President's Message

April 23, 2013

Dear Members and Colleagues:

As the chapter celebrates its 43rd Anniversary of our founding, I am excited to inform you of fabulous news!

First, SHRM National has awarded our chapter the EXCEL Gold Award for our 2012 achievements under the SHRM Affiliate Program for Excellence (SHAPE). SHRM designed this program to ensure a strong connection between SHRM and affiliated chapters from a business perspective. In addition to clearly outlining the requirements to measure chapter alignment and engagement with SHRM’s overall objectives, SHAPE focuses on activities and initiatives which are more strategic in nature and allow chapters to increase their viability and effectiveness, as well as promote the HR profession locally.

Several of our 2012 initiatives that were recognized included a SOCT SHRM program to increase employer awareness on the value of hiring veterans. Our “Hiring Our Heroes" program featured a prestigious panel of experts, who outlined the skills that military-trained candidates bring to employers. In addition to recognizing our Fairfield County HR People of the Year Awards event, SHRM also applauded our efforts in the areas of increased membership, professional development, and support of the SHRM Foundation and Student Chapters.

We are very proud to receive this award, which is the result of the efforts of a group of very dedicated board members and volunteers, who work tirelessly to bring about meaningful programs to support our members, further the advancement of the HR profession, and create a positive impact on our community. Congratulations to all!

I also have additional great news regarding tuition grants available to SOCT SHRM members, scholarships available to SHRM national members, and a new SHRM award to recognize HR Management Best Practices in your organizations! These are listed below; and if you would like detailed information, go to our website home page (www.soctshrm.org).

• University of New Haven offers a $1,000 tuition grant to SOCT SHRM members!

• Scholarships Offered by SHRM Foundation for SHRM members pursuing HR related degrees or SPHR, GPHR, PHR or California certifications.

• Meisinger Fellowship Application Period is Now Open for first-time Masters in HR

• SHRM/SIOP launches Award to Recognize HR Management Best Practices

Sincerely,

Randy

Randall D. Chase, SPHR
President, SOCTSHRM, 2012-2013

March 2013

Dear Members and Colleagues:

I want to send a special thank you to the SOCT SHRM Board and all the volunteers that have engaged and driven our chapter to a successful 2012. Last year, in addition to delivering relevant and impactful monthly programs and professional development workshops, SOCT SHRM impacted our community by giving $2,500 to the Red Cross for Sandy Relief, donated to the SHRM Foundation, and designated the proceeds from our HR People of the Year Awards Gala to the Mercy Learning Center, which provides basic literacy and life skills to low-income women in the greater Bridgeport area.

There is also more exciting news! SHRM has recognized our 2012 Chapter success by designating us as a 2012 Chapter MEMBERSHIP SUPER STAR and SHRM FOUNDATION CHAMPION. We are currently waiting to hear if we successfully achieved the EXCEL GOLD Award for 2012. This award is recognition of our continued growth and HR leadership in supporting organizations with strategies that lead to business success! Additionally, we are very proud of our Chapters’ recognized excellence.

Although we accomplished a lot in 2012, we have decided it is time to do another strategic review of the Chapter to help us plan for the future. As part of this process, we will be surveying all members as well as other HR professionals to get your input. Please take the time to complete the online survey you will receive in April. Help us serve you and the HR community better by providing us with your thoughts and ideas.

Our chapter continues to focus on effective and efficient chapter operations and a commitment to providing services to our members and meaningful programs such as our hosting SOCT SHRM’s Fairfield County HR People of the Year Awards (next in 2014), comprehensive monthly programs, and Professional Development sessions. This year, we again look forward to the 2-Day Professional Development Workshops that includes a full-day legal symposium scheduled for October.

We are indeed very proud of our past achievements and recognition from SHRM! These successes were possible due to the tireless efforts of the many volunteer leaders and volunteers that provide the ideas, resources, and networks necessary to provide value to Chapter members.

Now is a great time to join or renew your SOCT SHRM membership and become involved! Membership information is available on our website. Be sure to click on the Membership Center on the menu to learn more! If you are not already a member of national SHRM, join today by going to www.shrm.org and enjoy all of the benefits membership has to offer. Click on the SHRM MEMBERSHIP button in the left column for more information.

Please come join us at our next event, THE MERCER HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT UPDATE--“Looking Ahead: Preparing for Healthcare Reform Challenges Facing Employers.” Details are available on our website. The SOCT SHRM Board looks forward to your participation and the opportunity to get to know you.

Sincerely,

Randy

Randall D. Chase, SPHR
President, SOCTSHRM, 2012-2013

February 2013

Dear Members and Colleagues: 

I am writing to tell you about an important, exciting, upcoming program SOCT SHRM will be presenting.  Here is a little background:

To identify and better understand the top challenges and most critical trends in HR Management today, the World Federation of People Management Associations and Boston Consulting Group conducted a global study of 22 key aspects of managing people, which was released on January 10, 2013. In a report called, “Creating People Advantage 2012: Mastering HR Challenges…” nearly 4,300 executives surveyed identified “Managing Talent” as the most critical or urgent challenge their organizations face.  The other critical challenges were identified as “improving leadership development” and “strategic workforce planning.”

Companies are and will continue to struggle to identify, attract and keep the best talent possible.Many of you experience talent management challenges in your day-to-day work.  That is why I am excited to tell you that the Southern CT Chapter of SHRM has arranged to have the noted speaker, psychologist, and author, Anna Marie Valerio, Ph.D, and President of Executive Leadership Strategies, LLC, conduct a half-day interactive workshop entitled,  “Developing Women Leaders:  What You and Your Organizations Can Do”.   As you can read further in the event announcement, this program will address strategies and best practices to create a leadership pipeline that includes the development of women leaders.

According to Anna Marie Valerio, “With the Baby Boom generation about to begin retiring and the smaller Generation X in line to provide replacements, the pool of potential leaders could be insufficient unless companies draw on not just the traditional source—white men—but also on women and all races and ethnicities…That will happen only if women and other underutilized sources of leadership are recruited, retained, and developed.”  If a company is successful in attracting and retaining the very talent it desires in its talent strategy, it will gain a powerful advantage as an employer and a business. 

This program will discuss these issues and provide strategies and “take-away, practical tools” to develop women leaders in your organization.  It is designed for HR professionals at all levels who want to help advance their organizations and meet some of the talent management challenges facing their companies.  Please consider attending or supporting attendance of HR leaders and staff.  Thank you and details can be found here.

Sincerely,

Randy

Randy Chase, SPHR

President, SOCTSHRM, 2012-2013