First of all, I would like to personally apologize that we did not have a newsletter available for the February meeting.  I want to assure you that the newsletter will come back into play. 

We are off to a great start with our meeting attendance and our membership.  As of our February meeting, we had 48 registered members.  Of course our goal is to bring that number up to approximately 75 before end of year.  One of the best ways to get meeting participation is through our programs.  Jill Hilton, our VP of Programs, is doing a great job in securing programs and speakers.  In addition to our meeting topic this month - The Effects of Domestic Violence in the Workplace, over the next couple of meetings, we wil have topics that include:  An EFCA Unionization Update, A Legislative Update, and Designing an HR Budget.  If you have a suggestion of a topic that you would like to have presented, please feel free to let any one of the board members know, and we will make every effort to find a speaker. 

I encourage to pay your dues for 2010, if you have not yet done so.  And we've even made that easier for you.  As a board, we voted to extend the early-bird registration of $30.00 to March 15th.  If you take the time to calculate that out - $30 over 11 meetings is only $2.73 per meeting.  Not a bad deal for education and networking! (Note: The early-bird registration is $45 for non-SHRM members through March 15th.)

We want to make this YOUR chapter, so if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact myself or any board member.

Regards,

Marina Mueller, PHR

WCASHRM President 2010 

The Effects of Domestic Violence on the Workplace

Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 11:30 a.m.

St. Joseph's Mercy Health Center, Mercy Room 

Terri Berger is the Education Coordinator for the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Her position takes her all over the state, educating groups on the how to recognize signs of domestic violence and what to do when there is a victim in the workplace.  Her background includes working directly with victims of domestic violence which makes her uniquely qualified to speak on this topic.

 You won't want to miss this excellent program! This program is approved for one hour of General HRCI Credit.

Register Now!

Unfortunately, due to financial reasons, AdminVantage is no longer providing services to WCASHRM. With this in mind, we ask that you please use the website to handle your meeting reservations. If you need your website login information, please email Deanna at deanna.harris@sflic.net.

Please note the following updated contact information for WCASHRM:

Address:    PO Box 8

Hot Springs, AR 71902

For general inquiries:   Call Marina Mueller at  501-321-4417

For membership inquiries:  Call Deanna Harris at 501-624-2172

For meeting registration: RSVP via the website or call Sarah Sykes at 870-246-1024

Or contact the Board Member for a specific area.

If you have an item to be included in the monthly newsletter, please send it to Tara Mauk Arthur at tara.arthur@sflic.net. The deadline is the first Wednesday of the month.

We appreciate your patience with us during this transition period and hope that we can continue to provide you the outstanding service you expect.

Ready, Set. Go!

Attend the ARSHRM HR Conference on April 14 - 16, 2010 in Fort Smith at the HR2010 Speedway!

The only SHRM affiliated conference in its 24th year! At this year's conference, you'll find:

• - Up to 12 hours of recertification credits
• - Legislative and Employment Law Updates
• - SHRM Updates (national legislative issues)
• - Some of the BEST keynote speakers in the country!!!
• - Very Low Cost hotel rates
• - Cost-Saving Opportunities in the Exhibit Hall

So, the race is on!!!  Start by visiting the HR Race website - http://www.hr2010.org/ and get all the conference information. 

 NOMINATE FOR ARSHRM AWARDS!

The deadline (March 5, 2010)  for submission for the Arkansas Outstanding Professional in Human Resources, Arkansas Jim Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award and the Arkansas Best Practice Award is rapidly approaching.  The nomination forms are available on the ARSHRM web site.

Summit Bank is a customer-focused community bank with locations throughout Central and South-Central Arkansas.  One of the fastest growing banks in Arkansas, Summit has expanded from one location in 2000 to twenty (20) retail locations today.  They are located in Arkadelphia, Benton,Bryant, Hope, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Malvern, Little Rock and Magnolia.  Arkadelphia serves as the Bank's corporate headquarters, with the Executive Offices, the Human Resources Department, the Loan Operations Department and the Security and Purchasing Department all located there.  The Bank's Deposit Operations, Information Technology and Training functions are coordinated in the Malvern Region.

JOIN WCASHRM!

We want you to be a part of your professional organization. WCASHRM has extended the early bird membership dues until March 15, 2010. So, join now! For questions about membership, please contact Deanna Harris at 501-624-2172 or deanna.harris@sflic.net.

The WCASHRM Managers Seminar is scheduled for August 26, 2010. Registration information will be out in the next few weeks, but mark your calendar now and schedule your managers to attend this very inexpensive, educational seminar held at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

We need volunteers! If you're interested in serving on the committee, please contact Tara Mauk Arthur at tara.arthur@sflic.net.

We need vendors and sponsors as well. Interested or have a suggestion, send that to Tara as well.

