Radio personality Chrissy Troy hosted the festivities, which included 12 recipients in nine different categories. Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham and Deputy Minister Public Service Commissioner Dana Rudy brought greetings on behalf of the city and province respectively. 

After that CPHR Manitoba board chair Alison Crozier and Awards Gala Nominations Committee member Jen Sklar talked about all of the great work that the nominees have done, how the nominations came together, and the state of the HR industry in Manitoba. 

Professional Excellence Awards

After the opening portion, we handed out the Professional Excellence Awards, which recognized individuals at various levels of their careers who have applied their expertise and knowledge to the objectives of their organization and the people they support. 

Spark Award: Recognizing HR professionals in the first 10 years of their career 

• Winner: Mario Petit, CN Rail

Momentum Award: Recognizing CPHRs who have established their expertise and leadership

• Winner: Natalie Bell, Natalie Bell Consulting

Leadership Award: Recognizing executive-level practitioners for their strategic influence on their organization

• Winner: Olena Derkach, Trailblazers Life Choices Inc. 

HR Executive Award: Recognizing HR leaders in upper management levels that drive change within their organizations

• Winner: Jenna Book, Red River Mutual Insurance

Visionary Award: Recognizing Executive who endorse, support or champion the HR function within their organization

• Honourees: Jennifer Bell (Neovation Corporation), Michael Penman (Payworks), and Rick White (Canadian Canola Growers Association)

Learn more about this year's Professional Excellence nominees. 

Business Excellence Awards

After that, we moved on to the Business Awards, which recognize organizations leading the way in creating, developing, and implementing HR initiatives that resulted in significant and measurable benefits to the organization. 

Ascent Award: For investing in leadership and talent development

• Winner: Payworks

Thrive Award: For making work more meaningful and engaging

• Winner: Kroeker Farms
  

Unity Award: For advancing diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility at work

• Winner: Rebelleyus Consultations RH

Innovation Award: For promoting health, safety, and wellness

• Winner: DriveHRIS

HR Team Award: For people leading business as a team

• Winner: Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA)

Learn more about this year's Business Excellence nominees. 

FCPHR Presentation

CPHR Manitoba CEO Ron Gauthier was also proud to present CPHR Manitoba member Robyn Normandale with the Fellow-CPHR (FCPHR) designation. The FCPHR Designation is a prestigious award that recognizes CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the profession and recognizes leadership, outstanding achievement, and exceptional contribution to the profession. 

You can read more about Robyn's achievement here.

Looking Ahead

CPHR Manitoba wants to extend a huge thank you to everyone who made the event possible: sponsors, volunteers, and the attendees. We encourage CPHR Manitoba members, HR practitioners, and the business community to keep the momentum going by considering nominations for the 2027 awards. 

The FCPHR Designation is a prestigious award that recognizes CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the profession and recognizes leadership, outstanding achievement, and exceptional contribution to the profession. 

Robyn is a seasoned human resources executive and certified executive coach with more than 20 years of experience advancing organizational culture, leadership capability, and business performance across both private and public sector organizations. She currently serves as Director, People and Culture for Innovair Group, where she leads the Human Resources and Continuous Improvement portfolios across multiple companies and locations. In this role, Robyn helps shape organizational strategy, leadership development, employee engagement, and operational performance, translating people strategy into measurable business results.

Robyn has been instrumental in modernizing Innovair Group’s HR function through digital transformation and the integration of coaching and continuous improvement practices, strengthening the organization’s ability to adapt, execute, and grow. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Human Resource Management Certificate from the University of Manitoba. She is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), holds the SHRM‑SCP designation, and has earned a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University, along with the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation.

A committed leader within the HR profession, Robyn has contributed extensively to professional governance and standards development in Manitoba and nationally. A former CPHR Manitoba board member, she has served on multiple committees and national task forces supporting self‑regulation, certification, and professional practice. She currently serves as a Director‑at‑Large with Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism and remains deeply committed to advancing the credibility, standards, and future of the HR profession while building strong organizations and communities.

Visit our FCPHR webpage to learn more about the designation. 

Radio personality Chrissy Troy hosted the evening. She welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending before turning the microphone over to CPHR Manitoba’s Board and Awards Gala Chairs.

Alison Crozier, Chair of CPHR Manitoba and Jen Sklar, member of the Awards Gala Nominations Committee thanked the board, the gala committee, CPHR members and sponsors for their support and dedication.

The Honourable Adrien Sala, Minister of Finance, delivered warm greetings on behalf of Premier Wab Kinew. He extended heartfelt thanks to the human resources community for their leadership, commitment to progress, and the vital work they do each day. In his remarks, Minister Sala announced that Bill 233, the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act, will be officially proclaimed in June, at which point it will come into force as law.

"Your dedication and excellence in the field of human resources are essential to the continued growth and success of our province," said Minister Sala.

Ryan Savage from Taylor McCaffrey shared greetings on behalf of the Presenting Sponsor. Laine Jubinville from Johnston Group gave the last greeting of the evening on behalf of the Reception Sponsor. Ryan and Laine spoke about taking pride in HR professionals and thanked all the nominees of the night.  

Thirteen recipients were recognized with Professional and Business Excellence Awards.

The Professional Excellence Awards recognized individuals at various levels in their careers who have applied their expertise and knowledge to the objectives of their organization and the people they support.

Between award presentations, guests enjoyed a three-course dinner, sipped wine, and raised their glasses in celebration. Tables shimmered with gold sequins and dark blue crushed velvet, adorned with floating candles and bouquets of blue spring flowers.

