Rogers Hires Human Resource Director
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
ROGERS — Leadership and the professional growth of employees are among the goals of the city’s new human resource director who begins work next week.
Thomas Dunlap, a Rogers resident, has been hired to fill the position. He is Benton County’s human resource director.
Correction
A previous version of this story misstated Dunlap's title with Benton County. The error has been corrected.
“I worked with Thomas when I was with the county, so he is a known quantity,” said Greg Hines, mayor. “He has an excellent background as a human resource director in the public and private sector. He has a great work ethic, and has been very involved and active in legislative action.”
The Human Resource Department will be reorganized when Dunlap begins work Feb. 3, Hines said.
AT A GLANCE
Track Record
Thomas Dunlap, who will become the new city human resource director Feb. 3, has been honored several times for his work in the human resource field. Those honors include:
The 2013 Russell Gunter Legislative Advocacy Award from the Arkansas Society of Human Resource Management.
The 2007 statewide Best Practice Award, from the same organization.
The 2007-09 Board of Directors, certification and legislative chairman, for Northwest Arkansas Human Resource Association.
A faculty presenter at the 2010 Wellness Reward Congress in Orlando, Fla.
A faculty presenter at the 2008 Employer Driven-Health Incentives Summit, Phoenix, Ariz.
Source: Staff Report
“One of the things I want Thomas to do is develop a leadership program for the city. I want to give city employees who want to move up the opportunity to learn leadership skills. It’s good for the employees. It gives them a chance to better their position, and it’s good for the city. It will give us the chance to keep valuable employees working for the city,” Hines said.
Angela Brewer, the current human resource director, will become senior director of the department, Hines said.
“I’m not sure how the work will be divided. When Thomas gets here, we will have to work the details out,” Brewer said.
Brewer said she isn’t upset with the changes. She has worked alone for more than three months after Becky Gibbons, assistant resource director, left to take another job.
Dunlap said he looks forward to his new position.
“I really like public service work, and this is a great opportunity for me as a Rogers resident,” Dunlap said. “The mayor and I have talked a couple of times and I think I have a pretty good idea of what he wants and the quality of work he expects.”
He said he has a lifelong interest in government, which is one of the reasons he has been involved with the state and federal legislative process. He served three years as the federal legislative affairs director with the Arkansas Society of Human Resource Management. During his tenure he advocated for work force issues such as health care reform, deficit reduction and immigration, according to his resume.
Dunlap’s starting salary will be $75,000 plus benefits. He could get a raise to $80,000 in six months, based on his job performance, Hines said.
Bob Clinard, Benton County judge, said Dunlap will be difficult to replace.
“Thomas is a good man, and I have enjoyed working with him. It will be hard to find someone with his talent and drive, but I would never stand in the way of someone who wants to move on to another job,” Clinard said.
One of Dunlap’s duties as the county human resource director was handling the payroll.
“I don’t know how the Human Resource Department ended up doing the payroll, it should be under the Accounting Department,” said Clinard. “One of the changes we will make, when we find someone to replace Thomas, is move payroll to the Accounting Department. The county has 650 employees. I don’t think the human resource director should have to handle payroll along with the other demands of the office.”