Award of Excellence – HR Professional of the Year
This award is given to an HR individual who contributes by improving their organizations bottom-line, achieving business results, and demonstrating leadership and who serves as a personal and professional role model.  Proudly sponsored by The Globe and Mail.

Eileen B. Stewart
Independent HR Consultant

For over 35 years, Eileen Stewart has been making HR work for businesses, educational institutions and the greater community. Having worked in leadership positions for The City of Vancouver, UBC, BCIT, UVIC and Vancouver Coast Health, her efforts have arguably shaped the working experiences of a great many who live and work in the Lower Mainland.

While head of HR at UBC in the mid-80s, Stewart promoted a more collaborative approach to labour relations. In a typically confrontational time, her approach was unique, risky and ultimately successful.

An early champion of win-win scenarios, Stewart championed another paradigm shift at the City of Vancouver in the mid-90s, promoting a strategic approach to people management with a focus on training and development. This translated financially into a $2 million/year commitment, a significant increase from $0 and marked the first time in its history the organization had directed money towards the development of its employees. The goal was a more customer service focused front line and remains to this day.

For Stewart, strong HR and good leadership have long been synonymous. As the author of Essentials of Managing Human Resources and HR program head at BCIT from 1999-2007, her passion for people practices has made significant contributions towards increasing the profile and impact of professional HR management.

Such was her revitalization of the HR program at BCIT that it remained the top program in the School of Business for 10 years. The revitalization was in depth: curriculum review, recruiting and retaining good staff, encouraging staff connections within the business community, BC HRMA involvement and creating a new market awareness of the value of HR grads as ideal hires. As per its effectiveness? Enrollment in the HR program had been low when Stewart stepped into her role; decade later, five applicants awaited every space available. In the course of her careers, she has also nurtured a strong volunteer aspect, sitting on the boards of YWCA, Science World and the Women’s Health Research Institute; she is currently vice chair of BC Women’s Foundation and sits as an HR advisor on the Vancouver Aquarium Board’s HR committee.

As both a vanguard and a shepherd of forward-thinking ‘best practices’, Stewart has been involved with BC HRMA on many levels since 1985: as a board member, as past-president and sitting on numerous Conference committees over the years. Fittingly, she currently chairs the Leadership Forum.

Award of Excellence – Innovation
This award recognizes an individual or team that has successfully implemented an innovative and progressive program and/or project (within financial or corporate limitations) in response to a new or ongoing HR challenge or opportunity within their organization. Proudly sponsored by The Globe and Mail.

Capital Regional District “iLead” Program
Sarah Hood, Chris Neilson, Mary Stock, Nadine Dillabaugh, Angela Maunders, Elaine McMath

In their Corporate Strategic Plan for 2007-2009, Organizational Performance was one of Capital Regional District’s top five strategic objectives; from this emerged a three year strategic HR plan to drive an organization-wide culture shift. Leadership alignment was made a year one strategic priority and the CRD Leadership Competency Profile was developed. However, developing leaders is not the same thing as developing leadership.

With that in mind, the HR team at the Capital Regional District in Victoria designed a new approach to leadership development: one that would change the way their leaders thought about leadership, their role as leaders and the CRD as a whole. The CRD’s HR team (Chris Neilson, senior manager of HR; Sarah Hood, manager, workforce development and strategies; HR managers Mary Stock and Nadine Dillabaugh; and HR advisors Angela Maunders and Elaine McMath) led the initiative that resulted in a strategic partnership with Royal Roads and the development of the “iLead” program.

The leadership model and “iLead” program were completed in 2008 and with Royal Roads faculty contracted to deliver the theoretical and action learning components. As per the program coordination, assessments and linkages to strategic objectives and other internal programming, Hood and her HR team led the way with “iLead” which stands for “Integrated Leadership Education Assessment and Development”.

What “iLead” does is bring together executives, managers and supervisors to uncover new perspectives to leadership application and highlight the leadership aspects at all levels of the CRD. Mandatory managerial attendance has created both a common vocabulary and critical mass of support. The team forged direct links between strategic HR development initiatives and “iLead” outcomes, resulting in a leadership program grounded in the CRD’s culture shift. Four groups have since completed the program, including all managers at the CRD.