The Business Excellence Awards recognized Manitoba businesses that are leading the way in HR initiatives. These organizations have been successful in creating, developing, and implementing initiatives that resulted in significant and measurable benefits to the organization and its employees.

A special presentation of the Fellow CPHR (FCPHR) took place, recognizing two CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the HR profession throughout their careers.

At the end of the ceremony, Chrissy congratulated the award recipients, thanked everyone in attendance, and remarked about what a great night it has been.

CPHR Manitoba’s HR Excellence Awards 2025 Recipients:

Professional Awards

Spark Award: recognizes HR professionals in the first 10 years of their career.

Recipient: Shannon Morrison, Innovair Group

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Dr. Ute Kothe, Extended Education, University of Manitoba

Quote: I’m excited to keep growing as a CPHR professional in Manitoba

Momentum Award: recognizes CPHRs who have established their expertise and leadership.

Recipient: Johanna Hildebrand, People First HR Services

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Kevin Gill, Staffmax

Quote: I’m the person that I am today because of the people around me.

Leadership Award: recognizes executive-level practitioners for their strategic influence on their organization.

Recipient: Heather Horton, MacDon Industries Ltd.

Award Presenter & Sponsor: David Tompkins, Manitoba Blue Cross

Quote: You can’t do it without your team and I have an amazing team at MacDon.

Visionary Award: recognizes executives who endorse, support or champion the HR function within their organizations.

Recipient: Abe Berg, Power Driven Electric, accepted by Mariana Nunez

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Recipient: Grant Cockshott, Innovair Group

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: We owe this to the brilliant Robyn Normandale.

Recipient: Kirk Regular, Vidir Solutions Inc.

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: I appreciate all the work that every person does in the Province of Manitoba.

Recipient: Kurt Buehler, MacDon Industries Ltd.

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: Our most valuable resources are our people.

Recipient: Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, Formerly Siloam Mission

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: Thank you, HR people, for having people’s backs, we need you now more than ever.

Business Awards

Ascent Award: for investing in leadership and talent development

Recipient: Manitoba Public Insurance

Accepted by: Jacqueline Wood

Award Presenter: Chris Downey, ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership

Quote: We are in the business of helping people.

Impact Award: for making work more meaningful and engaging.

Recipient: SKIP

Accepted by: Michael Torres

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Dan Lambert, Lambert Nemec Group

Quote: Our work here is not done…this recognition says we’re on the right path”

Unity Award: for advancing diversity, inclusivity and accessibility at work.

Recipient: StandardAero

Accepted by: Caroline Sicat

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Mark Alward, Taylor McCaffrey

Quote: Together we’re building a future where everyone belongs.

Vitality Award: for promoting health, safety and wellness.

Recipient: Power Driven Electric

Accepted by: Mariana Nunez

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Dave Kramer, SAFE Work Manitoba

Quote: Safety is not just a policy, it’s a value that drives everything we do.

HR Team Award: for people leading business as a team.

Recipient: Vidir Solutions Inc.

Accepted by: Cristina Vieira

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Stacey Danley, Aplin

Quote: This award belongs to everyone on my team.

View photos from this year's event here.

View finalist videos here.

Key Benefits:

• Practical examples and samples aligned with the CPHR competency framework
• Enhance productivity and make data-driven decisions
• Become a more dynamic and innovative HR leader

Our sincere gratitude to CPHR BC & Yukon for the creation and delivery of this Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guide for HR, developed in partnership with A.I. Guides. As a valued partner of CPHR Canada, CPHR BC & Yukon has generously provided this resource exclusively for  CPHR Manitoba members. This guide is intended solely for member use to supportHR professionals in their roles and should not be shared publicly.

View the AI for HR Guide here.

Download the AI in the Workplace Policy Template here. 

The Fellow CPHR award is a prestigious award that recognizes CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the profession. This award recognizes leadership, outstanding achievement and exceptional contribution to the HR profession.

Janice Harper is a seasoned HR professional with over 25 years of experience, renowned for her transformative leadership in the field.

Janice has been involved with CPHR Manitoba for many years. She has served on the Board of Directors, including a term as Board Chair. During this time Janice advocated to have the CPHR designation appropriately recognized and supported efforts for self-regulation.

Janice has skillfully turned her knowledge, expertise, and abilities into a foundation of success, earning her the unwavering trust and respect as a distinguished HR professional.

With over 20 years of experience in HR, Kathy MacDonald has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and leadership.

Kathy’s involvement with CPHR Manitoba spans many years. She served on the Board of Directors from 2011 to 2017, including chairing the Professional Standards Committee and contributing to various other committees. She has participated in the Mentorship Program, where she shared her knowledge and experience with emerging HR professionals. Currently, Kathy remains an active member of the Conference Committee. In addition to her work with CPHR Manitoba, Kathy has also served on CPHR Alberta’s Board of Directors.

Kathy’s enthusiasm for the HR profession drives her ongoing efforts to enhance its standing within the association, the industry, and the broader business community. Her commitment to the growth and success of HR continues to inspire those around her.

Congratulations to Janice and Kathy!

The 22nd Annual HR Excellence Awards will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2024. This must-see event showcases and celebrates the outstanding achievements in HR throughout Manitoba.

Attend to get inspired by others' accomplishments this year and start planning your nomination for 2026!

Tickets are on sale now here.

View full document (pdf).

The Business Excellence Awards recognize small, medium and large businesses that have harnessed the power of HR to advance their business goals and are leading the way in HR initiatives.

The Professional Excellence Awards recognize individuals who apply their expertise to the objectives of their organization and the people they support.

