NOARK Thursday, September 9th Meeting

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Springdale Holiday Inn

Speaker:  Gregory Marrufo

 Topic: Diversity

Gregory Marrufo is Vice President of Human Resources for Walmart Information Systems Division (ISD.) In this position he plans and executes the strategic HR direction for the technology division of Walmart Stores Inc.

Gregory has been with Walmart for 18+ years, starting his career as an assistant manager for the Sam’s Club division soon after receiving his degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from New Mexico State University.

Gregory had the opportunity to serve as an assistant operations manager in Abilene and El Paso, Texas before being selected to the core start up team for operations in Walmart de Puerto Rico. He was promoted to transition manager when Walmart Stores Inc. purchased Pace Membership Warehouse and then promoted to General Manager where he served in five different operations throughout Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Upon repatriating to the US, Gregory was invited to the Walmart Home Office for a two-year HR assignment. He was promoted to Director of Logistics University providing him with essential exposure to Human Resource Development. Gregory was then promoted to Senior Director of Logistics field personnel and subsequently to his current position.

Gregory is one of a core group of 30 leaders who met monthly with Walmart’s former President and CEO, Lee Scott, to discuss business trends and leadership perspectives. In 2008, he was selected to attend a two-week HR Executive Development Session at the Ross School of Business on the campus of the University of Michigan. Gregory holds a certification in Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) and is the recipient of the Sam M. Walton Award of Excellence.

Gregory regularly speaks on people leadership and HR execution to various groups throughout all divisions of Walmart Stores Inc. and externally to professional organizations.

Gregory and his wife, Veronica, are the parents of five children: Alexys 15, Juliett 14, Gabriella 13, Rebekah 11, and John 10. The Marrufo’s reside in Northwest Arkansas

REGISTER EARLY FOR THE SEPTEMBER 9TH MEETING or

call 479-903-5995 or e-mail: info@noark.org

Thanks to our September Sponsor:

AdvisorAlliance is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser providing investment management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations and business entities.

Client portfolios are managed by allotting portfolio assets among various asset classes, sector, style and size categories using a proprietary, market-dictated attribution model, The Sector GridTM.

Clearing and custodial services for investment management accounts will generally be provided by National Clearing Services, a Fidelity Investments company. Securities transactions may also be accomplished through Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, Inc.,member FINRA/SIPC.

Tammy McCutchen presented a power packed presentation about DOL new regulations at the last NOARK meeting.  Here are her notes! DOL & Independent Contractors

Blair Johanson presented vital information about the 2020 NOARK WAGE and BENEFITS SURVEY.   

Check it out...2010 WAGE & BENEFITS OUTLINE

About the NOARK WAGE and BENEFITS SURVEY

The NOARK Wage and Benefits Survey is a comprehensive report of Compensation and Benefits data on over 150 positions from over 65 Northwest Arkansas businesses.   We are really excited about the 2010 NOARK Wage and Benefit’s survey!   We have updated the survey to capture more details on company benefits plans, company responses to the recession, and added more position breakouts.  The NOARK survey is one of the best values around to assist your company in staying competitive in the marketplace.  The survey results are now available. 

Survey Pricing

Member Participant Pricing  $99

Member Non-Participant   $199

Non-Member Participant   $199

Non-Member Non Participant  $299

If you are interested in purchasing this valuable survey, please contact Elizabeth Farmer, NOARK Wage and Benefits Chair at Elizabeth.Farmer@tyson.com or Angela Robinson, NOARK administrator at angela@thejobguide.com. 

Department of Labor Issues New Guidance on FMLA Coverage
 
On June 22, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued an administrator interpretation clarifying that employees may use the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in instances when they act as a parent but may not have a legal or biological relationship to the child.   Click here to read entire article 

Federal Legislative Action Alert

YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED! Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 5600, the Employee Educational Assistance Act of 2010, which would make permanent the tax free status of employer provided education assistance.

