District 1 Update
By Alonzo Smith
HR Florida District 1 covers the extreme Northwest panhandle of Florida encompassing four counties. Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties which include Pensacola Naval Air Station, the home of the Blue Angels, the U.S Navy’s flight demonstration team, hosts Greater Pensacola SHRM. Okaloosa and Walton Counties, which includes the home of the birthplace of the Special Olympics, hosts the SHRM Emerald Coast Chapter.
Greater Pensacola SHRM was once again awarded the SHRM EXCEL Platinum Award, which is the highest award given for chapter operations. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of their board, volunteers, and members who continuously strive to elevate the chapter and make a positive impact on their community.
In addition, the chapter was awarded a $10,000 grant from the SHRM Foundation to collaborate with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to develop and administer a youth workforce development program. The chapter was also invited to send delegates to participate in the Opportunity Youth Community of Practice discussion in Chicago prior to the SHRM national conference.
Community of Practice Discussion Group At SHRM
Their “Beyond School Walls” program kicked off with 12 “Bigs” from Greater Pensacola SHRM and 12 “Littles” from Washington High School, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. They started the day with some fun icebreakers that helped the “Bigs” and “Littles” connect. Then Francesca Lupo led My Career Planning, guiding them to learn about themselves, identify their skills, explore career paths, and consider how their studies align with future careers, all while reflecting on personal values. They wrapped up the program with pizza, laughter, and new friendships.
Beyond School Walls
GPSHRM also participated in the United Way’s Day of Caring. Through this wonderful partnership with the United Way and the American Red Cross chapter members authored and sent messages to our troops overseas!
United Way Day of Caring
GPSHRM hosted their 21st annual Legal Conference. This popular event was sold out and received rave reviews as usual. Among the speakers was Dee Anna D. Hays ESQ, HR Florida State Council State Legislative Affairs Director.
GPSHRM Legal Conference
GPSHRM members also joined the Pensacola Autism Gala team to assist at their amazing event! As GPSHRM charity of choice for this year they jumped in to help with the drawings, silent auction, drink and food serving and more! A great night in the community!!
Pensacola Autism Gala
GPSHRM was also on hand to collect school supplies to “Stuff the Bus”. They helped ensure that the kids in their community got much needed supplies for the coming school year!
Stuff the Bus
GPSHRM members were also on hand to assist the Favor House (the only Certified Domestic Violence Center in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties) Staff with their annual Round-Up Giving DV the Boot fundraising event.
Favor House Round Up Giving DV the Boot
Finally, GPSHRM members enjoyed “A Conversation in Black and White” with speakers Julian Macqueen and Dr Lusharon Wiley. This program presented by the Equity Project Alliance featured a two-person dialogue of two southerners who grew up in the deep south during racial segregation, one grew up in a wealthy suburb of Birmingham, the other in a rural South Georgia town.
A Conversation in Black and White
It no wonder this is a perennial award-winning chapter. And, oh by the way, with all this going on they still found time to make an incredible showing at the State Conference, finishing 1st and 2nd in the Amazing Race Competition, 1st place with the with the most money raised for the SHRM Foundation with their basket designed by Randy Ardis, and 2nd place in the Lip Sync competition, as well as 2nd place in the People’s Choice Award.
The SHRM Emerald Coast Chapter reached a major milestone this year, completing the transition to a Dual Membership Release (DMR) Chapter. As a result, not only are their membership numbers rising, but they no longer have to deal with that pesky time consuming audit and they got a financial boost as well.
SHRM ECC Board of Directors
This year SHRM ECC also planned and hosted their first full day Leadership Conference.
The theme of the conference was HOW TO BUILD A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM. The keynote speaker was Tommy Bowden, former Clemson head coach and ESPN Analyst. The conference was a rousing success, maxing out the meeting venue and receiving rave reviews from attendees.
SHRM ECC Leadership Conference
The chapter has also been extremely active in the community throughout the year. They partnered with The Panhandle Job Fair Foundation and CareerSource Okaloosa Walton to host a Job Fair that serviced over 100 job seekers and offered military community exclusive hours.
