Member News   Updated 4/30/2008

In Memory of Ann Goldman
		Ann Sepe Goldman, long-time member of HRM-RI, passed away on Friday, March 28, 2008 at Rhode Island Hospital. Her funeral service, to which relatives and friends are invited, will be held Thursday, April 3, at 9:00 a.m. in the Nardolillo Funeral Home, 1278 Park Ave., Cranston, followed by interment in St. Ann Cemetery, Cranston.
Visiting hours will be 4 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, and Wednesday, April 2. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ann's name may be made to: Program in Gynecologic Oncology at Women and Infants Hospital, 1 Blackstone Place, Providence, RI 02905. Click here to view/sign a guestbook Ann Goldman was the wife, lover, best friend and partner for 25 years of Jon Goldman. Born in Providence, she was a daughter of the late Salvatore and Rose (Morenzi) Sepe. Ann was Senior Vice President for Human Resources at Arpin Van Lines for over 10 years. Besides her husband, she is survived by one son, Michael Goldman of Cranston; two sisters, Eva 'Eve' Sepe of Cranston and Marie Parrillo of Coventry; and one brother, Anthony J. Sepe of Providence. She was the sister of the late Gino Sepe. Ann also leaves her beloved Schnauzer, Roxy. Visit www.nardolillo.com for information and online condolences.

Vittoria Is New President of RI Business Group on Health

HRM-RI member J. Michael Vittoria, Director of Human Resources of Sperian Protection USA, is the new President of the Rhode Island Business Group on Health. He is taking over leadership of RIBGH from another HRM-RI member, Kyle Adamonis, PHR, Vice President of Human Resources & Legal at Taco Inc.

Mike has over 25 years of HRM experience with organizations of all sizes. He has held his current position at Sperion (formerly Bacou-Dalloz) since 1997. He received his BS in Business Administration  from  Marquette  University,  an  MBA  from Providence College, and a JD from Suffolk University Law School.

Mike is a member of SHRM and of the RI Bar Association,  and  chaired  the  RIBGH  Finance Committee during 2007. He is a frequent speaker on the topic of Consumer Driven Health Plans. His recent article entitled "A Step-by-Step Approach to Introducing Health Savings Accounts" was published in the September 2007 edition of Benefits & Compensation Digest and may be downloaded as a PDF from the RIBGH site by clicking here.

O'Connor and Snyder Are Awarded Taton Scholarships

HRM-RI members Valerie O'Connor from RIEAS and Terri Snyder from Coventry Credit Union have been awarded the David L. Taton Scholarship for Professional Development by the Rhode Island State Council of SHRM. Scholarships were announced at a special awards breakfast held in September at Bryant University. Click here to learn more about Taton Scholarships.

Congratulations to HRM-RI Members Whose Companies Have Been Named "Best Places to Work in Rhode Island" for 2007

HRM-RI extends congratulations to our members whose companies have been named "Best Places to Work in Rhode Island" for 2007. Of the 14 organiza-
tions which received this recognition in the Large and Medium Categories, we are proud to report that eight are represented in HRM-RI.

In the Large Category:

Advanced Financial Services, Inc.
Deanna Roy, VP Human Resources

Amgen
Trish Lovering, HR Manager

BankNewport
Wendy Kagan, SVP Human Resources; Diane Karcz, Assistant VP

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island
Eric Gasbarro, VP Human Resources

Cox Communications
Mary Connor, HR Manager; Kimberly O'Keefe, Director Employee Relations & Training; Susan Kaspari, Sr. Employee Relations Specialist; John Laurent, PHR, Employee Relations Specialist

In the Medium Category:

Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd.
Steven Loffredo, HR Manager

Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP
Valerie Kane-Curtis, HR Manager

United Way of Rhode Island
Lynn Corwin, HR Director; Evelyn Thomason, HR

To see the complete listing for 2007, to learn more about the process/criteria used for evaluating companies, or to get information about how your organization can register to be included in the 2008 "Best Places to Work in Rhode Island" program, visit: http://bestplacestoworkri.com.