Background 

Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code allows an employee to exclude from income up to $5,250 per year in assistance provided by their employer for any type of educational course at the associate, undergraduate and graduate level. Employers are not required to provide education assistance to their employees, however, if an employer chooses to do so, the benefit must be offered to all employees on a nondiscriminatory basis that does not favor highly compensated employees. Congress has extended Section 127 eight times since it was first established in 1978, most recently in 2001. Section 127 will expire at the end of this year unless Congress acts to renew it or make it permanent.

Issue

Providing tax-free educational assistance is an important tool for employers. Section 127 helps to build and maintain an increasingly skilled workforce, and positions the United States to remain competitive in the global economy. Almost 20 percent of Section 127 recipients are pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees. More than 35 percent of all degrees pursued by Section 127 beneficiaries are master’s degrees and, according to the National Postsecondary Student Aid study of the most recent data on the use of this benefit, utilization of Section 127 has doubled since 1994. Today, more than 1 million employees use Section 127 benefits.

Status

On June 24, 2010, Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and Representative Sam Johnson (R-TX) introduced H.R. 5600, the Employee Educational Assistance Act of 2010.  This bill would also make Section 127 a permanent part of the U.S. tax code.

SHRM Position

SHRM chairs the Coalition to Preserve Employer Provided Education Assistance, a broad-based collection of groups representing business, labor and education. SHRM strongly supports the permanent extension of Section 127 for associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees. We believe that providing tax-free educational assistance is an important tool for employers to attract and retain the best employees, build a skilled workforce, and position the U.S. economy to compete globally. Furthermore, with the current economic downturn, both employees and employers benefit from this tax provision.  Through re-skilling and professional development, organizations invest in their most precious resource – their employees.

Action Needed

Please write your Member of Congress and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 5600, the Employee Educational Assistance Act of 2010.  To write your elected official using HRVoice, follow these steps:

1. Log onto SHRM Online by clicking HERE.
2. Sign in using your Member ID and Last Name.
3. Once you have completed the HR Advocacy e-list form and entered the SHRM Advocacy Action Center, click the “Take Action” tab at the bottom of the featured federal alert highlighted in blue.

If you encounter problems, please contact David Lusk, SHRM’s Senior Associate, Member Advocacy, at david.lusk@shrm.org.

Welcome New Members -- Help Them FIT IT! 

• Beth Pittman - Cameron Smith & Associates
• David Schoen - Arkansas Municipal League
• Tony Hawk - Hawk & Associates
• Ben Jones - Career Development Partners            

From NOARK's President Darrin Coon, SPHR:

Thank you for visiting our website. 

NOARK’s primary objective is to serve the HR professional by providing opportunities for professional development.  By serving in this way, our hope is that we are also making an important investment within the community of employers throughout NW Arkansas.      

In addition to holding monthly meetings where we learn from business, legal, and HR leaders, NOARK also has developed a committee structure that focuses upon areas of special interest.  In fact, many of our committees are known within the region for their ability to identify and carry out acts of education and service. 

We welcome any interest you may have in serving on one of these committees.  To learn more just contact the relevant committee chair directly. Click Here for Committee Contact Information.

As your NOARK President I welcome your candid feedback about ways that we can improve service to you. If you have something you want to share, just send it to my attention at:  Dcoon@jbu.edu, or feel free to call me at 479-524-7123.        

I sincerely hope that NOARK will be a place where you meet new people, grow professionally, and feel supported by your professional peers.

Take Care,

Darrin Coon, SPHR

 Make the commitment. Take your HR career to the next level and earn your HR certification.  

 Who are these NOARK Stars? Click to find out!

 NOARK Committe Members - Become ONE!

Be A NOARK Sponsor and Reach YOUR Target Audience

Are you interested in submitting an article from your area of expertise; please send your text to the attention of Darrin Coon, Editor at:  Dcoon@jbu.edu.

Save the Date for ARSHRM ELLA-

 Employment Law and Legislative Affairs Conference

September 29 - 30, 2010

Embassy Suites, Little Rock AR

Register NOW