Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Meet the Southern Connecticut Chapter's 2013 Board of Directors

Officers

PRESIDENT, 2012-2013: Randall Chase, SPHR, (203) 526-6817

Randy assumed the role of Chapter President in January 2012 and will hold the office for two years. He is responsible for the overall management of the chapter and volunteer leaders. His vision is to build upon the past years’ success and with the support of our members and the local HR community, increase the Chapter’s ability to “Support the Professional and Advance the Profession”. He joined the Board in 2008 as VP, Professional Development, and became President-Elect in 2011. In 2010, Randy was recognized with a SOCTSHRM Fairfield County HR Specialist of the Year Award.

Randy is a senior Learning and Development professional currently with UBS AG. Randy joined UBS in March 2001 and helped establish the UBS Leadership Institute to support the firm’s top 600 global leaders. He designed and implemented a number of senior leadership program initiatives over the last 10 years with UBS. Prior to joining UBS, Randy was Manager, Leadership and Professional Development, at People’s United Bank. He joined People’s United Bank upon his retirement in July, 1999, as a Colonel after 25 years in the United States Army where he served in multiple line management and staff (HR and Training) positions around the globe. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Sociology from Northern Illinois University, a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

PRESIDENT ELECT, 2012-2013: Susan Blazer, Lantern Consulting LLC, (203) 354-8828

Susan joined the Board in 2008 as Vice President of Programs. In her new role as President-Elect, she will assist the President, Randy Chase, in building on the chapter’s past successes and adding value to chapter activities. One of her key roles will be to oversee the SHAPE process to ensure that all requirements are planned for and accomplished.

Susan has in-depth experience in working with financial service, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, retail and communication organizations to achieve results through performance improvement. As Senior Principal of Lantern Consulting, her experience includes coaching executives and managers by improving a broad range of strategic leadership and human resource issues. This includes working with executives and managers to assess their high potential candidates, build dynamic teams, identify and create a plan for leadership development, implement their leadership objectives, and address issues which might impede performance improvement.

In addition, Susan is involved with Abby’s All Stars, a not-for-profit organization focusing on assisting children with diabetes.

TREASURER: Randi Norum, The Business Council of Fairfield County, (203) 705-0658

As Chapter Treasurer, Randi is responsible for the financial affairs of the Chapter. This includes the preparation, interpretation and dissemination of periodic financial reports to the Board of Directors as well as maintaining the books and records of the Chapter.

Randi joined The Business Council of Fairfield County as their Controller in 1997. She is also responsible for payroll and employee benefits. Prior to joining the organization she served as an associate at an accounting firm in Westchester County. She has also worked independently as an internal auditor and controller for small businesses, and financial manager for high income families, medical practices and corporations. Randi is a member of the Shippan Gourmet Club.

SECRETARY: Linda Laires, People’s United Bank, (203)-338-3409

Linda Laires joins the board as Secretary this year. She is responsible for taking minutes of chapter meetings, providing notice and information related to meetings and maintaining chapter records.

Linda is an Organizational Development and HR professional with a strong business/human capital orientation and a consultative approach that accelerates ownership of transformation, organizational effectiveness, and leadership excellence. She has proven expertise in building strong client relationships, and in delivering measurably successful programs for compensation, performance management, managerial effectiveness, leadership and professional development.

In her current role as Compensation Mgr at People’s United Bank, Linda manages the programs, policies and processes related to organization-wide job evaluation and FLSA classification, salary surveys, benchmark pricing, salary/range movement planning and broad-based communications/training. She also provides consulting, advice and guidance to all levels of management on compensation related matters, including organization structure/design as it relates to compensation.

Directors

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Jennifer Moran, SPHR, OdysseyRe, (203) 559-8261

Jennifer has been involved on the SOCT SHRM board for five years most recently serving as Chapter President in 2010 and 2011. During her tenure, she strove to provide value to the chapter and its members by creating alignment with the national chapter while continuing to provide quality programs for the membership. Key accomplishments include reorganizing the board, rolling out new by-laws, and the development and implementation of a succession planning process and advisory council that assisted with the selection of new board members. Prior to her presidency, she was the Chapter Secretary and served as a Co-Chair for the Community Affairs Committee. As Immediate Past President, she will assist the President and President-Elect as needed.

