History of Dulles SHRM
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How We Came to Be
Charter Members
Presidents
Awards and Honors
Service Beyond the Dulles Chapter
Link to lower titlePrograms to Support the Profession and the Community

Dulles Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management

On January 21, 1987 a group 47 HR professionals came together for the first time at the Holiday Inn, Dulles and began the "Washington-Dulles Chapter of the American Society for Personnel Administration” (ASPA).  Led by President Phil Lo Presti, SPHR (former President of the Northern Virginia Chapter), and sponsored by NOVA, our chapter was officially chartered on June 24, 1987 with 61 initial members.   The number of officers was a far cry from our current board:

President:             Phillip Lo Presti, SPHR, Radiation Systems, Inc.
VP Membership:   William Sparks, Star Technologies
VP Programs:       David Humphrey, PHR, Magnavox
Secretary:            John Mann, Computer Sciences Corp.
Treasurer:             Ryan Ricci, Loudoun County Manpower

The first meeting topic was the hot, new topic of “Downsizing” (which was followed in February by the equally provocative topic of “Smoking in the Workplace”)!  The membership recruitment letter that was sent out on March 16, 1987 stated that there were no dues for Chapter membership – by June 1987 we had grown to 82 members.

Since its inception, the Dulles Chapter of SHRM (renamed in 1990) has won NINETEEN Merit (1)/Superior Merit (18) awards from SHRM, won the SHRM/OLSTEN Pinnacle award for the CEO luncheon at Lansdowne, sponsored the Leesburg Chapter of SHRM, launched a web presence, and has grown to the point where we are now in our fifth meeting location. Here are some of the many milestones throughout the years:

1987     Chapter chartered with Ronald Pilenzo, SPHR, President and CEO of ASPA, Ron Peters and Janet Wells of ASPA National and Ellie Larson, former ASPA board member, in attendance
1987     First membership directory published
1988     First certification study group conducted
1988     Chapter Job Bank debuts
1988     First newsletter editor (Don Nagley!)
1988     First Chapter Salary Survey
1989     First Legislative Liaison
1989     Board membership increased from five (5) to nine (9)
1989     First time to co-sponsor (along with the NOVA Chapter and WPA) the VA State ASPA conference –
             concurrent session presenters included Chapter members Judy Goudarzi, David Humphrey, PHR, Lynn Lorenz, SPHR, Sandra O’Connell, Ph.D., and Peter Parkinson, SPHR
1990     Chapter renamed the Dulles Chapter of SHRM
1990     Dues charged for the first time ($25.00)
1991     Chapter provides input to the EEOC on their Technical Compliance Manual (Bob Long, SPHR, Ken Pritchard, CCP, and Stan Surrette, SPHR)
1992     First CEO Luncheon, bringing together senior business executives and senior HR executives, and attended by Michael R. Losey, SPHR, National SHRM President and CEO
1992     First Chapter December Holiday Party and Member Appreciation Event
1993     Chapter wins the SHRM/OLSTEN Pinnacle Award based on the success and impact of the CEO Luncheon (awarded to 6 SHRM chapters a year for leadership and innovative programming)
1993     First joint meeting with the Northern Virginia Chapter
1996     Meetings are moved to the Worldgate Marriott Suites in Herndon to accommodate the growing membership of 160 (with 17 SPHR’s and 16 PHR’s)
1996     Board position descriptions developed
1997     Dulles Chapter celebrates its 10th year anniversary in February with a program featuring Michael R. Losey, SPHR, CAE, President and CEO of SHRM, Keith Greene, SPHR, from SHRM National, State and District
             officials, and all former Dulles Presidents
1997     At the same meeting, Dulles Chapter celebrates the sponsorship of the Leesburg – Greater Loudoun Chapter of SHRM, which is chartered with 19 members
2000     Embry Rucker Homeless Shelter adopted
2001     50/50 Raffle to benefit the SHRM Foundation started
2001     Chapter website launched (Jami Dittmeier)
2001     Chapter discussion groups launched (Cindy Loison)
2001     Student scholarship program begun
2001     First Diversity Director and SHRM Foundation Coordinator
2001     Helen Drinan, SPHR, newly appointed President and CEO, SHRM, visits the Chapter in a joint meeting with Leesburg-Greater Loudoun Chapter in October
2002     First Certification Representative
2002     Diversity Portal on the Dulles SHRM website launched
2003     Special Presentation by Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR, President and CEO, SHRM – joint meeting with the Leesburg – Greater Loudoun SHRM Chapter
2003     Chapter “Book Reports” begin
2004     Community Assistance program launched
2004     First Chapter Member Survey conducted
2004     Dulles SHRM Capitol Hill visits started
2005     Panel discussion “Why We Hate HR: Confronting the Myth” – Fast Company refuted!
2006     Members can register and pay for Chapter membership and meetings online with credit cards
2007     Meetings are moved to the Sheraton Hotel in Reston to accommodate growing membership of 262!
2007     20th Anniversary Celebration with 100 members and friends in attendance!
2008     Hosted our first Annual Business Partner Fair
2008     Community Connections program included in the Enterprising Leadership Book of best practices by SHRM State Councils and Chapters
2009     Hosted our 1st Annual Full Day Spring Seminar - 7 HRCI Credits
2009     Partnered with Sister Chapters - Fredericksburg, Leesburg for Day Inside the Beltway
2009     Partnered with NOVA SHRM and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources for membership drives
2009     Sponsored Alzheimer's Association "Fueling Your Brain" Workshop
2009     SHRM Foundation Chapter Champions Award
2009     SHRM Superior Merit Award