Congratulations to our finalists! Click the links below to read more about this year’s finalists.

• Business Excellence awards Finalists
• Professional Excellence Awards Finalists
  

Thank you to all our members who took the time to submit nominations for this signature event. Your enthusiasm, dedication and support toward the enhancement of the HR profession is greatly appreciated.

Please help us in celebrating this upcoming event and all our finalists using our hashtag #HRExcellenceAwards2025!

The 22nd Annual HR Excellence Awards will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025. This must-see event showcases and celebrates the outstanding achievements in HR throughout Manitoba.

Attend to get inspired by others' accomplishments this year and start planning your nomination for 2026!

Tickets are on sale now here.

Attendance exceeded our expectations at our signature events, virtual webinars and workshops this year. We enjoyed connecting with members at our HR Excellence Awards, Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace Conference, HR Legislative Review, Annual General Meeting, HR Conference, Diversity Forum and Holiday Luncheons.

This year, we focused on building relations with the new government. While we await proclamation, we worked on aligning our bylaws and regulatory processes with The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act. We look forward to sharing more updates about this in the new year!

The association had a good year making progress under each pillar of our strategic plan – promote the CPHR brand, support CPHR development and foster public confidence in CPHRs:

Promote the CPHR Brand

This year, we continued to invest time and resources into reaching potential CPHRs through LinkedIn Recruiter and ongoing student relations efforts at our partner post-secondary programs. Growing our membership of designated HR professionals remains a priority and membership has grown to over 1,950 this year.

Our brand awareness continues to grow in the business community. The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce’s Business Outlook Survey showed awareness of CPHR increased by 9% since last year (61% in 2022 vs. 70% in 2023).

To enhance our marketing initiatives, we continued to create member spotlight videos to highlight members and showcase the value of becoming a CPHR. These videos were showcased at our events and partner events. The series even won the Non-Broadcast Single or Series Award at the Signature Awards in October! Additionally, one of these videos was featured in the CPHR Canada National advertising campaign, further amplifying its impact and reach.

Support CPHR Development

It was truly a pleasure to connect with so many of our members in person at the HR Conference this past October. With over 400 delegates from across Manitoba, the event was a great success.

We celebrated the HR Excellence Awards 2024 on April 11, providing a wonderful opportunity to connect with our members and honour their outstanding achievements. A huge congratulations to all the nominees and award recipients for their hard work and dedication!

Many additional learning opportunities were offered through topic focused conferences, forums, workshops, executive breakfasts, learning partners and our Pre-Approved for CPD program.

We continued our programs focused on career development: Walk & Talk, Community Building Groups, Campus Ambassador Program, and Mentorship program. These programs continue to be a success with even more members signing up each year. We also continued to partner with CPHR BC & Yukon to offer webinars, many of them for free.

The Spring and Fall 2024 Validation of Experience (VOE) intakes were completed under the new VOE education and experience requirements. This new VOE requirement process resulted in more applications and an increased success rate than in previous years. The 2024 VOE intakes were at an all-time high, and there were 68 new CPHRs this year!

Foster Public Confidence in CPHRs

This year, we conducted research including focus groups, educator interviews and a survey to know more about DEI, hiring practices, Canadian work experience and pay transparency. Results were shared with the public and the Minister of Labour and Immigration.

Board member, Nikolene Day, was appointed to the Manitoba Labour Management Review Committee as a Manitoba Employers Council Representative.This Committee is comprised of representatives of business and labour and provides a forum for discussion of labour and management issues. The Committee's mandate is to promote a harmonious labour relations climate and to foster effective labour management cooperation in support of the economic and social well-being of Manitobans.

Looking Forward to 2025

Our pursuit of self-regulation has been years in the making, and we are hopeful about receiving proclamation next year. We're filled with excitement for how this will shape the future of the association.

We are working with a wide variety of strategic partners to connect with business leaders to increase awareness of CPHR and ensure they understand the value of hiring CPHRs. We will continue to connect with professionals outside of the HR profession to raise awareness. We will also utilize our award-winning member spotlight videos in a television advertising campaign to further enhance awareness.

We will continue to provide learning opportunities for members with special attention to trending topics ensuring we are meeting members evolving educational needs.

At a national level, our involvement with CPHR Canada remains very active. We will continue to participate in various working groups including a marketing group. A new strategic plan will be created by CPHR Canada in January. We will also be sharing the results of CPHR Canada’s National Salary Survey in the new year. This Salary Survey, which includes the participation of HRPA, will provide a detailed picture of the latest trends in Canada’s job market.  

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming in-person events in 2025, like the HR Excellence Awards, the 2025 Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace Conference, the 2025 HR Legislative Review and other conferences and events.

A heartfelt thank you to our Board of Directors, volunteer committees, partners, sponsors, and advertisers for their invaluable support. We also extend our gratitude to our members for their continued dedication to advancing the profession. Wishing you all a safe and joyful holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming 2025 together!

CPHR Manitoba would not be what it is today without the hard-working former Board Chair, Dr. Lana Adeleye-Olusae. Lana was integral in helping us make significant advances in the pursuit of self-regulation and achieve Royal Assent. Lana is a selfless champion of our profession, a humble and inspiring professional, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work closely with him. Thank you to Lana for his dedication to the Board and for his continued work championing HR.

As you may recall, in June 2023, Bill 233, The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act achieved Royal Assent and will come into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation, self-regulating the Human Resources profession in Manitoba. This Act strengthens our ability to protect employers, employees and our economy. With this Act, also comes some changes to our organization and our Board.

