Sourced hundreds of candidates internationally through globally recognized search firms, specialty firms and internal resources. Negotiated favorable pricing arrangements and closely managed the process.

Trained and certified more than 100 HR professionals in Executive Assessment. Designed and implemented Assessment Centers for various levels of management. Utilized validated testing and developed structured interview guides and reference interview guides for leadership selection. Utilized pareto analysis to determine predictors of future achievement. Trained hundreds of individuals in test administration, structured interviews, reference interviews and assessment documentation. Officer appointments required an executive assessment. Achieved high success rate of leadership selections based on subsequent performance.

Designed and implemented a New Leader Assimilation Process to coalesce new leaders and teams quickly to achieve a high probability of acceptance and success for the new leader in the organization. The process significantly accelerates the time new leaders and teams optimize performance. Implemented process globally.

Created a comprehensive executive development curriculum focused on Strategic Thinking, Operating Excellence and Leadership. Pre-program on-line competency improvement and executive assessments were requirements to maximize the learning experience; staggered and non-staggered schedules were introduced; team projects were selected from strategic and operating plans for action based learning; teams were sent to “best in class” companies to provide external learning opportunity which expands experience bandwidth; and, faculty selection consisted of executive team members as a development opportunity, university professors and external CEOs. Multi-level learning platforms were deployed. For example, at Home Depot: Executive Leadership Program; Accelerated Leadership Program; Retail Leadership Development Program; Store Manager Learning Forums; and, District Manager Learning Forums. Within five months put 1,800 store and district leaders through a full week of learning. Previously established similar learning institutes and delivered leadership curriculums at GE, Raytheon and Cerberus Capital Management.

Created, designed, and managed leadership programs at Raytheon and Home Depot. Guided selection and development of highly qualified candidates at various levels and disciplines to upgrade the pipeline of talent. At HD : Entry Level Leadership Program for MBA graduates [ELLP]; Store Leadership Program for store managers [SLP]; Fast Track Program for experience retail hires [FTP]; Financial Leadership Program [FLP]; Internal Audit Leadership Program [IALP]; Store Human Resource Managers Initiative [HRM]; and, Merchandising Leadership Program [MLP]. Similar programs introduced at Raytheon for manufacturing, contracts, human resources, quality, finance and executives.

Based on competency models, conducted computer-based assessment of leader and team effectiveness through anonymous participation of peers, associates, leaders, etc.  With expert guidance, devised a “Gallery Walk” process to provide feedback with group interaction resulting in a material increase in leader and team behavioral change. Leader and team 360 results were linked to the performance management, compensation and development processes – and were also a focal point of the annual HR Review process. Through predictive modeling leader 360s were correlated to business operating results [gross margin per labor hour, accident claims, etc.]

Conducted a comprehensive process which serves as a MRI for the organization’s human capital capability. This is the third leg of the stool along with strategic planning and operating planning. Provides a three dimensional 27-block framework for Leadership, Performance and Potential. Leverages an overall business context for human capital initiatives and includes: comprehensive leadership assessments; hi-potential pipeline analysis; organization structure reviews; succession planning; critical talent risks; performance issues; HR process effectiveness; and, interactive sessions with top leaders and hi-potentials. Engaged the Compensation Committee and Board of Directors in the process.

Comprehensive HR metrics for all process areas to measure capability and results. Incorporated metrics decks into standard report formats for the organization. Enterprise review of multiple HR metrics on a weekly basis with red, green and yellow rankings for business entities in the organization. Through predictive modeling, HR metrics were correlated to quantitative business outcomes.

Working with IT and the HR team, designed and implemented human resource information systems [HRIS] with OLAP cubes [online analytical processing], standard report formats and super-user capability with common data warehousing to assure data integrity. Drove self-sufficiency throughout the organization and provided sophisticated reporting against metrics.

