Welcome to the Monte Ahuja College of Business

Cornerstone Speaker Series

Cornerstone Speaker Series - Spring 2021

The Monte Ahuja College of Business Cornerstone Speaker Series is where theory meets practice. Intended to be an interactive and engaging conversation led by faculty experts paired with forward-thinking industry leaders who share their knowledge and best practices for operating in today’s ever-changing business environment.

Panelists include:

Anna Gibson Shelley Keller
Anna Gibson
Senior Compensation Analyst
Women in Lincoln Leadership Chair
The Lincoln Electric Company
Shelley Keller
Director, HR Programs
The NRP Group

While employment levels and quit rates for U.S. workers have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, demand for workers outpaces supply and factors such as the “Great Resignation” and preferences of workers for remote work still contribute to a very tight hiring market. In this context, companies need more than ever to emphasize retaining and developing their employees. Organizations that examine the trends and act thoughtfully will have an edge in attracting and retaining talent.

Melissa L. Gruys, Ph.D.Topics to include:

  • Trends/State of Labor Market
  • Current trends in attracting and retaining talent
  • Role of professional development and positive culture in employee retention
  • Benefits of having a strong employee retention plan

The moderator for this series will be Melissa. L. Gruys, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, dean of the Monte Ahuja College of Business. Dr. Gruys is widely recognized as an experienced academic administrator, scholar and researcher. She also has a robust history of consulting for and partnering with public and private sector organizations, both for and nonprofit, and is a Peer Reviewer for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Register Here.

About the panelists:

Anna GibsonAnna Gibson

Anna Gibson graduated from Cleveland State University with a Master of Labor Relations & Human Resources and received the 2013 SHRM Foundation Graduate Student Academic Scholarship.

Anna’s HR career began 20 years ago when a part-time photography job led her to her first HR role. Since joining The Lincoln Electric Company in 2015, she has been promoted four times. She is currently a Senior Compensation Analyst at the world headquarters in Euclid, Ohio.

Anna has served in a variety of volunteer leadership positions over the years.  She is an Inaugural Member and Past President of Cleveland State’s Young Alumni Council; a former member of Engage! Cleveland’s Board of Directors and Leadership Council Steering Committee. Anna is Chair for Women in Lincoln Leadership (WILL), previously serving terms as Vice Chair and Community Outreach Committee Chair.

Anna has been a volunteer with Cleveland SHRM since 2014, currently leading the Communications Committee. She was the NOHRC Speaker Committee Lead for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 conferences, Co-chair for the 2022 NOHRC Speaker Series, and the 2023 Chair. Prior to joining the Northern Ohio HR Conference committee, she was the Communication Committee’s Social Media Director.

Register Here.

Shelley KellerShelley Keller

Shelley Keller is an HR leader with the ability to achieve results across multiple disciplines and drive business strategy.  Her diverse experience provides a unique perspective on strategically assessing a variety of HR processes, technology and change management needs to design solutions that achieve results and impact business outcomes. 

Shelley has worked in a variety of roles in small, mid-size and large organizations in various industries including financial, insurance, consulting and multi-family housing.  As a Senior Human Resources Director at The NRP Group, she leads HR consulting and operations to maximize all aspects of people performance to attract, retain and foster the effectiveness and growth of A+ talent.  She and her team are responsible for delivering the full range of HR services including the ongoing support of HR processes such as performance management, compensation, employee engagement, employee relations and talent and succession planning. 

Shelley graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor’s degree and holds certifications from Prosci in Change Management and Scrum Alliance in Product Ownership.

Register Here.

All Cornerstone Speaker Series webinars are held from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM.


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