Nationally recognized by an educational award from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators in 2011, the iLead program has shifted the CRD culture internally as well: employee perception of leadership dynamics has risen by 11.5 per cent over 18 months.

Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award recognizes a BC HRMA member who is ‘lighting the HR community on fire.’ Our young HR trailblazers hold the future of the HR profession in their hands and are the lifeblood of many BC HRMA volunteer committees. Proudly sponsored by The Vancouver Sun, The Province and the SFU Beedie School of Business.

Tyler Cheyne, CHRP
HR Advisor
Omicron Canada Inc.

A drive to learn and a willingness to take on challenges have changed Tyler Cheyne’s life in short order. In only two years, at Omicron, the scope of his challenges, along with his role has grown.

Within the first year at Omicron, Cheyne took charge of the end user portion of the company’s Timesheet software system – a critical aspect of the business given Omicron’s project-based environment. Mastering the administrative aspect of the system, he redesigned the employee orientation for the system. Through training and continued follow-up, the results impressed: late or inaccurate timesheet submissions were reduced by 75 per cent in one year, HR hours spent on timesheets dropped by 66 per cent and the billing cycle was halved, resulting in improved cash flow and more timely reporting.

Promoted to HR advisor shortly thereafter, Cheyne has continued to improve the employee orientation program, partnering with functional leaders to create more specifically aligned orientation programs for all core roles – as well as implementing employee check-ins at the 30/60/90 day mark.

Of particular impact was Cheyne’s role in developing a demographic and skills analysis profile within the company’s construction and architectural disciplines. Cheyne partnered with Omicron’s leadership to design a survey to capture the key skill sets; this was accompanied by a self-assessment and manager assessment on matters of mastery and years of experience. Once graphed and analyzed, the initiative has allowed Omicron greater clarity regarding areas of strength and skills gaps and is being used in the company’s 2012 workforce planning.

All Omicron achievement’s aside, some of Cheyne’s greatest contributions have been through volunteer activities; his contributions to BC HRMA began when he took on the Greater Vancouver communications portfolio lead in 2009 and currently he co-leads the Coastal Vancouver CHRP and Professional Development portfolio. From 2008-2010, Cheyne was a driving force of the Winter Olympic spirit as a VANOC volunteer training facilitator where his orientation and training skills readied countless other volunteers to welcome the world.

Fellow CHRP
The Fellow CHRP (FCHRP) is a prestigious title that recognizes the most exceptional CHRPs in Canada who have made outstanding contributions to the human resources profession and their communities.

Dr. Craig C. Pinder, PhD, FCHRP
Distinguished Professor
University of Victoria

Dr. Craig Pinder’s recognition as a Fellow CHRP is just the most recent in a distinguished career: a lifetime’s record of devotion to learning, the betterment of business, and people practices in particular.

As an academic, his impact at the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Business, recently renamed the Peter B. Gusatvson School of Business, is renowned amongst students and peers alike. In 2005, he was granted the singular honour of being named “Distinguished Professor” for his academic excellence and contributions to the greater university community alike. As the youngest professor at UBC’s Faculty of Commerce, Craig epitomized from the start of his professional journey the hallmarks of a leader on many levels. As the author of four books and numerous articles on the subject, Craig is both a recognized scholar and a key practitioner, best known for his practical approach to work motivation.

An avowed mentor and champion of women in industry, Craig’s efforts have never been confined to the classroom. Whether consulting to business or contributing his experience to the bigger picture of the HR profession, his discipline, rigour and insights have benefited countless workplaces.

When the BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA) sought academic input for the development of the CHRP designation in BC, Craig not only answered the call, but served on the board as Designate Chair during rocky times. Providing significant academic rigour and input to the original design of the exams and requirements, his diligence and duty was in large part responsible for provincial and national acceptance.

Remaining an active member of BC HRMA throughout his career, even during his recent LTD health challenges, Craig remains in touch with his colleagues. His passion for people and the meaning of work remains undiminished. The ultimate professional, Craig has devoted his professional life to the advancement and furtherance of professionalization of HR, passing on to others a life long journey of growth, learning and ongoing development.