Meet Catherine Barnes, Co-Chair Tennessee SHRM State Conference

Meet Catherine Barnes, SPHR, PHRCA, SHRM-SCP Tennessee SHRM State Conference Co-Chair

Catherine Barnes was a student member of the American Society of Personnel Management (ASPA) while attending Ball State University in Muncie, IN. (In 1989, ASPA changed its name to SHRM.) Catherine earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Personnel Management and in Corporate Finance, from Ball State University while also graduating from the Honors College. She later earned her MBA also from Ball State University. She currently holds her SPHR, PHRCA, and SHRM-SCP.

Most of her career was spent in Japanese automotive manufacturing. However, she also spent time in warehousing/distribution, in chemical manufacturing, in food processing, in teaching at the college level, in the insurance industry, and in consulting.

She began her career with Aisin U.S.A. Mfg., Inc. in Seymour, IN. The company was in the process of its first expansion after being operational for only two (2) years when she joined the company. She was instrumental in helping to create the Human Resources infrastructure and in staffing the company to over twelve hundred employees. She had the honor of being the first female professional that the company hired. She also had the opportunity to train in Japan for two (2) weeks and was the first female professional to receive this training.

Catherine also worked at two (2) other start-ups for the Japanese parent company. One in London, KY and the other in Clinton, TN. Again, she was instrumental in creating the infrastructures of the Human Resource departments for both companies.

It was in London, that she began her first involvement with a SHRM chapter – even though there was not a chapter in the area. At her first KY SHRM Conference, she met someone else from the London area with the same passion for Human Resources that she had. At the next Conference, they began discussing the fact that Southeast KY did not have a local SHRM Chapter. Over the next year or so, the two (2) talked with others in the area about the possibility of starting a local chapter. Catherine was one of the founding members of Southeastern Kentucky (SEK) SHRM, which was chartered in 2003. Catherine served as the chapter’s first Chapter President, serving two (2) terms in this role. Shortly after her job brought her to the Knoxville area, Catherine joined TVHRA. It was not long before she began volunteering in the chapter. She started on the Membership Committee. Since then, she has served as the Vice-President Membership, Secretary, Awards Chair, SHRM Foundation Director, Strategic Leadership Conference Chair, President Elect, President, and Past President. She has also served as the East District Director of TN SHRM. Partly because of her service to TVHRA, TN SHRM awarded her the 2015 HR Professional Excellence Award.

Catherine was last employed by Shafer Insurance Agency as the Director of Human Resources while managing Shafer HR Solutions, a Human Resources outsourcing and consulting division. Here, Catherine was able to provide Human Resource support and guidance to companies who were too small to have dedicated Human Resource Departments and to work on projects for companies that did not have the resources to complete the projects. In addition to providing one-on-one support to company presidents, she spoke at the Knoxville Chamber events including topics on cybersecurity and on the new overtime rules. During 2022, she also conducted several webinars on what businesses should be doing about COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic.

In addition to her volunteer roles with SEK SHRM, THVRA, and TN SHRM, she volunteered in each of the communities in which she has lived. This includes the Jackson County (IN) United Fund, Child Care Network Board of Directors, LondonLaurel County (KY) Chamber of Commerce, Anderson County (TN) Chamber of Commerce, and Irish Parent Network Uniform Closet Chair. She has also volunteered at her local churches, serving as the chair for the Outreach Committee in London and as the chair of the Finance Committee in Knoxville.

Catherine officially retired in July of this year. She is looking forward to continuing volunteering in the Human Resources profession and in her community.