Human Resources Manager

Cynthia Richardson-Crooks, J.D.

***** *** **** **** ****

Leesburg, VA 20176

Voice: 703-***-****

email: abk1er@r.postjobfree.com

Summary

Strategic, High Energy, Human Resources Business Partner who Leads HR

Initiatives: Project Management, Labor Negotiations, Diversity Management,

Benefits Administration, Conflict Resolution, Complex Employee Relations

Matters, Staffing, Compensation and Fair Employment Matters in a variety of

environments

_____________________________________________________________________

EXPERTISE

Private Sector - Non Profit:

DIRECTOR, Human Resources, September 1999 to present. The George Washington

University with a concentration on fair employment practices and diversity.

Negotiations

. Over the past ten (10) years, saved over $13.5 million dollars for my

employer by successfully mediating discrimination complaints,

resolving conflicts and negotiating settlement agreements prior to

litigation

. Including handling first, second and third step Union Grievances and

other complex Employee Relations matters on compensation, performance

and behavior

Project Management

. Serve as President: District of Columbia Business Leadership Network

(DCBLN) and in this capacity, spearheaded the successful incorporation

of the DCBLN to a 501c (3) which promotes the hiring of persons with

disabilities and because of my initiative, the University is known as a

disability friendly employer

. Chair the NCAA sub-Committee on Gender and Equity

. Manage all individual workplace accommodations for all employees

including the retrofitting of various physical plant locations

. Manage the delivery of employee training on Fair Employment matters

. Guide the company through the Affirmative Action Plan audit/OFCCP

. Manage and Approve all Recruitment Plans and Recruitment Summaries for

Research and Un-graded positions

Strategic Business Partner

. Advise senior management on a broad spectrum of Human Resource matters

including compensation, benefits, and retention of over 6000 employees

. Serve on the following company-wide Advisory Teams:

. Performance Management Advisory Team: charged with overhauling the

evaluation process for my employer

. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Steering Committee for

athletic accreditation

. Benefits Advisory Team: responsible for examining and restructuring

the healthcare plan

. Sexual Harassment Advisory Team; and

. Various Hiring/Selection Teams

Major Accomplishments:

. Saving my employer money

. Chairing Company-wide Advisory Teams

. Arriving at a mutual half-way point in conflict resolutions

. Establishing the DCBLN

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT to Government Contractors and /Small Businesses,

1997 to 1999 (and on-going**)

Project Management

. Provided Human Resource Consultant Services to d/b/a's, Government

contractors, Federal government agencies, and Native American Tribal

governments

. Managed Benefits program for a client-company during their merger and

acquisition phase

. Developed an Affirmative Action Plan Program for a Government

Contractor

. Advise government contractors: GSA, SCA, and Wage Determination

matters**

. Advise consultants on contract agreements with fledgling companies**

. Managed HR function for a publishing company on an interim basis

. Provided diversity training to clients of government contractors

. Conducted EEO investigations for several Federal government agencies

including the FDIC and the Library of Congress

Major Accomplishments:

. Lead HR Transition Effort for Rose Bud Sioux

. Shaped Company culture

Private Sector - Corporate:

Director, Human Resources, The Herald-Dispatch, Gannett Company, Inc.

January 1995 to June 1997

Talent Management

. Worked with: Promotable's List: employees who are developmentally

ready for the next logical career- ladder rung are included on this

internal list which is shared, company-wide, among senior staff

. Worked with: Career-focused job classifications: used as both

recruitment and retention tools that establish core competencies to be

achieved prior to promotion (non-competitively) to the next level

. Developed Cross Training Program with a six to nine month rotation

that resulted in increased retention of top performing employees

. Stock Incentive Rights: senior management retention tool

. Management by Objectives for managers and non-managers at appropriate

levels

Strategic Business Partner

. Senior Management team - the Operating Committee - Responsible for the

overall management of this newspaper unit of Gannett

. Restructured Human Resources Department

. Wrote annual Human Resources budget and a business-wide cost and

revenue analysis which generated a 15 percent profit that the

newspaper did not have to provide to the corporate office

. Conducted compensation analysis for all staffing levels resulting in

higher salaries and increased retention rate of reporters by 20

percent

. Partnered with each business division and successfully interspersed

Human Resources perspectives with business objectives

. Conducted compensation analysis for all staffing levels resulting in

higher salaries and increased retention rate of reporters by 20

percent.

