Tell us your story! Describe your education and professional background.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, I was hired on to fill the Human Resources Assistant role at the Abbey Resort and Avani Spa. I greatly enjoying all aspects of the role which included: recruiting and selecting top talent, being a resource if there was a work-related concern, facilitating company-wide trainings, and recognizing as well as rewarding the contributions of the team! I believe whole-heartedly that if you take care of the team, they will in turn provide the best services to the internal team, external guests, and to stakeholders. Three months into working at the Abbey, the HR Manager left and while the HR Director was recruiting for that person’s replacement, I avidly took on all responsibilities. The HR Director decided to not refill the HR Manager role and promoted me from HR Assistant to HR Coordinator instead. I felt extremely lucky and honored to learn many aspects of the HR role during this time. After a couple years, I relocated to downtown Milwaukee where I was hired as HR Manager for the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.
During my time with the DoubleTree by Hilton, I decided I wanted to get serious about my HR career and work to be the best asset that I could at my company through continuing education. I took night classes at UW-Milwaukee and successfully acquired my Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification. It was an extremely challenging test and I unfortunately did not pass the first time; however, I considered it “failing forward” as John Maxwell so graciously puts it. I took a different approach the second time by taking a PHR prep course and was able to pass!
While working for the DoubleTree by Hilton, I became interested in volunteering and finding ways to make my mark in my community while also having fun. I signed up for the local Ski Patrol at Alpine Valley Resort where I completed weekly night classes for Outdoor Emergency Care and Ski Testing including toboggan and hill rescue training. I spent three years volunteering on Ski Patrol and truly enjoyed helping others. I was very grateful for the new skillset I acquired.
I loved skiing so much that I decided to relocate to Colorado so that I could enjoy the beautiful mountains and all the outdoor activities the state has to offer such as mountain biking, backpacking, climbing 14ers, and downhill skiing! I was offered a position as Field Human Resources Manager at HMSHost within Denver International Airport. During my tenure, I learned a lot and helped with the acquisition of American Airlines Admirals Club, 2 Starbucks openings, and the Great Divide Restaurant opening. During this time, I also decided to study for the Senior Professional in Human Resources test and successfully achieved the certification. I also wanted to get my MBA and was very excited to be accepted to University of Colorado Denver, where I am still currently completing the MBA program part-time through a couple evening classes each semester.
I’m very excited to be in this new role and part of the Eberl team and grateful for all the experience that lead me to where I am now.
What “buzzwords,” personally and professionally, do you think describe you best?
- Friendly
- Genuine
- Positive
- Helpful
- Ambitious
- Reliable
- Analytical
- Creative
- Insightful
- Energetic
- Detailed
- Thorough
- Passionate
- Excited
- Transparent
- Hard working
- Proactive
- Knowledgeable
Was there a defining moment for you that solidified your interest in this industry? Or did your introduction into this career happen fluidly?
The turning point for me was this past year’s pandemic. I previously worked in the hospitality industry and loved providing exceptional service to the employees and guests! I also truly enjoyed the nature of the industry and working in Human Resources because the days were dynamic in nature – there were always new projects, expansions in staff to recruit for, new HR growth with changing state and federal laws, and complex problems to solve. I define myself as someone who has the ‘spirit of service’ in their DNA. I love how a friendly smile, warm greeting, or thoughtful recommendation can enhance another’s experience and I enjoy creating that “above and beyond” factor.
Unfortunately though, the industry took a major hit with the pandemic and I felt some level of unease regarding my job stability after being furloughed for three months. I really enjoyed working and making a positive impact where I was at, so it was tough to be away from work for so long. I discovered the job opening with Eberl and was thrilled to see that Eberl’s cultural vision and commitments closely matched my values. I took a look at the “Our Team” page and was wowed by the people-centric focus.
Eberl’s mission, To Be There When You Need Us, fuels our business’ initiatives each and every day. What does this objective mean to you?
Personally “To Be There When You Need Us” means to be accountable and reliable in everything I do with friends, family, and colleagues. Professionally, it means having an “open door” policy and being approachable. From People Operations to the Senior Leadership Team, I envision myself being someone that any team member can go to for assistance – to provide timely and helpful support. If I don’t have the answer or have a solution, I will collaborate with the team to find one.
What are you MOST passionate about? How does that influence your day-to-day actions?
I am most passionate about people and am intentional with adding value to the lives of others! It really “fills my cup” to be helpful and be supportive to others. I think this passion works nicely in the Human Resources role; it influences my day-to-day because I find joy in being able to offer support, provide trainings, and offer consulting. I think if you are doing something that makes you happy, it makes it easy and doesn’t feel like work. Mark Twain said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Describe your vision for the future of this industry and how Eberl fits into it.
I anticipate that technology and customer focus will continue to be key drivers in the industry. I also believe the industry will place a strong emphasis on Diversity and Inclusion within the workforce.
I think Eberl will continue to improve technology within the company and already is with launching On-Demand services. I also think Eberl will continue to offer the best industry training – it’s already impressive to see the CATI training facility and website! I also believe at Eberl, we are going to continue to enhance and implement our people-first culture by finding ways to spread knowledge surrounding Diversity and Inclusion in the workforce.
What advice do you have to share with those seeking a fulfilling career in this industry?
- Share knowledge with others to help them grow and master their role
- Give honest and sincere appreciation; make others feel important and do it sincerely
- Be proactive in improving processes and systems
- Be flexible and open to taking on additional duties or projects and know that it won’t go unnoticed
- Appreciate praise but remember the person who seeks all their applause from outside has their happiness in another’s keeping
- Never be afraid to ask for help; coming together and working as a team can be more effective, efficient, and innovative
- Keep in mind that challenging assignments or situations help us learn, grow, and make us stronger
I think it’s important to genuinely care about people by wanting to give them great service, timely support, and show them they are valued – whether it’s adjusters providing care to clients or a corporate team member with a people-centric and “everybody matters” mindset providing care to the staff. I also think that empathy is very important to possess – we are working with folks who may be dealing with a stressful and challenging times such as damage to their property as the result of a catastrophic event.
Thank you for reading! We’re honored to have Chelsea as the newest member of the E-team and are confident that she’ll make an incredibly positive impact on our already thriving culture – one that’s fueled by people-centric ethics and initiatives.
Click here to learn more about Our Foundation and how it guides us to achieve values-driven objectives in the industry we represent!