SHRM Foundation News:
Effective Practice Guidelines

If you are like most HR professionals, you probably lack the time to keep up with the latest research findings in human resource management.  Yet knowing which HR practices have been shown by research to be effective can help you in your role as an HR professional. The SHRM Foundation's Effective Practice Guidelines are a series of reports that distill the latest research findings and expert opinion into specific advice on how to conduct effective HR practice.  They are written in a concise, easy-to-read style to provide practical information to help you do your job better. 

The SHRM Foundation publishes new reports each year.  One recent report is called Employment Downsizing and Its Alternatives: Strategies for Long-Term Success.  This report recognizes that employment downsizing is a fact of working life as companies struggle to cut costs and adapt to changing market demands. Based on the latest research, the report helps managers consider the variety of short- and long-term costs of layoffs and effective alternatives to downsizing.

Other titles in the series include Recruiting and Attracting Talent; Retaining Talent; Developing Leadership Talent; Implementing Total Rewards Strategy; Learning System Design; Employee Engagement and Commitment; and more.  All of the titles are available as free .pdf downloads under "SHRM Foundation Products" on the Foundation website (www.shrm.org/foundation).  The Effective Practice Guidelines series is made possible by your tax-deductible contributions to the SHRM Foundation.

Please support your SHRM Foundation, to donate contact Sharon McConnell @ smcconnell@triumphgroup.com or 501-767-7122 or you can donate at the monthly meeting.  I am asking each member to donate $10.00 this year,  Where else can you get DVD's and articles to help your profession for $10.00 @ year?

The WCASHRM scholarship is awarded to one individual and is based on a variety of factors, including academic performance, demonstrated leadership, human resource related experience and/or extracurricular activities, career goals and overall presentation capabilities. 

At minimum, WCASHRM sponsors one (1) $500 scholarship to an undergraduate (junior or senior status) or graduate student annually. The 2010-2011 scholarship is open to any student who meets the following requirements: 

• Junior/ Senior Status or Graduate Student
• A resident or enrolled student in an accredited college/university for the current school year in the West Central Arkansas region (Garland, Hot Spring, Clark, Pike, Montgomery)
• Pursuing a course of study in a business/human resource related field
• Minimum 3.00 GPA overall

 The WCASHRM Scholarship Committee will determine the scholarship recipient based primarily on the above criteria, and will award the scholarship for the student's use for the fall 2010 semester. Completed applications should be mailed to Beverly D. Joe, WCASHRM-College Relations, Triumph Airborne Structures, 115 Centennial Drive, Hot Springs, AR 71913 or emailed to bjoe@triumphgroup.com by April 30, 2010. The award winner will be announced by May 31, 2010. 

Plan to make the SHRM Annual Conference part of your professional development for 2010. and join thousands of other HR Professionals at the largest HR Conference in the world.

June 27 - 30, 2010
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California


Register Online Now.

Scope of this Position

• Coordinate all engineering for hotel.
• Work very closely with Front Office and Housekeeping to keep rooms operational.
• Position will be responsible for supervising/managing/overseeing the following departments: Engineering and Grounds Maintenance.
• In preparing for this position, candidate ideally will have worked in at least the following departments or positions: Solid experience in hotels or large commercial office complexes with F&B facilities.
• Requires a minimum of 4-5 year(s) of supervisory experience.
• Requires a minimum of 5-10 year(s) of experience.
• This position reports to: GM
• Position will be required to work a varied schedule that may include evenings, nights, and week-ends.

Requirements

• Must be a citizen of this country or possess a valid work permit.

Technical Requirements:

• Instill in all Engineering employees that they are there to serve the guest quickly and courteously.
• Spend majority of time overseeing work being done by Engineering staff.
• Ensure that Engineering employees keep all areas they are working in neat and clean.
• Assist Housekeeping and Front Office in minimizing downtime.
• Update and maintain engineering policies, procedures, work orders, etc.
• Strong technical skills in HVAC, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, carpentry, etc.
• Strong energy management background.
• Prior responsibility for landscaping highly desired.
• Experience with vehicle maintenance programs.

Managerial Requirements:

• Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to clearly and concisely present technical subjects.
• Track record promoting an atmosphere of teamwork.
• Build morale and spirit.
• Participative management style.
• Experience communicating, training, and managing multi-lingual staffs.
• Instill a guest service attitude in all employees.
• Instill a calm, organized approach in all situations.

Business Skills:

• Work with limited support.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Exceptional detail in follow-up.
• Resolve problems.
• Assume responsibility/accountability.
• Create courteous, friendly, professional work environment.

Educational Requirements:

• High School degree or equivalent.
• Specific degree in: Mechanical Science or Mehanical Engineering preferred