Panhandle Job Fair
The chapter also continued its long standing partnership with CareerSource Okaloosa Walton to collect and provide suitable interview clothing for job seekers in need through the Suit Up To Move Up Program.
SUIT UP TO MOVE UP
The chapter also partnered with a number of other community organizations to provide support services throughout the year. They partnered with The Honor Foundation, which operates a career transition program that prepares Special Operations Forces to transition from military to civilian life; and provides essential tools to enhance their marketability. Ben Reese and Mayra Reynoso assisted Eglin Group 95 by providing resume reviews and mock interviews.
The Honor Foundation
SHRM ECC also partnered with CareerSource Okaloosa Walton and Hiring Our Heroes at Hurlburt Air force Base to support Paychecks for Patriots, a Career Summit and Job Fair exclusively for Transitioning Service Members, Veterans and Military Spouses. The chapter once again provided comprehensive resume reviews and tips to attendees.
Paychecks for Patriots
The chapter ended the year on a festive note with their holiday social at The Shack, a waterfront restaurant in Fort Walton Beach. The event was attended by Randy Ardis, the new District Director for District 1.
ECC Holiday Party
It really is true what they say. Time is fleeting when you are enjoying what you do. It doesn’t seem like it, but five years have passed and my term as District Director is coming to an end. It has been both an honor and a pleasure to work with the HR professionals in these two chapters, as well as the rest of the District Director team and the other members of the State Council. I’m passing the baton to Randy Ardis, who is no stranger to these chapters and HR Florida. I’m looking forward to his tenure and I’m sure he’ll be an amazing District Director for District 1.
Al Smith, SPHR, SHRM-SCP outgoing District Director and Randy Ardis, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, incoming District Director
Director, District 1 Alonzo Smith, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, is a retired Senior Executive with over 30 years of Human Resource Management experience working in both for profit and non-profit, public and private sector organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Management and a Master of Arts Degree with a dual major in Management and Human Relations. He is SHRM SCP and HRCI SPHR certified. He is a certified Strategic Planning Facilitator, Teambuilding Facilitator and was an ASQC Certified Quality Manager. He was an Adjunct Management Professor at Central Texas College and Los Angeles Metropolitan College and previously taught the HRCI PHR and SPHR Certification Courses at the University of West Florida and has been published in the HR Florida Review Magazine.
Al has held numerous Board of Directors positions for the SHRM Emerald Coast Chapter and served as the chapter president in 2014 and 2019. In 2021 the HR Florida State Council named him Volunteer of the Year. He currently serves as the HR Florida State Council District Director for District 1. Passionate about Veterans, their family members and care givers, Al is a SHRM Foundation/USAA Foundation Veterans at Work Ambassador/Military Community Employment Advocate.
In other community activities, he served two terms as Board Chair for the Homelessness and Housing Alliance of Okaloosa and Walton Counties. He also did a multi-year stint on the United Way of Okaloosa and Walton County Funds Distribution and Community Impact Committees. He additionally served as Executive Director of the Yolanda D Thomas Scholarship Endowment, where he led efforts to raise over $500,000.00 to establish endowed scholarships for disadvantaged students attending Northwest Florida State College. Thanks to his efforts, the YDT Endowment also partnered with the SHRM Emerald Coast Chapter to fund the SHRM ECC Endowed Scholarship that is awarded annually to a Northwest Florida State College student majoring in Human Resources. He is the Education Chair and a Board Member for the Panhandle Job Fair Foundation. Having previously served on the Board of Directors for Career Source of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, he currently sits on the CSOW Business and Education and Career and Youth Committees.
Editor’s note: This year Al has moved from District 1 Director to another volunteer role within HR Florida. Randy Ardis, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is now District 1 Director. Welcome Randy!
We want to thank Al for his years of service to the Council. He is a dedicated and supportive volunteer, and we are glad to have Al still on the team.
Randy Ardis, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, incoming District 1 Director