Message from the President

As a Team, your Board and I feel privileged to serve the BSHRM Community in 2009!  So what has your Board been doing?  We have outlined and launched a rolling strategic plan designed to increase the viability and sustainability of this organization.  The strategic platform that will guide our journey will focus on:

• Promoting the professional development of our members.
• Growing future talent.
• Chapter Continuity.

The Board will continue to evolve our partnerships with NAAAHR, ASTD and the Birmingham Chamber.  In its second year, our Advisory Council is leveraging the talent of our senior HR leaders.  Our Spring certification class is underway; we are building relationships with HR instructors at Strayer University and UAB; and a legal workshop is being finalized for April.  The State Council is planning a terrific HR Conference on May 20^th, preceded by an enlightening seminar the day before.  They will be blasting the details very soon.  What a great opportunity for our members to get certification hours at a very low cost!

As HR professionals we are accustomed to dealing with change, and the current economic crisis is certainly providing the opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to the profession and our ability to lead organizations dealing with tough times.  BSHRM is rich with talent, and it is in these trying times that we should look to be resources for each other.  The Board is sensitive to the fact that a number of our own members have recently lost their positions and we are discussing ways to keep these individuals engaged.  Several of our Chapter members attended the State Council meeting this week where the discussion generated a number of ways to give back to our own profession.  Some great ideas resulted and more information will be shared in the coming weeks.

I recently heard legendary football coach Lou Holtz address a student/parent assembly.  Holtz stated in his comments:

Ability is what you're capable of doing. 

Motivation determines what you do. 

Attitude determines how well you do it.  

With these words in mind, here is my challenge to each of you:

• Be a credible activist for our profession.
• Become part of the solutions that our HR community can offer to Birmingham businesses.
• Embrace change - one thing is certain, there is more to come...
• Value each member of the organization-we need each other for BSHRM to succeed!

I am thrilled with the response to our initial outreach for volunteers!  Volunteer opportunities still exist and will be highlighted at the monthly meetings and through the website.

On behalf of the Board, I hope we can count on your continued commitment to this organization and the HR profession.

Regards,

Gini Bell, GPHR
Chapter President