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Welcome to the new HRPYR e-blast newsletter!
HRPYR e-Connections is our latest member communication vehicle, aimed at providing York Region’s Human Resource community with information on and analysis of current challenges in our field as well as leading edge member and company profiles. Upcoming issues will feature interviews and articles on issues that challenge us as HR Professionals. And because there are so many excellent events planned by our Professional Development Committee, we will be introducing reviews of recent chapter meetings; so if you have to miss a session, you won’t miss the learning!
| President's Message |
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We know that between our regular event notices and the email from HRPAO you get a lot of Association material, and yet here we are with a new electronic newsletter. If this is one more email in an already too busy day, we’re sorry. But we are constantly trying to find that balance between keeping you too informed vs. not enough.
Read it through and let us know what you think. Ideas and comments are always welcome.
Ian Turnbull, BA, MBA, CHRP
HRPYR Chapter President
president@hrpyr.org
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| Call for Nominations – 2008/09 Board of Directors |
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Elections for the Chapter Board of Directors will take place on Thursday, March 6, 2008. We would like to thank those Chapter members who have already expressed an interest in running for the Chapter Board of Directors. There are four open positions for the 2008 – 2009 term.
Board candidates must be supported by two nominees. If you are interested in sitting on the Chapter Board, or know of someone who you feel would make a positive contribution to the Board, please submit an application to the nominating committee by completing our online application form at www.hrpyr.org. You MUST be logged in to complete the nomination/nominator forms.
Once the final slate of candidates has been approved by the Nominating Committee and the Board, a notice providing details about the candidates and their election statements will be distributed to all members for information and review prior to the election date.
Nominations must be supported by 2 HRPYR members and must be submitted on the accompanying Nomination Form. A resume and a list of 3 relevant references must also be included. The deadline for submission of completed nomination packages is December 21, 2007.
For information about any Board position, qualifications and the nomination process, please contact the Nominating Committee at nominations@hrpyr.org.
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| HRPYR 10th Anniversary |
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We’re 10 years old! Current and founding members of HRPYR, and guests, including Past President of THRPA and CCHRA Yvonne Blaszczyk, FCHRP; and THRPA President-Elect Anne Bloom, CHRP, celebrated the chapter’s 10th anniversary in style at the Richmond Hill Country Club on Tuesday, October 23, 2007. Along with great food and excellent networking opportunities, members voted on chapter business including the annual financial reports in the AGM portion of the night chaired by our President, Ian Turnbull.
Founding members, current and past board members, and honoured guests were acknowledged, and our first chapter president Tony Kerekes cut a spectacular cake decorated to mark the occasion. Every HRPYR member took home a commemorative pin.
The evening was capped off with a leadership and teamwork presentation from mountain climber Scott Kress, who in addition to his role as President of Summit Training is also pursuing the goal of climbing each of the elusive Seven Summits. For more information on the services offered by Summit Training, visit www.summittraining.com.
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| Welcome New HRPYR Chapter Members |
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Our Chapter is known for its innovative approach and for providing networking, learning and partnership opportunities for its members and business leaders. We are proud to be the third largest and fastest growing chapter of HRPAO, and extend a warm welcome to the following new Chapter members:
Linda Carr
Fernanda Corvinelli
Kimmo Dancey
Irene Gelfand
Ward Jones
Robert Kelly
Richard Lyal
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Akash Mahajan
David Mahy
Lucy Mazzitti
Brigitte Miller
Paola Morrison
Carol Le
Helen Nikitopoulos
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Paula O’Reilly
Stewart Pei
Dawn Rathbone
Demetre Rigakos
Sarah Riley
Vinia Terra
Peter Vanderkloe
Eraj Zia |
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| HRPYR Human Resources Professional of the Year |
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The inaugural HRPYR Human Resources Professional of the Year Awards were presented on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Awards to:
Small Business Category - Amanda Hosford, iTRANS Consulting
Large Business Category - Dominic Scaffidi, Open Text Corporation
HRPYR e-Connections spoke with the award winners about the elements they believed contributed to their success Human Resources.
Amanda Hosford
For Amanda Hosford, becoming a Certified HR Professional has resulted in an improved profile for the HR function in her organization as well as boosting her self confidence. Building HR procedures and initiatives to support the rapid growth at iTRANS has been rewarding and challenging at the same time. The company wanted to retain its small family business culture at the same time as it adopted big enterprise processes. This has been achieved through a concerted communication effort on the part of all individuals from the president on down.
At iTRANS, the receptionist is just as important as the president in supporting corporate culture. Communication initiatives such as Town Hall meetings, recognition programs, an open door policy throughout the company, and a president who leads by example have worked well to ensure shared goals are met.
Amanda suggests that HR practitioners in a growing engineering business get to know the specifics of the industry and learn all they can about the company and the expectations people have of HR. She considers her most important responsibility to be connecting with each and every employee on a regular basis.
Dominic Scaffidi
From a career in sales, Dominic Scaffidi was drawn to the HR profession through his involvement in new hire orientation. This led to responsibilities for sales recruiting and training, through which he developed a passion for making business work through people. Dominic drew upon key sales attributes of influencing and persuasion and selling ideas and concepts to become an HR leader.
