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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
Do you need to develop your health care reform strategy?
Are you adjusting your strategy for 2014/2015?
Are you ready to educate your employees?
Employee Benefits Insurance Surety Risk Management www.imacorp.com
wichitabusinessjournal.com
Have you eliminated your compliance exposures?
Do you have a strategic resource partner that can help you answer these questions? You need IMA.
There are new norms in health care benefits and compliance. IMA can help you navigate the change. Call today for the resources you’ll need tomorrow.
Karen Vines Vice President Director of Employee Benefits Governance & Compliance 316.267.9221 800.284.9447
IMA, Inc. dba IMA Insurance Services, CA Lic# 0H64724
Protecting Assets. Making a Difference. SM
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
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WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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INSIDE SPONSORS COLUMNS .......................................................................... A5 PROFILES JILL BECKMAN, INTRUST BANK................................................................. A6 FRANKIE BROWN, WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY ............................................ A6 NIKKI FREEMAN, WESLEY MEDICAL CENTER ............................................... A7 SEAN HUDSPETH, DAVIS-MOORE AUTO GROUP .......................................... A8 JENNIFER HUGHES, HIGH TOUCH TECHNOLOGIES ......................................... A8 KARA HUNT, DELTA DENTAL .................................................................... A9 STEVE JACOBSON, STAR LUMBER & SUPPLY CO. INC. ................................. A10 SHANNON KRYSL, USD 259 ............................................................. A11 JENA LYSEN, ALLEN, GIBBS & HOULIK LC ................................................. A12 MELISSA MUSGRAVE, AIRBUS AMERICAS ............................................... A13 PATRICK SALMANS, EQUITY BANK ........................................................ A13 SHELBYE SMITH, ISI ENVIRONMENTAL ..................................................... A14 SUSAN SMITH, GLMV ARCHITECTURE .................................................... A16 BYRON STOUT, MERITRUST CREDIT UNION ................................................ A16 TODD TANGEMAN, NEWTON MEDICAL CENTER ........................................ A18 ANNE ANDERTON WARREN, EAGLEMED LLC ....................................... A18 PHOTOS: KELLEN JENKINS COVER DESIGN: SHAWN HOUSTON
HR Professional of the Year 2013
Congratulations, Jena Lysen, SPHR Our HR superstar since 2004
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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
wichitabusinessjournal.com
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
HINKLE LAW FIRM Proud Sponsor of The
W I C H I TA B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L’ S H R P R O F E S S I O N A L S AWA R D S For more than 25 years, Hinkle Law Firm’s employment law and employee benefits attorneys have worked daily with Wichita’s HR Professionals.
HR professionals across Kansas and the Midwest rely on Hinkle Law Firm for ERISA plan documents, handbooks and policies, employment litigation, executive compensation, and compliance advice on the full range of employment and employee benefits laws.
Hinkle Law Firm is proud to work with HR Professionals and to honor them for their important contributions.
Employment Law, Employee Benefits, and Business Litigation 316.267.2000 | www.hinklaw.com 301 N. Main Street, Suite 2000 Wichita, Kansas 67206-2991
Eric S. Namee Steven P. Smith Brad J. Schlozman J. Scott MacBeth
James C. Spencer Trinidad P. Galdean Matthew F. Namee Ruhe C. Rutter
David M. Rapp Mitchell L. Herren Eric W. Barth
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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Honoring the modern human HR Professionals due to be recognized for their resource management unsung dedication, commitment and impact profession and leaders A product of the Human Relations movement in the early 20th Century, the field of Human Resource Management has vastly expanded into a profession that is truly the lifeblood of most organizations. While often unseen and unheard, the HR Professionals of today are quiet warriors leading the charge in the workplace: building a strong and safe fortress with tactical plans and strategic alliances and when necessary, wielding their shields to guard against employment regulations and unmanaged risks when confronted by compliance threats. Guest In addition to their valiant efforts to maintain Column workplace culture, HR Professionals are responsible for attracting, selecting, training, assessing and rewarding the employees of their organizations. Jill Staats To say the least, these professionals have quite a lot on their proverbial plates. This inaugural class of honorees is full of HR Professionals who have proven their significance not only in their individual organizations but also within the community. They go beyond the tasks and to-do lists they face everyday at the office and make it a point to be positive reflections of their field outside the office. To quote one of the wisest and most eloquent men of the 20th century, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out.” – Dr. Seuss This year’s honorees do just that and more. Not only are they quiet warriors, they are shining beacons for the organizations they represent; ensuring the best possible well-being for their employees as well as the organizations themselves. Here at The Arnold Group, we strive to be and do the same for our associates and business clients alike. Founded in 1979 by George and Marion Arnold, The Arnold Group has spent nearly 35 years building relationships within the community and with our customers. The Arnolds’ impressive legacy and commitment to outstanding customer service proves to be a source of pride for their daughter and current company president Jill Staats, who has been in charge of the company for over 20 years now. Much like this year’s honorees, we here at The Arnold Group take pride in going above and beyond for our customers; pulling out all the stops to ensure the best experience for every person involved in our process. We also make it a point to support our community as much as possible in line with our mission to be the innovative leader of comprehensive human resource solutions. It is for this reason that sponsoring this event seems so fitting. We believe our core values are in-line with what makes a great HR Professional; as is obvious in this inaugural class. Great HR Professionals must find achievement through teamwork and respect. They must continuously be improving themselves and take advantage of opportunity when it presents itself. Additionally, they must lead with integrity and never forget their dedication to quality on all fronts. So, without further ado: congratulations; congratulations on being a part of this inaugural class; congratulations on your exceptional presence within the community; from all of us here at The Arnold Group and in Wichita, congratulations. We are proud to sponsor and work alongside you all. Jill Staats is president, The Arnold Group.
