IHRIM is pleased to feature Tim Stewart in our current Volunteer
Spotlight. Tim, HRMS Director, XO Communications, LLC., has been an IHRIM member since
2011.
Please tell us a
little about your professional life such as what your job entails; how you got
involved with HR technology; major accomplishments; current projects or
challenges.
I’ve been working in the field of HR Technology & Systems for over
10 years, and I’m currently the HRMS Director for XO Communications, LLC.
I’ve always had a thirst for technology and my work on many technology-based
projects along with my interest in managing people landed me a leadership role
for our HRIS department. I’ve had the opportunity, over these 10 years,
to manage many HR Systems and implementations including: Core HR,
Payroll, Benefits, LMS, Self-Service, and Talent Management. One of my
major accomplishments includes the design and implementation of an in-house
built self-service environment that resulted in the streamlining of employee
change processes & workflows.
When did you join
IHRIM and why? What is the greatest value you get from your
membership? Is there any advice you would give other members?
I joined IHRIM in 2011 as I was seeking a professional
certification in HR. The greatest value I receive in having an IHRIM
membership is the opportunity to learn and connect with others who have similar
interests and passions for IT and Human Capital. My advice to other
members? Volunteer! With the variety of perspectives offered and
shared by other IHRIM members, you can be assured you’ll learn something new!
What was the primary
reason you became an IHRIM volunteer? Please describe your most recent IHRIM
volunteer with the Human Resource Information Professional (HRIP) Certification
Refresh Project.
I volunteered to help with the HRIP Certification Refresh Project for
one simple reason: I believe in the value of the HRIP professional
certification. When I studied for the HRIP exam in 2011, I found
that the knowledge domains within the HRIP coursework were a close blueprint
for HRIS professionals. This blueprint provided me a great opportunity to
assess my own knowledge in HRIS, and it strengthened the framework in how I see
my role as an HRIS Professional.
What have you enjoyed
most about this volunteer experience?
I enjoyed helping ‘refresh’ the HRIP exam by writing a number of new
questions for the exam and then
participating in the technical review by actually taking the test and
helping evaluate all the new questions.I wanted to find a way to give back and this was a great opportunity for me to help make a difference with a program that I believe in.
How do you see being
a volunteer benefiting your career?
Supporting a professional organization not only provides greater
opportunities to network, but it also reflects your commitment to your
profession and your personal growth.
And one fun
question...If you had an opportunity to time travel when and where would you
go?
I have a passion for geoscience ( B.S. Degree is in Geology), and given
this… I would travel back to the early 1900’s and share with Alfred Wegner that
in the somewhat distant future his theory of continental drift would be found
as ‘theoretically’ correct. He was faced with a lot of criticism when he
announced this theory of ‘moving continents’ to the world; unfortunately he
didn’t have the means to prove it in his lifetime. 