Post Job Free

Resume

Sign in

Human Resources Project Manager

Location:
Greeneville, TN, 37743
Posted:
November 03, 2010

Contact this candidate

Resume:

RICHARD B. RUSSELL, SPHR

*** ********* ******

Greeneville, TN 37743

Phone: 423/638-1502 or 423/327-1070

abia44@r.postjobfree.com

Summary: A certified Human Resource professional with an advanced degree

that has proven management and leadership experience in

strategic / operational planning and alignment, union avoidance,

flexible staffing, outsourcing and management of third party

relationships, self-directed work teams, recruiting, talent

management, training needs assessment / design / delivery, and

creating a climate that embraces change and continuous

improvement. In addition, has strong experience in state and

federal regulations, variable compensation, benefits, benefits

design, safety, ergonomics, and security.

Experience: Line Power Manufacturing/Line Power Rebuild (Electro-

Mechanical Corp) (09/09-10/10)

Manufacturers of power centers for underground

mining, portable transformers- switchgear for utilities

commercial and industrial applications including

both wind and solar energy---Bristol, VA

Human Resources Manager

Responsibilities: Full range of HR

responsibilities for two manufacturing plants similar to those duties in

previous job with the exception of shared

responsibilities for safety and no environmental programming.

Significant activities follow:

. Succession Planning: Trained and lead management team

through process that assessed office staff upward

mobility, cross functional movement, developmental needs,

appropriateness of pay and overall bench strength. Program

identified weakness and allowed for improved planning.

. Employee Job Talks: Doubled the frequency of meetings to

monthly that included safety training on same frequency.

Initiated Job Talks for office employees as new program-

improved morale.

. Safety Metrics: Reduced lost time to zero and recordable

incidents by over 60% through safety training, more focus

on injury investigation and return to work program---

significant cost reduction.

. Turnover Analysis: Lead/facilitated corporate-wide HR

group through problem solving activities that included data

analysis, research, brainstorming, and a proposal that

was adopted for 2011.

. Employment: Improved hiring and selection decisions through

HR engagement in all hiring and selection activities on a

team basis with functional areas--introduced use of

internet, job boards and assessments as recruiting tools

---improved effectiveness of orientation as part of on-

boarding process.

. Nonexempt Office Personnel: Proposed that this group of

office personnel be paid and benefited like salaried

employees to allow more effective recruiting, retention,

and employee satisfaction---program implementation planned

for 2011.

Donaldson Company, Inc.

(7/07-8/09)

Manufacturers of filtration equipment for heavy

truck, off highway equipment and compressor

markets ---Greeneville, TN

Human Resources Manager

Responsibilities: Planned and carried out

policies, and procedures relating to all phases of human

resources activities working in partnership

with the staff level plant management and supervisor

team. Activities included

recruiting/hiring/and orienting new employees, wage and benefit

administration and surveys, EEO/AAP, training

and development, succession and replacement

planning, employee counseling, safety and

environmental compliance, communications

programming, worker's compensation and

maintaining union free status. Key activities follow:

. HR Audit: Audit provided a framework of analysis on

compliance issues and assisted in identifying employment

practices that were missing or not legally defensible---

provided method to identify needs, assess priorities and

close gaps.

. Handbook Development: Developed and updated the employee

handbook which required writing several policies and

procedures as first time documentation---allowed for more

consistent administration, clearer understanding and

avoidance of legal issues.

RICHARD B. RUSSELL

Page 2

EXPERIENCE continued

. Orientation: Developed and implemented a new employee

orientation program which included a corporate overview,

company strategy, benefits education, policies and

procedures, safety programming and initial paperwork. This

program lead to better employee understanding and job

satisfaction.

. Safety Training: Designed, developed and delivered safety

training including fork truck training, lock-out/tag-out,

hazardous communications, welding safety, safety and

worker's compensation, hearing conservation and personal

protective equipment (PPE). Moved organization toward

legal compliance.

. Compressed Workweek: Responsible for implementation of a 4

X 10 work week which resulted in greater employee

satisfaction and a cost savings of $75,000.

. Union Free Strategy: Facilitated several union free

training sessions geared at preventive labor and the

potential passage of the Employee Free Choice Act---also

conducted an employee relations scan to identify tactical

gaps in overall strategy. Benefits derived were greater

employee satisfaction and removal of the need for third

party intervention.

. Cost Reduction: Conducted job analysis, grading, and

appropriate re-classification of employees that resulted in

$50,000 cost savings; implemented a vacation buy program

that saved approximately $25,000; through appropriate case

management cut worker's compensation recordable and lost

times by 50% which resulted in $62,000 cost savings.

Reduced turnover by 7.5% to save $143,500.

Tuck Management Group, Inc.

(5/05 - 07/07)

Human Resources & Industrial Relations consulting

firm---Kingsport, TN

Human Resources Consultant

Responsibilities: Provide clients with a full

line of HR generalist services that included legal

compliance, compensation, benefits, HR audits,

advertising, staffing, recruiting, retention, employee

assessments, reference checking, criminal

background checks, occupational medicine, training,

employee orientation, employee handbooks, risk

management and loss prevention. Also assisted employers with

all types of problem solving related to employment

and employee issues. Examples follow:

. Staffing & Training: Lead and trained a team of people in

total employment process that allowed client to successfully

staff a 200 person start-up organization. Directly involved

with initial hires. Developed and delivered first line

supervisor training for clients.