The Hinkle Law Firm is proud to sponsor the Wichita Business Journal’s inaugural class of HR professional honorees. For more than 25 years, the employment law and employee benefits attorneys at Hinkle Law Firm have worked on a daily basis with HR professionals across Wichita. We have seen first-hand the difference HR professionals can make. Our team has been impressed by the tireless dedication HR professionGuest als have shown to ensuring that their Column companies have up-to-date employee handbooks and current ERISA plan documents and that they are complying with laws such as COBRA, FMLA, Eric S. Namee ADA, Title VII, ADEA, USERRA, GINA, HIPAA, and – most recently – the Affordable Care Act. HR professionals work in a complicated world. They are expected to know and understand the needs and values of their companies. They are expected to understand people and solve problems. They are expected to know and understand a wide variety of complicated federal and state laws. And they are expected to do all of this while being sensitive to the needs of both management and employees. As we advise HR pro-
fessionals, we see them successfully juggling these expectations and making huge differences for their companies. But many times, the differences that HR professionals make may not be noticed by management because, when HR professionals do their jobs well, they anticipate and avoid potential problems. We frequently advise HR professionals as they untangle personnel issues, address complicated employee benefits matters, and develop HR policies. Without a doubt, situations that could easily have turned into large and expensive problems often become non-events because HR professionals are involved. Management may never know of these successes, because it’s a lot like being the holder for a field goal try near the end of a close game: you only get noticed if the ball gets dropped. The inaugural class of HR professional honorees is composed of 16 of the best HR professionals in Wichita. Their accomplishments, skills, and business acumen have helped make their companies some of the most successful in Wichita. Hinkle Law Firm is proud to work closely with HR professionals and to honor them for their important, but many times unrecognized, contributions to the success of their companies. Eric S. Namee is a member at Hinkle Law Firm.
Health Care Reform – Should we educate employees? In light of increasing compliance obligations and the staggering complexities of the Affordable Care Act, some employers may be taking a bare minimum approach to employee education. However, employee surveys continue to show an overwhelming majority of employees feel health care reform is too complicated to understand and are looking to their employer for information. Whatever your view may be on health care reform, helping employees Guest understand how the reform act impacts Column them will have positive benefits for your organization. Employers have historically been the source of health care coverage for millions of employees across the United Karen Vines States. You’ve navigated a multitude of decision points required to build a well rounded benefit plan that fits your company’s objectives and your population’s needs, and your employees will continue to view you as a health care coverage education and information resource. Communicating about health care reform provides your organization with an additional opportunity to educate employees about your benefit offerings and highlight the value of your organization’s benefit package. Those of us leading health care reform education efforts have worked diligently to guide employers through the multitude of mandates and compliance requirements. We are now in the critical window of opportunity to inform employees and must keep in mind that the employee viewpoint of health care reform greatly differs from the employer’s viewpoint. One aspect of employee education that may be undervalued is investing in topic specific communication that will
save HR professionals and employees both time and frustration. Specifically, employers need to communicate to employees the functional aspect of consumer subsidies (tax credits) available through the public marketplace. By now, most employers should understand that if the employer’s plan meets or exceeds the required employer mandates necessary to avoid the employer penalty, employees that are eligible for the benefit plan will not qualify for a subsidy when purchasing public marketplace coverage. The recent budget bill that requires public marketplaces to qualify subsidy eligibility through the consumer application process still has functional gaps that do not guarantee full qualification up front. The IRS has confirmed that final qualification will occur at the time of personal income tax filing, also referred to as the reconciliation process. Subsidies that have been provided where the consumer is deemed to be disqualified through the tax filing process will be required to be re-paid. HR professionals get ready…when this happens you will be the first phone call the employee makes and unless it happens to be your company’s annual open enrollment period, there won’t be anything your organization can do to help the employee. It is your job to empower employees to make informed decisions. Use multiple communication mediums: intranet, FAQ’s, videos, employee meetings, newsletters and communications to spouses. Make sure you have a trusted resource partner that can keep your company informed and your employees educated. In the long run your organization and your employees will benefit from your efforts. Karen Vines is vice president - benefits, IMA of Kansas.
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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
wichitabusinessjournal.com
BY JULIA SCHWINN
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hen the human resources and learning and development departments at Intrust Bank merged recently, the new department’s vision called for a new name: People Services. Jill Beckman, who has 30 years of human resources and leadership experience, is its division director. Beckman joined Intrust’s executive team in 2008 after 21 years of HR leadership in multiple divisions at Via Christi Health. With $4 billion in assets, Intrust is the largest privately owned banking organization in Kansas and has 880 employees in three states. The employees span four generations, a fact that Beckman says presents challenges. She says that to continue the company’s history of relatively low turnover, the company is focused on stimulating younger employees. Intrust’s solution has been that managers now train their successors. “I’ve been in health care and banking in difficult times,” she says, “and as HR leaders we have to make sure we’re aligned and changing our processes and
JILL S. BECKMAN Intrust Bank
Title: Division director, people services. Work history: Intrust Bank; Independent consultant; Via Christi Health Network; Fourth Financial Corp.
