Musings from An Outgoing State Director

Dave & Donna Mucking it up.

Today, the 17^th Annual Illinois SHRM Conference begins with a pre-conference session and a board meeting, late afternoon.  I am excited to attend. I am stoked to see all of my HR friends from around the country  world. I can’t wait to hear Steve Browne and Cy Wakeman speak.  I get to visit with my friend and presenter Renee Robson (Yeah, she is from down under – they do HR there to.)   I get to present a session with my HR Speaking partner Donna Rogers.  

I get to hold a meeting with all the wonderful volunteers who have supported me for the last year and nine months.  This is great! But at the end of the meeting, on Sunday and then again on Tuesday, I will likely be wrought with emotion, as you see my time as State Director is nearly done.   I have talked with many folks who have left this role both in Illinois and other states and they all experience this; the separation anxiety – the thought of leaving.

Then there are all the things I didn’t get done, one could call them failures or just lofty goals.

Next, I think of all of the people and organizations that I have got to touch in this role and it has been a gift.

Dave & Connie at ILSHRM

I am sad my time is coming to close, it has been a true pleasure to get to serve in this role.

To my predecessor Connie Wolgemuth, you are such a wonderful leader, and smart woman I could not have asked for anyone better in preparing me for the role.  You are awesome!

To my successor Becky Krueger, I am so proud of you in all that you have done to date, all that you continue to do and all of the successes you will have as the incoming State Director. You are awesome and I can't wait to see where you take ILSHRM.

My wife Sheila and Becky riding in the back 

of the disco lit Uber in Miami

And to Becky’s successor good luck, you have a marvelous mentor who will prepare you well for upcoming role.

For all of my life I have been an Eagles fan. One of their last recordings was Out of Eden. There was a song on album titled “It’s Your World Now.”  It is a beautiful song written and sung by founding band member Glen Frey.  In the song Glen talks about how his time is over, sadly that came all too soon.  The lyrics speak to me as to anyone who is “moving on” so I will leave you with them – and if you haven’t heard the song go listen to it.

Dave, Steve and John at VLS … a long time ago.

A perfect day, the sun is sinking low
As evening falls, the gentle breezes blow
The time we shared went by so fast
Just like a dream, we knew it couldn't last
But I'd do it all again
If I could, somehow
But I must be leaving soon
It's your world now

[Chorus]
It's your world now
My race is run
I'm moving on
Like the setting sun
No sad goodbyes
No tears allowed
You'll be alright
It's your world now

[Verse 2]
Even when we are apart
You'll always be in my heart
When dark clouds appear in the sky
Remember true love never dies
But first a kiss, one glass of wine
Just one more dance while there's still time
My one last wish, someday, you'll see
How hard I tried and how much you meant to me

Find me at the conference I am the guy, off in the distance, who will be bawling uncontrollably on Sunday and again on Tuesday.  

Two last thought... John Jorgenson (the Godfatha of ILSHRM) thanks for getting me involved with this organization.  And Lori Maher-McCombs thank you for joining our team and doing what you do, oh so well!

--Dave Ryan ISC State Director

ILSHRM Bloggers at SHRM18

 With the SHRM 18 Annual Conference being in “our” backyard, a couple of ILSHRM’s finest have been asked to participate in the SHRM 18 Blog Squad as part of the social media effort promoting the conference leading up to and during the event, those being Dave Ryan, the current ILSHRM State Director and John Jorgensen, a past State Director.

Dave Ryan

John Jorgensen

As part of the effort to introduce them to the folks who do not know them (believe it or not there are a few), Mike VanderVort, a long time social media presence and a friend of ILSHRM, had both on his Drive Thru HR blog talk radio show to discuss their involvement with the Blog Squad and SHRM in general.  This would be a good place to let those who missed them catch up via the links shown below.  In addition, there is also a link to a Facebook post each did to introduce themselves to the other Blog Squad members……

Here's Dave Ryan, aka @DavetheHRCzar on Twitter.  His DTHR interview is found here and his Facebook post:

Next is John Jorgensen, aka @jkjhr on Twitter.  His DTHR interview is here and his Facebook post:  

Please follow both of us on Twitter for our reports during the conference and on the SHRM Blog Posts leading up to the conference.  If you are going to be at SHRM 18, track us down.  It will be worth your while!

- John Jorgensen Past State Director ILSHRM

ILSHRM on Drive Thru HR

Much has been written about #ILSHRM12, and now we have moved on to conversations.  So in case you missed this episode,  due to a scheduling snafoo ILSHRM12 became the subject on Drive Thru HR. Host William Tincup visits with Chris Fields and our own John Jorgensen; have a listen!

