The Challenges and Opportunities of Workplace Diversity was the first of its kind in Northern Nevada. The Chapter leadership believed that the state's growing minority populations demanded that the business community come to grips with culture clash and create a work environment that allows profitable growth and maximum performance. Although gaming is a major employer, other businesses have begun to grow - light manufacturing, high tech and service companies. The Chapter feels that seeds of cultural diversity awareness were planted and the harvest is coming in order to be able to maintain any kind of competitive "edge."  Jim Annis was our President and Sylvia Schaerer was the Diversity Committee Chair.

On November 10, 2006, at the SHRM 2006 Leadership Conference in Arlington, Va., SHRM presented the 2006 SHRM Pinnacle Awards, sponsored by ADP.  P. Sue Henderson, President-Elect, accepted the award on behalf of the Chapter.  The Chapter received pins for the board and a $1,000 check for the chapter’s use.

View The Annual Pinnacle Award Report Here

The Northern Nevada Human Resources Association (NNHRA) wanted to boost the credibility of the chapter and its members in the business community. The regional business weekly newspaper wanted to increase readership but had no writers who could write about HR issues. Michael K. Rainey, chapter president, brainstormed with the weekly’s publisher, and the two came up with the “Best Practices: Human Resources & Employment Guide.”

Consisting of articles written by chapter members on HR management issues and practices, the full-color, 24-page guide was published for the third year in 2006. Vendors purchase ads to pay for the section’s publication and reach a wider audience, members are recognized as experts in their fields, and the newspaper has a new section to promote and draw readers, as well as a backlog of extra articles on HR issues to publish throughout the year.
Through the guide, Rainey said, “We are out in the general business community as experts.”

http://www.shrm.org/press_published/CMS_019245.asp