Bill 233 establishes the Board composition, including that 1/3 of the members of the board must be made up of public representatives. A public representative is someone outside of the organization, often from a licensed profession.

Reshaping the 2024-2025 Board to meet this criteria was critical and required rebalancing the ratio of CPHRs and public representatives, by adding two new Board members who are public representatives. In order to make space for these new Board members, Keith Sinclair and Lisa Rowe have graciously stepped down from the Board and shifted their contribution to our Committees. I would like to thank them for their time on the Board and all their contributions over the years. Lisa joined as a member in 2000, has served on the Board since 2019 and has served on the Governance Committee and Membership committees. Keith joined as a member in 2004, has served on the Board since 2020 and has served on the Professional Standards and Nominating Committees. Thank you again to Lisa and Keith for enabling our Board to meet the Bill 233 criteria and continuing to support CPHR by lending your expertise and insights to our Committees.

In the future, I am sure you will read or hear me saying the words “self-regulation” often. This milestone is very important to me, and as I step into this new role, I plan on ensuring we continue to elevate HR, and that protecting the public remains a focus of CPHR Manitoba, as this remains one the main reasons we set out to achieve self-regulation.

Self-regulation will show employers that hiring a CPHR is the best way to ensure they are protecting their organizations, their employees and the public within their HR practice. For HR practitioners, becoming a CPHR will provide even more authority and opportunity to affect best practice than ever before.

Bill 233 helps us to formally align CPHR Manitoba members with other business advisory professionals and recognizing the strategic role that HR plays in protecting people at work, and employers.

Through the hard work of the Board members and staff, led by Ron Gauthier, we have made steps to interpret The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act, implement the changes that come with it and work with Government Ministers. 

Our pursuit of self-regulation has been years in the making, and we are hopeful about receiving proclamation later this year, and what this means for the future of the association.

Sincerely,

Alison Crozier

Chair, CPHR Manitoba Board of Directors

CPHR Manitoba is pleased to announce the 2024-2025 Board of Directors:

Chair - Alison Crozier, CPHR
Past Chair - Lana Adeleye-Olusae, FCPHR
Treasurer - Grant Christensen, FCPA, FCGA

Directors at Large

• Anu Baldner, CPHR
• Dr. Robert Biscontri, CPA, CGA
• Nikolene Day, CPHR 
• Adrian Frost, LLB
• Beth Millard-Hales, CPHR
• Vanda Racciatti, RD
• Susan Young, CPHR
• Kevin Gill, CPHR
• Carrie Homeniuk, CPHR

Lisa Rowe and Keith Sinclair will not be continuing on the Board in the 2024-2025 year. We would like to thank Lisa and Keith for their dedicated service to the Board. Lisa joined as a member in 2000, has served on the Board since 2019 and has served on the Governance Committee and Membership committees. Keith joined as a member in 2004, has served on the Board since 2020 and has served on the Professional Standards and Nominating Committees.

Congratulations to Alison Crozier who has been appointed Chair. We would also like to welcome Dr. Robert Biscontri and Vanda Racciatti to the Board of Directors. 

We look forward to another memorable year as we continue advancing the Human Resources profession!

The NKE is a required step for many pursuing the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation, which is the national industry standard of excellence for those working in the field of HR. The CPHR designation requires an individual to achieve and maintain demonstrated competency and experience relevant to the HR profession. Accredited programs cover at least 80% of the CPHR Competency Framework and verify that an individual has been tested on and demonstrated the knowledge component required to become a CPHR Candidate.

Graduates of Robertson College Human Resources Professional Program Diploma will be one step closer to receiving the CPHR designation upon graduation and may now be eligible to waive writing the National Knowledge Exam (NKE). 

In order to be eligible for the waiver, graduates from Robertson College HR Professional Program must have an overall cumulative average of seventy percent 70% or 3.0 GPA and will have up to five years from the date of graduation to apply for the NKE waiver. Applicants must be a member in good standing with CPHR Manitoba before applying. More eligibility information specific to each accredited program can be found on our website.

“We’re incredibly proud to be the first private college in Manitoba to receive accreditation from CPHR Manitoba for our Human Resources Professional program. At Robertson, we pride ourselves in offering relevant programs that meet the demands of industry and staying ahead of ever- changing workforce needs. I am confident CPHR’s accreditation of our program will give Robertson graduates a tangible advantage and enable them to pursue meaningful careers in human resources with passion and purpose,” said Terena Caryk, VP of Operations and Academics, Robertson College.

Robertson College Human Resources Professional Program joins our nine previously announced Accredited programs:

• Assiniboine Community College (ACC) – Business Administration Diploma Human Resource Specialization
• Assiniboine Community College (ACC) – Human Resource Management (Advanced Diploma)
• Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) – Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Learning and Development
• Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) – Human Resource Management Certificate
• Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) – Business Administration Diploma (HR Major)
• University of Manitoba Extended Education – Human Resource Management Certificate
• University of Manitoba I.H Asper School of Business – Bachelor of Commerce
• University of Manitoba – Bachelor of Arts (Advanced Major & General Major in Labour Studies
• University of Winnipeg Professional, Applied & Continuing Education (PACE) – Human Resource Management Diploma

“Incorporating post-secondary training into the CPHR designation is an important step in advancing the designation and providing greater value for the business community. We started this program in 2017 because we wanted CPHRs to be post-secondary trained in HR, so the fact that we now have ten post-secondary HR programs in the province is exciting for Manitoba. It also means a lot to us adding Robertson as they are our first private institution,” said Ron Gauthier, CEO of CPHR Manitoba.

