Manager Human Resources
Resume:
Robert W. DeVaux, SPHR
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
515-***-**** (Cel)
abm9tb@r.postjobfree.com
CAREER SUMMARY
Human Resource Professional with over 15 years of progressive career
experience in the areas such as Collective Bargaining, Organizational and
Employee Development, Supervisor Development, Grievance Procedure,
Arbitration, Progressive Employee Discipline and Recognition, Succession
Planning, Employee Counseling, Policy Creation, Conflict Resolution,
Recruiting, Benefits Administration, and Plant Security. Proven ability to
successfully invoke organizational change in terms of conflict resolution,
organizational communication and partnership opportunities.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
WORK HISTORY:
Black Hills Energy (Formerly Aquila, Inc.) Aug.
2005 to Present
Black Hills Corporation is a strong, diversified energy company with
locations throughout the Midwest. BHC's utility operations include Black
Hills Power - an electric utility that provides service to approximately
65,400 customers in the Black Hills region and sells surplus power in
wholesale markets - and Cheyenne Light Fuel and Power, serving 37,400
electric customers and 33,200 natural gas customers in the greater
Cheyenne, Wyo., area.
Black Hills Energy (BHE) utility operations provide electric services to
approximately 93,000 customers in southeastern Colorado and natural gas
utility services to approximately 522,000 customers in Colorado, Iowa,
Kansas and Nebraska
Sr. Human Resources Manager 1/09 -
Present.
Chief Human Resource leader for Electric Generation and Distribution in
Colorado and Natural Gas Distribution Operations in Colorado, Iowa, and
Kansas. Responsibilities include the leading of negotiations and
administration of three (3) collective bargaining agreements (CWA and
IBEW), recruiting, benefits administration, union avoidance in non-union
business units, employee discipline, counseling, employee relations and
development and succession planning. Specific goals include supervisory
leadership training involving the collective bargaining process and
enhancing the relationship with the union. Oversee organizational
communication processes.
Human Resources Manager, Iowa
8/05 - 1/09.
Human Resource leader for the Iowa State Operations. A distributor of
natural gas to commercial and residential customer throughout seven mid-
western states, BHE employs over 200 employees in (8) different offices
throughout Iowa including hourly employee represented by International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), engineers, managers, as well as
economic development, government relations and community relation
personnel.
Responsibilities include the leading of negotiations of the collective
bargaining agreement, recruiting, benefits administration, employee
discipline, counseling, employee relations and development and succession
planning. Specific goals include supervisory leadership training involving
the collective bargaining process and enhancing the relationship with the
union. Oversee organizational communication processes.
o Lead negotiations for all business units as well as oversee all
aspects of labor relations.
o Lead corporate initiative surrounding the unification of cultures and
benefits programs.
o Created a structured, focused and open education forum for all
supervisory personnel that focus on conflict resolution and
communication skills. The resulting effect has been a dramatic
decrease in grievance activity as well as consistent application
disciplinary actions and measurable enhancement of employee morale.
o Created Labor Relations Protocol groups involving manager and
supervisors to provide vital input into strategic Human Resources and
Labor Relations initiatives.
o Monitor state based communications.
o Selected at Iowa State's "Leader of the Year" for 2006 by Iowa
Management Staff.
Maytag Appliances, Amana Refrigeration Products Dec. 2003 to Aug.
2005
The appliance division of Maytag Corporation manufactures a variety of home
appliances and commercial products and market internationally and
domestically. The Amana Refrigeration Plant employs over 2,200 production
employees that are represented by the International Association of
Machinists (IAM). The operation also employees over 500 salaried
managerial, supervisory and support employees.
Manager, Employee/Labor Relations
12/03 - 8/05
Serve as chief liaison and administrator of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement between Maytag and the IAMAW. Responsibilities include overseeing
all hourly employee discipline, industrial reporting, recruiting and hiring
of all hourly employees, management and supervisory training, policy
creation and implementation, oversee FMLA, unemployment representation,
plant security, oversee hourly benefits administration, and employee
counseling.
Focus on enhancing Maytag's labor relationship with the IAMAW, as well as
create organizational enhancements focused on effective human relations,
organization communication and creating partnership opportunities.
o Created a structured, focused and open education forum for all
supervisory personnel that focus on conflict resolution and
communication skills. The resulting effect has been a dramatic
decrease in grievance activity as well as disciplinary actions and
measurable enhancement of plant morale.
o Successfully negotiated a three-year contract with the IAMAW which
yielded a projected savings of $4 million over that period. This was
the first contract in the last four bargaining sessions that did not
result in a work stoppage.
o Created new methods for hiring hourly employees based on the
principles of partnership with hourly representatives. This new
process has led to successfully hiring more capable candidates and a
decrease in the failure rate of our probationary employee, as well as
plant turnover.
o Oversee the implementation of a seven-day work schedule for the
operation, including the facilitation of focus groups designed to
address the issues surrounding the seven-day work schedule.
o Author articles and monitor organization communication.
o Company Chairman for Plant's Union Management Partnership Program.
o Created databases and measures to ensure the effective and consistent
application of progressive employee discipline, particularly in the
area of absenteeism.
o Oversee the plant's grievance procedure including investigation and
resolution of issues. Successfully arbitrated two cases for the
Company (I have arbitrated 15 cases in all, losing only twice)
o Oversaw the creation of several work rules and policies and authored
the language for the current substance abuse policy utilized at the
Amana Facility mid-term of the CBA.
