JAMES WARD, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

630 Rock Hollow Drive NE Phone: (616) 258-3812

Rockford, Michigan 49341 Email: jameswward18@gmail.com

www.linkedin.com/in/james-ward-hr

Global Human Resources Leader and Business Partner

Retail Services I Food Marketing I Manufacturing I Healthcare

An HR Leader that gets business results. Expertise in leading others in the functions of talent acquisition,
talent development, employee relations, diversity and inclusion, work-life, and HR project management.
Excellent skills in partnering with business leaders to accomplish organizational goals and objectives.

• Strategic HR Planning • Performance Management

• Compensation and Benefit Plan Design
• Talent Acquisition
• Talent Development
• Diversity and Inclusion
• HR Policy and Program Design
• Global Mobility
• International Account Start-up and Closure
• HRIS Project Management Experience
(Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Ultipro)
• Workforce Planning and Succession Planning
• Project Management
• LEAN and Continuous Improvement
experience
• Environmental Health & Safety
• Change Leadership and Management
• International Joint Venture due diligence,
dissolution, and creation
• Organizational Design and Effectiveness

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

DAYMON WORLDWIDE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2011-Present

The global leader in retail private branding and sourcing, delivering high-impact experiential consumer
marketing and in-store services. Daymon employs 53,000 employees, servicing 14 channels of trade in
over 25 countries.

Vice President, International Human Resources 2014-Present

Head of International HR for all Daymon Worldwide lines of business providing strategic human
capital, business, and change thought leadership to C-Suite leaders. HR accountability in over 25
different countries across 6 continents, requiring 50% travel internationally.
• Facilitated International 3-Year strategic planning process, which resulted in a streamlined and more
effective approach to new business development and a customizable customer-centered approach.
This resulted in a reduction of sales cycle by 50% and a generation of six new customer accounts
within the first year of implementation.
• Created a workforce planning, career assessment, and talent mapping process to identify and develop
key talent for our critical roles. Resulted in a proactive ‘ready now’ talent approach allowing us to
immediately deploy talent to all new business development activities across multiple regions and
countries.
• Led the organizational restructuring process after acquisition to reduce labor costs by $12.7 million,
exceeding the target by $5.1 million
• Reduced global mobility costs by over $3 million in an 18-month period through effective
organizational design and plan design changes, while still maintaining associate readiness to transfer.
• Reduced labor law non-compliance risk by $1.2 million in Korea through enhanced audit process,
while still maintaining business flexibility.
• Key member of project team that dissolved an ineffective joint venture with the largest retailer in
Japan and created a new joint venture with the same retailer that added a new consultancy revenue
business model, which was the first of its kind in Daymon Worldwide.
• Reduced new account start-up time by three months, resulting in enhanced ability to collect revenues
by 25% in first year across multiple geographies to include Brazil, China, France, and Vietnam
• Provide strategic guidance on human resource and business issues to Vice Presidents, and the
President of International
 JAMES WARD, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Director, North America HR – NAPBD 2013-2014

Head of HR for North American Private Brand Development business unit providing strategic
human capital and business thought leadership to C-Suite leaders responsible for over 70
accounts requiring 70% travel across North America.
• Facilitated NAPBD 2013 3-Year Strategic Planning Session which resulted in a transformational goal
of increasing NAPBD revenue from $200 million to $400 million over the next three years.
• Provide strategic guidance on human resource and business issues to Sr. Directors, Vice Presidents,
Divisional Vice Presidents, President of North America, and Chief Customer Officer
• Part of a select team that presented a new go to market business model strategy to our CEO, CFO, and
CHRO. Resulted in C-suite leadership asking me to be a co-lead for a cross-functional team of
business leaders to pressure test the concepts further. Led to the creation of the Business
Transformation Office to rollout aforementioned shift in Daymon Worldwide’s go to market strategy.
• Upgraded HR talent from the HR Generalist model to the Strategic Business Partner model by
mentoring, coaching existing talent, and hiring in new high caliber talent.