For more information about the PSI Accreditation Program, click here

For a full list of Accredited Programs, click here

This past year, we continued building connections among our members, businesses, and the public. We focused on building relations with the new government. We worked on aligning our bylaws and government processes with The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act, to be effective on proclamation.

We made a significant investment to foster and demonstrate the credibility for the CPHR brand with the public through three Member Spotlight videos showcasing the value of being a CPHR and the important role CPHRs play in their workplaces.

This was a year of mostly in-person events, where we met and engaged with members. We noticed that in-person events exceeded expectations with more delegates and sponsors than in previous years.

We continued to move forward on our strategic plan:

Promoting the CPHR brand

Investing in the promotion of CPHR is investing in the future of our profession.

This year, along with our member spotlight videos, we continued our partnership with Bell Media and to work with numerous strategic partners, the Chambers of Commerce throughout the province, and other groups.

We saw the results from our efforts reflected in the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce’s Business Outlook Survey:

o   Awareness of CPHR increased by 9% since last year (61% in 2022 vs. 70% in 2023).

o   When looking at Manitoba Chambers of Commerce members, 72% of members value CPHR, and almost one-third of members see it as “very” valuable (32%). This shows us that our work with Chambers is going well as our perceived value increases with the Chambers' members.

o   This year, we introduced a new question asking whether respondents feel the HR profession protects organizations and people who work in them. The feedback for this question was positive, the results showed that 75% of respondents believe the profession provides protection.

The number of CPHR Manitoba members, designates and candidates is growing too:

o   CPHR Manitoba membership grew to 1,964 members.

o   The number of CPHRs and CPHR Candidates are at an all-time high with 591 CPHR Candidates and 650 CPHRs.

Focus groups, educator interviews and a survey were conducted to know more about DEI, hiring practices, Canadian work experience and pay transparency. Results were shared with the public and the Minister of Labour and Immigration.

We also continued to invest time and resources into reaching potential CPHRs through ongoing student relations efforts at our partner post-secondary programs.

Supporting CPHR development

In our ongoing efforts to support our membership, we continued to offer member programming across a wide variety of topics and targeted members at various stages of their professional development including the Walk & Talk Program, Community Building Groups, the Campus Ambassador Program, and the Mentorship Program.

This year, 273 people attended the HR Excellence Awards and 400 people attended our HR Conference. Our in-person events, including the Diversity Forum, Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace Conference, and HR Legislative Review exceeded expectations with more delegates and sponsors than in previous years.

We partnered with CPHR BC & Yukon again to offer 16 quality and relevant webinars to our members.

The Spring 2024 Validation of Experience (VOE) intake was completed under the new VOE education and experience requirements. This new VOE requirement process resulted in more applications and an increased success rate than in previous years.

Fostering public confidence in CPHRs

The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act has achieved royal assent and will come into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation. Staff continue to work with legal counsel and government on moving The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act into proclamation.

Budget and revenue

The Association’s goal is to have half of our revenue from member dues and half of our revenue from non-member dues to be more consistent with what is seen in the association industry and mitigate risk. Historically member dues have made up 40%-45% of our revenue. We are working towards creating a better balance between non-member and member dues revenue by focusing on growing the membership and ensuring member dues keep up with inflation.

With an operating surplus of $133,936, the board has put another $100,000 into our internally restricted reserve, bringing it to $750,000. Our target remains 100% of our annual operating budget.

Membership survey findings

Finally, we are pleased to share the results of our Membership Survey:

o   92% of members are satisfied or extremely satisfied with CPHR Manitoba overall.

o   93% of members who required customer service were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their experience.

o   95% of members are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the stewardship of CPHR Manitoba by the Board of Directors.

o   91% of members indicate that HR is considered a strategic partner at their organization either fully or partially.

Looking ahead

Next year, we will continue to build on our efforts to move the strategic plan forward.

This year, our focus continues to be on interpreting The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act and implementing the changes that come with it. Staff have been working with Government Ministers and we hope to receive a proclamation later this year.

We are working with a wide variety of strategic partners to connect with business leaders to increase awareness of CPHR and ensure they understand the value of hiring CPHRs. We will continue to connect with professionals outside of the HR profession to raise awareness.

We will continue to work with our post-secondary partners to build awareness of the CPHR designation and reach out to current HR professionals who are not yet members. We will continue to hold our signature events in-person and will hold other events and workshops in-person and online.

At a national level, our involvement with CPHR Canada remains very active. We will continue to participate in various working groups including a marketing group.

The HR field has come a long way in the last ten years, but as an Association, we still have work to do in promoting the value of HR professionals in the C-suite to the business community. We will continue to support and encourage our members to be champions of business and strategic development in their workplaces.

Thank you

As we wrap up the 2023-2024 fiscal year, we want to thank the Board of directors for their continued support and governance of the Association; the volunteer committees for helping to keep programs and services moving forward; and our partners, sponsors, and advertisers for their enthusiastic and unwavering support of the HR community in Manitoba.

We want to thank our members for continuing to be great stewards of the profession.

Finally, CPHR Manitoba would not be where it is today without the hard work of our staff. Thank you for your resourcefulness, creativity and dedication.

We look forward to continuing to advance the human resources profession in 2024-2025.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lana Adeleye-Olusae Chair, CPHR Manitoba Board of Directors	Ron Gauthier CEO, CPHR Manitoba

Here is a breakdown of the new CPHR Manitoba board, staff and committee structure:  

As you look at this new structure, the most important changes to note are the merging of membership, professional development and professional standards responsibilities which is reflected in the Standards and Membership Manager role and the addition of regulatory affairs which is reflected in the Vice President, Operations and Regulatory Affairs role.