In 2007, Jennifer was recognized as SOCT SHRM’s Fairfield County Generalist of the Year. Currently, she is the Manager of Employment and Training for OdysseyRe, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of the corporate training strategy for OdysseyRe. Her key accountabilities include: development and execution of training, performance management, coaching, compliance, employee relations, employee investigations, and staffing.

DIRECTOR, Membership: Maryann Donovan, Impact Personnel, Inc., (203) 866-2444

Maryann Donovan is the president and owner of Impact Personnel, which she founded in 1989. Impact Personnel Inc. places marketing, human resources, administrative and sales professionals. The company fills permanent, temporary and contract positions.

Maryann is a graduate of Fairfield University, where she has served on the Alumni Board of Directors. She is a member of the prestigious Women Presidents Organization (WPO) and Who's Who in the East.

She currently serves as Director, Membership for Southern Connecticut Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and is Chair of the Career Committee for the Parents Advisory Board of Gettysburg College. In addition, Maryann is a member of the advisory board of directors of Dress for Success Mid-Fairfield County. She also serves on the Fairfield Ludlowe High School Student Internship Committee.

Maryann is frequently asked to speak about trends in the recruiting and staffing industry. She has presented at Fairfield University, the Wakeman Boys and Girls Club, Right Management, Lee Hecht Harrison and Norwalk Community College, among others.

DIRECTOR, Programs: Jennifer McKeon, Lee Hecht Harrison, (203) 328-2715

Jennifer Tobola McKeon has the responsibility of planning and organizing the Chapter’s programs. Her mission will be to build on past successes and bring a rich variety of high caliber events, programs, and developmental offerings to the Chapter’s membership. Jennifer and the Program Committee will continue to work with the Legal Symposiums and Webinar areas to bring professionally rewarding, thought provoking, and fulfilling events to the membership.

Jennifer is a Vice President of Business Development with Lee Hecht Harrison, a global human capital consulting firm. She is a talent management executive with proven success in leading teams in corporate environments with multiple stakeholders and competing objectives. She has experience as an innovative partner to senior leadership teams with expertise in the facilitation of cultural transformations to attract, retain and develop human capital creating a diverse organization and increasing profits. Jennifer has over 26 years of industry specific experience in hospitality management with a focus in the areas of sales and Human Resources. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a BA degree in Geology and a concentration in Physics.

DIRECTOR, Marketing & Communications: Michele Beccarelli, SPHR, HR Consulting, (914) 400-4986

With a focus on Marketing and Communications, Michele is responsible for website content and providing our membership with up-to-date information regarding our varied chapter activities. She will work closely with other board members to communicate “value-added” information and enhance our marketing efforts. Michele served as our Chapter President for the 2006/7 term; and under her leadership, the chapter grew 52% becoming the largest chapter in the state. Michele has been a member of Board of Directors since 2001. She was nominated for SOCT SHRM’s HR Leader of the Year Award and is also the recipient of the chapter’s CREATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD in recognition of her contributions to the chapter website and communications.

Most recently, she was Director, Corporate Human Resources, for L-1 Identity Solutions, Inc., a Stamford-based technology company, that provided biometric solutions protecting personal identities. With strategic and operational experience in fast-paced, dynamic Fortune 100 companies undergoing tremendous change, she has a significant HR background in merger, acquisitions, and integration covering security/identity management, hi-tech electronics manufacturing, consumer products, consulting and publishing industries. She held HR leadership roles with Vectron International, Inc/Dover Corp, Cadbury Schweppes, Maxwell Macmillan, and Xerox Corp. She holds a BS degree in Business Administration and was graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mercy College.

DIRECTOR, Technology and Operations: Stan Friedman, In•Company Communications, (203) 322-2910

As director of technology and administrative operations, Stan works closely with board members and our chapter administrator to identify and implement best practices and enhance overall operations. He also manages the chapter’s Fairfield County HR People of the Year Awards event, which has enjoyed great success over the past five years. Stan is also a member of the SHRM Connecticut State Council, where he plans and coordinates monthly webinars on topical HR subjects to benefit HR professionals throughout the State. These programs were a key factor in our chapter winning the prestigious SHRM Pinnacle Award in 2009.