In Memory of Elizabeth Ethier
		Elizabeth A. Ethier, long-time member and volunteer leader of HRM-RI, died on Saturday, February 2, 2008 at Rhode Island Hospital. In lieu of flowers, please contribe to: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445.
About Betty Dear Fellow Members of HRM-RI, Betty Ethier was a tireless volunteer for HRM-RI from its beginnings as the Personnel Association of Rhode Island (PARI). Whenever there was a need for a sponsor (or two or three) for a meeting or conference, Betty would reach out to her vast network. Like magic, or so it seemed, we'd have what we needed. She was always able to articulate the great opportunity that involvement with HRM-RI offered. Her support of the chapter didn't end there -- Betty served on numerous committees and was Chair of the Program Committee for several years. More recently, she has served as Chair of our Non-Dues Revenue Committee. Betty could always be counted on to support any activity the chapter did -- new member orientations, conferences, workshops, meetings. And she was able to accomplish this while building a successful business of her own. She was the founder and president of Occupations Unlimited, a staffing agency with offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Many of you may have been touched by Betty's help and concern during a job search. If she knew you were looking for a position, you were on her radar screen, and would likely hear of an opportunity. We all became another part of Betty's extended family and that was an honor. Betty was the first service provider I encountered when I began my HR career, but she quickly became much more than the rep from Tac Temps. She became mentor, networker, and friend. She'll be missed by all HRM-RI members. Lynn Watterson, SPHR, Past President of HRM-RI

2007 Sons & Daughters Scholarship Recipients Announced

HRM-RI is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2007 Sons & Daughters Scholarships. Members with college students were invited to submit their student's name in a random drawing for a $500 scholarship to be used for educational expenses.

This year's scholarship recipients are:

Meagan Gelfuso, daughter of HRM-RI member, Doreen Gelfuso, PHR, of Residential Properties. Megan will begin her junior year at Rhode Island College and is majoring in elementary education

Grace E. Fox, daughter of Mary B. Fox of APC, will begin her freshman year at Assumption College. She will be majoring in accounting.

Congratulations to Megan and Grace. We wish them much success.

Searles is New Program Chair

Lori A. Searles, PHR, Vice President and Director of Human Resources at BankRI, has recently been appointed as the new Chair of HRM-RI's Program Committee. Any member with suggestions for meeting topics or speakers is encouraged to contact Lori or other members of her committee. Click here!

Giebink is New
HRM-RI Treasurer

Karen Giebink, Director of Administration and Finance for the Narragansett Bay Commission, has recently been appointed to the office of Treasurer, filling the opening created by the resignation of Donna Dias. Karen will complete Donna's term, serving until elections are held at the end of 2008.

Brown Earns PHR Certification

Congratulations to HRM-RI member Crystal Brown, Human Resources Manager, Securitas USA, who passed the PHR (Professional in Human Re-
sources) exam 12/21/07.

HRM-RI Members At SHRM Leadership Conference

David Goldman, SPHR,
President of HRM-RI, reports that the recent SHRM Leader-
ship Conference was a fantastic experience, providing a wealth of ideas and best practices. Other HRM-RI member attending the conference included Debra Quinn, Chair of our Workforce Readiness Committee, Monica Coughlin, Professional Develop-
ment Committee Chair, and
Beth Crawford, representing our Membership Committee.

Rhode Island received "honorable mention" in front of the 1300+ attendees by Mike Aitken, SHRM Governmental Affairs Director. He mentioned us by name for our annual Legislative Conference, where member of state government attend a luncheon to discuss issues of concern with our members.

Tondreau Is New Public Relations Committee Chair

Rebecca Tondreau, Vice President, HR Manager, for Providence Washington Insur-
ance Solutions, has recently accepted the volunteer assign-
ment of chairing HRM-RI's
Public Relations Committee.

Rebecca joined Providence Washington in 1995 and is responsible for all of the com-
pany's HR functions, including compensation & benefits, perfor-
mance management, employee relations and retention.

As a seasoned HR professional with additional experience in recruiting and training, Rebecca brings a valuable understanding of HR issues to her new volun-
teer role. Welcome, Rebecca!

Bouchard and Ritter Join PR Committee

The newest members of our Public Relations Committee are Melissa Bouchard, Staffing Consultant, Corporate Search Group, Inc., and Teresa Ritter, President, Ritter Consulting, Inc.

PR Committee Needs More Members -- Volunteer Now!

The Public Relations Committee is still seeking more members. If you are interested in volunteering to join this committee, please click here.

Gray Earns SPHR Certification

Congratulations to HRM-RI member Herbert Gray, Vice President of Human Resources at Cranston Print Works, who passed the SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Re-
sources) exam on June 8, 2007.

Promotions and Transitions

Renee St. Germain, Chair of HRM-RI's Program Committee, has recently joined National DCP, LLC at Vice President of Human Resources.

Stephanie Gallo graduated from the University of Rhode Island in August 2007 with a Masters in Labor Relations & Human Resources and was promoted to Senior Director of Human Resources at The Children's Workshop.

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