. HR Management: Provided complete HR Director services

including recruiting for five operating locations of a major

company over a 12 week period while company hired a

replacement.

. Communications: Administered an employee opinion survey and

conducted employee feedback sessions during a union

organizing campaign that resulted in the union withdrawing

its petition for election.

. Selection & Hiring Process: Established a drug screening

program, a pre-employment physical program and successfully

provided staffing services for an engineering design and

build firm.

Deere & Co. ---Corporate Office for John Deere

(4/04 - 4/05)

Manufacturers of agricultural, construction,

forestry, and lawn and garden products---Moline, Il

Project Manager, Business Continuity Planning (Human Resources

Dept)

Responsibilities: Serve in a Human Resources leadership capacity

for Business Continuity Planning (BCP). BCP is the process of

developing advance arrangements and procedures that enable an

organization to respond to a crisis event.

. Leadership: Leading 26 Corporate HR departments through

planned formal BCP Process which provided plans and

strategies for each department.

. Business / Financial Analysis: Conducted business impact

analysis for crisis management that included both financial

and operational impact. Analysis determined dollars and / or

processes at risk and possible outcomes.

. Strategy Development: Established recovery point and

recovery time objectives, identified internal and external

interdependencies, and have developed multiple action

strategies based on gap analysis which will result in

critical processes being restored and revenue / asset streams

being protected.

RICHARD B. RUSSELL

Page 3

EXPERIENCE continued

Business Unit Team Leader, Support Services (Human Resources)

(9/96 - 4/04)

John Deere Power Products, Greeneville, TN---Manufacturers of

lawn and garden equipment

Responsibilities: Managed up to 25 employees

with responsibility for human resources, payroll,

systems, safety, ergonomics and security with

additional responsibility for maintenance and facilities

engineering. Highlights follow:

. Hiring/Staffing: Developed staffing strategy allowing a build-to-

demand strategy implementation; significantly reduced average

inventory, increased inventory turns and exceeded profitability

expectations.

. Workforce Flexibility: Outsourced seasonal production and

maintenance employment to third-party contingency group,

adding 550 additional staff with a 12% savings ($1.2M

annually). Negotiated contract with a counter-seasonal local

employer that brought contract work in during off-season to

provide 75 jobs per year over a three-year period, enhancing

employee job security, retention and welfare.

. Benefits Design and Administration: Designed / administered

a comprehensive, yet cost-effective market-competitive

benefits program that successfully met recruitment and

retention objectives, while saving $2M annually.

. Union Avoidance: Designed and implemented a successful union-

free avoidance strategy / plan

that included employee education on company and union

history as well as legal ramifications;

additionally engaged world-class leadership education /

seminars.

. Continuous Improvement: Championed successful job rotation

program as a team effort to reduce exposure

time and improve safety, ergonomics, quality and floor

coverage---Initiated attendance programming and

attendance awards that ultimately reduced absenteeism

to 3.5% for an annual cost savings of $250,000---

Promoted / improved ergonomics processes with training

and on-floor applications to develop action plans

implement fixes, serving as division-wide model-

improved employee well being and retention.

. Training and Development: Trained exempt employees on new

corporate-initiated performance

management system, integrating stretch goals,

development goals and core competencies to

promote accountability and continuous improvement---

Introduced 80-hour orientation and training program

that allowed new employees to become productive in

shorter period.

Manager, Human Resources (John Deere)

(3/88 -

09/96)

Managed HR start-up of Greeneville Plant which was first new

factory in 25+ years for John Deere; pioneered drug testing,

premium sharing, comprehensive co-pay health plan, pre-

employment training, floor level teams, all salaried workforce

and pre-employment testing -all first for John Deere.

TRW ---Rogersville, Tennessee

(3/77 - 3/88)

Manufacturer of power rack and pinion steering

for passenger car / light truck markets

Supervisor, Human Resources

Responsibilities / HR Initiatives: Directed all HR staff,

functions and programs to align human capital with business

initiatives, designing / implementing / managing:

1. union free programming . compliance management

2. college recruiting . flexible benefits plans

3. retirement benefits plan . substance abuse program

4. comprehensive co-pay health plan . plant newsletter

5. Post Retirement Benefits: Developed and implemented cost-

effective retiree benefits that utilized third-party

administered comprehensive co-pay plan contributing to

company's competitive edge in recruiting with high job

satisfaction / retention.

6. Flexible Benefits: Introduced and administered first

flexible benefits plans, encompassing four health plans, four

dental plans and five levels of optional life insurance, as

well as flexible spending accounts for health services

(Section 125) and child care services. Changes better met

employee needs and served as excellent recruiting tool.

Education: East Tennessee State University East Tennessee

State University

Master of Business Administration Bachelor of

Science, Business Management

December, 1987 March 1976

GPA: 3.83 GPA: 3.33



Contact this candidate