Success achieved through key talent acquisition; management and hourly training and development; change management; setting expectations; developing metrics; and a culture of accountability.

Arden Hills, Minnesota, Us

HR Business Partner reporting to General Manager of MDP, a joint venture with Land O'Lakes that manufactures cheddar and Italian style cheese and whey products. Additionally, provided regional support to Perham LOL manufacturing facility, LOL mid-west procurement division, and Northwest Food Products Transportation, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of LOL.Managed integration of MDP organization into Land O'Lakes culture, policies, programs, benefits and compensation while maintaining the highest employee engagement scores in supply chain organization on annual employee survey.

Chicago, Il, Us

HR responsibility for 200 employees in two manufacturing facilities.HR lead for divestiture of Melrose manufacturing facility including due diligence, project management, benefit analysis, internal and external communication plans.

Chicago, Il, Us

Provided HR support to a 900 person manufacturing faciility