BY NICK JUNGMAN
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or Frankie Brown, Wichita State University is like family. And if WSU feels that way to other employees, perhaps they have Brown to thank. She’s been at WSU for 33 years, and she says one of the reasons she’s stayed so long is because the university always worked with her as she needed the flexibility as a single mom to care for family members: first her own daughter, then a nephew she took in, then her own mother. That need for flexibility to balance home and work, that sense of the university as a family, informs her work now as WSU’s director of human resources, a position she’s held since 2008. She says one of her biggest accomplishments was assembling an ace team of five senior managers who report directly to her. She’s quick to share credit with them. “They’re actually the ones on the front line working with the departments.” And if co-workers are like family, it begins there for Brown. “We cry together, laugh together, celebrate,” she says. Another key accomplishment: working with that team to set up a series of new
FRANKIE M. BROWN Wichita State University
Title: Director, human resources. Work history: Wichita State University.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
positions to meet changing business needs.” Jay Smith, Intrust’s president and chief operating officer, says Beckman’s value is in her ability to meet the issues of both “today and tomorrow.” “We’ve been around for over a century, and if we want to continue to be in business for another century, we need to stay focused on developing new leaders and developing our work force,” Smith says. “She’s been very instrumental in helping us do that.” Beckman has also co-led the implementation of Intrust’s new People Services information system. And she’s restructured compensation and incentives, giving managers more ability to recognize outstanding performance in their own departments. Smith has particular praise for Beckman’s critical role in efforts to encourage employee wellness. “That’s been a major undertaking for us,” Smith says. “She’s taken responsibility for, and she has clearly raised the awareness in our company of, healthy behaviors, as well as just general wellness activities to the extent that we’ve got a healthier work force here at Intrust.” Education: BA, personnel administration, University of Kansas. Spouse: Brent. Children: Blair and Brian. Hometown: Newton.
training initiatives at the university. Shortly after she took the job as HR director, she realized that WSU employees, especially supervisors, were clamoring for more and better training. So an emphasis on that has been a hallmark of Brown’s nearly six years on the job: training on sexual harassment policies, on supervisory skills, on leadership development, on HR software systems. Mary Herrin, vice president for administration at WSU, says Brown’s training initiatives have helped supervisors across the university be more effective. “That competency is there, so they can get their work done,” Herrin says. “And another thing it does is distribute that work to the people who really know the information that needs to be entered into the system.” Brown has spent nearly her entire career at WSU and has had a series of good mentors along the way: Donna Littleton, Bob Warren, Mike Turner. “One of the first things I learned with Donna — because I was 20 years old at the time — was having patience with your customers, learning what their needs are, hearing them out so you know what their needs are,” Brown says. Education: BS, sociology/psychology and Master’s, vocational rehabilitation counseling, Emporia State University. Children: LaToiya. Hometown: Wichita.
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
BY JOSH HECK
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he’s a coach, a cheerleader, a preacher and a warrior. Nikki Freeman, vice president for human resources at Wesley Medical Center, is constantly being pulled in different directions as she tries to meet the needs of Wesley’s employees, its leadership team and its parent company’s shareholders. Freeman says that diversity of responsibilities and perspectives keeps her job interesting and exciting, but it also presents challenges. That’s why it’s important that she is surrounded by a team of highly skilled professionals. “Allowing them the autonomy to do their job allows me time to prioritize and focus on a proactive approach to reaching our business objectives,” Freeman says. Freeman sees herself as a business partner within Wesley, working with all toward a greater good. It’s what makes her good at what she does, say colleagues. “She has a confident manner but is compassionate and able to maintain the dignity of others in the midst of difficult conversations,” says Hugh Tappan, Wesley’s CEO. Tappan describes her as a mentor and a strong communicator and says she’s a big
NIKKI FREEMAN Wesley Medical Center
Title: Vice president of human resources. Work history: Wesley Medical Center; Galichia Medical Group; Ryan International Airlines.
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reason why the hospital is improving its patient-satisfaction scores. Freeman says Wesley generates employee feedback through biannual engagement surveys and quarterly meetings with senior management. During those meetings, Freeman and other Wesley leaders update employees on what’s happening across the hospital and give them the opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns. Employees are asked to participate in two of those meetings a year. “We try to be very intentional about bringing it to the employee level,” Freeman says. Freeman has been with Wesley for eight years and was promoted to HR director in February. Her department is made up of 10 people, but 30 people report to her. She has worked to transform Wesley’s HR department from a reactive one that only intervened when something was wrong to one that is more proactive and works strategically with employees and managers at all levels. Keeping the nursing pipeline full is one of her passions. She wants to ensure that nursing shortages are avoided and serves on a coalition that works with local nursing schools to promote the profession. Education: Bachelor’s, human resources management and Master’s, organizational development, Friends University. Spouse: Steve. Children: Blake; and Bebe (my Yorkie).
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wichitabusinessjournal.com
BY JULIA SCHWINN
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ig issues facing HR professionals have changed since 2008, when Sean Hudspeth was a 40 Under 40 honoree. Hudspeth, now in his 11th year as director of human resources and risk management for Davis-Moore Auto Group, says the days when all companies could offer traditional health insurance to their employees are over. Hudspeth says Davis-Moore’s self-funded insurance plan has helped insulate the company from many of the issues caused by the Affordable Care Act. He says the company’s changes are variations of what’s already available to Davis-Moore’s more than 400 employees in three states. His focus is ensuring the company continues to offer affordable coverage that meets the needs of an employee’s family. Hudspeth was hired to build DavisMoore’s HR department from the ground up in 2002. He has also focused on employee safety training, efforts that have saved the company more than $2.5 million on benefits and returned $250,000 in worker’s compensation premiums to shareholders, says President and CEO Dawson Grimsley.
