Highland Heights, Ohio – ERC, the human resource organization that provides training, consulting, research, and HR support services locally and nationally, is pleased to announce that Susan Pyles has rejoined the company as Director, Consulting & Member Services.

Susan brings more than 20 years of award-winning achievements in talent management and assessment, performance management, employee experience, HR analytics, leadership development, coaching, and workforce planning.  

 She initially served ERC between 2007 and 2014 as a Practice Leader and Senior Consultant. In these roles, she led a variety of client and member initiatives, including performance management and career development systems, selection processes and tools, and leadership development and executive coaching programs. She also spearheaded projects for talent assessment, organizational design, and strategic planning. 

“We’re thrilled to have Susan back on our leadership team. The timing of this opportunity was perfectly aligned with our mutual interests and goals,” said ERC President Kelly Keefe. “Susan will play a central role in helping us enrich our relationships with clients and members so we can be of even greater service and value to them.”

Previously, Susan was Director, Global Talent Management & HR Business Partner at MTD Products, a worldwide leader in outdoor power equipment. Prior to MTD, she was Manager, Talent Development at Invacare, a global pioneer in home and long-term care medical products.

Before originally joining ERC, Susan spent a decade in the nationally acclaimed learning and performance department of Ohio Savings/AmTrust Bank, ultimately leading the department as Vice President. Under her leadership, Ohio Savings was a multi-year recipient of ERC’s NorthCoast 99 Award and Training magazine’s Top 100 Award. 

“I wasn’t actively seeking a new position when ERC reached out, but as our conversations progressed, so did the undeniable appeal of returning to the company,” said Susan. “In addition to the exciting prospects of the role itself, ERC’s culture has always been a big draw for me. And now, I’m officially part of the boomerang trend!”

“Given the outstanding national and international workplaces that Susan has helped develop elsewhere, it’s an honor that she’s chosen to call ERC home again,” said ERC Senior Vice President Carrie Morse, who oversees all practice areas of the organization. “I’m confident that Susan will make notable, refreshing contributions to ERC’s purpose, which is to help make workplaces great.”

Susan holds a Master of Arts degree in communication studies from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Business Management degree, with a minor in communications, from Ohio University. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and registered corporate coach who carries nearly a dozen HR assessment certifications.

About ERC
Founded in 1920, ERC helps organizations make their workplaces great by providing expert people solutions that include training, consulting, research, and HR support services. We’re the creators and producers of NorthCoast 99, an annual awards program in its 21st year that honors exceptional Northeast Ohio employers for top talent. ERC also sponsors the ERChealth insurance program in Ohio.

It's our 99th birthday! In recognition of this milestone, ERC President Kelly Keefe and Senior Vice President Carrie Morse discuss our past, present, and future in this commemorative video. Their full conversation is transcribed below. 

KELLY KEEFE, President

Q: Tell us when and why ERC got started.
A: ERC was founded in 1920 in response to the labor movement. A group of employers got together to create better practices for both employers and employees.

Q: What are some of the key changes in the organization since you started?
A: I’ve been lucky enough to be at ERC for 15 years. In that time, the organization has changed tremendously. We were only serving organizations here in Northeast Ohio when I first started. Today, we are serving organizations across the country and around the globe. Our services have grown as well, in response to many issues that employers are facing, such as talent shortage. We have become more sophisticated in the products we are providing in order to help organizations attract and retain talent.

Q: How would you describe ERC's current culture?
A: I would describe ERC’s workplace culture as a place that I look forward to going to every day. We believe in our core values, and we live them day to day. One thing that we focus on is our “F” culture. That means we put family first, we are fun, we allow flexible work schedules, we are financially supportive, and we are fitness-minded. We do all of these things as an organization for each of the employees so that we can live who we are, but also work together. 

The “F” culture was not something that I wanted to push from the top to the bottom. What I wanted to do was create groups – groups of people who don’t typically work together. The employees choose the groups that they want to be a part of. For example, if I have interest in fitness or a flexible work arrangement, I am able to get together with other peers who feel a strong commitment to that as well.

Q: What do you value most about working here?
A: What I value most about ERC, hands down, is the people. I look forward to coming to work every single day. I look forward to hearing about weekends, hearing about things that happened the night before, hearing about family. And also, I enjoy the work that we are doing together. We know that we are making a difference in people’s lives.

Q: Most memorable moment for you at ERC?
A: When I think about my favorite events or moments, I come back to NorthCoast 99 every year. The event that happens in early fall is something that I know is a true labor of love for every person involved at ERC. We work together tirelessly throughout the entire year, but especially at the end of the summer, leading up to our big finale, our big event. We have worked so hard with employers across Northeast Ohio to share their stories about what they are doing to make a difference for their employees. That is my favorite memory every year.

Personally, a very important moment to me is when the Board of Directors of ERC said that Kelly Keefe would be running ERC as the next President. Knowing this organization has been around for the time it was – 98 years – to be a part of this culture, and more importantly, to be the first female President of ERC, is something that I will never forget, and I don’t take this job lightly.

Q: What is your vision for ERC's future?
A: My vision for ERC for the next 99 years is that it continues to stay true to why it was created. I hope, as we are today, that the next 99 years allow for the same transparency between employers and employees and allow us to help employers across the world create wonderful workplaces. We are on a mission here at ERC. We know that we are making a difference. We know that we can help change culture. We know that we can help leaders become the best leaders they can be. Together, I hope, with all of our members and our clients, that in the next 99 years, we will continue to live out that vision.