Stan is principal of In•Company Communications, a Stamford-based firm that specializes in employee communications. He previously held executive positions at IBM, Agilent Technologies and MetLife and was involved in projects across the HR spectrum, including employee engagement, organizational change, compensation and benefits, work/life, diversity and talent management.

DIRECTOR, Sponsorships: Kimberly A. Boskello, The McIntyre Group, (203) 526-4600

Kimberly is responsible for cultivating and nurturing relationships with current and potential corporate sponsors for all SOCT SHRM programs.

Kimberly is currently the Business Development Manager for The McIntyre Group, a full service corporate staffing and recruitment firm specializing in: Corporate/Administrative, Accounting and Finance, Information Technology, Financial Services and Creative Services both in the direct hire and consulting fields. The McIntyre Group has 50 employees with its headquarters in Norwalk, CT, and a satellite office located in Shelton, CT.

Kimberly has over 15 years of experience in Sales & Marketing and has held the following positions in Fortune 100 companies: District Sales Manager for ADP and Senior Sales Executive at Pitney Bowes. In addition, Kim is a member of The Stepping Stones Museum “Companies for Kids” taskforce board and the Ambassador Chairwomen for the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce.

DIRECTOR, Certification: Debbie Perry, SPHR, HR Consultant

Debbie joins the board this year and is responsible for encouraging professional certification and recertification of chapter members to promote professional development, improve performance and enhance qualifications for advancement in the Human Resources field. She provides chapter members with advice and information on how to attain or maintain PHR, SPHR and GPHR certification.

As an HR Consultant, Debbie provides HR guidance and her areas of expertise include talent development, succession planning, performance management, compensation and coaching. With IBM for over 25 years, her most recent roles was Senior Human Resources Partner/US Northeast Region, where she serves as a trusted Advisor to over 100 executives and managers of 4 diverse business units. She was responsible for implementation of innovative human resource solutions relating to employee relations, compensation, talent development, employee satisfaction and workforce management. She also held the roles of Workforce Talent Partner, and US Resources Manager among others. Debbie also serves on the Tri State SHRM Conference Committee.

DIRECTOR, Community Affairs / SHRM Foundation: Mitch Podob, Connolly, (203) 203-423-1058

Mitch supports the SOCT SHRM Board by integrating the chapter’s involvement in our local community through our efforts in support of volunteer projects, scholarships, internships and the like. In addition, he provides support to the HR profession by promoting the SHRM Foundation, a leading funder of HR research grants, scholarships, Foundation publications and educational resources that advance the HR profession.

Mitch is the Manager of Human Resources for Connolly, the largest private recovery audit firm in the world specializing in financial auditing, consulting and payment error identification services that serve clients in the healthcare, retail, and commercial sectors. Mitch’s primary responsibilities include Organizational Development combined with Generalist Human Resources functions. He is called upon to consult regularly with senior management from a variety of fields to create synergistic solutions for a rapidly growing organization aimed at enhancing all aspects of Connolly’s HR operations. Mitch also is the current chair of Connolly’s Employer of Choice Program, developing and implementing corporate-wide employee initiatives such as charitable corporate donations platforms (Connolly Cares), work-life balance initiatives, and Employee Recognition Programs. Prior to Connolly, Mitch’s professional background included extensive experience in the retail and consumer packaged goods industries with senior Human Resources positions in both Leadership and Organizational Development.

In 2009, Mitch received the SOCT SHRM Fairfield County Human Resource Generalist of the Year HR Award. He presently serves on the Board of the Tri-State Adoptive Parent Committee (APC) ; holds a Board position for their educational programs at the Beardsley Zoo and has worked on fundraising efforts for the Center for Women and Families. He also has supported the Stepping Stones Museum for Children on their HR Organizational Development Committee, and is an active volunteer for Sunshine Golden Retriever Rescue. Mitch holds his B.A. from Binghamton University and Human Resources Certification from Fairfield University.