SEAN HUDSPETH Davis-Moore Auto Group
Title: Director, human resources/ risk management. Work history: Davis-Moore Auto Group; Baker University; Personnel Services Inc.
BY EMILY BEHLMANN
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o get an idea of what Jennifer Hughes is like as a human resources and recruiting manager, consider her experience in January 2012. She had just returned from vacation to her job at High Touch Technologies, and she was told that the company had acquired sister businesses in Dallas, UniComData and Dallas Data Center. She traveled to Dallas the next day and sat down one-on-one with each employee at the newly acquired companies. “I enjoy that part of the job, bringing new employees into the culture,” she says. “It was exciting to share it with them.” Hughes is relatively new to High Touch, having started there in 2011 after about 10 years at staffing agencies, and she says she likes being a part of a single team. “You can dive deeper and get to know an organization,” she says. That includes getting to know its employees, including their needs and their professional goals. Employees at newly acquired companies, then, aren’t the only ones who get Hughes’ one-on-one time. Hughes says that in 2013, she’s been working with managers to realign job de-
JENNIFER E. HUGHES High Touch Technologies
Title: Human resources and recruiting manager. Work history: High Touch Technologies; Adecco Staffing; Robert Half International.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Davis-Moore has seen multiple years with no reportable worker’s comp claims, and three of the auto group’s facilities have been recognized by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration as exemplary injury and illness prevention programs. “It lends to a better workplace, with respect to employees,” Hudspeth says. “They know they’re coming to work to work,” rather than to deal with hazards. Grimsley says Hudspeth has been vital to employee recruitment and retention. Davis-Moore boasts a turnover rate 30-40 percent below the national average and regularly celebrates 30-year employee anniversaries. “He is concerned with every employee after they’re hired, not just the hiring,” Grimsley says. Hudspeth says communication barriers have fallen between levels of management, helped by Davis-Moore executives’ regular face-to-face visits with workers at every location. “When you offer good benefits, you offer a good compensation plan, when you have an employer that’s willing to listen, that’s the recipe to success that leads to less employee turnover,” Hudspeth says. Education: BBA, Wichita State University; MBA, Baker University. Spouse: Kristin. Children: Caleb, Colby; and Camden. Hometown: Wichita.
scriptions and pay grades, and the project has involved sitting down with a lot of employees to see where they want to take their careers. It’s part of an effort to help them find career paths within High Touch. She has managed to accomplish all of this, plus a High Touch University employee training initiative, while the company has been experiencing significant growth. Hughes says she’s been involved in the recruiting and hiring of more than 100 employees since beginning at High Touch. Recruiting to a high-tech company isn’t easy, Hughes says. She had a lot of staffing experience before beginning there and figured tech would be no different, but she found herself learning a lot about programming and networking on the fly. She says High Touch managers have helped a lot, and she’s learned from recruits. Asking them to explain a technical concept to her gives her insight not just into the concept itself, but also into the applicant’s abilities, she says. High Touch CEO Wayne Chambers says he thinks Hughes does well partly because she has the qualities of a natural leader: “intelligent, enthusiastic and a person of integrity.” Education: Bachelor’s, business with emphasis in human relations. Spouse: Shane. Children: Kristopher, Savannah; Elijah and Oliviah.
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
BY JOSH HECK
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or Kara Hunt, being in human resources is more than being the “dress code police.” She says it’s about rolling up your sleeves and fighting for what’s best for employees and the company. Hunt is doing just that in her role as vice president for human resources at Delta Dental of Kansas Inc., a job she started in July. She spent two years as a human resources consultant at The Arnold Group before joining Delta. Hunt has spent the first months at her new job learning about the organization and trying to understand its intricacies while at the same time learning about the ever-changing health care industry and navigating Delta’s leadership change. The company recently named Michael Herbert its president and CEO to succeed Linda Brantner, who retired. Herbert says Hunt wasn’t given the smoothest of job-transition environments, but she has handled the situation with grace, style and professionalism. Most importantly, Herbert says, she has done so with a smile. “She has helped us to control, coordi-
KARA HUNT Delta Dental of Kansas
nate and manage the corporate cultural changes that sometimes follow changes in the upper management ranks,” Herbert says. Hunt says she is learning as she goes. But if her past experience is any indication, Delta landed a real difference-maker. At The Arnold Group, Hunt helped to develop a profitable consulting division that assisted other companies with their HR needs. At The Wichita Eagle, she helped bring back the newspaper’s partnership with the United Way of the Plains. At Commerce Bank, she implemented new hiring processes that she says reduced time and costs significantly, and she helped develop a pre-employment assessment process for the bank. Those who know Hunt say she brings energy to her work and a keen ability to meet people and relate to them. Hunt has found her niche in human resources, but that wasn’t always her path. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in education, both from Wichita State University. But now she can’t imagine working in anything other than human resources. “I have learned through experience,” she says.
Title: Vice president, human resources. Work history: Delta Dental of Kansas; The Arnold Group; The Wichita Eagle; Commerce Bank; Sheplers; WATC/Cessna Career Opportunity Center; Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon.
Education: BA, psychology and minor in chemistry. Spouse: Aaron. Children: Sophia and Isabella. Hometown: Goddard.
People first.
Jill Beckman Division Director, People Services
Jill’s philosophy on the human resources profession: healthy internal relationships translate to positive customer experiences. She and her team work hard to attract and retain high-performing employees that serve INTRUST customers so well. Jill’s leadership at the bank and in the community reflect her passion to put people first. Congratulations, Jill, on your induction into the inaugural class of the Wichita Business Journal’s HR Professionals. Member FDIC | ©2013 INTRUST Bank
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I trust INTRUST.