Project Management

. Developed first Affirmative Action Plan Program for this Gannett

newspaper unit and defended a DOL/OFCCP audit of the Plan

. Created, updated, modified and delivered management training modules.

. Administered the benefits program

. Held information meetings, brown bag lunches and Q&A sessions and

guided over 200 employees through a new benefits plan.

. Received honorable mention from Corporate for successfully introducing

a new medical benefits insurance plan to this newspaper unit

Labor Negotiations

. Negotiated three year labor contract with the Press Operators Union

. Resolved several disputes between employees and management.

. Negotiated three (3) Settlement Agreements which saved this Gannett

newspaper unit $100,000.00

Major Accomplishments:

. Negotiated press operators contract

. Raised overall employee morale by convincing CEO of the importance of

providing the right incentives to individual units. Created and

conducted division-styled surveys on the types of incentives that were

meaningful to those employees.

. This led to an increase in productivity in the press shop.

Public Sector Experience

Human Resources Consultant to Tribal Governments, July 1994 to September

1995. Wrote employment law policies and procedures manuals for the Rose Bud

Sioux tribe, among others.

Employment Manager, US Department of Justice (DOJ) October, 1991 to June

1994. Advised all levels of management on gender and race bias issues;

Developed programs, learning modules and conducted workshops on prevention

of discriminatory practices. Counselor/Mediator: Resolved disputes between

employees and management officials. Program Coordinator: Organized the

DOJ's National American Indian Heritage Month observance.

Employment Manager / Native American Program Manager (NAPM) US Small

Business Administration, January 1990 to October 1991. Employment Manager:

Adjudicated discrimination complaints. Analyzed national statistical data

and wrote Assessments Reports. Provided national technical assistance to

and conducted Diversity, Sexual Harassment, Disability and Sensitivity

Training Workshops for managers. NAPM: Founded and directed a Diversity

Program: the Indian Employees Surrogate Support Program. A national

outreach program designed for recruitment and retention of American Indian

applicants and supervised a national recruitment effort of American Indian

and applicants at NCAI national conventions. Coordinated the first two

National American Indian Heritage Month observances for SBA. Served as

Acting Federal Women's Program Manager. Provided training for the ten

FWPM's in the SBA regional offices at the 1991 national FEW conference.

Assistant Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago, 1986 to 1989. Reviewed,

negotiated/argued on the City's behalf as well as drafted municipal

contracts, prepared legal opinions and ordinances. Worked on redevelopment

projects such as low income housing and I conducted loan closings for

disadvantaged businesses who received minority set-aside loan monies.

Federal Investigator, US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights,

Post Secondary Education Division, 1978 to 1981.Conducted several

compliance reviews of major universities and investigated numerous

individual complaints. Coordinated on-site visits with the offices of the

University President, the AA Officer and the Athletic Director.

Teaching Experience:

Adjunct Professor 1999 to 2005. Taught: Human Resource Management, Business

Law, Government Contracting, Business Ethics and White Collar Crime to

Undergraduate and Graduate students.

Board of Directors

The District of Columbia Business Leadership Network: Member 1999 to

present and Board President, 2003 to 2008; Society for Human Resource

Managers, Dulles Chapter Steering Committee, 1997-1999; The American Red

Cross, Western West Virginia Chapter, 1996-1997; The Junior League of

Huntington, 1996-1997; Unlimited Futures Inc., a small business incubator,

1995-1997; Marshall University Advisory Board, College of Business, 1995-

1997; Tri-State Literacy Council, 1995-1997.

Education:

Georgetown University Law Center, Master of Legal Letters, LL.M.

Antioch University, Antioch School of Law, Juris Doctorate, J.D.

Kansas Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Arts, B.A.

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