All HR initiatives were developed within the context of the correlation between Leadership, Workforce Engagement, Customer Loyalty and Business Outcomes. In this regard, leveraged predictive modeling to statistically correlate human resource initiatives with business outcomes such as operating margin and sales. Extensively used engagement surveys as the best predictor of human capital effectiveness. At HD surveys administered to 100% of the workforce every two years – and a pulse/sample engagement survey to a statistically valid sample of the workforce for the alternate years. Through predictive modeling, assessed the gain in sales and operating margin with a one-point improvement in engagement scores. Achieved an 87% response rate and high comparative rankings against normative comparisons with total industry and consumer services, demonstrating an impressive improvement trajectory. Leveraged engagement surveys to establish a self-representation index.

Led numerous organization design projects leveraging various models of P&L, Functional, Geographic, and Hybrid/Matrix configurations. Set the parameter that structure is not the answer – it is an enabler for direction, people, process, metrics and systems to work together effectively. Significantly increased spans of leadership and reduced layers to provide development opportunities and streamline the decision process for accelerated execution. At Home Depot led the company’s transition from a decentralized purchasing model to a “hybrid” model in which a central office oversees purchasing while store and division-level managers decide what to sell based on the local market. Shortly after implementation, the hybrid model helped improve the company’s gross margins by 1 percent — an achievement Fortune Magazine described as “a huge accomplishment in the world of retailing.”

At Home Depot, since 90% of employees were in the stores, led the effort to place a HR Manager in each store. Highly interactive process with HD leadership at all levels – within three months, processed more than 37,000 applications for the positions, conducted 97 full-day career forums, interviewed 3,000 candidates, and ultimately selected 1,500 new HR managers, 800 of whom came from outside the company. The new managers all started the week following selection. Throughout career, hired, developed and mentored numerous professionals who have become CHROs and C-Level Executives.

Achieved HD hiring goals in a company increasing employment by 20k+ per year for six consecutive years in more than 2.000 locations. Attrition/retention results: 40%+ reduction in associate attrition and more than a 70%+ reduction in store manager attrition. Introduced enhanced technology: Applicant Tracking System [ATS], On-Line Skills Assessment, and Advanced Sorting and Search Capability. Instituted realistic job previews, mass hiring forums in major markets, structured interview guides, accelerated background checks, new on-boarding procedures and new orientation processes. Each week performed a through-put-yield analysis [forecast accuracy, schedule to forecast and schedule adherence] to evaluate business unit performance and correlated the results to weekly revenues and operating margin. Conducted Gallup Exit Surveys to accurately determine reasons for voluntary attritions and measure progress since last survey. Established acclaimed hiring partnerships with US Department of Labor, US Department of Defense, US Department of Veterans Affairs; AARP; and the Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibility [HACR]. Received Recruiting & Staffing Best in Class (RASBIC) Award for Outstanding Staffing and Recruiting Organization of the Year.

Drove simplified performance management to align the organization around achievement. Overall process tollgates included Metrics, Measurement, Evaluation and Rewards. For Management: Employee Profile; Metrics 4 Block [Financial, Operational, Customer, Employee]; Performance Screen; and, Performance and Development Summary. Four tier ratings in three areas – Performance, Leadership and Potential. Created on-line capability. Conducted rating analysis to assure appropriate differentiation. Utilized team peer review process. For hourly employees: simplified to one page.

Design, implementation, and administration of compensation in public and private companies. Prepared Plan Documents, Award Agreements and Delegations of Authority. Reward Design – base pay, short term incentives [STI], long term incentives [LTI], variable award plans such as revenue incentive programs and profit-sharing programs, retention plans, etc. Wage Management – pay groups, office cycle increase management, starting rate analysis, average rate tracking and effective rate tracking. Ratings Distribution – assessment of percentage of employees for each performance rating category. Reward Differentiation – assessment of average increases for each performance rating category. Streamlined hundreds of job categories. Achieved over $1B in cost avoidance through effective utilization of these tools. Formation of a company alliance to leverage purchasing power, achieving a first-year savings of $28M and an on-going savings of over $10M per year. Achieved: $13.5M medical plan cost avoidance and reduced benefit costs 16.5% lower than industry average and 28.9% lower than labor market average.

