Outreach Impact

Meet Jeff Miller, a valued member of the UNT alumni community, who hails from Richardson, Texas, and graduated from UNT in 1992. Although Jeff initially pursued a BBA with a focus in marketing research, his journey into the realm of Human Resources began after

graduation. He attributes his foundational understanding of human behavior to the psychology courses he took as electives during his time at UNT.

Jeff's career in HR spans over 14 years, during which he held various leadership positions, including roles with Insperity, a company specializing in outsourced HR services. It was during his tenure as an HR leader for an oil and gas service company that Jeff truly honed his skills and adapted HR practices to meet the dynamic needs of the business. This transition from a white-collar to a blue-collar environment provided invaluable learning experiences and shaped Jeff's approach to HR as a strategic partner aligned with the organization's goals.

While Jeff did not participate in a formal HR internship program during his academic years, he gained valuable insights into the corporate world through a summer position at a financial services organization. This experience instilled in him essential lessons about work ethic, customer relations, and the inner workings of a business environment.

For Jeff, the most rewarding aspect of working in HR lies in facilitating the growth and development of individuals and teams. He finds fulfillment in witnessing positive transformations and believes in the power of influence to drive meaningful change.

Reflecting on his career, Jeff identifies several qualities that contribute to success in HR, including adaptability, responsiveness, and the ability to navigate ambiguity. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships, effective communication, and continuous learning as key elements for professional growth in the field.

One surprising aspect of working in HR for Jeff has been the initial skepticism and mistrust often encountered from employees. Overcoming this barrier and building trust through genuine support and assistance has been a rewarding challenge throughout his career.

As advice for aspiring HR professionals, Jeff highlights the significance of developing strong relationships, effective communication skills, and a strong work ethic. He encourages individuals to prioritize understanding the needs of internal customers and to approach challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset.

While Jeff acknowledges the importance of career achievements, he finds the most fulfillment in the meaningful connections forged with employees and leaders, where he has been able to make a positive impact on the workplace environment.

Let us introduce you to this month’s HR Practitioner and UNT partner, Matt Brost with Lockton Dunning Benefits. Matt and the Lockton team have been a significant supporter of UNT HR students and The People Center at UNT.

Matt grew up in Mansfield, Texas and now lives in Highland Village in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He attended The University of Texas and graduated with a degree in Sport Management. Beginning in 2002, Matt pursued a career as a touring golf professional, competing for over 5 years. Following this exciting time in his career, Matt started his own company, Brost Insurance Agency. This exposure to the insurance industry led him to join insurance companies/brokers such as Holmes Murphy and now Lockton where he works with companies to find the best benefit options for their employees.

When asked about the most rewarding part about working in HR, Matt states, “I believe the HR function of an organization leads the heartbeat of the company. I focus on the benefits piece of this function. To have a role in the wellbeing of so many people wakes me up every morning.” Matt also believes the most successful HR professionals are those that realize that HR professionals have two equal stakeholders – the goals and objectives of the organization and the people.

Matt’s advice to HR students or other HR practitioners as they progress in their career is, “Having a HR background can lead to many different careers—one being a role in insurance and benefits. Always have an open mind.”

Matt is a true example of a trusted HR professional. He leads by example and contributes his time and resources to the ongoing development of UNT students. We value Matt’s support and contribution to UNT and the HR community and are honored to work with him as one of The People Center’s esteemed corporate partners.

Allow us to introduce Allyson Romero, a remarkable individual hailing from Keller, Texas. Allyson pursued her undergraduate studies at Texas Christian University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Subsequently, she embarked on a transformative journey at the University of North Texas, where she completed her MBA in Business Management. Despite not initially pursuing a conventional HR path, Allyson's academic experience provided her with invaluable insights and opportunities to explore various fields and disciplines.

During her MBA program at UNT, Allyson had the privilege of encountering diverse perspectives and industry professionals, including HR expert Cathy Westurn. Engaging with Professor Westurn sparked Allyson's interest in human resources, prompting her to delve deeper into the field and ultimately pursue a career in HR. Through her coursework and interactions with faculty members, Allyson gained a comprehensive understanding of HR's multifaceted nature and its potential for impact.

While Allyson did not partake in a formal HR internship program, her academic journey equipped her with essential skills and knowledge that prepared her for her career transition. She seamlessly integrated her transferable skills from her non-HR background into her role, showcasing adaptability and resilience.

For Allyson, the most rewarding aspect of working in HR lies in advocating for individuals and championing their rights and interests. Her dedication to upholding standards and promoting a culture of empathy underscores her commitment to making a difference in people's lives.

Drawing from her experiences, Allyson emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, consistency, empathy, and critical thinking for success in HR. She encourages aspiring HR professionals to challenge biases, seek measurable data, and fearlessly advocate for what is right.

Reflecting on her journey, Allyson highlights her significant achievements, including spearheading cost-saving initiatives at Amazon and earning promotion to HR Business Partner at Target. These milestones underscore her ability to drive tangible results and make a meaningful impact in her HR career.

The HR program at UNT offered Sonia a comprehensive educational experience, diving into various aspects of leadership, international management, business ethics, and emotional intelligence. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Sonia found support in the dedication of her professors, particularly Professor Western, whose guidance left a mark on her professional growth. Armed with knowledge and confidence gained from her studies, Sonia secured a HR Coordinator position at Louis Vuitton, a testament to the program's efficacy in preparing students for real-world challenges.

