Cathy Cook, SPHR

**** ****** ******* ******* | Providence Forge, VA 23140 | 804-***-**** | abglym@r.postjobfree.com

OBJECTIVE

Experience and dedicated HR Director with over 16 years of experience and expertise in employee

development, administration, records management, and legal compliance, seeking a position to utilize

management skills to develop HR departments within start-up and established businesses.

AREAS OF EXCELLENCE

Regulatory Compliance Project Management Training and Development

Policy & Procedure Development Talent Management Payroll & Benefits

Outreach/Program Development

EXPERIENCE

Human Resource Director – C & F Enterprises, Inc., Newport News, VA December 2011 – Present

o Initiated a full start-up of HR practices within the company

o Ensured that HR practices include compliance, payroll, benefits administration, progressive

discipline, grievance procedures, exit interviews, terminations, hiring, on-boarding and

performance incentives to ensure employee productivity and satisfaction

o Added key positions within the company such as marketing manager, e-commerce, web

developer, warehouse management, key account sales, creative positions and creative director.

o Work with department heads to create a positive work environment through recruitment which

best helped the department to grow and succeed

o Created a handbook to guide employees on training concerning management, harassment,

diversity, and workplace etiquette.

o 100% success rate in VEC cases and EEO

o Pulled company into complete compliance with state, federal, DOL and OSHA regulations.

o Developed health and safety assessments and committees to ensure a safe, working environment.

o Began smoking cessation program with a 92% success rate

o Open enrollment for all insurances including medical, dental, life, voluntary benefits and 401k

o Aided merger and acquisition of additional company with informational meetings

o All event coordination to include Holiday Parties, Anniversary parties, Health Fair, Wellness

o Programs used: Microsoft Office, Paycom and Oracle

Human Resource Director – Evergreen Enterprises, Inc., Richmond, VA August 2005 – September

2011

o Attained 99% win rate in national unemployment claims with only one loss in six years.

o Achieved a voluntary turnover rate of 1%.

o Initiated a safety committee, which lowered accidents by 85% in the first year.

o Developed recycling program to reduce waste by 64%.

o Oversaw an employee roster of over 400 people requiring benefits administration, 401k

administrations, Cobra administration, and workers’ compensation.

o Oversaw administration of FMLA, ADA, FLSA Affirmative Action, I-9 maintenance, and EEO.

o EEO mediations and represent company in hearings

o Designed and implemented online application and procedures to fill over 200 open positions

across various departments.

o Key Accounts such as Stein Mart, Ross, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Tuesday Morning, and many

others needed help with set up for Showroom visits, travel, and entertaining.

o Developed outreach programs to recruit university students and other professionals through job

fairs.

o Trained staff in Excel and OSHA compliances, and re-drafted the outdated employee handbook,

as well as ensure all incentive programs maintained compliance with legal policies.

o Implemented new payroll and administration processes, and trained HR staff in these new

processes.

o Succession planning, terminations, exit interviews, hires, and on-boarding

o Implemented health and wellness programs, smoking cessation program (92% success rate)

orientation programs, performance reviews, and oversaw event planning.

o Established performance management system for Territory Sales Managers.

o Collaborated with corporate executive teams to design management training programs, sales

incentive initiatives, and morale.

o Aided in the merger and acquisition of Plow & Hearth, training associates, advising and setting

policies.

o Set and created both onsite and offsite Sales Meetings in the city and Atlanta and Las Vegas.

Created meeting details, meals, hotel accommodations, swag bags for each sales reps, banquets,

awards ceremonies and sales incentives.

o Programs used: Microsoft Office, ADP, Paychex, PeopleSoft and home-grown systems

HR Generalist/ Manager – BWI Manufacturing April 1996 – July 2005

o Created cost-efficient incentive and morale-boosting programs to increase employee satisfaction,

resulting in lower absentee rate, higher production figures and a happier workforce .

o Reduced billable hours from over 200 to 15 hours per week by recruiting outsourced positions to

in-house facilities.

o Developed a program to deflect unions, resulting in avoiding 6 organized attempts in the first

year.

o Trained management teams on conducting interview and assessments to make sound hiring

decisions.

o Developed disciplinary procedures and a tracking system to diminish legal risks and maintain

productive workflow.

o Redeveloped orientation programs to include HR and company resources information.

o Recruited over 250 positions in management, manufacturing, and plant operations at the start of

the business.

o Oversaw plant operations, safety programs and stepped in as Plant Manager when they were not

at facility.

o Created a HR grassroots programs to expand corporate objectives, and conceived several

innovative HR programs and initiatives to train employees and provide incentives.

o Outside of HR: Purchasing, A/R, A/P, credit approvals, and customer service

o Processed payroll, 401k’s, benefits administrations, and employee benefit programs.

o Programs used: Microsoft Office, ADP

Previous Experience

Office Administrator to Office & Human Resource Manager, Corman Construction

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bachelor of Business in Business Administration (Honors), 1985 - Old Dominion University

Associate of Science in Occupational Safety & Health, 1996 - John Tyler Community College

FEMA Search and Rescue, 2000-2012

Aided in disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Issac and most

recently, Hurricane Sandy which was my last and final event with FEMA.

HR Designations:

PHR-VA (Professional in Human Resources with VA state-specific certification), 2000

PHR (Professional in Human Resources), 2001

SPHR designation, 2009

Affiliations:

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Society of Human Resources Management (VA & Norfolk)

Linked In: Recommendations and several endorsements

Personal:

Physical fitness is a high priority. Enjoy travel, cooking, bunco, festivals and animals.

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