MICHELE SPENCER

4824 15th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55417

Home: 612-886-1110 Cellular: 612-382-8201 Office: 651-310-8800 (direct)
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Results-driven, customer centered Human Resource Professional with 15 years of p
rogressive HR experience. This includes more than five years in a management rol
e providing support to business units to advance business goals through people.
Background includes a proven track record of building strong relationships at al
l levels of an organization; creative problem solving, excellent communication s
kills and implementation of strategic Human Resource programs that support busin
ess goals. Proponent of using technology to capture and report HR and workforce
metrics, as well as to automate paper-intensive processes.
EXPERIENCE
THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC. August 2006 to present
THE TRAVELERS is the second-largest writer of commercial U.S. property casualty
insurance and personal insurance through independent agents. Total assets of app
roximately $114 billion; total revenue of $25 billion. Travelers employs approxi
mately 33,000 employees and is number 99 on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S.
Companies.
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR December 2006 to present
September 2008- present:
Currently serving as a field HR Generalist providing site support to 500+ Operat
ions and Information Technology employees at the St. Paul location.
* Consult with managers and employees regarding employee relations, performance
management and development issues.
* Selected to work on Enterprise special projects such as PeopleSoft e-Performa
nce and Competency Management module implementation, a Company-wide, country-wid
e summer Intern Symposium for 240 interns and Marketing organizational design re
view and implementation. This includes job family creation, market pricing, orga
nizational structure review and competency creation and management.
* As a program leader, successfully grew the Travelers EDGE (Empowering Dreams
toward Graduation and Employment) program in St. Paul from a virtually unknown d
iversity pipeline program to one that now has location-wide recognition and has
generated 13 interns for the summer.
* Currently serve on the Travelers/AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determinati
on) leadership team. Travelers and AVID, a program in the St. Paul Public School
District, have recently established an unique partnership that includes grants,
volunteer time, career exploration for the AVID students, and classroom speaker
s.
* Currently working on a technology- based pilot for workforce planning with HR
Operations.
* Designed and conducted development plan training for managers and employees f
or Corporate groups in Hartford, CT and St. Paul, MN.
* Conduct investigations of employee/management conduct
* Plan and conduct staff adjustments
January 2008-September 2008:
Played key role in building a new 500+ employee organization within Travelers Bu
siness Insurance Operations. Shared Services was created by bringing all common
roles together into a single unit rather than in individual business lines. Also
supported two other established divisions with total employee responsibility of
over 1000.
* Assisted in selecting management team, and once established, designed and con
ducted a Manager Boot Camp to build HR skills (performance management, employee
development, compensation, leadership, team building) in managers.
* Consulted with Vice President to establish organization design.
* Worked with managers and employees to establish the culture of the new organi
zation .
* Planned and conducted several staff adjustments.
* Managed many complex performance issues directly and swiftly.
* Conducted investigations of employee/management conduct.
* Designed and conducted "Strengths Finder" sessions for all employees to help
each employee better understand where they would fit within the new organization
.
* Coordinated and facilitated Myers-Briggs interpretation to provide further sk
ill and work/behavior preference information for all employees.
* Conducted Individual Development Plan training for all employees demonstratin
g how strengths and preferences can be utilized in development and career planni
ng.
* Lead Talent Review process for Divisions.
* Effectively planned 2009 compensation actions for the three organizations. Co
nducted analysis to allocate base salary, bonus and equity pools to business uni
ts within the Division. Ensured that compensation actions were commensurate with
performance results in 2008, ensuring high performers receive most generous rew
ards.
* Coached and mentored managers on employee relations, employee development, pe
rformance management, and other management related issues.
* Provided guidance to field Generalists in many locations.
December 2006- December 2007:
Provided strategic Human Resources support to Vice President of Specialty Insura
nce Operations, a 650+ employee division of the Company.
* Provided Human Resources leadership to management team of approximately 50 ma
nagers of differing levels and capabilities.
* Provided advice and direction to HR Generalists in the field on all aspects o
f human resources in territories across the United States.
* Creatively launched new enterprise Leadership Competency model, as well as ne
w performance review form and rating scale to managers and employees.
* Effectively planned 2008 compensation actions for Specialty organization. Con
ducted analysis to allocate base salary, bonus and equity pools to business unit
s within the Specialty Division. Ensured that compensation actions were commensu
rate with performance results in 2007, ensuring high performers receive most gen
erous rewards.
* Coached and mentored managers on employee relations, employee development, pe
rformance management, and other management related issues.
* Conducted investigations of employee/management conduct
* Managed performance issues directly and swiftly.
* Lead Talent Review process for Division.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER, AUGUST 2006-DECEMBER 2006
Supported 500 person IT organization at the St. Paul location. Managed local HR
issues related to manager coaching, employee relations, and compensation. Select
ed to facilitate an Enterprise-wide training curriculum: "Leading Teams".
TREND ENTERPRISES, INC. May 2006 to August 2006
TREND enterprises, Inc., is a $40 million producer of age-appropriate, content-r
ich classroom learning materials. TREND employs 200 people.
SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST
Responsible for all aspects of Human Resources to include; benefit design and ad
ministration, compensation design and administration, worker's compensation, FML
A, compliance, recruitment, performance management, manager coaching and develop
ment, employee relations, recruiting and HRIS.
* Lead benefit review for 2007open enrollment. Evaluated plan design for cost c
ontainment while ensuring robust and affordable coverage for all employees.
* Re-designed merit matrix for Company based on "pay for performance" concepts.
Participated in designing the sales incentive compensation plan with Vice Presi
dent of Sales.
