HUMAN RESOURCES

Karen Baldwin, CSP™, SHRM-SCP™ , NDCCDP

Executive Vice President, Director of Human Resources

Quiet quitting, quiet firing, quiet hiring and quiet thriving were all buzzwords in 2022. These terms had companies and their team members anxious about how these trends would impact the workplace. Even at Greenleaf Trust, the beginning of 2022 brought turnover of valuable team members which gave rise to uncertainty for others. In reality, the amount of turnover experienced at the beginning of 2022 was in line with previous years, and we ended 2022 with 94% retention and 85% team member engagement.

Offering opportunities for growth, development and recognition has helped us increase our retention, engagement and productivity during the past year. Team members may lead new projects, further their education, apply for newly created roles or provide help where needed. As they embrace these new experiences and sometimes daunting challenges, they prove themselves in ways that contribute significantly to their own advancement, and that of our organization.

At Greenleaf Trust, nothing we do is “quiet.” We ensure our team understands our culture and the flexibility provided. Through quarterly coaching, our leaders provide team members opportunities to develop and utilize their talents while having an opportunity to expand their role and feel challenged within our company. Team members are supported in their ability to volunteer and advocate for a cause. This allows team members to perform at record levels while choosing the best ways to manage their professional and personal lives.

Our focus remains on improving our talent selection and onboarding process, caring for one another, looking for ways to cultivate friendships and enhance connections between team members. Having groups to join and people to count on is essential to our team.

In response to COVID-19, our leaders and team members found ways to be intentional with their time and set healthy boundaries. Although this has been part of our coaching conversations for years, they intensified during our return to the office. Ensuring the safety of our team members and clients during the transition back to the office, in-person meetings and client events has continued to be a priority. We continue to work with each team member to meet their needs and remove barriers, so they are able to provide the best service to our clients.

During 2022, we added 28 highly talented team members to the Greenleaf Trust team, 14 of which were hired for Birmingham, Grand Rapids, Delaware and our newest location in Midland. With team members working both remotely and in the office, managing recruitment and onboarding efforts took teamwork, creativity and communication to create a smooth and memorable experience for each new hire. With so many new additions to our team, we moved to a monthly onboarding program in 2022. We have found having a cohort group to onboard with provides immediate camaraderie and greater opportunity for growth, learning and connectivity, not to mention efficiency for our current team members helping to welcome new teammates. Four weeks after hire, human resources meets individually with new team members to see how they are feeling, what went well and what one thing they would change about the onboarding process. Repeatedly, new team members shared how welcomed, prepared and connected they felt to others. For many, the process was the best they had ever experienced. We are acutely aware team members are most engaged and excited when they first begin a new position; our goal is to help them maintain that engagement and ensure they feel included, seen and heard throughout the company. Each new person meets with President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Odar and me within the first six months to build deeper relationships and connectivity.

Between filling 34 positions and onboarding 28 new team members, our team enhanced their knowledge, assisted other divisions and mentored additions to the human resources team. We welcomed Carlos Clay, Jr., and Gabbi May to Greenleaf Trust; Carlos as our associate team lead for the Wealth Development Club and the Greenleaf Trust Scholarship and Internship program, and Gabbi as our talent acquisition coordinator. Jackie Sperling joined the Human Resources Division from the Retirement Plan Division as senior talent acquisition specialist. Lisa Luebke, senior talent acquisition specialist, completed and obtained her Certified Diversity and Inclusion Recruiter certification through AIRS.

The Human Resources Division looks forward to learning together as we continue to provide educational opportunities to our communities and teams. We are excited to welcome quality candidates into the Greenleaf Trust family to better meet our clients’ needs.

Celebrating Our Team Members

Retired Team Members

The dedication of our team members is integral to our workplace culture. We give gratitude to those who retired in 2022. Their countless contributions will leave a lasting impact on Greenleaf Trust.

Celebrating 15 Years

Salena Al-Saadi – Business Information Services

Nicole Asher – Wealth Management

Melissa Coffin – Recordkeeping

Dan Baker – Personal Trust and Business Development

Allison Birmingham – Wealth Management

Sandford Leestma II – Wealth Management

Celebrating 10 Years

Dave Mange – Vice President, Senior Research Analyst

21 Years

Theresa Burgos – Client Centric Team

Wendy Cox – Personal Trust

Bethany Cwalina – Corporate Administration

Tom Drews – Corporate Administration

Nicholas Juhle – Research

Christina Sharp – Retirement Plan Division

Mark Jackson – Vice President, Senior Wealth Management Advisor

9 Years

Milestone Work Anniversaries

Our ability to provide the highest level of client service depends on the deep understanding of client needs and the trusting relationships established. We applaud and recognize our team members who celebrated 10, 15 and 20 years of service in 2022.

Celebrating 20 Years

Julie Mentzer – Client Centric Team

Chris Middleton – Retirement Plan Division

Andrew Riker – Personal Trust and Wealth Management

Julie Weston – Estate Planning