CARRIE MORSE, Senior Vice President

Q: What are some of the key changes you've observed in the HR industry in your 17 years at ERC?
A: Engaged individuals and high-performing teams are what’re making a difference in workplaces around the United States. ERC has always worked with organizations who saw that, but we are seeing so much more of that now in leaders who truly believe in this concept. And that is for HR what is continuing to make its mark and grow within the organizations that we serve.

Q: How have ERC's service lines and offerings evolved over the years?
A: Today, ERC offers training, consulting, research, and HR support services, all with a custom approach to the clients that we serve. We truly look at each client’s situation, challenges, and opportunities to creatively deliver what’s going to make a difference and an impact in their workplace. 

Q: How is ERC helping to make workplaces great?
A: We make an impact by helping companies attract and retain top-performing people through everything we do. One of the programs that we created 21 years ago is our NorthCoast 99 program. This program measures workplace practices as well as assesses top performers within the organizations that apply. Any applicant is able to use this data to benchmark their practices against those of leading workplaces and leading cultures. We are so proud of what we have been able to build and give back to the corporate community in our region.

Q: What do you value most about working here?
A: What I value most is our team. We are as creative and fun as we are flexible and collaborative. It is truly a pleasure to come to work every day and work with so many talented individuals in a fun environment.

Q: Most memorable moment for you at ERC?
A: My most memorable moment at ERC was probably my first NorthCoast 99 event back in 2002. The famous management author Tom Peters was going to be delivering our keynote, and we had 900 guests coming from the 99 winning organizations. It was my first time running the event all the way through. The leaders believed in me to get the job done, and everyone on our team supported me and helped make it an easy and fun task. It has been a pleasure to honor so many organizations over the 17 years that I have done this program.

Q: What is your vision for ERC's future?
A: We will continue to grow and develop custom solutions to truly listen to what businesses need and then deliver flexible solutions that include training, consulting, HR support services, and much more to help these companies make an impact in the industries in which they work. ERC, as an organization, will keep pushing the envelope around a great culture for our own internal team here. With strong leaders and a firm belief in the work that we deliver, ERC will continue to keep a pulse on the organizations that we serve.

It’s not too late to engage college interns for the summer! The Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education (NOCHE) can help small to mid-size for-profit and nonprofit employers find summer interns through their FREE program. 

Benefits of the program:

• Help establish and enhance your internship program. Participating employers receive free attendance for up to two representatives at a NOCHE internship training workshop. Regular price is $275 per person.
• Recruitment assistance. NOCHE will identify and vet candidates to fit your internship needs.
• Program support. Provided by NOCHE throughout the span of the internship.
• Partial salary reimbursement. NOCHE will reimburse employers $500 per intern for each intern who is paid at least $1,000 for the internship. Employers may receive reimbursement for up to three interns in this program.

For complete details about this program, contact NOCHE’s Associate Vice President, Brenda Davis Smith, at 216-276-2556.

ERC is serious about making workplaces great. We created and cultivate an "F" workplace culture: Family-First, Fun, Flexible, Fitness-Minded, Footprint-Light, and Financially Supportive to employees. This week, ERC's Fun Committee organized the 1st Annual Easter Egg Hunt for all staff in the office. This fun activity was organized because ERC understands a positive employee experience is crucial to the health of the organization.

Spring has sprung, and it's (almost) time to put away your winter coat. During any workplace season, it’s easy in HR to get caught up in managing the day-to-day, so we’ve put together a list of items you should consider adding to your master clean-up list.

ERC president Kelly Keefe was recently invited to iHeartMedia's radio studios in Independence for an interview on the network's Cleveland CEOs You Should Know program. This segment features high-impact Northeast Ohio business leaders who are making a difference at their companies and in the community. A portion of this broadcast will air until March 3 on various regional iHeart stations, including WMJI, WMMS, WGAR, and WTAM. Listen to Kelly's full-length podcast here!

Thanks to Crain Content Studio - Cleveland, ERC president Kelly Keefe participated in this cool Tech Matters piece about the newest generation in the workforce -- Gen Z. Read on to find out what matters to this group of young professionals and what your organization can do to embrace a multigenerational culture.

ERC is excited to have been a resource for this Wall Street Journal article, alongside LinkedIn, Indeed, Gartner, Korn Ferry, and the Wharton School! Thank you to WSJ editor Gerard Yates for inviting us.

Get Recognized as a Great Northeast Ohio Workplace for Top Talent

ERC is excited to announce the launch of our 21st annual NorthCoast 99 award! The 2019 application is open now through April 26.

Apply for the 2019 NorthCoast 99 Award

The Value of Applying

• Find out what drives your organization's top performers
• Be branded as a great Northeast Ohio workplace for top talent
• Benchmark your company's performance with other top local workplaces

Learn More About NorthCoast 99

Thank You, Sponsors!
The 2019 NorthCoast 99 event is made possible with the generous support of our sponsors.

As HR leaders and professionals continue to fight for (and maintain) their seat at the table, it’s important to move beyond just being an expert into a role of being a trusted advisor to the organization.