* Conducted full and complete audit of I-9's in all active employee files. Brou
ght I-9 compliance from 73% to 100% in 30 days.
* Drafted first formal employee handbook.
* Inventoried all outstanding performance reviews; wrote and implemented a "Cat
ch-up" proposal. Evaluated impact on employee morale and salary budget for up co
ming year.
* Worked with Director of Production to re-design a job progression program to
cross train and reward employees for learning multiple positions. Included job e
valuation and definition, policies and testing for mastery, compensation study,
skills inventory and adjustments to employees' salaries.
TELEX COMMUNICATIONS, INC. August 1999 to April 2006- now a division of BOSCH, I
nc.
Telex Communications is a global, $280 million manufacturer of professional audi
o and critical communications systems. Telex Communications, Inc., employs 1800
employees worldwide with 900 employees in the US.
MANAGER, CORPORATE HUMAN RESOURCES, June 2001-April 2006
Responsible for many aspects of Human Resource Management: Training and Developm
ent, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Managerial Coaching and Develop
ment, Recruitment, and some Benefits and Compensation.
* Conceptualized and developed the Company's Talent Management Philosophy to he
lp equip managers with skills, tools and knowledge to effectively manage, lead a
nd retain their workforce. Developed and delivered the Company's People First, E
verything Else Second Management and Leadership training program. This included
interactive modules on Hiring, Coaching and Performance Management, Compensation
Practices, Manager as Leader, Leader as Coach, Performance Reviews, and Termina
tions. The modules were developed in-house with limited use of external consulta
nts or assistance.
* Coached managers on performance issues, terminations, hiring decisions, Reduc
tions in Force, etc.
* Regularly coached managers and employees on performance-related issues, helpi
ng to determine cause of possible performance discrepancy, and suggesting ways t
o strengthen performance.
* Introduced and lead the development and implementation of the Company's Annua
l Talent Review process which was first implemented in 2003. The Talent Review p
rocess resulted in the identification of the Company's top talent and helped to
guide the workforce/succession planning process through strategic recruiting or
employee development.
* Developed and launched an automated, enhanced Performance Review Form and Pro
cess. The process helped to significantly decrease the amount of preparation req
uired by the HR Department and managers while increasing the quality of feedback
given to the employee.
* Established professional recruiting function for the Company. Developed and i
mplemented hiring policies and procedures, metrics and staffing justifications.
Participated on hiring teams for key positions. Lead the recruitment process for
hiring two new plant managers, new HR Manager for the Morrilton, AR facility an
d other key leadership positions across the Company.
* Implemented an Applicant Tracking System to streamline the recruitment proces
s, automate many manual processes, reduce days to fill and build a Talent Databa
se for the Company.
* Wrote and distributed the Company's first Staffing Guide for Managers which w
as an instructional manual providing managers with information on how to properl
y evaluate and select top talent for their business. Received special recognitio
n from Vice President of Human Resources and CEO after publishing the manual.
* Evaluated and implemented candidate assessment tool to aid in making the soun
d hiring decisions.
* Conceptualized and developed the Company's first Employment Brand and Recruit
ment DVD, which won the Company's first Champion's Award. Assisted in the re-des
ign of the employment pages of the Company's web site.
* Responsible for Company's Health Promotion Program. Included evaluating costs
, employee health status through Health Assessments and developing interventions
to promote health and drive down medical costs. Developed the Telex Care of Peo
ple Program, which focused on the overall well-being of the employee base and th
e surrounding community. The program consisted of five focus areas. For Your Wel
l Being, For Your Mind, For Your Convenience, For Your Information, and For Your
Community.
* Participated in the Company's Safety and Health Committee. Filed, reviewed an
d managed claims for the Corporate Office. Developed a formal Safety and Health
program for the Morrilton, AR manufacturing facility. The "POW" or "Protecting O
ur Workforce" Safety Program established an Employee Safety Committee, Executive
Safety Committee, incentive programs for working safely, influencing behavioral
changes to work safely, keeping injuries requiring lost workdays at zero.
* Regularly promoted the value of learning throughout the organization; selecte
d and implemented the Company's first e-Learning system and initiative.
STAFFING SPECIALIST, August 1999-June 2001
Responsible for the Company's staffing function. This included sourcing, intervi
ewing, and selecting candidates for a wide range of exempt, non-exempt, technica
l and leadership positions.
ALLINA HEALTH SYSTEM, Allina Hospitals & Clinics is a not-for-profit network of
hospitals, clinics and other health care services.
RECRUITER, JUNE 1997-JULY 1999
Recruited and selected direct patient care and administrative support staff for
two divisions of Allina Health System, Home Care and Hospice and Medica Health P
lans that included with a combined staff of approximately 1500.
ROBERT HALF INTERNATIONAL, Office Team Division. Robert Half International is th
e world's first and largest staffing firm and a recognized leader in professiona
l staffing and consulting services.
STAFFING MANAGER, July 1995-February 1997
Responsible for Staffing temporary office and clerical positions as well as Sale
s and Marketing of temporary staffing services to small and large companies in t
he Twin Cities area.
EDUCATION
Northwestern College, Bachelor of Science in Business, Human Resource Management
ON-GOING EDUCATION:
Studying for SPHR exam
Recent reads: Books by David Ulrich: The HR Value Proposition, HR Competencies,
The Future of Human Resource Management, The HR Scorecard Human Resource Champio
ns. Books by Marcus Buckingham: First Break all the Rules, Now Discover Your Str
engths, GO Put Your Strengths to Work, and Live Your Best Life.