Mike VanDervort Speaking at Illinois SHRM Conference

Pictured at SHRM  2011 Legislative Conference Tara Mauk Arthur,
Donna Rogers and Mike VanDervor 

At this year's Illinois State SHRM Conference I will be watching a social media leader, and friend in transition. I have known Mike VanDervort for around three years. We met as friends on line before meeting face to face in 2009.

Mike is actually in transition on a couple different fronts. He has recently taken on new responsibilities in his day job with Publix in Florida. His focus has moved more towards social media away from labor relations. He still is an unquestionable subject matter expert and leader in the area of labor relations. His opinion is sought regularly about matters of labor relations. He also writes about the subject frequently at his blog site The Human Race Horses. Mike is also considered by many to be an expert, as well, when it comes to matters of social media. That is phase one of Mike’s transition.

2010 IL SHRM Keynote Speaker Pamela Meyer PhD.
Pictured with Mike VanDervort.

The second part of the transition is where you will find Mike at this conference. I am sure we will see Mike hanging out, observing, writing, posting, visiting and interacting with attendees what he does at most every event he attends. But this year, Mike is going to be one of the presenters. Mike is presenting one of the Social Media sessions. Mike is presenting “Unions are getting Social with your Employees.”

Mike is going to share some of the things he has learned along the way. For anyone who attends this session you will walk away with a keen insight into how unions are currently using social media.

Mike joined Illinois SHRM last year and participated in the conference and blogged about the event as well. We are excited to have him back again this year and look forward to seeing him in this new role.

- Dave Ryan ISC-SHRM Director of Social Media