Designed a learning curriculum around: needs assessment, budgeting, funding, curriculum design, curriculum delivery and learning assessment – all based on an adult learning model. At HD, provided over 25M hours of learning annually. Deployed a learning management system [LMS] to accurately budget learning as part of the annual operating review process and access enterprise utilization. Evaluated weekly curriculum delivery by location and forecasted the impact on revenue and operating margin by location. Introduced ‘CBT’ Computer Based Training [6M+ hours annually] to reduce the learning curve and increase learning retention. Instituted a formal two-year rotational program for assistant managers, an executive leadership program for senior staff and a learning curriculum for the entire company. Negotiated with national on-line learning organizations to approve credit for curriculum so employees could obtain a college degree on-line and only had to complete remaining credits using tuition refund program. Ran the largest training and learning facility in GE’s operating components with a full learning curriculum which included commercial training for customers and technical training for the field engineering staff.

Recognized by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and the Rainbow/Push Coalition for accomplishments in diversity and inclusion in the aerospace and defense industry. Delivered the keynote speech at the Rainbow/Push Coalition Diversity Symposium. Partnered with the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), along with several of the country’s leading national Hispanic organizations to form a grass roots hiring coalition for retail positions throughout the United States. Delivered keynote address to HACR’s Hispanic Summit and association member SER’s Jobs for Progress Annual Conference. Led the initiative that provided domestic partner benefits for a Fortune 100 company workforce. Sourced, hired and developed high performing/high potential diverse candidates – serving as a mentor to many. I’ve had the pleasure of working with great diversity and inclusion leaders and highly engaged diversity and inclusion councils that added tremendous value to the organization by leveraging diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage. During tenure at HD: Ranked #4 on Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility’s Corporate Inclusion Index; CEO Diversity Leadership Award DBP and the Business Women’s Network; Outstanding Corporation of the Year Award – Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Partner of the Year Award SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc.; Corporation of the Year Award – Atlanta Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs; King Center Salute to Greatness Award; Top Company Award for Hispanics by Hispanic Magazine; Top Company for Minorities Award by Black Engineer Magazine; and, US Black Engineer Most Admired Companies.

As a labor relations negotiator, manager and chief spokesperson representing several businesses – successfully planned, negotiated and implemented numerous labor contracts worldwide. Prepared comprehensive issue analysis and argumentation planning for GE’s national negotiations with all domestic unions – assisted GE’s head of labor relations and Chief Spokesperson for GE’s national negotiations. Served as Chief Spokesperson at the Pension and Insurance negotiations table with labor officials from various unions representing a unionized workforce of more than 100,000. Subsequently served as an advisor for GE’s national labor negotiations. As a HR executive – oversaw labor relations with more than one hundred domestic and international bargaining units. Created a comprehensive process to plan, negotiate and implement labor contracts – data acquisition & analysis, issue identification and prioritization, strategy development, tactical planning and contingency actions. Achieved international recognition for arriving at an arrangement with the Center, Right and Left national unions in Italy, replacing the annual national bonus with variable compensation which paid out based on inventory turns, revenue and operating margin. Oversight/counsel for numerous arbitrations, litigations and administrative agency cases. Successfully planned and managed contingency actions during labor disputes which resulted in no/minimal business impact. Created and implemented Self-Representation strategic and tactical plans utilizing an engagement survey index.

Effective management/oversight of hundreds of complex employment and labor related issues and disputes. Served as the Company’s/Board’s on-point representative with legal firms including Ashurst in Paris, Linklaters in London and Amsterdam, Blakes in Toronto, etc. As a labor lawyer working with Co-counsel and the GC, achieved over a 90% success rate in arbitrations and 100% favorable outcomes in cases before the National Labor Relations Board.