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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
wichitabusinessjournal.com
BY BILL ROY
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teve Jacobson has been in charge of human resources at Star Lumber and Supply since 2001, but he didn’t begin his career has an HR rep. In 1973 he was information systems manager at Chance Industries, working on computer systems and writing code. A few years into the job, Jacobson knew he needed a new challenge. He pursued a master’s in management at Friends University and explained to Dick Chance that he was looking for another opportunity. Chance asked Jacobson to keep up with changes in human resource policies and laws, and to continue working on information systems. A year later, they talked, and Chance said Jacobsen had to make a decision on what he wanted to do. Jacobson became Chance’s human resource manager in 1985. He moved to LSI Staffing in 1999, then to Star in 2001. Star President Patrick Goebel says Jacobson has been an important influence on everyone at the company, from the management team on down. “He brings a lot of excitement and professionalism to it, and everybody else feeds off that,” Goebel says.
STEVEN JACOBSON Star Lumber & Supply Co. Inc.
Title: Director of human resources. Work history: Star Lumber & Supply Co. Inc.; LSI Staffing Solutions; Chance Industries Inc.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Goebel says Jacobson digs right into new initiatives. “Steve likes to jump out in front of it and lead,” Goebel says. Jacobson says the process of identifying great employees makes his job fun. “Finding that right candidate, getting them into a position and just seeing them excel and be what you thought all along they could be in that particular role,” Jacobson says. But it’s not all fun. Goebel says when the economy slowed Star had to downsize. “He was just an invaluable counselor to pretty much everybody on the whole team, just to get through that,” Goebel says. Jacobson says letting someone go has to be done with compassion. “I mean, helping them with benefits issues and with unemployment, and providing them all the information they need, even right when they leave that termination discussion so that they can take action the next day,” Jacobson says. Jacobson says he feels he made the right career choice back at Chance Industries. “It’s been amazing, and it’s been fun,” Jacobson says. “It’s been hard, but overall I would characterize it as what I should have done.” Education: BS, business administration, Friends University; Master’s, management MSM, Friends University. Spouse: Susan Ann. Children: Aaron.
Congratulations, Patrick! 2013 Top HR Professional
On behalf of all of your colleagues and friends at Equity Bank, we salute you as a top Human Resources Professional. Thank you for everything you do! Patrick Salmans Senior Vice President Human Resources Director
8887335041
Member FDIC
equitybank.com
@equitybank
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
BY JULIA SCHWINN
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t may not seem like clearing out one room in USD 259 Wichita’s administrative center could affect students across the district, but the ripple effect was clear. Boxes and boxes of paper personnel files crowded that room, and most of them had to do with former employees — COBRA and unemployment records. When Shannon Krysl became the school district’s chief human resources officer in July 2012, she was ready to dispatch with systems that weren’t adding value to the district. That room full of documents became a target. Krysl outsourced the electronic scanning of those documents, and a weight lifted. “It’s now empty. Digitized,” Krysl says of the room and its files. “The less time we have to spend on former employees, the more time we have to spend on current employees.” And Krysl’s department worked with the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce to run a best practices audit. The recommendations from that are now Krysl’s processimprovement blueprint. When Krysl started as director of employee benefits, the district’s self-funded
SHANNON S. KRYSL USD 259 Wichita
Title: Chief human resources officer. Work history: Wichita Public Schools; LSI Logic Storage Systems; Johns Manville; Thorn Americas.
health plan was in financial trouble. Changes were made to the plan design and the third-party administrator, and the district implemented a wellness program to improve overall health and lower claims. Krysl says the plan now costs approximately 10 percent less than most privatesector plans, and costs have grown about 1 percent each year compared with a 13 percent average in the private sector. “It makes good economic and business sense to stay self-funded,” Krysl says. “One of the reasons we can have one is because we have a large employee population, and we’re a very predictable health group.” Krysl has also improved the district’s hiring process, implementing paperless applications and a system of early hiring. The district has started to more actively recruit employees, and it now offers contracts to top candidates as early the October before the following school year. Superintendent John Allison says Krysl’s commitment to excellence is vital in the district’s work to increase student achievement. “Shannon focuses on hiring the best and talented staff,” Allison says. “Her enthusiasm, innovativeness and genuine concern for students and staff are exemplary.” Education: BS, education, University of Kansas; JD, Washburn University. Spouse: Michael Ohlsen. Children: Parker. Hometown: Stockton, Kan.
Kara Hunt
Vice President, Human Resources
Congratulations, Kara, on being selected as one of Wichita’s
HR Professionals! www.deltadentalks.com
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800.733.5823
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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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make a difference in employee satisfaction and can lead to decreased turnover. AGH’s turnover rate is around 11 percent, half the national average for accounting firms. But the big things matter, too. Lysen identified a need for stronger recruitment and retention practices. She wanted to attract the best talent and let them know they would have opportunities for advancement. “If we train them from the ground up, they make excellent managers. We needed to hire people we could promote — grow our own into management,” she says. Lysen is a believer in employee book clubs. The voluntary summer program usually consists of three or four tradespecific or leadership books. Employees across departments and management meet for discussion up to four times per reading. The format of those meetings is similar to another of Lysen’s successful programs at AGH: peer-mentoring. Supervising associates mentor teams of five or six newer employees. And Lysen says that skip-level meetings — where employees meet with their supervisors’ supervisors — have increased the flow of ideas and improved communication.
