Human Resources Management

Susan L. Sweem, Ph.D., SPHR

**** ********** ***** . *******, ******** 60189 . Telephone: (630)

***-**** . **********@***.***

Corporate Human Resources Executive ... Strategic Business & Labor Planning

... National & Global Leadership Benefits & Compensation ...

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management ... Talent/Performance Management

Organizational Design/Development ... Change

Management/Communications ... Best Practices

Accomplished senior human resources executive ... Successful experience in

North American and global strategic and operational HR

leadership in high growth (organic/inorganic) and

consolidation environments. Skilled in

integrating HR into the overall corporate operating strategy working at the

c-level of the global enterprise.

Proven leadership skills in corporate HR strategist and business partner

roles: strategy development, auditing, employee engagement, outsourcing,

due diligence, risk, training, budgeting, performance management,

compensation, benefits, M&A integrations, reorganizations and

standardizations. Proven abilities in driving out costs, headcount, risk

and grievances/litigation, while supporting

organizational development and growth through

talent/performance management, labor/employee relations and succession

planning.

PROFESSIONAL

EXPERIENCE:

2009 to Present Teach graduate/undergraduate courses to traditional

and non-traditional students in various areas of human resources and

management. Committee Member: Long-Term Strategy Planning; College of

Business Assessment; Teaching & Professional Growth; Benefits Advisory

Council.

AKZO NOBEL, INC., Chicago, Illinois

countries and 55,000 worldwide staff.

Industrial, commercial and retail sales channels

(2008

Senior Human Resources Manager/Head, North American HR

2000 to 2009

line to Senior VP of Global HR in The Netherlands.

Held strategic, tactical and fiscal oversight for North American human

resources with up to 12,000 personnel (exempt, nonexempt, union/non-

union), as well as outsourced and offshore staffing. Assembled and led a

senior HR team of 28 direct reports across Compensation, Benefits, Labor

Relations, Talent Acquisition/Management and Organization Development; led

matrix legal, union relations and compliance staff.

Direct accountability for HR governance,

strategic planning, compliance, talent management,

compensation analysis, organizational

development, risk management, employee relations, metrics,

policy & procedure development, etc. Served as key human capital

advisor to c-suite for short/long-range

planning, consolidations and M&As. Researched,

assessed and launched process improvements, cost controls and efficiency

initiatives within North American HR, as

well as Shared Services and individual

facilities targeting standardization, risk mitigation, staff

reductions and cost savings. Implemented SOX controls in payroll and

internal processes.

Key Projects/ Accomplishments:

. HR expert to lead/support corporate initiatives, including M&As,

realignments, compliance, consolidations, standardization,

organizational development and global business strategy:

- Managed HR plan and execution of more than 30 acquisitions

and divestitures, including three large-scale acquisitions

(1,000+ employees) and one large divestiture

(3,500+ employees); assessed talent, defined competency

gaps and eliminated redundancy;

- Reduced US HR/Payroll FTEs from 90 to 77 following shared

service center implementation; - Directed consolidation of 82

payrolls to 40 delivering $870,000 in savings;

- Participated in planning and execution of IT outsourcing

initiative;

- Managed and implemented an HRIS upgrade to include employee

self-service.

. Conceptualized/directed aggressive benefit cost savings program following

2008 ICI acquisition: - Consolidated benefit programs yielding

$4.5 million in annual savings;

- Negotiated, implemented and maintained all benefit vendor contracts

with key performance indicators, resulting in $2.4 million annual

savings.

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Susan L. Sweem, Ph.D., SPHR

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. Member of several global corporate strategic planning councils:

- North American representative on global committee to select

worldwide temporary agency delivering $500,000 in annual cost

savings;

- North American representative for design and implementation of

online, global, standardized Performance Appraisal Process,

including throughout unions.

. Transitioned pension plan from a defined pension benefit to a defined

contribution.

. Developed and deployed new retiree medical strategy with long term saving

of $49 million.

. Successfully developed and managed a centralized HR shared services

project plan following acquisition of 4,000 staff company (reduced

combined budget from $16 million to $10.4 million).

. Responded to declining employee satisfaction results nationally and

launched communication plan delivering double digit improvements in

engagement annually.

Key Projects/ Accomplishments:

Manager, Insurance Benefits & Special Projects

Senior corporate leadership role with fiscal,

compliance, reporting and strategic oversight

accountability for benefits planning, organizational

development, performance management, government

filings, vendor negotiations, health &

welfare programs and implementation of acquisitions &

divestitures. Managed team of senior analysts (benefits, compensation,

performance).

. Directed strategic business, operational and communication plan to

transition North American enterprise from two benefit vendors to one

delivering $1.5 million in annual savings.

. Re-engineered EEO program and improved audit scores from red to green

within six months. . Completed successful DOL audit of health and welfare

plan.

. Led vendor contract negotiations securing three-year guarantees and

performance agreements.

. Conceptualized and managed in-house RFP and analysis strategy for new

prescription program.

Manager, Human Resources Project Planning

Accountable for executive compensation, strategic benefit planning,

acquisition and expatriate administration. Managed a team of compensation

analysts and HR generalists.

Key Projects/ Accomplishments:

. Standardized expatriate administration and created a centralized

function. . Implemented Hay job evaluation system for line leaders to

senior executives.

Senior Group Insurance Representative

Managed health & wellness program for all business units: review,

implementation, communication, vendor management and administration of

health, life, disability and accident insurance programs.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

KELLER GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, Oak Brook, Illinois Adjunct

Faculty Member

Human Resources Leadership within Master of Business Administration

program.

1996 to 2000

EDUCATION:

BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY, Lisle, Illinois

Ph.D., Organization Development

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY, Chicago, Illinois

Master of Science, Industrial Relations

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, Ames, Iowa

Bachelor of Science, Sociology; Minor: Statistics

CERTIFICATION: - Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR), Society

of Human Resource Management.

- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), WorldatWork.

PUBLICATIONS:

New HR/OD Alliance?".

- Sweem, S., "Sharing Across Boundaries: The Dual Role of Being Both a

Consultant and a Client".

Senior leadership role reporting to President

of Akzo Nobel, Inc. (US holding company); dotted

Publicly-held, Netherlands-based global

chemical/pharmaceutical company: industrial

coatings,

UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS (College of Business), Joliet, Illinois

Assistant Professor, Management & Leadership

decorative paints, industrial chemicals,

pharmaceuticals (divested in 2007) with

operations in 80

acquisition of ICI-Glidden Paint Stores). Largest paint & coatings company

worldwide; up to 12,000

total personnel in North American Division

(manufacturing, DC, sales offices, retail).

- Sweem, S., "Fall Back or Spring Forward-Is It Time for a

Practitioner. 42(4), 30-35. 2010.

- Sweem, S., "Value Added: The Strategic Partnership of Human Resources

and Organization

Strategic Organization Development: Managing Change for Success. Editors:

Development".

Yaeger, T., Sorensen, P. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. 2009.

Client-Consultant Collaboration: Coping with Complexity & Change. Editors:

Buono, A.,

Poulfelt, F. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing. 2009.

1997 to 2000

1993 to 1997

1991 to 1993

Presenter: "Managing Internal Equity in a Global Company." WorldatWork

Rewards Conference.

EARLY

OD

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