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Business Partner Spotlight: Ascentis

Paul Fels is an Account Executive with Ascentis, a full suite HCM provider based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Paul and his wife Kristen are the proud parents of 2 boys, Mason (6) & Parker (3). If he’s not working or at a SHRM event, there’s a high probability he’s at the hockey rink! Paul serves on the Board of Directors for the youth hockey organization, Meramec Sharks, where he is also a Head Coach for the 8U program.

Tell us a little bit about your professional career.

I graduated from Missouri State University in 2009 and have been working with HR Professionals since 2013. I started with a recruiting firm and then transitioned to Equifax Workforce Solutions in 2014, where I really got the full understanding of what HR handles on a daily basis (and it’s a lot!). After a wonderful 6 years at Equifax, I was approached by Ascentis to expand their brand into the St. Louis market. After learning about the organization and seeing what they were building, I was excited to accept the role in January of this year! After hearing countless glowing reviews, I joined SHRM right away! It’s been great meeting with, learning from, and sharing ideas with some of the best in the area!

What should people know about Ascentis? Is anything new and exciting going on?

Ascentis is a full-suite HCM provider with an A-La-Carte model (choose what you need, when you need it). What really sets us apart though, is our people. With over 70% of our employees dedicated to Service Support/Product Development, we have a true client-centric operating model that recently received recognition at the 2020 Stevie Awards. Ascentis was the ONLY HCM vendor to receive a 2020 Stevie Award for Excellence in Customer Service! We were also honored as one of the “Best Places to Work” in Minnesota a few weeks back, so it’s been pretty exciting around here!

Outside of that, we’re helping lead the charge in getting employees back to work. Forbes recently highlighted our new technology CarePoint, which is a voice activated, thermal-reading timeclock that offers a safe and touch-free clock in experience.

What is something that our members may not know about you?

I have a picture of me & Pat Maroon with the Stanley Cup...from when we were 10! We were on the same hockey team and had a tournament in Toronto, so our coach took us to the Hockey Hall of Fame where we were able to get photos with the Cup! Little did we know 22 years later; Pat would help the St. Louis Blues bring home the very same Cup!

If you could only pick one vacation spot for the rest of your life, where would it be and why?

Yikes! This is a tough one...I guess I would go with somewhere like Vail, Colorado. I fell in love with the mountains and skiing 3 years ago after my first ski trip. The views from atop a mountain are incredible! I’m more of a cold/winter fan opposed to hot summers... Plus, the mountains double for mountain biking during the summer, so it’s a win-win! 😊