BY JULIA SCHWINN
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hat can the HR department in an accounting firm do to help its employees manage the stress of tax season? Massages? Replacing the computer chairs with exercise balls? Designated break times for Zhu Zhu Pet races? Jena K. Lysen, vice president for human resources at Allen, Gibbs & Houlik LC, has executed those and many other stressbusting tactics during her more than 11 years with the firm. Chief Executive Paul Allen recruited Lysen in 2002 after an employee survey showed the need for a full-time HR expert. “Jena’s been instrumental in developing and recognizing what employees need,” Allen says. He calls Jena an innovative leader and the ideal person for identifying and driving employee-centric changes. In 2012, Lysen received the Trombold Achievement and Kansas Human Resources Professional of the Year award from the Kansas State Council of the Society for Human Resources Management. She’s been involved with SHRM locally and at the state level for 10 years and serves on the local board of directors. Lysen has proved that little things can
JENA LYSEN
Allen, Gibbs & Houlik LC
Title: Vice president human resources. Work history: Allen, Gibbs & Houlik LC; Independent consultant; Right Management Consultants; Cessna Aircraft Co.; Raytheon Aircraft Co.; Wesley Medical Center.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Education: BA, elementary education, Wichita State University; Master’s, sociology, WSU; Master’s, business administration, WSU. Spouse: Scott. Children: Braden, Devan, Dylan. Hometown: Andover.
You make us proud Friends University salutes you – our four graduates who have been honored with the Wichita Business Journal’s Inaugural Class of HR Professionals distinction:
Nikki Freeman 1997 Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management 2007 Master of Science in Organization Development
Steve Jacobson 1974 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration 1989 Master of Science in Management
Melissa Musgrave 1994 Associate in General Studies 1996 Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management
Shelbye Smith 2002 Bachelor of Science in Human Services/Psychology 2002 Bachelor of Arts in Spanish You represent strength, perseverance, ingenuity and integrity. We celebrate your achievement and applaud your commitment to our community. Friends University does not discriminate against academically qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or without regard to disability. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, 230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604; www.ncahlc.org; 1-800-621-7440.
Regional University | National Programs International Presence friends.edu
HR PROFESSIONALS
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
BY DANIEL MCCOY
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elissa Musgrave says a human resources professional is the “keeper of the culture.” HR professionals, she says, are in touch with employees daily, putting them in a frontline position to advance the company’s goals and philosophies. Musgrave is the director of human resources at Airbus Americas Engineering, where being keeper of the culture is made all the more challenging by the organization’s explosive growth. Musgrave joined the local Airbus office in 2002, shortly after it opened with 60 employees. Today, there are more than 400. “It has been absolutely incredible,” Musgrave says. “I think it just shows how well the work force here in Wichita has embraced the Airbus culture.” And Musgrave’s work isn’t limited to Wichita. She’s also taken Airbus’ second U.S. engineering office, in Mobile, Ala., from startup to 220 employees. The growth at the two sites wouldn’t be possible if Musgrave and her team weren’t good at their jobs. That means building professional networks, staying informed about hiring
MELISSA MUSGRAVE Airbus Americas
Title: Director of human resources. Work history: Airbus Americas; Malcolm Pirnie Inc.; Hall Kinion; Friends University.
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atrick Salmans says human resources executives need to rock the boat occasionally. In a good way. That means engaging in the organization and not just enforcing policies and pushing paper, says the senior vice president and HR director at Equity Bank. “I think there is a stigma for HR being a negative,” Salmans says. “I think we’re sometimes seen as just the policy police.” He considers policy a small part of his job. He wants an HR department that interacts with employees and is known for being helpful and understanding, and that’s engaged in leading the organization. Salmans, 45, joined Equity in July 2012 from Sunflower Bank. He’s been in the field for 22 years. The past year has been particularly active. He joined Equity as it was preparing to acquire Missouri-based First Community Bank, more than doubling Equity’s size and requiring it to merge two company cultures and welcome more than 250 employees across 28 new branches. “A lot of people struggle with change, and it’s our role to mitigate that stress,” he says. That requires a lot of one-on-one time
Equity Bank
trends and making sure the recruitment process is as efficient as possible. She says her team has a streamlined system that makes for an average of just 35 days to fill an opening. That turnaround is even more impressive given the challenges of finding employees who fit with the Airbus culture. “Engagement is so important to what we do” Musgrave says. John O’Leary, vice president of engineering and head of the Wichita Airbus office, says Musgrave’s work has been a “key enabler” of the rapid and efficient growth the company has enjoyed in Wichita and Mobile. And like Musgrave, he points back to the importance of cultivating the corporate culture. O’Leary says Musgrave developed an “on-boarding” process that helps new employees acclimate and quickly become engaged and productive. That process, O’Leary says, has since been adopted by Airbus nationwide and it’s something he sees as a prime contributor to the success of the U.S. offices. “It’s very rewarding because it helps them fit in so quickly,” Musgrave says. “We don’t just drop the recruits in. We’re investing in them.”
Education: BS, human resources, Friends University. Spouse: Mathew. Children: Morgan. Hometown: Wichita.