Listen to internet radio with Wempen and Tincup on Blog Talk Radio

Changes for 2011 - New Contributors to IL SHRM Site

It is the year’s end and at Illinois SHRM just like at many other volunteer organizations personnel changes usually take place around this time of year. At the top we have a new incoming State Director – Donna Rogers. We also have a new Director Elect Cathy Plouzek, and we have the outgoing, Past State Director John Jorgensen. While we have a number of personnel changes we also have some folks like your truly are hanging around for another year or two.


One of the things that I am going to do next year is add some new voices to this blog site. For the most part, postings so far, have come from me, Dave Ryan, the Director of the Social Media for the State Council. Having looked around at other sites and other organization I have invited more folks who are involved with SHRM here in Illinois to be contributors and give new and varied content  in regards to  what is going on in the World of Human Resources.

The three folks mentioned earlier, John, Donna and Cathy all have agree to generate 4 to 5 posts for next year. In addition to the IL SHRM executive gang, we have lined up IL SHRM’s membership director and all around great guy Jeff Williams to our crew. Jeff currently writes at his own blog site HDLeader. Our Director of Marketing and Communication Heather Hammitt will also be contributing to our blog site.

To another prospective, from the staffing portion of Human Resources, Chloe Rada, The President of Staffing Management Association of Greater Chicago will be a regular contributor to the site.

We have been fortunate to grab two more contributors who have been instrumental in creating a new SHRM chapter in the Metro East area. We are thrilled to have Trish McFarlane who regularly blogs at HRRingleader, and her co-conspirator Chris Frede who also has her own site, HRBouy, as regular contributors for 2010.

So if I go back and count up the bolded names I see nine names listed. The plan was to have 12 regular contributors. So if my math still works I need three more regular contributors. Please let me know if you would be interested in contributing.

In addition to the weekly contributions, we plan to be presenting guest posts from upcoming conference speakers, and others who are present on the HR scene. So be looking for exciting thing coming from this the Illinois State Council of SHRM and this site next year.
- Dave Ryan Director of Social Media Illinois State Council of SHRM

Farewell from Outgoing ISC SHRM Director John Jorgensen

Wow, where has the two years gone? I am rapidly approaching the end of my term as the Illinois State Director of SHRM. It has been a great couple of years working with great people and, in many ways, sorry to see it end.

The Board has accomplished really good things in that time. We’ve continued the great programs started by my predecessors (Carolyn Sperl especially) in that we have expanded our partnership with Blue Cross/Blue Shield in the area of workplace wellness, built on our relationship with the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce and built our Leadership Conference over a brief 3 year period into something to be proud of. Thanks to Carolyn and all those who preceded me.

During the last two years we have done some pretty amazing stuff. The State Conference has been moved into the Chicago area and it paid great benefits. Attendance increased by 50%, we have received some national attention and will continue to grow. We have added Social Media to our Board and garnered more national attention by doing so (we were the second state council to add that as a director level position). Because of that, we were the first state conference to be visited by the newly created SHRM Director of Social Media and PR. All of this is laying the groundwork for an even bigger and better conference for the future. We have secured the same location for the next 2 years so see you at the Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace in 2011 and 2012.

Another new position to the board in the last couple of years was a Director of Communications and we have begun to produce regular newsletters of great quality and to provide media in the state a source for information on the profession of human resources, while making the name of ISC-SHRM better known throughout Illinois.

A position that is not new but has been revitalized is that of District Director. We have been able to use the people in that position and the expertise they bring to help chapters grow and operate and they are playing a huge role in the upcoming State Leadership Conference.

We are on the verge of adding at least 2-3 new SHRM chapters in the state in areas not served currently by SHRM chapters and in the process picking up some amazing new members of and leaders for Illinois SHRM.

Notice that the word “I” only appeared once in this article because “I” did not do all these things. The Board did. I (ok now twice) have been blessed to serve with an amazing group of professionals and volunteer leaders that have made my job so amazingly easy and fun. Thank you to all of you for the outstanding work you have done that has made the Illinois State Council of the Society of Human Resource Management the great organization it has become and will continue to be.

Thanks, John

Meet John Jorgensen

I used to worked with a gentleman who would often say, “If you don’t blow your own horn, ain’t nobody gonna blow it for you.” I am sure he did not make the quote up and it contains bad English, nonetheless I have often found it to be appropriate. And such is the case with ISC SHRM State Director John Jorgensen. (John won’t blow his horn – so contrary to the quote, I am going to blow his horn for him.)

The Illinois State Council of SHRM has been fortunate to have the services of Mr. Jorgensen for nearly a decade. The last two years have been as the Director of the State Council of SHRM. Recently William Tincup interviewed John, and that interview is posted on the blogsite Fistful of Talent. If you know John or have been involved with him, and many people have, by all means read the piece, and leave a comment on the site.

-Dave Ryan IL SHRM Director of Socail Media