DIRECTOR, College Relations: Deb Gross, SPHR, People’s United Bank, (203) 338-5818

Deb Gross joins the Board this year with the responsibility of strengthening existing relationships and building new relationships with local colleges and universities. Her goals will be to establish and provide support to student chapters, integrate students into SOCT Chapter activities; and ultimately, attract more students to the Human Resource profession.

Deb is a Human Resource Manager at People’s United Bank, a community-based, regional bank serving Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Deb has been working the Human Resource field since 2000. She currently serves as a business partner to the Wealth Management Division, where her primary role is to design, implement, align and integrate organization effectiveness strategies with business strategies to achieve optimal business performance and results. Prior to becoming an HR Manager, Deb was Director of Compensation and managed all broad-based Compensation functions.

Deb is a graduate of Fairfield University and holds an M.S. from Manhattanville College in Human Resource Management.

DIRECTOR, Diversity & Inclusion: Simone Morris, Diageo, 203-561-2386

Simone joined the board this year as Director, Diversity & Inclusion. She is responsible for monitoring and evaluating local activities concerning diversity issues. She will also spearhead the effort to diversify the chapter's membership/leadership and publicize successful diversity programs in the local community.

Simone Morris is currently a Diversity Manager at Diageo in Norwalk, CT. Simone joined Diageo in 1998 in the Information Systems organization, and her experience includes a variety of roles focused on application development and project management. She led a number of successful IS project launches that were a first at Diageo, including the original Brand Ambassador Program, the 1st Global Intranet and Diageo One HR Self-Service Portal. She also implemented the first NA SAP Business Warehouse application. In her Marketing Digital Technologist role, she supported the launches of many Diageo branded websites (i.e. Captain Morgan, Guinness, and Smirnoff) and the Twitter age-gating verification. In addition, she managed the implementation of Diageo Direct Distributor sales force repository and collaboration tool.

Simone chaired the African Heritage Employees at Diageo (A.H.E.A.D.) Employee Resource Group for 4 years. She was awarded the Diageo Celebrating You Award and the Network Affinity Leadership Congress Award from Diversity Best Practices in recognition of Diversity Leadership. In her role, Simone focuses on Diversity and Inclusion and embraces learning about different cultures and witnessing the impact on employee engagement.

Simone is passionate about Communications and Leadership; and as such, is aligned with the mission of Toastmasters International to “make effective oral communications a worldwide reality”. She currently as Area Governor for District 53, where she oversees the club success of 4 Fairfield County Toastmaster Clubs. Simone also serves on the Quinnipiac Alumni Association National Board of Governors.

DIRECTOR, Government / Legislative Affairs: Jennifer Schancupp, Jackson Lewis LLC, (203) 961-0404

In her role as Legislative Affairs Chair, Jennifer organizes the Workplace Law Symposiums, which meet to discuss current legal topics important to HR professionals. Jennifer also provides information for the Legislative Update page on our website as well as white papers for the membership. Jennifer joined the Board in May 2010 and is Of Counsel in the Stamford office of Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the nation’s largest law firms dedicated exclusively to representing management in workplace law, including labor, employment and benefits matters. Jennifer’s practice encompasses employment litigation and counseling employers on a variety of employment practices, including employment handbooks and policies.

Jennifer is a Connecticut native. She received her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and her A.B. degree, magna cum laude, with honors in English from Kenyon College. Jennifer is admitted to practice in the State of Connecticut, the U. S. District Court for the State of Connecticut and the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

DIRECTOR, Workforce Readiness: Sharon Budds, Bank of Ireland, (203) 391-5967

Sharon monitors and evaluates local activities concerning workforce readiness issues and plan and encourage chapter involvement and activities impacting the workforce readiness arena. She will also partner with local schools to share information and develop and support workshops and seminars that address workforce readiness issues. Her role will also include providing special recognition for local programs that promote betterment of the local workforce through educational process.

Sharon Budds serves as Human Resources Business Manager, US, for Bank of Ireland, a large international bank with US headquarters located in Stamford, CT. Previously, Sharon was Director of Administration and Human Resources for Silgan Holdings Inc. Sharon is an active member of SHRM and is Chair for the Human Resources Foreign Bank Forum. In addition to over 20 years of Human Resources leadership, Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Masters in Business Administration with a concentrate in Human Resources from Fairfield University.