BY JOHN STEARNS
PATRICK SALMANS
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Title: Senior vice president of human resources. Work history: Equity Bank; Sunflower Bank; Airborne Express.
with employees, and Salmans traveled to branches in Missouri to listen and explain. “You can’t communicate enough to them,” he says. Salmans led the effort to consolidate the banks’ payroll processing, retirement plans and insurance benefits, selecting vendors that would provide the best experience for employees and the scale needed for a larger company. A big focus has been automating employee services, like flexible spending accounts, to give employees 24/7 access to managing their benefits. “In today’s world, employees kind of expect that anymore,” he says. Brad Elliott, Equity’s president and CEO, says Salmans built the bank’s HR department from the ground up, ensuring employees have solid benefit options and competitive wages, with the goal being a committed work force that drives the bottom line. “And it’s worked,” Elliott wrote in his recommendation letter for Salmans. Salmans says he loves his profession. His advice for those coming up in the field: Get a mentor, someone who’s been in the field for a while. “You will learn from them,” he says. Education: BS, business administration, McPherson College. Spouse: Cindi. Children: Spencer and Collin. Hometown: Hanston, Kan.
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HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
wichitabusinessjournal.com
BY EMILY BEHLMANN
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helbye Smith had been at iSi Environmental Services for about a year when the company won a large contract that required about 30 employees. “It doubled the size of the company,” she says. And it required a lot of fast work by Smith, in her first job as a human resources manager. She worked with staffing agencies and helped pull together a class of 30 new workers. She still remembers being in the room when all of them were gathered for training. It was a proud moment. Since then, Smith has been involved in several bursts of growth at iSi, which now has 180 employees and offers a much wider range of services than it did when Smith started in 2004. The company began as mostly a consulting firm, and now it offers a range of hands-on services, too, like hazardous materials remediation, mold removal and asbestos removal. Through the growth, Smith and other iSi leaders have tried to maintain iSi’s entrepreneurial spirit, says CEO Gary Mason. “In human resource roles, you must allow for the growth, create policy that establishes a strong legal foundation but also
SHELBYE SMITH iSi Environmental
Title: Human resources and risk manager. Work history: iSi Environmental; Newman University; Friends University.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
provide the flexibility to maintain that entrepreneurial spirit of a smaller company,” and Smith has been successful in maintaining that balance, he writes in a letter of recommendation. The demands on a human resources manager change when a company grows, Smith says. “As you grow, it triggers more compliance needs,” she says. The Affordable Care Act is one compliance issue that has been demanding a lot of Smith’s time lately, she says. Still, she’s found time to get involved in other initiatives, like a push for safety performance in 2009, development of a comprehensive recruiting strategy in 2011, a customer service training project in 2012 and a leadership training course in 2013. Smith has learned a lot of what she knows about human resources from experiences at iSi, but she supplemented her bachelor’s and master’s degrees with the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification. The training course and the mentors she met have helped her a lot, she says, because she was the human resources leader in her first HR job. “I didn’t have an HR boss that filled that role,” she says. Education: BS, psychology, Friends University; BA, Spanish, Friends University; MS, industrial/organizational psychology, Emporia State University. Spouse: Ben. Children: Trevor and Connor.
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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HR PROFESSIONALS
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wichitabusinessjournal.com
BY JULIA SCHWINN
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our teen years ago, when Susan Smith joined what was then Gossen Livingston Associates as the chief human resources officer, she immediately implemented a pre-employment screening process that Chairman Bill Livingston says has given the firm a competitive advantage. Smith says she saw the need for the firm to better analyze candidates’ skill sets to identify how they could improve within the company and to ensure they were adequately compensated. When a candidate says he or she can use computer-aided design software, “we actually test it out,” Smith says. That means potential hires now spend time working through hypothetical design plans during the interview process. Smith says this helps GLMV get an accurate picture of a person’s proficiency. Smith has also implemented personality assessments to gauge a candidate’s ability to fit in with GLMV’s ideal atmosphere of teamwork and community involvement. On the latter score, Smith says she does what she can to lead by example. She’s spearheaded the company’s fundraising efforts for the United Way, and GLMV is now
SUSAN SMITH GLMV Architecture
Title: CHRO, Senior vice president. Work history: GLMV Architecture Inc.; Wichita Eagle and Beacon Publishing Company; City of Wichita; Henry’s Inc.
BY JOHN STEARNS
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eritrust Credit Union President and CEO James Nastars says he’s worked with a lot of human resources directors, but Byron Stout stands out. “Quite frankly, Byron is by far the best I’ve worked with,” Nastars says. Stout, vice president for human resources at Meritrust for the past six years, embodies everything an organization could want in its HR director, Nastars says. “He’s just got a real passion for people and their development and ... creating an environment here where people feel welcome, where people feel part of a team,” Nastars says. Stout, 47, says HR is a pivotal position, likening it to being Switzerland — occupying neutral ground between the company and the employee. “You have to be able to see it from both perspectives,” he says. “For me, these are people. They have lives, they have families, they have responsibilities. They have things going on in their life.” Stout has learned a lot from Meritrust’s younger employees. “Generation Y” employees look at ben-
BYRON G. STOUT IV Meritrust Credit Union
Title: Vice president of human resources. Work history: Meritrust Credit Union; Hawker Beechcraft; Love Box Company; Bank IV; Stout/Crawford AMC Jeep.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
a regular pacesetter. Outside of the office, Smith is a member of the Sedgwick County Suicide Prevention Coalition, the Society for Human Resources Management and the Dean’s Advisory Board at Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business. The firm supports employees who are away from the office serving with groups, including but not limited to the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and institutions that benefit children. “She’s always encouraging people to get out, to participate in community organizations,” Livingston says. One initiative that Smith says she hopes to undertake soon is an internal Toastmasters program. Architects at GLMV regularly make presentations to customers and the public, and she says Toastmasters could benefit employees who aren’t natural public speakers. “To the extent that we could adapt that to help them use architectural topics, we could go that direction with it,” Smith says. “We have employees who are willing to learn and develop that skill.” Livingston supports her idea. “Anything we can do to help them out and make them more comfortable in front of groups and people.” Education: Bachelor’s, psychology and MS business administration, Wichita State University. Children: Michelle. Hometown: Newton.
