Douglas Baber is a Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) Certified Professional and holds the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture micro-credential. He is in his second term as the Certification Director for HR Florida and the Immediate Past-President for the St. Lucie County Human Resource Association. During his tenure, he continues to promote SHRM certification activities for the state council, SHRM affiliated chapters and their members.
In efforts to promote SHRM certified professionals he hosts weekly “Cram Sessions” study groups during each testing window that are free of charge to SHRM affiliated chapter members across the state. In each testing window these sessions are co-hosted by a certified member of the state council. Following the testing window HR Florida generously provides a $500 honorarium to a chapter member from Florida that recently passed the CP or SCP exam. These sessions are well attended and combined from the past two windows we have helped to certify fifty-one (51) Certified Professionals and eighteen (18) Senior Certified Professionals.
Throughout his career, he has been a leader and a member of a number of professional/community organizations and boards, including the St. Lucie County H.A.N.D.S. Clinic Board Chair, St. Lucie Public Schools Chair for the Referendum Citizens Advisory Committee and is a member of the Florida City County Managers Association (FCCMA), International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Florida Public Employers Association (FPELRA).
Doug has over 16 years of high-level public service human resources & risk management experience. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and has worked in a variety of capacities specializing in compensation, benefits management, recruitment and retention of employees. Additionally, Doug holds a Master of Business Administration and is currently writing his Dissertation for a Doctorate in Business Administration.
Organizations like SHRM and HR Florida put certification in the driver’s seat for professionals of all levels and fields. The networking and shared resources that certified professionals tend to display and offer to others is hands down one of the greatest things we can do as human resources professionals. The past fifteen (15) months has changed the way the world views the Human Resources profession. We as professionals need to stay on top of our game for our greatest asset, our employees. If you do not take care of your employees and their families, try to imagine what it would be like without them… ■