“This is an exciting time in the evolution of CPHR. We are proud of this growth in our organization and look forward to reaching proclamation and continuing to elevate the HR profession in Manitoba,” says Ron Gauthier, CEO CPHR Manitoba.

If you would like more information about each new role, click here.

Radio personality Chrissy Troy hosted the evening. She welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending before turning the microphone over to CPHR Manitoba’s Board and Awards Gala Chairs.

Lana Adeleye-Olusae, Chair of CPHR Manitoba and Dana Nepon, Chair of the Awards Gala Nominations Committee thanked the board, the gala committee, CPHR members and sponsors for their support and dedication. Lana mentioned CPHR Manitoba’s newest member spotlight videos which showcase the value of being a CPHR.   

Councillor Sherri Rollins shared greetings from the City of Winnipeg. She thanked the HR community and congratulated all the finalists and recipients for making work meaningful.   

“I’m really proud to be a part of an evening celebrating outstanding achievements by individuals and businesses in Manitoba,” said Councillor Rollins.  

JD Devgan, MLA for McPhillips, shared greetings on behalf of Premier Kinew. He expressed his appreciation for the exceptional work made within the HR community.

“Your dedication to championing excellence in the HR profession and for all sectors embodies the progress being made across our province,” said Devgan.

Peter Mueller from Taylor McCaffrey shared greetings on behalf of the Presenting Sponsor. Dave Angus from Johnston Group gave the last greeting of the evening on behalf of the Reception Sponsor. Peter and Dave spoke about the importance of HR and the inspiration that comes after leaving the HR Excellence Awards.

Eleven recipients were recognized with Professional and Business Excellence Awards.

The Professional Excellence Awards recognized individuals at various levels in their careers who have applied their expertise and knowledge to the objectives of their organization and the people they support.

Between award presentations, a three-course dinner was served, wine glasses were filled, and winners were toasted at gala tables adorned with navy tablecloths, floating candles, and bouquets of Spring flowers.  

The Business Excellence Awards recognized Manitoba businesses that are leading the way in HR initiatives. These organizations have been successful in creating, developing, and implementing initiatives that resulted in significant and measurable benefits to the organization and its employees. This year a new Business Excellence

Award category called the HR Team Award was introduced. This award recognizes people leading business as a team, including advancing the human resource profession and driving business excellence.

A special presentation of the Fellow CPHR (FCPHR) took place, recognizing two CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the HR profession throughout their careers.

At the end of the ceremony, Chrissy congratulated the award recipients, thanked everyone in attendance, and remarked about what a great night it has been.

Professional Awards

Spark Award: recognizes HR professionals in the first 10 years of their career.

Recipient: Danielle Vanderwey, People Corporation

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Dr. Ute Kothe, Extended Education, University of Manitoba

Quote: I am so happy and grateful to be receiving this award tonight. I am very passionate about sparking change.

Momentum Award: recognizes CPHRs who have established their expertise and leadership.

Recipient: Sherrie Rauth, Celero Solutions

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Cherika Bergsmsa, Staffmax

Quote: This is amazing, and it is such a delight to be recognized in this way.

Leadership Award: recognizes executive-level practitioners for their strategic influence on their organization.

Recipient: Sina Barkman, Riverview Health Centre

Award Presenter & Sponsor: David Tompkins, Manitoba Blue Cross

Quote: It is a real honour to receive this in the company of some very impressive finalists. Congratulations to all the finalists today.

Visionary Award: recognizes executives who endorse, support or champion the HR function within their organizations.

Recipient: Maynard Dueck, Vidir Solutions Inc.  

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: The most important people are the people that are right in front of us. Our work as leaders is to find out what it is about the people right in front of us that are just right.

Recipient: Ken Jur, Jur Family Group

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: My passion in business has always been people and I am so grateful for the people we get to work with every day.

Legacy Award: recognizes HR Professionals who have personified community and corporate leadership, advanced the HR profession, and inspired others toward success through their lived example.

Recipient: Susan Black, FH Black & Company

Award Presenter: Ron Gauthier, CPHR Manitoba

Quote: Surround yourself with great people because no one can do it alone.

Business Awards

Ascent Award: for investing in leadership and talent development

Recipient: Vidir Solutions Inc.

Accepted by: Cristina Vieira

Award Presenter: Chris Downey, ACHIEVE Centre for Leadership

Quote: This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team.

Impact Award: for making work more meaningful and engaging

Recipient: The City of Winnipeg

Accepted by: Jessica Hanson

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Brittany Enns, Lambert Nemec Group

Quote: Thank you for believing in our initiative.

Unity Award: for advancing diversity, inclusivity and accessibility at work.

Recipient: Johnston Group

Accepted by: Jaime Chinchilla

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Wendy Funk, Taylor McCaffrey

Quote: Receiving this award in a room full of HR professionals gives me a lot of hope and a lot of encouragement and I must share this feeling of achievement and recognition with every one of you who has done any amount of work in diversity.

Vitality Award: for promoting health, safety and wellness.

Recipient: The City of Winnipeg - Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service & Corporate HR Services

Accepted by: Gillian Hickaway and Dr. Pamela Holens

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Dave Kramer, SAFE Work Manitoba

Quote: There really is a whole team behind this. Thank you to all of you, this really is a behaviour health UNIT.

HR Team Award: for people leading business as a team.