efits, time off, technology and other things differently, and Stout says that’s opened his eyes to better ways to do business. Staying involved with young employees means an organization won’t stagnate. “You just have to think a lot more broadly,” Stout says. Meritrust is adding employee engagement to its corporate scorecard, along with growth and return on assets. Meritrust is in its sixth year of employee surveys and its second year of conducting them through a neutral third party. The credit union listens, then acts, Stout says. “The worst thing you can do is not do anything,” he says. Nastars says Stout has been instrumental in Meritrust’s CUWell program. Stout and his team developed the program with the idea that integrating physical, financial and emotional health would better engage members and, in the end, make the credit union stronger, Nastars says. Another Stout idea, Nastars says, is a policy to start all new hires on a Monday, when they’re introduced to Meritrust and served breakfast by the executive team. “We can make sure they know who we are as people,” Nastars says. “One of the very first things they do is connect with us.” Education: I am an Andover High graduate with ID’s from five different colleges. Spouse: Carrie. Children: Mallory Cook; Ellen Stout, Byron Stout IV; Lindsey Stout; and Jake Stout.
HR PROFESSIONALS
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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BY JULIA SCHWINN
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fter more than 20 years of working as an HR professional in Oregon — most recently as HR director for a health system with 13,500 employees — Todd Tangeman decided it was time for a lifestyle change. He and his wife set their sights on the Midwest, and their opportunity for a move came in 2006, when Tangeman joined the human resources department at Newton Medical Center. NMC has just 600 employees, but Tangeman says the challenges are comparable to those he faced in Oregon. However, at NMC his role is broader, and he says he has the ability to be more nimble and responsive than at his previous employer. He says his position today — HR vice president and compliance officer — is made up of “multiple roles with unique challenges.” “The attraction here was to lead more directly with the hospital,” he says. Tangeman’s first undertaking at NMC was to develop and implement a meritbased pay program to replace a system based on longevity. Department leaders were asked what they expected of employ-
TODD TANGEMAN Newton Medical Center
Title: Vice president, human resources. Work history: Newton Medical Center; Providence Health System; Emerald Solutions; Claremont Consulting; Detroit Diesel; Pacific Telecom.
BY DANIEL MCCOY
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n February, Anne Warren decided to take on a new challenge. After 16 years with the city of Wichita, she moved to EagleMed LLC. While she has found differences between the two, what has come through more clearly are the similarities. “Relationships are huge,” Warren says. “You have to build relationships. And you do that by listening.” Warren says one of the most enjoyable parts of her new job has been getting to travel to EagleMed’s locations — 28 in 10 states — and getting to meet with the majority of the company’s 400 employees. She and her two-person HR team at EagleMed have plenty on their plate. Among other things they oversee payroll, record management and diversity and compliance issues. But those meetings and the relationships they forge help her to solve problems for those employees. That, she says, is one of the most rewarding aspects of her job. “I really enjoy solving the employee problems,” she says. “When you can help them through something, when it works … and you see them succeed after, that is great.”
ANNE ANDERTON WARREN EagleMed LLC
Title: Director of Human Resources. Work history: EagleMed LLC; City of Wichita; Senior Human Resources Specialist; HR & Financial Analyst; Budget Analyst.
| NOVEMBER 22, 2013
ees, and metrics were created. Now, those are made known to every employee, Tangeman says. He says the clear expectations and formalized year-end reviews have helped increase employee retention. Tangeman’s also raising the bar for NMC’s recruitment efforts and community awareness through the use of social media, a cooperative effort between HR and the marketing department. “Overall in Newton Medical Center, our goal is to be relevant to our community,” Tangeman says. “One of the things I liked about coming here is that this organization is proactive. We see things that need to be done, and we go do them. It’s an exciting place to be.” Steve Kelly, Newton Medical Center’s CEO, calls Tangeman innovative, energetic and patient — a leader who can conceptualize an issue and see it through to its implementation. “He’s one of our key outreach people in the community,” Kelly says. He notes that Tangeman was integral helping to bring a YMCA facility to Newton. “He’ll be continuing to take on additional leadership as we continue to expand our programs here.” Education: Bachelor’s, Anderson University; MBA, Tabor College. Spouse: Tammy. Children: Owen, Hannah, and Graham. Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
EagleMed President Larry Bugg says Warren has fit in well with the corporate culture at the air ambulance and medical transport company. He describes her as having the same type of “servant’s heart” that he says everyone in the organization brings to the table. But also, Bugg says, Warren has truly added value to the growing operation. “Her maturity and judgment are exceptional,” Bugg says. “She’s very intelligent and a very quick study. Her judgment amplifies our operations. It helps her make the most thoughtful decisions.” Warren, a Wichita native, has always been active in the community. That includes work as an adviser to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Reserve, teaching part-time at Tabor College, and supporting organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the St. Anthony Family Shelter. But it’s the work that EagleMed does on a daily basis — saving lives — that truly instills that spirit in all its employees, she says, and gives each a feeling of responsibility and dedication. “We see people on the worst day of their lives,” she says. “The end story, when you get to help save someone’s life, that’s very, very rewarding.”
Education: Master of public administration, with emphasis in HR and finance, and a Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts & science, both from Wichita State University. Spouse: David. Hometown: Wichita.
NOVEMBER 22, 2013 | wichitabusinessjournal.com
HR PROFESSIONALS
WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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| NOVEMBER 22, 2013