Dominic believes that what sets Open Text apart from other technology organizations is the employee value proposition. You assume meaningful responsibilities immediately, and, because it is a lean organization, you have the ability to make changes quickly. “That level of responsibility and scope is rare – to have that kind of impact keeps me engaged”.
Open Text offers tremendous opportunity – everyone is ready for change and HR is an active participant at executive meetings, helping set direction and assess the people implications of business decisions. Being fully engaged in planning for key business initiatives allowed such changes as the recent acquisition of a much larger company proceed smoothly.
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| Call for Volunteers |
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HRPYR has always been known for having a large group of active members who willingly volunteer their time and talents to plan and present events, support their fellow members’ professional development, and promote the chapter throughout the community. The chapter relies on current and new volunteers to successfully carry out its mandate, and recognizes their contributions throughout the year. Volunteer roles typically entail several hours of work per month, usually involving regular meetings and/or communication via phone or e-mail with other committee members. Bring your aptitude, interest, and above all, your enthusiasm!
To apply for a volunteer role or for more information on role requirements, please complete the volunteer application available from Abby Cheung, Director of Volunteer Management, and send it along with your resume to volunteer@hrpyr.org.
We encourage you to actively participate in any way you can. Our volunteers are valuable and appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you!
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| Call for Mentors |
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Interested in Being a Mentor for Our New Mentoring for Members Program?
- Interested in sharing your expert HR knowledge?
- Interested in providing advice, counsel, and encouragement to HR professionals?
- Need CHRP recertification points?
- Being a Mentor may be for you!
The deadline for Mentor applications has been extended to December 20th. Please contact mentoring@hrpyr.org if you have any questions or download the application form off the web-site at www.hrpyr.org
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| HRPYR and York Region Chambers of Commerce |
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In 2006, as part of the mandate of the new Relationship Management portfolio, the HRPYR Board of Directors decided to create a partnership with the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce, and in collaboration with that Chamber introduced the Excellence in Human Resources Awards in York Region. The successful establishment of that pilot collaboration led us to seek volunteer HRPYR members to act as liaisons with local Chambers of Commerce across the Region.
Currently, HRPYR is a member of the Chambers of Commerce in Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket and Richmond Hill. To further our Chapter mission HRPYR Chamber liaisons have attended Chamber functions, including networking breakfasts and luncheon meetings, as well as the Aurora and Richmond Hill Business Achievement Awards, building relationships with Chamber management and within the local business community.
Chamber of Commerce events answer a range of business needs, from opportunities for networking and social events to learning sessions and Chamber member recognition celebrations. Both Chamber members and prospective members are welcome at most events, and some Chambers will register HRPYR members for functions at the Chamber member rate.
| Upcoming Chamber Events |
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Monday, December 3, 2007, 12:00pm
“The Secrets of Leadership”
Aurora Chamber of Commerce presents a Lunch & Learn Seminar featuring Robert Seguin of the Productive Leadership Institute.
Improve your own leadership skills and engage employees, clients or investors into action. Cost includes lunch.
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Aurora Chamber of Commerce
14483 Yonge Street, Aurora |
| Cost for Members: |
$10 |
| To register: |
Call Kathy Halbert at 905-727-7262, or go online here |
| Website: |
http://www.aurorachamber.on.ca |
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| How to Increase Internal Visibility |
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These valuable networking tips come from Colleen Clarke, Career specialist and corporate trainer, and author of Networking and a new e-book entitled Work in Progress. Colleen shared her wit and wisdom with us at a recent HRPYR Dinner/Networking Presentation.
Growing and maintaining an internal network is partially about improving your visibility in the workplace. You don’t have to be a chatty or sociable person to learn about your colleagues. Become a good listener, grow cauliflower ears without eavesdropping. Ask questions, show an interest. While gathering all the poop on everyone, shift the chaff from the grain and keep talents in mind that may help you out in the future. Get to know people at all levels of the organization, their titles and what they do. Know your organizational chart.
Become familiar with all the people you work with whose work relates to yours. Take the initiative to bring people together to solve problems. You don’t have to have all the answers you just need to know where to go to get the answers. Drop by and say hi to people even when you don’t need anything from them. Wear or carry conversational clothing or props like colourful or corny coffee mugs, interestingly titled books or magazines or unique ties or jewellery.
Volunteer to sit on committees, task forces and communities of practice groups. Work conferences, social functions and trade shows where you play a role visible to top decision makers or where you come into contact with decision makers.
Meet face to face whenever possible. Forget email and voice mail when complex problems, conflicts, areas of responsibility and authority and decision-making are the issue.
Know what career options may be available in case your job becomes obsolete. Keep a file folder of all your professional wonderments, to be presented at performance evaluations. Don’t take for granted that senior management knows exactly what you do day to day or have done. Exhibit skills that go beyond or outside your job description.
Introduce your contacts to others. Become known as the person who knows everyone. Collect resources of contractors, technicians, equipment and transportation providers, caterers, travel deals and anything else that may help someone in your company some day, sometime.
| Colleen Clarke is a career consultant, corporate trainer, and highly regarded seminar leader and public speaker in the areas of career development, transition and communication and networking. www.colleenclarke.com |
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HRPYR Excellence in Human Resources Award photographs courtesy of West Photo http://www.westphoto.ca.
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