Senior Regional Human Resources Business Partner – NAPBD 2012-2013

Business partner responsible for providing strategic thought leadership and support to 43
accounts within North America. These accounts encompass two-thirds of the North America
Region, and account for three of our five largest and most strategic accounts. Heavily involved
in corporate projects which impact all of North America and International HR.
• Created a decision-tree framework to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational talent
review processes. This framework was used successfully within all of our North American,
International, and Corporate business units.
• Diversity and Inclusion corporate project lead and sponsor to internal management development
associates.
• Facilitated North American Private Brand Development 1-year business planning sessions.
• Created the first ever HR Account Plan, which included strategic workforce planning and quarterly
people reviews.

Regional HRBP – Midwest Region – NAPBD 2011-2012

SPECTRUM HEALTH, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2009-2011

Director, Human Resources
Responsible for leading HR teams of 43 associates within the functions of Talent Acquisition, Talent
Development, Staff Relations, Work-Life, and HR Project Management to support the 10,000 employees
for the Hospital Group business unit. Accountable for managing 11 cost centers, totaling an $8 million
budget.
• Implemented HR Process efficiencies and productivity measures which resulted in a $2.3 million
decrease in HR operating expenses while generating a first-ever annualized revenue generation of
$25,000.
• Increased Talent Acquisition customer satisfaction from 76% to 89% in one year.
• Partnered regularly with senior level executives on key organizational policies and practices;
successfully changed overtime policies, merit pay practices, incentive compensation plan design, and
implemented position control recruiting practices. Initiatives resulted in $3.4 million in cost savings
and $2.5 million in cost avoidances.
• Led a team that created four Affirmative Action Plan programs for 10,000 employees within a two-
month deadline, which allowed Spectrum Health to realize over $1 million in additional grant
revenues.
 JAMES WARD, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

FERRO CORPORATION Penn Yan, New York 2007-2009

Fortune 1000 company with over $2.3 billion in annual revenue. Leading global supplier of technology-
based materials for a broad range of manufacturers.
Human Resources Manager
Responsible for all human resources functions including benefits, compensation, succession planning,
performance management, recruitment, retention, organizational development and effectiveness,
employee engagement, and affirmative action compliance.
• Increased employee engagement by over 11%, which resulted in a 35.2% increase in plant
productivity without the aid of additional capital expenses. This enhanced level of productivity
resulted in an annual cost savings of $1.1 million in reduced labor costs and $2.8 million in increased
production capacity.
• Defended against a union organizing attempt, which resulted in defeating the Teamsters Union by a
significant 5 to 1 margin, allowing leadership to implement the aforementioned productivity
increases.
• Enhanced the overall recruiting functions and external advertising for open positions, bringing about
increased quality and quantity of candidate flow. Resulting in over $140,000 in savings from the
recruiting budget and more importantly, an upgrade in the overall talent level.

GUARDIAN INDUSTRIES, Auburn Hills, Michigan 2001-2007

Third largest manufacturer of glass in the world, largest manufacturer of mirrors in the world. 21,000
employees and $6 billion gross annual revenue.
Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Geneva, New York 2004-2007
• Trained and developed HR Managers from glass facility in Querétaro, Mexico and several other
North American automotive facilities on Guardian’s best HR practices.
• Decreased hourly employee turnover from 45% to 18% within two years. This resulted in a cost
savings of $297,000.
• Impacted benefits budget by realizing a $400,000 cost savings by changing health insurance plan
from a community rated plan to an experience-based plan.
• Led Kaizen and 5S events throughout various departments of the plant in collaboration with the
production workforce and front-line supervision.

HRBP, Corporate Headquarters, Auburn Hills, Michigan 2003-2004

Assistant Human Resources Manager, LaGrange, Georgia 2001-2003

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, Rogersville, Tennessee 2001

Fortune 500 Company, Dodge Ball Bearing division
HR Generalist

EDUCATION

M.B.A., Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 2008

Concentration in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises - #1 program in the nation
Graduated in the top 10% of the class of 2008
B.A., Human Resource Management, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 2000
B.A., Marketing, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 2000

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND BOARD ACTIVITY

Strategic Workforce Planner (SWP) Certification, HRCI 2010 - Present

Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification, SHRM 2004 - Present
SHRM – Senior Certified Professional Certification 2016 - Present
Certified Diversity Recruiter (CDR), AIRS 2012 - Present
Certified Trainer, Achieve Global 2006 - Present
Economics Club of Grand Rapids, Member 2010 - Present
Board of Directors, North Kent Community Services 2016 - Present
Program Committee Chair, North Kent Community Services 2016 - Present