SEPTEMBER 2006          Vol. 2 Issue 9 In this Issue... Golf Scramble '06 is a sellout HR Transition Group hosts 'A Taste of Italy' HighSchoolInterns.com hosts employer kickoff event MT|SHRM sponsors merit budget survey Spotlight on the Board - Bob McKown Members in the news   Golf Scramble ’06 a sellout Doug Edwards Co-Chair Golf Scramble ‘06   Dear ,   Well, we’ve got some good news and some bad news…    The bad news is that registration for Golf Scramble ‘06, is completely full and we have 144 players taking part in Thursday afternoon’s fun and games.  Players will have a chance to win some fabulous prizes including a 2007 Cadillac CTS, vacation packages to exotic locations, cash prizes and much more.   Okay.  That wasn’t really “bad” news, but here’s the really good news…  There’s still time to register for the After Work Cocktails and Cookout on Thursday evening in the Pavillion at the Legends Club from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.—as long as you do so by 5:00 p.m. CDT today, Tuesday, September 5.   Here are a few reasons to come out and join the fun!   Door prizes galore will be given away all evening.  Last year's prizes included such items as color TV’s, Titans tickets, weekend get-a-ways, dinners for two and much, much more.    The Michael Fair Quartet will be playing smooth jazz during the evening.  Last year Michael and his band received great reviews as our event entertainment.   Incredible “All American Cookout” provided by the Legends Grill including Hamburgers, Boneless Chicken Breasts, Pulled Pork Barbeque, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Iced Tea, Fountain Drinks, Desserts, and two drink tickets for beer, wine or cocktails.   The opportunity to network with your MT|SHRM friends in a relaxed, social environment.   And finally, a chance to rub elbows with our illustrious sponsors and say “Thank you!” for helping us raise nearly $20,000 for educational scholarship and professional development of our members.   Click here to register for the After Work Cocktails and Cookout at the Vanderbilt Legends Club by 5 p.m. today.   The Vanderbilt Legends Club is located near the corner of Franklin Road and Mack Hatcher Parkway near Cool Springs.   Back to Top >>> HR Transition group hosts ‘A Taste of Italy’ Brooke Thurman, Vice Chair, Editorials Over seventy-five MT|SHRM members gathered together last week for the second annual Careers in Motion Wine and Cheese Mixer sponsored by MT|SHRM Transitions Team,  Robert Half International and Office Team. This was an opportunity for HR professionals to help other professionals by sharing job leads and information about HR positions. It is also a way to celebrate those who are now alumni to the transitions group.   A lot of research was put into selecting the cheeses and wines for this event.  Guests sampled wine selections such as Tamellini Soave, Monte Antico and Cusumano Insolia-Chardonnay Angimbe with cheese pairings include Fontina Val d'Aosta, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. Midtown Wine and Spirits and Corrieri's Italian Formaggeria worked with the committee on these pairings to be as authentic as possible and complement the ambiance of the event.   In the coming weeks the MT|SHRM Transitions Team will be joining forces with the Community Involvement committee to create one large group called the Community Relations committee. This will include a group of individuals who are currently employed as well as those in transition to assist with resume design, mock interviewing and networking. MT|SHRM will not only be able to give back to HR professionals in transition but also to the community at large.   We would like to thank the Career Transitions team for all of their hard work and effort in putting on the fabulous wine tasting event – "thank you" to Mark Marshall, Barbara Stewart, Matt LeBlanc, Jodie Courreges, Melanie Pitts, Joe Hardy and especially Leslie Garrett-Stephens for always going above and beyond.   We would also like to thank Robert Half for not only sponsoring this event but for also sponsoring the lunch event for the Golf Scramble on September 7th.   Back to Top >>>     HighSchoolInterns.com hosts employer kickoff event HighSchoolInterns.com (HSi) is a new nonprofit organization working with Metro Public Schools to identify summer internships for high school students. The goal is to help students graduate with greater self-confidence by complementing their academic perspective with a real world work experience.   We invite you to join us on September 14 from 5:00 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. for our employer kickoff event to introduce this exciting initiative to employers in the Middle Tennessee community.  The event will be held at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, 211 Commerce Street, Suite 100 in Nashville.   Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge to attend, however space is limited.  Click here to register online.      Presenters and featured panel speakers include; Jay Lefkovitz, President & Founder, HighSchoolInterns.com; Marc Hill, Director, Mayor’s Office of Children & Youth; Nancy Eisenbrandt, Interim President, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce; Ralph Schultz, President & CEO, Adventure Science Center; Clay Myers, Executive Principal, Hunters Lane High School, Metro Schools, 2006 High School Principal of the Year; Ann Hatcher, VP of Talent Management & Compensation, HCA; Ellen Zinkiewicz, Youth and Community Coordinator, Nashville Career Advancement Center.    