TARA S. SWEARINGEN

*** **** *** *****, *******, IL 61853

217-***-****, abi5nf@r.postjobfree.com

SUM MARY

Strategic Human Resources professional with successful experience in partnering with

management and staff in accomplishing the mission and goals of the organization.

Leadership, Employee Relations, Performance Management and Development, Diversity,

Benefits and Compensation Administration are areas of strength and proven success.

Change and Conflict Management, Customer Service and Mergers and Acquisitions are

a reas of concentration and recent positive results which I have lead or facilitated. Excellent

communicator with all levels of staff and leadership; I am committed to supporting a

positive, respectful and results oriented work environment.

PROFESSIONAL EXPER IENCE

Carle Clinic Association – May, 1983 – March, 2010

Physician-owned multi-specialty group practice with 325+ physicians; total employees of

2,875 with a regional network of 11 branch clinics and a for-profit insurance company,

Health Alliance Medical Plans.

H ealth Alliance Medical Plans – Vice President, Employee Relations (2008 -

2010)

350,000 member medical insurance plan providing insured, self-insured, Medicare,

s tudent and i ndividual policy plans. Recognized by U.S. News and World Report as

national leader in member satisfaction and responsiveness.

• Provided HR leadership and oversight for the 600 employee insurance plan

w ith stated growth goals by acquisition

• Lead all HR aspects of a successful acquisition of Peoria based insurance co.

of 115 employees w/multi-state locations

• Provided HR expertise in other new business due diligence processes and

evaluations

• Opened and staffed a new Dallas, TX customer service base office

• Increased already high employee satisfaction scores with targeted efforts to

96% of staff agree/strongly agree to recommend Health Alliance as a place to

work

• Developed and implemented CEO Succession plan including growth

i nitiatives for Sr. Leadership

• Spear-headed philanthropic committee and organized efforts for employee

engagement and involvement

• Facilitated and instructed a formal change management process in the

organization to support a new IT platform and future innovative business

opportunities (given credit in a new book by change expert for effectively

supporting org. process)

• Taught and renewed Diversity awareness in the organization; resulted in

m ulti-year improvement in survey scores

• Administrative champion for leading edge wellness initiatives that were

p iloted with our own employees and then implemented in our insurance

p roducts

• Led Management development education; mentoring program and all labor

issues resulting in no EEOC charges or grievances, .

Carle Clinic Association – Vice-President, Human Resources (1994 - 2008)

• Provided HR leadership including recruitment/retention,

benefits/compensation, education/development, legal/employee relations for

a ll clinic locations and Health Alliance Medical Plans to support

organizational initiatives.

• Successfully pitched and implemented HRIS system for organization

r esulting in standardized data sources, enhanced reporting and elimination

of paper and time-consuming processes

• Implemented innovative Benefit options and programs (Roth 401K, Wellness,

voluntary benefits, financial education)

• Developed organizational incentive plan for staff through management level,

based on customer service improvements that was used as a template for

other large multi-specialty group plans and contributed to improved patient

satisfaction scores

• Successfully performed the role of plan administrator for defined benefit,

defined contribution and deferred compensation plans worth over 325 million

dollars insuring legal compliance, education and strategic direction.

I ncluded oversight of plan freezes, change in administrative/fiduciary

p roviders through RFP process, investment commit tee participation and

s trong education component for all levels of investment knowledge.

• Merged and led cultural, benefit and compensation integration of acquired

physician practices

• Improved constantly upon measurement and t racking aspects of performance

i n the HR department resulting in improved satisfaction for our applicants,

s taff and management

• Facilitated Safety Commit tee and oversaw Workers Compensation and Back

t o Work program

Di rector, Quality and Education (1991 - 1993)

• Lead Total Quality Management ini tiatives resulting in average cost savings

of $10,000. per team for the organization

• Oversaw process improvement and management engineering progress in the

organization as identified by Administration

• Insured education and competency in clinical and business requirements of

s taff through appropriate offering of t raining and measurement practices

D i rector, Patient Care, Surgical and Allied Health Services (1990 -1991)

• Provided support to 30 physicians, advanced practice and support staff to

i mplement department and patient service goals. Remodeled and planned

new work areas that accommodated specialty equipment and enhanced

p rocesses.

Asst. Mgr. Personnel/Personnel Asst. (1983-1990)

• Supported human resources services at a t ime of major growth resulting in

i ncreased hir ing and development of many standardized policies and

p rocedures. Acted in formal leadership role in absence of director and was so

successful, Carle paid for graduate education.

E DUCAT ION

M H R I R, University of I llinois at Urbana-Champaign, I L. Dec., 2010

Masters Human Resources and Industrial Relations

Master Program, University of I llinois at Urbana-Champaign, I L 1988 - 1992

L abor and Industrial Relations Institute-completed all class work

BS, University of I llinois at Urbana-Champaign, I L 1978

Applied L ife Sciences and Health Education

PROFESSIONAL AFF I L IAT IONS

Society of Human Resource Management (1988), SPHR

Central I ll inois Human Resource Group

I l linois Employers Association (Board Member 2004-2010)

In ternational Federation of Employee Benefits

Medical Management Group Association-HR Society (Board Member and Past President)

I l linois Teaching Certificate 6-12

COM MU N I TY AFF I L IAT IONS

Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, Board of Directors, Immediate Past-President

United Way of Champaign County – Pillar and Campaign Coordinator

Former Chair of Church Congregation Board and Commit tees

References available upon request

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