President's Letter

December 2006

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
~Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

As we come to the end of the year, first and foremost in my thoughts are the people with whom I’ve had the honor to work. And first among those is the terrific team at Dallas HR, led by Diane McClendon, Executive Director. Diane and her team – Nikki Williams, Marlene Diaz, Candace Wallner, Susan Frear and Karen Brueckner - have moved mountains to make Dallas HR the top notch professional organization it is today. You have our heartfelt appreciation!

Right behind the Dallas HR team, is our incredible team of volunteer leaders and the many (many!) volunteers who give of themselves so that our members enjoy the kinds of programming, events and professional development opportunities they want and deserve.

It’s been quite a year, as you know, and has gone by in the blink of an eye. If you’ve been paying close attention at our membership meetings and reading the Horizon regularly, you’re likely already aware of all that this organization has accomplished over the year.

Nonetheless, I’d like to recap for you some of the highlights before this year passes into the past:

• Co-Sponsored the Best Places to Work Awards with The Dallas Business Journal
• Partnered with the D/FW Area Employment Management Association on a luncheon – our first ever joint event
• Hosted a certification reception for our HRCI certified members – many of whom took part in our Study Groups and Crash Course for HRCI exam preparation. Congratulations to all!
• Delivered HR 101, Interview Boot Camp, Emotional Intelligence: Useful Tools for the HR Practitioner, Tools for Implementing HR Strategic Management, Relationship Management, Strategic Leadership: Guiding and Leading the Change Process (NEW), and Workplace Spanish for the HR Professional (NEW)
• Hosted Happy Hours for our members to meet and network with each other.
• Held a Professional Emphasis Group (PEG) Fair, and have grown our active PEGs to 8.
• Produced the D/FW Area Salary Survey in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting LLP.
• Conducted job search seminars at various Texas Workforce Commission locations in the Dallas area.
• Hosted the 2006 Employment Law Conference, for which we received tremendous feedback.
• Reached an all-time high of 1,949 members.
• Collected donations for Attitudes & Attire, Bryan’s House, The Dallas Life Foundation, and The North Texas Food Bank.
• Sponsored our first Job Shadow Day for local university students majoring in H.R.
• Hosted the 2006 Diversity Conference – a rousing success!
• Produced online and printed (quarterly) versions of the Horizon newsletter.
• Sponsored 10 students to attend HR Southwest.
• Participated in the student HR Games.
• Presented the James R. Wilkins, Jr. award - $1,000 for professional development.
• Awarded the $2,000 Drew Young Student Scholarship.
• Raised $6,000+ for the SHRM Foundation through Dallas HR’s Silent Auction, held in conjunction with our annual Bosses Day.
• Held a variety of breakfasts and luncheons on topics of interest to our members.
• Adopted a Corporate Scorecard to help us better measure our success.
• Offered HRCI recertification credits for most of Dallas HR sponsored programs.
• Added a Director of Education, Susan Frear, to the Dallas HR team.
• And of course, participated in the HR Southwest Conference & Exhibition. Congratulations to Linda Miller, Conference Director, and her team of volunteers for yet another highly successful year!

Yes, this year has been quite a whirl, and I know Karen Cunningham, your President for 2007 is already making her list and checking it twice. In the meantime, don’t forget to attend our December membership luncheon on the 12th, and bring donations for Bryan’s House. Let’s make sure these children know that they’re not forgotten!

I’ve been truly honored to have the opportunity to lead this great organization in 2006, and appreciate each of you who has made this year such a joy for me personally and professionally.

Warm wishes for a holiday that’s merry and bright, and a 2007 that’s everything you hope for.

Carol Hollen, SPHR
President, Dallas HR

Honor the past – celebrate today – embrace the future!

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