Articles

Member Spotlight on Shirley Simmons

Q: Were you born and raised in the St. Louis area – or elsewhere?
A: I was born and raised in the City of St. Louis, in the area known as “The Ville”

Q: What is your history with SHRM-St. Louis?
A: I have been with SHRMSTL since about 2005. The first committee I volunteered for was Workforce Readiness, and it is still a passion I have. I participated in the mentorship program, first as a mentee, then as a mentor.  

Q: Why did you originally decide to focus on human resources for your career?
A: It was not originally my decision, because I started with the Department of the Air Force as they were trying to bring new employees into the civil service under a program called Palace Acquire. I had a choice of contracting, human resources, or logistics. My first choice was contracting, but I was selected for human resources. I thoroughly enjoyed HR, known as “Personnel” at the time, and found a passion in the area of Employee and Labor Relations. 

Q: Please describe your job as Director of Employee and Labor Relations for St. Louis Community College. (i.e., How long have you been in this role? Daily duties?)
A: I’ve been with St. Louis Community College since January 2018, and progressed to the Director in May of 2022 after serving as Interim Director for six months prior. As the Director, my role is to provide the vision and leadership necessary to manage the labor and employee relations responsibilities. I participate in developing mission specific collective bargaining strategies and provide leadership related to collective bargaining, joint resolutions, grievances, and employee relations. An integral part of the position is proving oversight on personnel matters, investigations, policy review, HR compliance, workers compensation, special projects, and compensation and job classification determinations and reviews.

Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
A: My favorite part of the job is the ability to help employees resolve conflict and communicate effectively. Over the many years, I have found that if you can get individuals to communicate honestly and be open, there are fewer conflicts - and when there are conflicts - they are healthy and present a growth opportunity for all involved. 

Q: What is one example of a positive experience that you’ve had in this field?
A: While I have had the opportunity to have several positive experiences in the field, most memorable is the opportunity to work with an individual that was struggling with their performance and dealing with conflicting life issues. Through communicating and working with them, their performance increased tremendously, they were promoted from a support staff employee to the managerial staff, and they were able to find a balance between work and family. I look back on the experience and realize it was all about making sure the employee knew that they mattered.

Q: Who introduced you to SHRM? How did you initially become involved?
A: I was initially introduced to SHRMSTL, then the Human Resource Management Association (HRMA), through my employment at a local hospital, from a former SHRMSTL president.

Q: What have you gained thus far through your SHRM membership?
A: There are too many opportunities to list, however, if I had to pick three, I would say connectivity with other HR professionals, the opportunity to serve the HR community, and finally, the wealth of knowledge I have gained from the various monthly meetings, conferences, etc.

Q: What are your hopes for SHRM St. Louis in 2023?
A: My hope for SHRMSTL this year is that we continue to grow and flourish, that we encourage others to see the benefits of SHRMSTL, and that our volunteer commitments increase two-fold.

Q: What non-professional activities do you enjoy in your spare time?
A: I am an avid reader and a lover of smooth jazz, so I find myself either reading or enjoying a musical event, particularly live jazz. When not doing one of those things, I’m trying different recipes and imagining myself on the Food Network, probably Chopped. Cooking is my love language. My other time outside of work is spent mentoring our youth, particularly R3 Development, a group in East St. Louis, IL, that I’ve grown fond of, and of course I can’t go without my 4^th and 5^th graders in my church community.

Q: What is a favorite quote of yours and why?
A: “If better is possible then good is not enough.” This is one of my favorite quotes, because it pushes me toward excellence. It causes me to focus on how I can do something better and never settle. Another favorite quote is, “I stand on the shoulders of those that came before me.” This reminds me of my responsibility to be thankful and grateful for those that made sacrifices so I can be where I am today. It reminds me of my responsibility to continue to lead those that come behind me.

Q: Who would you consider to be your mentor and why?
A: Dale Kreienkamp, I met Dale through my work at a local hospital, and he has continually mentored me even through today. His words of wisdom and his knowledge base of Human Resources are always an asset to me. He asks me tough questions when I’m trying to make a decision, and he is available to assist me in working through various concerns I may have.

Q: Please feel free to add any additional thoughts here!
A: SHRMSTL is a force to be reckoned with! We provide so many opportunities, and we are able to accomplish the opportunities because of our volunteers. If you want to make a difference, volunteer and participate.