HSi Partners: Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Mayor’s Office of Children & Youth, Vanderbilt University, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce, Participant of Alignment Nashville, Pencil Foundation, Nashville Career Advancement Center, YW Youth Advantage, Center for Information Technology Education, Nashville Technology Council, Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management.   Back to Top >>>     MT|SHRM sponsors merit budget survey Mike Umphres   MT|SHRM recently sponsored a special survey of merit budget plans for Middle Tennessee employers.  This survey was conducted by the same team that conducts the annual compensation survey we sponsor at the beginning of each year.   This special survey asks employers to share their merit pay results for 2006 and plans for 2007.  While the details of the survey are only shared with the survey participants, MT|SHRM is pleased to share these broad outcomes with our membership.   Merit pay increases in the Middle Tennessee area are running slightly below the national average for 2006 based on the responses received from the 46 Middle Tennessee employers who participated in the survey.  Projections for 2007 merit budgets reveal the same trend with employers reporting merit increase plans below the national average.   This year’s survey also asked an interesting set of questions regarding the timing of merit pay reviews and performance reviews.  The survey revealed that over 70% of employers in the survey use common dates for both merit and performance reviews.   MT|SHRM sponsors the annual compensation, benefit and compensation planning surveys as a service to our membership.  It is our hope that the surveys provide comparative data to help our membership better manage overall compensation expenses for their respective organizations.    Survey participation is the most cost effective way of receiving the results of the salary survey, and the only way to receive the results of the benefit and compensation planning surveys.  Your participation in all of these surveys ensures that we have quality, representative data.   Questions regarding this or our other sponsored surveys should be directed to Mike Umphres.  He can be reached at 615-370-3280.   Back to Top >>>     Spotlight on the Board – Bob McKown   The President-Elect, at the request of the President, or in her absence or disability, may perform any of the duties of the President. Responsibility of the President-Elect will include:  serving in a leadership capacity with the State HR Conference when scheduled in Nashville, applying on behalf of the Chapter for the Superior Merit Award and coordinating Chapter volunteers in committees that support the goals of this position.  He/she will have such other powers and perform such other liaison duties as the Board or the President may determine.   Back to Top >>> Members in the news   Congratulations to Paula Galbreath who has landed as Hiring Manager at Zander Insurance.   Tonya Gracey, Area Human Resource Manager with VF Imagewear, earned the SPHR certification this spring.   Back to Top >>>

THIS MONTH'S SPONSOR Golf Scramble ’06 Our Valued Sponsors   Click on a link and support the businesses that support MT|SHRM   Event Sponsor Humana   Platinum Level Sponsor Regions Bank   Gold Level Sponsors The HR Group The Work Institute   Silver Level Sponsors CenBen USA Challenger, Gray & Christmas Concentra Cowan Benefit Services Five Chairs Lee Hecht Harrison Professional Account Services Right Management Consultants Robert Half International Spherion Professional Services Wimberly Lawson   Bronze Level Sponsors ADP Appleone BB&T Benefit Consultants BeneSync Careerbuilder Center for Organizational and HR Effectiveness Randstad Staffing Remedy Staffing TA Staffing The Work Institute     Committee Links >>> Find out what's going on... Professional Development  Legislative Communications Diversity Community Involvement HR Career Tranistion Membership Finance Workforce Planning MT-SHRM South Member Relations View the Career Transition Group Wine & Cheese Mixer   Quick Links >>>   About MT-SHRM General Information Board Members Career Connections About Career Connections Submit/Remove HR Jobs HR Job Listings Membership Information Join MT-SHRM Now Join National SHRM Guidelines for Membership Eligibility MT-SHRM By-laws Events Upcoming Events Calendar Events Photo Gallery  News & Resources Professional Development Advertising Opportunities Other HR Web Sites Legislative Issues Newsletter Archive   Looking for an HR Professional? Quick!  Post a job on  Career Connections and get the right person, right now!     MT-SHRM 2006-2007 Board of Directors   Kellie Conn - President   Denis Blackwelder - Past President   Tracy Anthony - Workforce Planning Chair   John Gilbert - Member Relations Chair   Lynn Hutson - Programs Chair   Danny Nelms - Membership Chair   Tish Meshew - Finance Chair   Kevie Mikus - MT-SHRM South Chair   Jimmy Patterson - Legal Advisor   Mark Peters - Legislative Chair   Art Smith - Communications Chair   MT-SHRM Communications Committee Art Smith - Communications Chair Kathy Story - Vice Chair, Newsletter Patty Bouchillon -Vice Chair, Web Site Dan Aronoff - Co-Vice Chair Marketing Gary Bynum - Co-Vice Chair Marketing Brooke Thurman - Vice Chair Editorial MT|SHRM’s Connections Newsletter has won the 2006 APEX "Award of Excellence." The APEX awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications effectiveness and excellence. Contacts Please forward comments, suggestions and/or questions to communications@mtshrm.org To change your subscriber information, contact Anne Powers For Connections Newsletter sponsorship, contact Dan Aronoff  Connections Newsletter is published monthly by Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management © 2006 Past Issues