HR Florida

Newswire

Florida State Council Affiliate of SHRM

Community Spotlight – District 7 Update

By Dawn Laidlaw, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, District 7 Director

Sarasota-Manatee HR Association’s (SHRA) Board and Volunteer Leaders, led by Chapter President Denise “DD” Goerke, is on fire this year! They are enthusiastic, energetic, and empowered to utilize their individual talents to Elevate the SHRA experience. With 2024 strategic goals of growing their impact in our community through volunteerism and partnership and elevating the experience for their members AND their volunteer Board and Committee Chairs – the motto this year has been “Shake It Up SHRA!” with an emphasis on FUN which speaks directly to the HRFL 24 Conference theme Renewing the Heart of HR.

Earlier this year, SHRA was honored to have been awarded the SHRM Excel Bronze Award for 2023. Congratulations to the SHRA leadership for this amazing achievement and recognition.

SHRA intentionally stepped outside their comfort zone a bit, trying some new venues, meeting times and meeting formats. In an effort to reach North County members – SHRA held a very successful monthly program in a new-to-SHRA North venue. And, in November, a South County program is scheduled. Conceptualizing and executing on a highly successful evening Roundtable Program “SHRA After Hours”, SHRA saw members in attendance they’d never seen during the traditional breakfast and lunch programs. This interactive program was highly engaging and well received! This program format will be duplicated at the October Evening Meeting and similar results are expected! In addition to SHRA’s regular monthly programs, virtual bonus programs were added AND they are proud to have perfected their LiveStream broadcasts in 2024! Every program with the exception of the SHRA After Hours was available to members as either a LiveStream (virtual) option or the traditional in-person option! This has allowed SHRA to reach members who would have missed the program due to work demands or travel outside the area.

Don Olsen, Technology Director working his LiveStream Magic!

SHRA nearly doubled their Community Outreach Efforts over previous years, providing HR support services such as Mock Interviews and Workforce Readiness Classes at the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County, serving on an advisory panel assisting workers reentering the workforce at Harvest House, representing at Sarasota county Government at a Job Fair Panel for Interns and Philanthropy, and volunteering at the Women’s Resource Center and Sarasota Humane Society. At All Faiths Food Bank SHRA participated in the annual “Walk to end Summer Hunger” and, at a separate event, packed food boxes for those impacted by hurricane flooding. Additional community service activities included conducting a donation drive of much needed clothing items for Mothers Helping Mothers and cleaning up our beaches for the “Great American CleanUp”.

Finally, SHRA is focused on a more FUN experience for their Volunteer Leaders, who are truly the heartbeat of the Chapter. Converting board meetings into FUN Board Meetings, SHRA took their Board Meetings out for some arcade fun in June and and a Jungle Escape room in August. Their monthly programs in 2024 have been infused with some FUN as well with themed programs, whole-room selfies, and musical intros.

FUN & Informative Monthly Programs

FUN Board Meetings!

2024 Legislative Conference (L-R) Alice Velez, Legislative Chair; Senator Joe Gruden; Denise Goerke, SHRA President; Kyle Rogers, SHRA President-Elect

Planning for their annual conference, with the theme of “Elevate” is well underway and SHRA is excited about the incredible speaker lineup! This full day conference will be held September 27th at the beautiful Embassy Suites downtown Sarasota. They’d love to have you join them and are pleased to extend a discount code to their sister chapters and members.

To find out even more about what SHRA is doing, upcoming events or how you can get involved, visit them at www.myshra.org.

Step into a World of Exceptional Impact and Empowerment with HR Tampa in 2024!


Before the year even began, Chapter President, Carol Brnich, proudly shared her vision for the 2024 conference theme with the Board and Membership of “Paying It Forward: to yourself, your organization, to emerging professionals, and the greater Tampa Bay Community.” It is almost as if the universe took that as her manifestation for the entire year, as that theme has been the guiding light for their whole year so far. And while it has been a remarkable year, HR Tampa is not done yet! They are still marveling at the convergence of minds, hearts, and actions as their Board, Committees, Members, Vendors, and the Greater Tampa Bay Community united to create transformative training and events that push boundaries and inspire positive change on a grand scale.

SuncoastHR, under the leadership of Chapter President Jessica Holloman, SHRM-CP, PHR, SuncoastHR is having another amazing year.


• SHRM Awards and Recognition

Congratulations SuncoastHR for these awesome achievements and recognition!

• Dogs Inc (July 2024 – December 2024) in one month raised $1,333.

 
Thank you to all the volunteer leaders of the District 7 Chapters, and congratulations on your amazing work and accomplishments of this year.

Dawn Laidlaw, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, District 7 Director

District 7 Director is Dawn Laidlaw, SHRM-SCP/SPHR. Dawn is a Past-President of the Sarasota Manatee HR Association, having previously served in the roles of Certification Chair, Membership Director, Vice President and President-Elect. Dawn holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Canisius University in Buffalo, New York, as well as the SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications. Dawn is the HR Officer at Willis Smith Construction in Sarasota, where she is an “HR Department of One.”