2008 Woodie Awards
New HR director applauds Kirkwood
Brandy Hedgeman
Issue date: 9/30/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The human resources department at Kirkwood Community College has a new director: Bob Freeman, SPHR.
Freeman attended Coe College and is a Senior Professional of Human Resources, a certification within the human resources field.
Freeman came to Kirkwood after five years with CRST, a privately-owned Cedar Rapids transportation company dealing with transportation. Prior to working for CRST, Freeman worked two years for Apache Hose and Belting Company a local Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and 10 years for Alliant Energy.
With his new job in academia as director of the human resources department at Kirkwood, Freeman has worked in each of the four categories of human resources including privately-owned, publicly-owned, ESOP and academia.
As director of the human resources department, Freeman's duties are "the development and implementation of human resource-related policies and procedures and the adherence to all federal and state human resource-related laws." His days have been filled with committee meetings not directly related to human services but that have impact on human resources, he said. Freeman said he has read a lot of resumes and applications, as well as participated in professional communications to keep current with recent developments in his field.
"I have little-to-no control over my day," Freeman said. He said he may have a schedule but events occur throughout the day that cause his schedule to change.
Much of his time has been spent "out and about and just being seen." Freeman added that he has walked around the campus talking with staff, faculty and students, learning about Kirkwood and answering questions.
Part of what makes Freeman's position as director of the human resources department different from those of the directors of other departments is that he has to consider how new developments affect the employees of KCC rather than the students.
Most other departments have to focus on the students but his responsibility is to focus on the employees, he said.Freeman said, "When I first started meeting people, I was amazed at the length of service of the employees.
Our length of service is very impressive and that just says huge things about the employer." He also added that "Kirkwood is willing and able to make the investment, whether it is time, money, technology, facilities or manpower, for the good of the students."
"I am a happy camper. This is a really good place," Freeman noted.
Freeman attended Coe College and is a Senior Professional of Human Resources, a certification within the human resources field.
Freeman came to Kirkwood after five years with CRST, a privately-owned Cedar Rapids transportation company dealing with transportation. Prior to working for CRST, Freeman worked two years for Apache Hose and Belting Company a local Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and 10 years for Alliant Energy.
With his new job in academia as director of the human resources department at Kirkwood, Freeman has worked in each of the four categories of human resources including privately-owned, publicly-owned, ESOP and academia.
As director of the human resources department, Freeman's duties are "the development and implementation of human resource-related policies and procedures and the adherence to all federal and state human resource-related laws." His days have been filled with committee meetings not directly related to human services but that have impact on human resources, he said. Freeman said he has read a lot of resumes and applications, as well as participated in professional communications to keep current with recent developments in his field.
"I have little-to-no control over my day," Freeman said. He said he may have a schedule but events occur throughout the day that cause his schedule to change.
Much of his time has been spent "out and about and just being seen." Freeman added that he has walked around the campus talking with staff, faculty and students, learning about Kirkwood and answering questions.
Part of what makes Freeman's position as director of the human resources department different from those of the directors of other departments is that he has to consider how new developments affect the employees of KCC rather than the students.
Most other departments have to focus on the students but his responsibility is to focus on the employees, he said.Freeman said, "When I first started meeting people, I was amazed at the length of service of the employees.
Our length of service is very impressive and that just says huge things about the employer." He also added that "Kirkwood is willing and able to make the investment, whether it is time, money, technology, facilities or manpower, for the good of the students."
"I am a happy camper. This is a really good place," Freeman noted.