Recipient: Jur Family Group

Accepted by: Tyrelle McKoy and Cody Smith

Award Presenter & Sponsor: Stacey Danley, Aplin

Quote: We want to thank the amazing people that we work with. They make our job so fun and easy, and we’re really excited to get up and work with them every single day.

View photos from this year's event here.

View finalist videos here.

In January and February 2024, CPHR Manitoba conducted: a CPHR member survey; three interviews with post-secondary contacts; and four in-person focus groups with internationally educated and experienced professionals in human resources and other fields, including recent graduates of Canadian HR post-secondary education programs to gain information about hiring practices, requirements, considerations, and barriers regarding Canadian work experience for newcomers to Canada.

The objectives of this project were to:

• Determine the degree to which professionals (HR and non-HR) who are new to Canada are facing barriers to employment related to requirements for Canadian experience.

• Determine whether the same groups are facing other barriers to relevant employment that CPHR Manitoba can help mitigate.

• Determine whether CPHR Manitoba members and professionals who are newcomers to Canada would like CPHR Manitoba to lobby the provincial government and business leaders for legislation related to the removal of Canadian experience as a requirement for employment.

• Determine whether the same groups would like CPHR Manitoba to lobby the provincial government and business leaders for legislation related to the removal of Canadian experience as a requirement for licensing in certain regulated professions and trades.

Some of the key findings included:

• Almost 60% of respondents said there are unique barriers to recruiting newcomers to Canada. Common barriers include issues with travel/visa permits, certification requirements, education requirements, communication, language, lack of Canadian experience, cultural adaptation.

• Lack of Canadian work experience is the key barrier to newcomers obtaining a job that aligns with their previous education and work history. Secondary barriers include networking, language and communication, discrimination, and transportation.

• Participants said it was important to both eliminate the expectation for newcomers to have Canadian work experience and encourage employers to hire internationally educated and experienced newcomers.

• Representatives and students provided recommendations that focused on enhancing governmental support, educational collaborations, and employer incentives to facilitate a smoother integration of newcomers into the Canadian workforce.

To view the results, click here. 

The Fellow CPHR award is a prestigious award that recognizes CPHRs who have made exemplary contributions to the profession. This award recognizes leadership, outstanding achievement and exceptional contribution to the HR profession.

In 2023, Colleen concluded her seven-year term on the CPHR Manitoba Board of Directors including Chair of the Board. Colleen remains an active community volunteer. When she was a member of the Board of Directors, Colleen played an important role in the organization’s drive for self-governance. With CPHR Manitoba’s leadership team, she participated in the development of new governance policies, practices, and committees to help prepare the organization for the eventuality of self-governance.

Lana is currently the CPHR Manitoba Board Chair. He is a strong advocate of the HR profession among government agencies and policymakers. He and Ron Gauthier, the CEO established a relationship with the Government in Manitoba to have a bill passed for CPHR Manitoba to be a self-regulatory body. He advocated and lobbied for the passing of Bill 233, The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Act.  This required establishing relationships with the two major political parties to pass the Bill that made CPHR Manitoba a self-regulatory body in Manitoba. He is working with Ron Gauthier, the CEO to further CPHR Manitoba's relationship with the Manitoba Government.

Congratulations to Colleen and Lana!

The 21st Annual HR Excellence Awards will take place on Thursday, April 11, 2024. This must-see event showcases and celebrates the outstanding achievements in HR throughout Manitoba.

Attend to get inspired by others' accomplishments this year and start planning your nomination for 2025! Tickets are on sale now here.

Thank you to Kristianne for being a proud CPHR! This video showcases what being a CPHR means to Kristianne and highlights the power of the CPHR designation.

When you become a CPHR – you become a part of a dynamic community of forward-thinking professionals who are continually changing Manitoba workplaces for the better.

Thank you to Lana for being a proud CPHR! This video showcases what being a CPHR means to Lana and highlights the power of the CPHR designation.

When you become a CPHR – you become a part of a dynamic community of forward-thinking professionals who are continually changing Manitoba workplaces for the better.

When asked about whether respondents see HR as mainly an operational function or a strategic and leadership function, the results were 17% operational, 23% strategic and leadership, 48% both, 4% neither and 9% not sure. These results show us that employers see the need for both operational and strategic HR. Compared to last year, operational has decrease (21% in 2022), and “both” has increased by 6% (42% in 2022). Additionally, medium-large businesses with 50+employees are more likely to believe HR is mainly strategic and leadership focused (31% vs.19%) or that it is both (56% vs 43%) compared to smaller businesses with <50 employees.

Awareness of CPHR increased by 9% since last year (61% in 2022 vs 70% in 2023). Additionally, Chambers members are more likely to have heard of the CPHR designation or CPHR (79% vs. 54% of non-members).

When looking at the perceived value of CPHR as a designation, the number of respondents that see it as valuable (including somewhat and very valuable) has increased slightly from last year (61% in 2022 vs 62% in 2023). When looking at Manitoba Chambers of Commerce members, 72% of members value CPHR, and almost one third of members see it as “very” valuable (32%). This shows us that our work with Chambers is going well as our perceived value increases with Chambers members. This shows our partnership and sponsorship with the Chambers supports and leads to value.   

Likelihood to hire a CPHR has increased slightly (56% in 2022 and 57% in 2023). Additionally, the number of not likely responses has decreased by 4% (31% in 2022 and 27% in 2023).

Manitoba Chambers of Commerce members are more likely to specifically look for an HR professional with a CPHR designation (70% vs. 32% of non-members).

