On April 15, 2011, the BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA) announced the winners of its annual awards – the HR Professional of the Year and Rising Star – along with the most recently inducted Fellow CHRPs (FCHRPs).

HR Professional of the Year 2011

Wayne Balshin, executive director of human resources and labour relations at Vancouver Coastal Health was announced as the winner of the Award of Excellence: HR Professional of the Year at BC HRMA’s 49th Annual Conference and Marketplace.

Balshin was nominated for a range of workforce initiatives that required ‘out of the box’ strategy and deployment with provincial union and multi-health authority consensus.  His creation, implementations and positive union relations related to the attendance promotion program that has saved $4.3 million in relief staffing costs and thousands of hours of productive time.

Nominated finalists alongside Balshin included: Elaine Jones, CHRP, executive director of the strategic human resources branch of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and the Office of the Premier; and Jennifer Perry, CHRP, vice-president of talent management at HUB International Insurance Brokers

The Award of Excellence: HR Professional of the Year, sponsored by Knightsbridge and The Globe and Mail, is given to an individual who contributes to an organization by achieving significant business results and by demonstrating exceptional leadership both as a personal and professional role model.

Rising Star Award 2011

Kara Biles, CHRP was announced as the winner of the Rising Star Award 2011.  Biles is a dedicated HR professional at the BC Public Service, helping support a 30,000 member workforce delivering services to more than four million British Columbians.

She is one of only a few people in the BC Public Service to design and develop training courses and systems using technology.  Biles has become a recognized expert in training and development for her own agency, as well as other ministries in the BC Public Service. As the go-to person for e-learning, her entire job is defined as innovation in training.

Alongside Biles, nominated finalists included: Carly Gordon, CHRP, human resources advisor at NRI Distribution Inc.; and Sarah Siddall, CHRP, human resources recruiter for the Resort Municipality of Whistler

The Rising Star Award, sponsored by Knightsbridge, The Province and The Vancouver Sun, recognizes and honors a BC HRMA member who is lighting the HR community on fire.

Fellow CHRPs

FCHRPs are vanguards and stewards, strategists and anchors, both defining and promoting excellence within their realms of experience.  This year’s FCRHP recipients are Rod Killough (Teck Highland Valley Copper, Logan Lake), Susan McIntyre (People in Focus Consulting, Vancouver) and Kevin Jeffrey (Pointbreak Consulting Group, Vancouver).

Congratulations to all award recipients.