Continental Tire North America, Inc. Mayfield, KY July
1999 to Dec. 2003
The Passenger/Light Truck Division of Continental Tire North America, Inc.
(formerly Continental General Tire) manufactures various sized tires for
automobile manufacturers to be used as original equipment on new vehicles
and replacement tires for the retail market. The Company employs some 1,300-
production employees that are represented by the United Steel Workers of
America, Local 665 as well as 150 salaried personnel. The projected output
for the operation is over six million units per year.
Manager, Industrial Relations
7/99 - 12/03.
Serve as chief liaison and administrator of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement between CTNA and the USWA. Responsibilities include overseeing
all hourly employee discipline, Industrial reporting, recruiting and hiring
support, management and supervisory training, policy creation and
implementation, oversee FMLA, unemployment representation, safety
monitoring, security investigations, plant security, assist in benefits
administration, and employee counseling.
Enhance CTNA's labor relationship with the USWA, as well as created
organizational enhancements focused on effective human relations and
organization communication.
o Created a structured, focused and open education forum for all
supervisory personnel that focus on conflict resolution and
communication skills Also, created an education program on the
fundamentals of the collective bargaining processes and labor
relations. The resulting effect has been a dramatic decrease in
grievance activity as well as disciplinary actions and measurable
enhancement of plant morale.
o Served as Chief Spokesman in CBA negotiations that have resulted in
saving of over $200,000 a year for the Company. Also served in lead
role of current seven year CBA at the Mayfield Facility.
o Created databases and measures to ensure the effective and consistent
application of progressive employee discipline, particularly in the
area of absenteeism where the plant has experience a 30% decrease in
attendance problems resulting in significant saving to the Company.
o Served as advocate for the Company in the arbitral forum,
successfully winning six of seven cases presented to the third party
in such areas as arbitrability, contract interpretation, discharge,
and wage rate disputes.
o Oversee the plant's grievance procedure including investigation and
resolution of issues, which have resulted in an 80% decrease in
grievance and arbitral activity.
o Oversaw the creation of several work rule and policies and authored
the language for the current substance abuse policy utilized at the
Mayfield, Charlotte and Bryan facilities.
o Represent the Company in all unemployment hearings and dispute
o Oversee the administration of FMLA at the Mayfield Plant.
International Union of Operating Engineers, Borger, TX April 1998 to
July 1999
A Local Labor Union that represents 2,200 members in 23 collective
bargaining agreements in the Petrochemical and other industries throughout
the State of Texas and New Mexico.
Business Representative
4/99 - 7/99
Responsibilities included representation of membership that was involved in
various CBA's. The membership was comprised of production, office,
administrative and mechanical employees. Serve in every capacity of a
classic Union Business Agent including all forms of labor relations,
negotiations, organizing, newsletter, and training program implementation.
o Served as spokesman in several CBA negotiations and policy negotiations
with companies such as Phillips Petroleum, Fina Refining, Chevron, and
Sid Richardson Carbons.
o Created a training program for Union Stewards and Committee members to
help facility autonomous relationships of mutual gains between the Union
and Company while maintaining a strong level of representation to the
membership.
o Represented employees in the grievance and arbitration processes
resulting in three employee termination reinstatements and one contract
language interpretation case.
o Created and published the Union's Local Newsletter for distribution to
the entire membership, creating a key communication component that had
yet to be explored.
o Restructured the responsibility and accountability for staff members
resulting in a cost saving over $25,000 a year to the Local Union.
Worked with Consolidated Freightways senior management teams to improve
customer service and pricing policies for major accounts, while creating
sales initiatives to ensure maximum participation of major account
branch locations throughout the United States
o Assumed the duties of lead organizer on several campaigns.
Celite Corporation, Lompoc, CA
1988 to 1998
The world's largest mining and production facility of diatomaceous earth
based products.
Miner/Relief Supervisor
3/97 - 4/98
Responsibilities included supervisory management of a work crew of 15-20
production employees and 10 technical and maintenance employees.
o Served on production tasks team focused on effectively enhancing the
bulk operations performance.
o Created effective safety communication that led to a zero lost time
accident record during my tenure.
o Enhance productivity and was recognized for creation of cohesiveness
among my subordinates/
Bulk Operator
1/91 to 3/97
Production worker engaged in the bulk conveyance of finished products
Production Laborer
8/88 to 1/91
Generalized production duties throughout the facility.
International Chemical Workers Union, Lompoc, CA
1989-1997
Local Union representing the hourly employees of the Celite Corporation's
Lompoc Mining Operation, with a membership of 450.
Union Representative
Represented a membership of up to 450 as Shop Steward, Assistant Chief Shop
Steward, Trustee, Recording Secretary, Local Newsletter editor, delegate to
regional and national conferences on safety, hygiene, conflict resolution,
and grievance procedures and served on several committee memberships,
including spokesman.
EDUCATION
B.S. Business Administration
University of LaVerne June, 1997
M.S. Organization Communication
Murray State University August, 2003
ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIPS
Member, Society of Human Resource Managers
Certified as Senior Profession in Human Resources
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