IHRIM shines the Volunteer Spotlight on Dr. Lynn Turner, HRIP, Professor Emeritus in Management and Human Resources at Cal Poly Pomona and a new member of the IHRIM Education Committee.
Please tell us a little about your professional life.
Currently, I am a Professor Emeritus in Management and Human Resources at Cal Poly Pomona. I teach Human Resource Information Management several times a year. I continue to be on a task force that is integrating enterprise systems into the curriculum. I also continue to do research on the use of HR metrics and analytics by line managers.
Early on, as a training and development professional, I saw the growing importance of learning (training) management systems. This interest grew into a broader interest in HR Information Systems. I started educating myself in the field and developed a course in Human Resource Information Management. Along the way, I consulted with Vincent Ceriello on several large HRIS requirements definition projects. In the Nineties, I moved from teaching into administration, serving as Associate Dean and, later, Interim Dean. My interest in enterprise systems and HR information systems persisted with the adoption of PeopleSoft by the College for teaching purposes. I was also on the campus steering committee for the implementation of PeopleSoft for the University’s business operations. After serving as Interim Dean and Interim Vice President, I returned to teaching the course HR Information Management and have integrated SAP’s Human Capital Management into the curriculum as well as several analytics tools. I reactivated my membership in IHRIM and was certified as a Human Resource Information Professional.
When did you join IHRIM and why?
I first joined IHRIM in 1987. I was expanding my HR focus from training and development to HR information management and IHRIM seemed like a valuable resource for learning and for networking. Because of my interest and the apparent gap in our curriculum, I started a course at Cal Poly Pomona in Human Resource Information Management. IHRIM was an invaluable resource for the course. When I returned to teaching from administration, I reactivated my membership in IHRIM largely for the professional development opportunities it offers.
What is the greatest value you get from your membership?
Unquestionably, the greatest value is the educational opportunity it provides through its webinars, courses, and conferences. I thing the HRIP certification is an excellent program and I look forward to continuing my education for recertification. Is there any advice you would give other members? Stay engaged. Take advantage of as many educational programs as possible and make an effort to meet the members. They are a great group.
What was the primary reason you became an IHRIM volunteer?
As an educator I have had a strong interest in enabling HR professionals and future professionals to optimize their use of information technology. I also believe that a key to HR professionals’ respect across all divisions of their organizations is their effective use of HR data. Over the years, I have been very impressed with IHRIM’s efforts in the education and professionalization of its membership. I’ve also been impressed with the responsiveness of IHRIM to its membership. In short, it’s a great organization to be a part of and I want to contribute my service to it.
As a new member of the Education Committee, what do you hope to bring to the volunteer committee and IHRIM?
I want offer my years of experience in HR education to help develop and offer the very best educational opportunities for IHRIM members. More specifically, I believe I can add value in the areas of using enterprise systems and big data to manage human capital. I can also provide insights on helping HR professionals work with line managers to improve productivity. Finally, my earlier education and experience in the areas of training and development and instructional design may be of value in improving the delivery of IHRIM’s educational content.
If you could have dinner with one person – living or dead – who would it be and why?
I’d like to have dinner with C.S. Lewis. His writings have had a real impact on my life. I would like to know what inspired him to write in such a diverse range of genres and what inspired him to make philosophy and faith so fun and interesting. Also, I’d like to ask him what his conversations were like with J. R. R. Tolkien in an Oxford pub.
For more information on IHRIM’s Volunteer Program and how you can get involved, go to http://bit.ly/IHRIM_Volunteer_Program.