Charter Members

Listed below are three of the original sixty-one charter members of the Dulles Chapter who have remained dedicated members throughout the years, serving in a number of leadership roles:

Lynn Lorenz, SPHR
Don Nagley, SPHR
Nancy Streeter

Presidents
Below is a list of the leaders of the chapter through the years – those members, many of whom also served as President Elect and in other leadership capacities, who made sure the Dulles Chapter thrived and grew:

1987    Phil LoPresti, SPHR
1988    David Humphrey, PHR
1989    Robert Long, SPHR
1990    Edward Potter, Esq.
1991    Patricia Bates
1992    Chester Williams
1993    Don Nagley, SPHR
1994    Judy Erdmann, PHR
1995    Don Nagley, SPHR
1996    Bobbie (Roberta) Muir, SPHR
1997    Jim Lewis, SPHR
1998    Jami Dittmeier
1999    Stan Surrette, SPHR
2000    Maxine Trentham, SPHR
2001    Lynn Lorenz, SPHR
2002    Nancy Streeter
2003    Judy Perrault, SPHR
2004    Cindy Loison, SPHR
2005    Kurt Cowles, SPHR, CCP
2006    Maggie Chan, SPHR, CCP
2007    Mary Saily
2008    Sarah Cower, PHR
2009    Denise Henderson, PHR, GPHR
2010    Linda Caporaletti-Hoyt
2011    Keli Winter, PHR


Awards and Honors

The leaders and members of Dulles SHRM have selflessly given of their time and talents to create programs that have been recognized by SHRM National for their positive impact on the Chapter, the profession, and the community.

1989    SHRM Merit Award
1990    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1991    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1992    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1993    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1993    SHRM/Olson Pinnacle Award
1994    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1995    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1996    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1997    SHRM Superior Merit Award
1998    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2001    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2002    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2003    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2004    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2005    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2005    SHRM Foundation Chapter Champions Award
2006    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2007    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2008    SHRM Foundation Chapter Champions Award
2008    SHRM Superior Merit Award
2009    SHRM Foundation Chapter Champions Award
2009    SHRM Superior Merit Award

Service Beyond the Dulles Chapter

A number of our Dulles SHRM members have served not only the Dulles Chapter, but have given of their time and talents to SHRM beyond the Chapter level. 

Christopher J. Schaffer, SPHR-CA, CPP
2011 - 2013            SHRM's Total Rewards/Compensation & Benefits Special Expertise Panel, Member

Denise Henderson, PHR, GPHR
2010 - 2012            Virginia SHRM State Council, Technology Director

Evelyn Kaiser
2009                       Virginia SHRM State Council, Workforce Education Director

Cornelia Gamlem, SPHR

2004 – 2007           SHRM’s Workplace Diversity Expert Panel
2000 – 2001           SHRM National Board of Directors, Vice President at Large
2001                       SHRM's Global Forum, Board of Directors
1997 – 1999           National Workplace Diversity Committee, Chairman
1994 – 1999           National Workplace Diversity Committee, Member
1996                       SHRM's Global Forum, Board of Directors

Lynn Lorenz, SPHR
2002 – 2003           Virginia SHRM State Council, Treasurer

Don Nagley, SPHR
1999 – 2001           Virginia SHRM State Council, Treasurer
1995 – 1996           Virginia SHRM Northern District Director

Barbara Mitchell
2004 – 2006           SHRM's Consulting and Outsourcing Expert Panel
1999 – 2001           Employment Management Association Board, President
1991 – 2003           Employment Management Association Board, Member

Sandra O’Connell, Ph.D.
1989 – 1994           Author, monthly “Computers and HR” column in ASPA’s Personnel Administrator (predecessor of HR Magazine)

 

Programs to Support the Profession and the Community

Over the years the Dulles Chapter has embarked on a number of programs to serve the HR community and the community at large.  Some have continued for years – some enjoyed a short period of support – but all contributed to the Chapter and its members and helped bring us to where we are today.

  1. Embry Rucker Homeless Shelter Donations
  2. SHRM Student Chapter Sponsorship
  3. Dulles SHRM HR Scholarship Program
  4. Community Speaker Programs
  5. Virginia Employment Commission Partnership
  6. Dulles/NOVA SHRM Peer Mentoring Program
  7. Wage, Benefit and Work/Life Surveys
  8. Chapter Discussion Groups
  9. Certification Study Groups
  10. Day Inside the Beltway Legislative Visits
  11. SHRM Foundation 50/50 Raffle
  12. Dulles SHRM Job Bank/Career Opportunities
  13. Diversity Information and Programs
  14. VA State and National SHRM Conference Support
  15. Donations to the Hurricane Relief Fund of the Mississippi State Council of SHRM
  16. “Book Reports” on HR and Business Topics
  17. HR Career Development SIG
  18. Meeting Discount for Members “In Transition”
  19. Professional Development Seminars/Workshops on HR Topics
  20. HR Student Intern Job Fairs and Programs
  21. Education Outreach Program with Loudoun County Schools
  22. HR Alliance DC-wide events
  23. HR Magazine Subscriptions to Local University Libraries
  24. New Member Orientation
  25. Chapter Membership Surveys
  26. Dulles SHRM Executive Event
  27. Dulles SHRM Spring Seminar
  28. HR Games Volunteer Events - State and Regional (Judges, Presenters, Timers and more)
  29. Reston Interfaith Volunteer Training Program

 

 

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