Join us for breakfast at The Radisson in Warwick on Feburary 13, 2007, when Richard Trombetta, local author and President of The Innovation Company, will lead a fun, energizing, and interactive session focused on the key principles in his book Mustard Doesn't Go On Corn! - how respect, openness, and a simple process for innovation can lead to great ideas.

HRM-RI invites you to attend this workshop on March 2, 2007, 8 to 10 am, at AAA Southern New England in Providence. Topics will include:

• Benefits to Your Organization
• Intern Program Models
• Establishing a Quality Program
• Strengthening Your Existing Program
• Working Effectively with Colleges and Universities
• Strategies for Intern Recruitment, Supervision, Evaluation, and more
• Questions and Answers

Presenters:
Judith Clare, Director, Amica Center for Career Education,
Bryant University
Kathleen Clarkin, Director, Career Planning Center,
Providence College

A representative from a small and a large organization will share intern program models and their strategies for success.
 
Please register prior to February 22, 2007.

I am honored to greet you as the incoming President of HRM-RI for 2007. HRM-RI is filled with vibrant, creative, and knowledgeable HR Professionals, and I am pleased to be working with you all for the next year or two.

I have been fortunate to have recently attended the SHRM 2006 Leadership Conference in Crystal City, Virginia, just a block or two from the Pentagon. Over 1000 volunteer HR leaders from across the country, representing over 500 local chapters like ours, were all in one place at one time. Together we explored programs and ideas that have worked, and some that did not. We shared new ways to look at our membership, new ways to provide services, and new ways to better serve the community. Those of us who attended soaked up as much information as we could, and brought it all back here to be discussed.
 
So, in a nutshell, we have some work to do.

1. We want to continue to improve on the excellent foundations provided to us by current and past volunteers
2. We want to incorporate what we’ve learned from last year’s HRM survey, and the marketing plan that was created from it.
3. We want to reach out to our membership to find new and exciting ways to get each and every one of you involved in something – what ever you feel you can do – no matter how great or small.

As part of the new Statewide rigorous education requirements, high schools in Rhode Island must decide how they will challenge all students as they prepare to graduate. Some schools will now require seniors to complete a Senior Project, involving the preparation of a research paper and a presentation before a panel of judges.

About 70 judges are needed on May 11, 2007, from 9 am to 3 pm. These volunteer judges will have a welcoming "coffee and", go through an orientation, and have a lunch. In the afternoon, each volunteer will be part of a five judge panel in a classroom, judging the presentations of five senior students from the Providence Academy of International Studies.

If you can not make a firm commitment, please do NOt volunteer. However, if you can commit to being at the school from 9 am to 3 pm on May 11th, please use the link below to obtain more details on how you can get involved in this challenging and interesting experience, or contact Ken Cahill at 401-295-2838, Kencahill@cox.net.

HRM-RI very excited to announce a wonderful alliance with Partners In Leadership ®. They are a widely respected international leader-
ship and management-consulting firm, specializing in Accountability Training®, with over 500 clients in over 20 different industries.

Partners In Leadership is offering complimentary seats (regularly priced $399) to the first 25 members of HRM-RI who register for their upcoming Public Workshops on Accountability Training. The workshops will be held on Tuesday, March 13th in Boston.

To learn more about the workshops and to obtain a special promotional code for the complimentary registration, please use the link below.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking the public's input on various aspects of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This is a very important opportunity for HR professionals to share with the DOL the current challenges and concerns in complying with the FMLA.