Human Resources Senior Business

KARI GALLEGO

Syracuse, UT 801-***-**** ***********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/kari-gallego-hr/

Senior Human Resources Leader

Accomplished, forward-thinking Senior Business Leader and change agent with strong portfolio of success driving HR innovation, strategic planning, functions, and initiatives in alignment with organizational goals and objectives. Seeking new, challenging role Vice President of Human Resources for Zoot.

-Expertise in building/ nurturing trusted-advisor relationships with executive leaders, decision-makers and stakeholders. Providing strategic support across regions and businesses in alignment with company mission.

-Adept at building trust-based, respectful employee relationships and managing employee affairs.

-Polished presentation, training and development, executive-level interactions, and public-speaking skills.

-Proven ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with both internal and external stakeholders.

-Technical proficiencies: Workday, Kronos, PeopleSoft, UKG, Linkedin Recruiting, Successfactors.

-Big-picture HR strategist, with solid hands-on tactical execution & project-management and safety skills.

-Multilingual communicator; fluent in English, Spanish & Portuguese.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Global Human Resources Coaching Comp / Benefits & Total Rewards Succession Planning

Organizational Development Staffing Planning & Implementation Legal Risk Mitigation Change Management

Performance Management Employee Engagement Labor Relations Recruiting & Onboarding

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SUZANO PACKAGING, Pine Bluff, AR 2025 - Present

Senior HR Plant Manager

Develop US policies and programs for this $4B paper company entering the US market. Delivered leadership on labor relations, policy creation and implementation, strategic HR planning and implementation, creating legal approach to labor and employee relations, employee development, process creation, Act as strategic partne /, counselor. Facility ecompasses 1500 headcount. Lead team of 8 direct reports.

OSHKOSH AEROTECH, Ogden, UT 2020 - 2024

HR Director

Partnered with senior leadership on HR strategies for this $280M company. Delivered leadership on executive-level presentations, labor relations, recruiting, compensation, legal direction, process improvements, safety, and investigations. Acted as coach, strategic partner, counselor, change agent, and employee advocate. Supervised team of 9 direct reports.

-Played key role in integration resulting from Oshkosh’s acquisition of AeroTech business from JBT Corporation in 2023; helped facilitate employee transition to Oshkosh policies, procedures and systems.

-Assisted in establishing large-scale change effort that improved employee safety 20% year over year.

-Oversaw implementation of 2 time & attendance software tools, which reduced annual payroll prep by 1200 man hours.

-Increased staffing for 2 critical job classifications by 38% over 5-month period through community outreach, creation of internal skills-development school, and financial incentives for candidates and employees.

CLINICAL INNOVATIONS, Salt Lake City, UT 2019

Total Rewards Manager

Managed compensation and benefits functions for this $80M medical-device company, and drove total rewards operations for 7 regions, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and United Kingdom.

-Partnered with VP of Sales to create new compensation plan for all US sales professionals, including fixed and variable compensation to maximize sales results.

KARI GALLEGO (PAGE 2)

Syracuse, UT 801-***-**** ***********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/kari-gallego-hr/

-Structured compensation plan for company, including job description creation, steps for promotion, and salary ranges for each company-designated position, and developed streamlined recruiting and talent management procedures.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

DSI UNDERGROUND, Salt Lake City, UT 2016 - 2018

Regional Director, Human Resources

Directed all HR operations across 8 countries in North, Central, and South America for this $90M company that manufactures ground-support products for mining & tunneling industries. Sat first chair for union negotiations in U.S. Reported directly to Regional CEO, and supervised 5 direct reports.

-Executed company initiatives throughout region and standardized and implemented company policies relative to country & local laws, which enabled executive leadership to address all locations based on unified company terminology.

-Decertified United Steel Workers union in Louisville, KY, which enabled company to run and manage facility without union-rule governance.

-Modified job titles and job descriptions for region, reduced existing job title structure from 225 to 74, and tied each job title to updated compensation and progression structure by country.

TRONOX-ALKALI CHEMICAL DIVISION, Green River, WY 2015 - 2016

HR Director

Drove all HR functions for this $800M soda-ash mine & processing plant with 1K total headcount. Reported directly to President and GM of facility.

-Handled labor relations for mines and production facilities, including 300+ contract grievances, 4 arbitrations, employee investigations, and disciplinary matters.

-Led large-scale engineering change management effort, focused on addressing turnover issues, modifying major initiative processes, and providing feedback to group of discipline engineers, which resulted in 26% reduction in turnover year over year.

-Conducted 5 major investigations regarding employee-employer relations using evidence to derive potential outcomes.

INTERNATIONAL PAPER / XPEDX, Salt Lake City, UT 2006 - 2014

HR Manager, Northwest Group, 2006-2012 / Sales Professional, 2012-2014

Led team of 3 direct reports in delivering HR functions for 500 employees across 11 locations in 5 states for this $400M organization. Served as key partner with leadership team and helped establish company’s strategic direction. Reported to Group Vice President.

-Administered Gallup Poll 3X to determine employee engagement, and followed-up on survey findings with leadership teams in each location to drive positive results.

-Saved $200K over 2 years by driving improved safety and workers’ compensation initiatives.

-Spearheaded labor contract negotiations (first chair at 5 negotiations) including 1 protracted bargaining event that nearly led to a strike. Produced signed contracts that were mutually acceptable to company and unions.

-Transitioned into sales role, tasked with growing territory and account penetration, attained two record-setting monthly sales revenue increases in 2013 and 2014, and closed largest equipment deal for division at $458K in 2012.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Master of Organization Development Bowling Green State Univ., School of Management, Bowling Green, OH

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Weber State University, School of Social Sciences, Ogden, UT

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