This year, we introduced a new question asking whether respondents feel the HR profession protects organizations and the people who work in them. The feedback for this question is positive, the results showing 75% of respondents believe the profession provides protection.

Along with CPHR and HR specific results, the survey forecasts inflation to remain the primary challenge facing business leaders in Manitoba. Other key insights include growing business optimism despite challenges, ongoing struggles in the labour market, and a desire for government support in international trade.

View the full results here.

We have updated the pathways that members can follow to become a CPHR regarding education and experience needed. The new pathways to becoming a CPHR are more inclusive and include more opportunities for earning the designation. These changes are effective immediately.

The updated education and experience lengths are as follows:

The other VOE requirements remain the same, including: being a member in good standing with CPHR Manitoba, required experience must be 51% HR or more and within the ten (10) years prior to the date of the VOE application, able to demonstrate a minimum of 8 examples aligned to the HR competencies of work experience primarily at the Advisory HR level using the STAR method and able to abide by the CPHR Manitoba’s Code of Ethics & Rules of Professional Conduct.

“We are acutely aware of striking the balance between ensuring our designation remains current and relevant; and providing a clear and predictable path to the designation for candidates,” says our CEO, Ron Gauthier. “CPHRs and candidates can expect updates to the requirements every few years as the profession continues to evolve, but they can rely on the knowledge that their success in the process is of primary consideration.”

We believe that through these updated requirements, members have more opportunities to demonstrate the confidence that they have the skills, knowledge, and experience to meet the required CPHR competencies. 

View more information here 

Two CPHRs from CPHR Manitoba's membership are featured in this guidebook; Natalie Chan, Senior VP, HR, of Richardson International Limited and Janice Harper, Executive VP, NFI Group Canada. 

Natalie and Janice share about mental health, talent mobility and policy, innovation and more. 

View the guidebook here. 

“The business community is embracing emerging technologies, but not without warranted concern,” says Ron Gauthier, CEO and Registrar at CPHR Manitoba. “How AI is regulated and the ethical concerns it presents are top of mind for the business community and our members.”

According to the 2023 KPMG CEO Outlook report, 75% of Canadian CEOs are making generative AI a top investment priority, yet 93% are worried that generative AI could cause more cyber-attacks, and 44% of CEOs don’t feel prepared to face it.

“From an HR perspective, it’s about change management and staying ahead of the curve,” says Gauthier. “Business leaders are turning to HR professionals to help identify skill gaps and develop plans to upskill and reskill employees to work future-forward.”

The KPMG report shows that 80% of small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) are encouraging their employees to upskill in areas like AI and data analytics so they can make more informed decisions about how to use and implement technology in the workplace. 

“Business must evolve to face these obstacles and learn new ways of working,” says Gauthier. “AI can help leaders streamline processes, improve efficiencies and make data-driven decisions. But human expertise is irreplaceable. We must set up guardrails to review and test AI to ensure it’s used the right way.”

 KPMG reports that CEOs and SMBs are concerned about the ethical challenges around generative AI, including bias in datasets, privacy, transparency, misinformation and intellectual property.

 “Strategic HR leaders recognize the need to develop new approaches to manage human and machine intelligence,” says Gauthier. “That starts with prioritizing people and culture, so employees feel valued, engaged and confident about reskilling for tomorrow.”

 CPHRs are uniquely qualified to help leaders achieve their business goals. With proven expertise across nine key business metrics, CPHRs have the most current knowledge and the experience to address the factors that underpin the degree of immediate and long-term business success.

 “With strategic HR leadership, CEOs will be well-positioned to meet the challenges ahead.”

CPHRs are best equipped, through their education, experience and expertise, to shape the future of work in the age of technology.

Respondents considered 32 people management topics, ranking them by future importance to their organization and by current capabilities of their organization.

Findings from this year’s survey tell us companies need to continuously prioritize developing the talent they already have— and upskilling and reskilling, in conjunction with effective talent acquisition, is critical to making this happen. It's important for companies to see digital transformation not as a goal, per se, but rather as an enabler for other goals such as greater efficiency, improved service levels, or a better employee experience.

Click here to view the results

Creating People Advantage Webinar

Date: December 6, 2023
Time: 10:30AM - 12:00PM
Location: Virtual

How do your people management priorities stack up against industry leaders around the globe?

Join this exclusive webinar on December 6th to explore the findings from the 2023 Creating People Advantage: Set the Right People Priorities for Challenging Times report.

Click here to learn more and register for this free webinar

Thank you to Kimberley, for being a proud CPHR! This video showcases what being a CPHR means to Kimberley and highlights the power of the CPHR designation.  

When you become a CPHR – you become a part of a dynamic community of forward-thinking professionals who are continually changing Manitoba workplaces for the better.

Yvonne is the founder of Change Innovators, working with clients for over 20 years as a leadership and organizational culture lead. She is known for her intuitive and highly progressive approach to change, resiliency and being on the cutting edge of the new
world.

She joined what was known as HRMAM early in her HR career and began giving back right away. She became a CPHR in 2004, and sat on various committees, eventually joining the board of directors and served as Chair of the association from 2011 to 2014. As part of her role on the board, she also worked with the National board for a short time.

Yvonne continues to promote the HR designation and encourage others to join the profession. She strives to be the very best and to ensure her associates and team members are living the code of conduct in all of their practices.

Congratulations on being granted the FCPHR, Yvonne!

Yvonne pictured with CPHR Manitoba's CEO, Ron Gauthier and CPHR Manitoba's Board Chair, Dr. Lana Adeleye-Olusae at the HR Conference 2023.