I am pleased to announce that Scott Schurz Jr. has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Development, effective July 1st. Scott will retain some of his duties under his former position as VP of Corporate Development and add some others previously done by Marty Switalski. We are also re organizing some responsibilities at this time and not filling Scott’s prior position.
As I shared with you earlier, there have been a number of discussions at the Board and corporate level regarding the goals and objectives for our company’s Human Resources efforts. In addition to ensuring regulatory compliance, providing consistently high quality services to employees and adding value-added services (data analysis,
recruiting assistance), we agree that we also want to pursue two additional goals. The first revolves around acculturation: What makes our company uniquely us? How do we communicate and act according to our core values? How should employees assess their organization fit with us? The second goal centers on how Human Resources can act as a true strategic partner and add value to the entire organization; we want our Human Resource efforts to help us develop opportunities and solve problems for today and for the future.
Over the years, Scott has served as an intern, employee, supervisor, department head, general manager, publisher, senior corporate staff, and Board Director. I believe our Human Resources efforts will greatly benefit from his different experiences and perspectives. He will be reaching out to you in the next few months to solicit your feedback and get your input. You are our customers, and we need to make certain that we are meeting your needs for today and preparing for the future.
Some of his new duties and responsibilities as well as a brief bio are listed at the end of this memo.
I also want to take this opportunity to commend Melissa Lock and Sean Miller. Their talent, commitment and hard work have kept us moving forward during this time of transition.
Please join me in congratulating Scott on this well-deserved promotion.
The Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Development- Human Resources and Corporate Development is responsible for providing strategic HR leadership throughout the corporation through the development of Human resource (HR) policies and practices which reflect the corporation’s values and support its business strategies. In addition, the Vice President’s other value added roles include corporate-wide consulting, HR policy and practices quality assurance, and the development of first-class HR functions for all subsidiary locations. The Vice President helps company be a great place to work today and helps prepare the organization and staff for the opportunities and challenges of the future. This position reports directly to the President and CEO of SCI.
The company’s values statement includes the following: “We believe that talented and dedicated employees have made the company successful in the past and are the hope of the future. We are committed to providing an environment that gives our employees the opportunity to achieve their potential.” The company’s value statement also includes the following: “We value our reputation for honesty and fairness. Our credibility and integrity will never be sacrificed to achieve other objectives. We are stewards of this company.”
One of the company’s key strategic priorities is to “attract, invest in, communicate with, and retain top talent in the communities we serve.” The desired long-term outcomes of this strategy are:
• More productive, informed and satisfied employees
• SCI businesses will be the employer of choice in our communities
• SCI will have a diverse and multi-skilled workforce that reflects our communities
• Identification and training of the next generation of department and operating heads
• The measures of success of this initiative are:
• Attain and/or maintain above average employee satisfaction measures
• Increase in average tenure and decreased turnover in designated employee classifications
• There will be at least one qualified candidate within SCI for all senior positions
• Increased digital literacy and skill sets across the company
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides leadership and develops human resource management programs that contribute to the attraction, retention, motivation and development of company employees capable of meeting current and future organizational needs and objectives. Leads the development and implementation of a corporate-wide human resource strategy. Identifies, promotes and propagates individual property “best practices” in human resources across the entire organization. Collaborates with property management to help create work environments in which each employee can maximize his or her potential.
2. Responsible for the design of high-quality, cost-effective, competitive benefits programs that reflect the corporation’s values and support the organization’s efforts to attract and retain the highest caliber employees. Chair of the board’s Benefits Administrative Committee which provides leadership for benefit plan design and investment policy and responsible for fiduciary compliance.
3. Provides leadership to help reinforce values, reduce potential reputational risks, and cultivate a safe workplace. Develops programs and policies that ensure that each person – current employee, former employee or retiree -is treated with consideration and respect. Works with publishers and general managers to ensure training in and exercise of sound journalistic ethics and practices. Develops processes to monitor workplace injuries and workers’ compensation claims and work with local management and third parties to reduce exposure and costs through effective
practices, training and corrective action.
4. Works in collaboration with local property managers and senior corporate staff to develop standards, processes and tools that ensure regulatory compliance (including FCC EEO policies and practices), to advance employee productivity and satisfaction, to support diversity, to assist with property management development and succession planning, and to reduce transaction costs in fostering the desired working environment.
5. Responsible for employee and retiree group benefit plan administration, communications, compliance and vendor relations including pension plan, 401(k)
plan, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, cash bonus plan, phantom stock plan and health & welfare benefits plans (employee and retiree medical, dental, vision, life, long-term disability, FSA benefits). Monitors and administers supplemental executive benefits. Member of Retirement and 401(k) Plans’ Administrative Committees.
6. Develops and coordinates human resource management and benefits administration training. Counsels human resource and benefits managers. Provides leadership for human resource information and administration systems.
7. Works with senior corporate staff and property management to ensure that compensation and incentive plans are consistent with company values and strategic objectives. Attends Board’s Compensation Committee meetings.
8. Work with corporate support staff teams, including Information Technology, Digital, Shared Services, etc., to help them realize their value-creation and cost savings potential.
9. Work with new partners (i.e. investments, joint ventures) to maximize shared value creation. Work with selected local universities on innovation projects to help identify investable ideas and recruitable talent. Member of the company’s Acquisitions Committee.
10. Counsels management on strategic planning and organizational design processes, combined with recommendations that contribute to overall plan strategic management and corporate leadership direction. Identify and promote effective working relationships and synergies across organization. Member of Strategic Planning Committee.
11. Ensure that SCI and that the company owners maintain compliance with the spirit and letter of the Schurz Family Agreement.
12. Other duties as assigned.