Though Sonia did not participate in a formal HR internship program, her coursework provided insights and practical skills essential for her career in HR. Utilizing AI simulations and fostering emotional intelligence equipped her with the tools to navigate complex workplace dynamics and foster effective team collaboration.

For Sonia, the most rewarding aspect of working in HR lies in the opportunity to directly impact and support people's professional development. Witnessing team members thrive under her guidance brings her a sense of fulfillment and underscores the significance of her role in facilitating growth and success.

Drawing from her experiences, Sonia emphasizes the importance of exceptional social skills, effective communication, and professional integrity for success in HR. She encourages aspiring HR professionals to remain open to learning, stay adaptable, and seek guidance from mentors to navigate the ever-evolving workplace landscape.

Sonia's most significant achievement in HR lies in her active involvement in strategic planning, decision-making, and organizational culture development. Her approach has enabled her to make meaningful contributions aligned with the core goals and values of the organizations she serves, cementing her reputation as a valued HR professional.

Did you participate in an HR internship program? If so, which company did you intern with? Were there specific lessons or challenges that prepared you for a career in HR? Yes, I did. However, I lived in a very small town and went to a small University, so there wasn't a lot of formal internship opportunities available in our area. I worked at Shapes Fitness for Women in my hometown and they allowed me to Intern there. It was pretty informal, but gave me the ability to learn how to interview, hire and onboard new hires and help new customers. I was relatively shy growing up, so I learned a lot about having confidence when talking to people and about asking the right questions to determine if someone was qualified to work there. I continue to use the skills I learned back then in my career today. NOTE: Raising Cane’s offers a more structured Internship program and our HR interns are given the opportunity to take on a project that is needed to help the company continue to grow and scale. If interested, please check out the Raising Cane's Careers page, as the 2024 summer internships are posted now.

What is the most rewarding part about working in HR? Having the ability to make an impact on Crewmembers and the Company. When I worked in Benefits, I loved rolling out new benefit plans to our Crew, especially education benefits because nobody can take education away from you. In HR Compliance, I am able to help mitigate risk as we enter into complex markets, such as California, New York City and Philadelphia. Although HR isn't a revenue producing cost center, we can definitely help save the company money by ensuring our systems, training, policies and processes are in line with the law, and in general, just the right thing to do for our Crew.

Where is your hometown and what university did you attend? Lancaster, Wisconsin. Winona State University (2 years) and University of Wisconsin-Platteville (2 years)

How did your university’s HR program help you reach your personal, academic, and/or professional goals? My education definitely helped shape my career path. It gave me the baseline knowledge needed to enter into the HR field and that combined with my experience, has helped me reach my professional goals. I had several terrific HR Professors in college that had a wealth of experience working in HR and could provide examples of how we’d use the textbook knowledge in the real world. My favorite class was Employment Law. It was interesting to learn about the how and why behind employment laws. I'm still fascinated by them today and how they've protected workers’ rights for so many years. It’s no surprise that I wound up in HR Compliance and work side by side with our Employment Attorneys at work every day! Another one of my favorite classes in College was English Writing! My Professor – Dr. James Armstrong was simply amazing and taught me to speak and write succinctly. It's something that I try to teach everyone that I work with!

What aspect about working in HR has been most surprising to you? When I first started in HR, I think I was most surprised about the different skills that were needed to work in all areas of HR. For example, working in Recruiting, Employee Relations, and Training, you tend find people that have exceptional interpersonal, communication and investigative skills, but a lot of times, it's reactive and repetitive work. On the flip side, working in Compensation, Benefits, Compliance and HR Systems, you tend to find more structured routines that require an analytical mindset. Although I enjoyed learning about each area of HR, it didn’t take me long to figure out what areas I loved and wanted to pursue throughout my career.

In your experience, what makes a successful HR professional? Matching your strengths with your job! Learn all the different areas of HR and find out what interests you the most. I have taken the Clifton Strengths Finders assessment every few years of my career and I believe my strengths are what have lead to my personal success in HR and Leadership. Those strengths include: 1) Strategic; 2) Relator; 3) Focus; 4) Achiever; 5) Analytical.

In addition, there are a few other traits that were instilled in me as a child that I personally feel would contribute to anyone's success in HR or any other career field for that matter: 1) Work with a sense of urgency and purpose; 2) Be positive and have a can-do attitude (always find a "yes"); 3) Lead by example and don't ask anyone on your team to do something you're not willing or able to do yourself; 4) Work hard and strive to produce best in class results in everything you do; 5) Continually raise the bar on the expectations you have for yourself; 5) Have fun at work and love what you do.

Do you have any advice for HR students or other HR practitioners as they progress in their career? Be a good student of the business. Learn everything you can. Listen and think before you speak. Network, network, network! Find a great leader and model your behaviors after them.

What has been your biggest achievement while serving in an HR capacity? Leading teams and seeing people grow! In every company I've worked for, I've been hired as an individual contributor. Even when I started at Raising Cane's as a Director, I was hired to lead a large project and didn't have a team. I currently have a team of 15 and have had several promotions and internal transfers on the team. It's super rewarding to allow people to take on new challenges and see them flourish.