GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Nov. 4, 2021) – The City of Gainesville is proud to recognize Administrative Services/Human Resources Director Janeann Allison, who was recently named “HR Professional of the Year 2021” by the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Georgia State Council.
Allison earned the title for significant contributions to the advancements and achievements in human resources management, and received the award at the SHRM Georgia “Become the Change” 2021 State Conference Sept. 22-24 in Stone Mountain.
“As public and private sector organizations navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, having human resource professionals and leaders that could provide a steady hand for all employees became not just a need, but a necessity,” stated Gainesville City Manager Bryan Lackey. “Janeann provided this steady, calm hand for our team by rising as an individual and by leading her HR team to face the day-to-day changes and challenges that faced our organization. Her trusted guidance and feedback to directors and managers gave the members of our organization the confidence that the City management had their back and truly cared for their wellbeing, safety and job security during this uncertain time.”
Allison’s professionalism has assisted Lackey, he said, in developing an organizational culture that stresses employees are the City’s greatest asset.
“For our organization to be successful, we need our team members to be ‘all in’ with a knowledge that City management is doing their best to take care of their needs,” he stated.
“Without a great team of human resources staff that work tirelessly for the benefit of our employees, this award couldn’t have been possible,” Allison stated.
Allison credited the following members of her team, who she said are essential to every success of the department: Human Resources Manager Vikki Fox-Wilson, HR Admin Specialist April Trammell, Employee Benefits Manager Tiffany Hill, Benefits Administrator Kimberly Leon, Risk Management Specialist Hanna Milford, Payroll Administrator Jennifer Horner and Retirement Manager Karen Rojas.
Lackey also praised Allison and her staff for efforts to transition the City to a cloud-based payroll system, work with the City’s clinic and wellness vendor to expand the wellness program encouraging employees to be better consumers of their healthcare, and establishing the Gainesville Leadership Academy to further educate and equip City employees in leadership roles.
“Janeann’s dedication to providing wellness benefits and leadership growth opportunities have given our team members a high level of confidence that we care about their overall physical, mental, fiscal and professional health,” he continued. “This creates an organization culture that encourages team members to maximize their contributions to our organization and community.”
Overall, Allison’s calm hand and steady leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic provided team members, from management to line workers, the confidence to know City management truly cares for them.
“This allowed these team members to perform their jobs and service to the citizens of Gainesville without any additional worries about how the pandemic will affect them or their families,” Lackey stated.
To learn more about SHRM, visit https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/Pages/default.aspx.