MID-FLORIDA SHRM           

Mid-Florida SHRM Chapter History

Organized in June 8, 1970, a group of human resource professionals started a local association for professionals involved in personnel called the Personnel Management Group. The group believed that the organization's greatest value to its members was to provide active and free flowing communication within the local area. The founding members were: Jim Schmitt of Owens Illinois, Marvin Henderson of FMC Corp. and Mayor of Lakeland, Randy Lewis and Mary Zysco of Sears Roebuck, Johnny Youdal of the City of Lakeland, Ken Ringdahl of the Florida State Employment Service, William O. Schmidt of IMC Corp., J.D. (Dutch) DeHaan of Agrico Chemical Co., Roy Boyington of Lakeland General Hospital, Warren Clegg of Florida Tile, John Hamilton and Lee Narr of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Marvin Henderson led the first round table discussion and the topic was the need for large scale training programs for new employees. In 30 years, the need for training has not changed. At the next meeting on July 8, 1970, the membership adopted the constitution and the by-laws, as well as, a name change to the Mid-Florida Industrial Relations Association. The new name was thought to be more closely related to the interests and goals of the organization. The first officers were President Jim Schmitt, Vice President Bill Schmidt, Secretary Warren Clegg and Director John Hamilton. No dues were originally collected and no treasurer position established. The new officers were responsible for petitioning for affiliation with the American Society for Personnel Administration with 19 members. Ten of those members attended the 23rd Annual National Convention of ASPA in Dallas, Texas in November 1971 where they were presented with their charter papers.

The organization helped establish a student chapter at Florida Southern College soon after the receiving their charter. In 1970, there was only one female member, Mary Zysco of Sears Roebuck. By 1976 Shirley Downing of Davy McKee was elected the first female president of the chapter, demonstrating how our profession changed in only a few years.

Each chapter within the national organization is autonomous and as such, develops its own membership requirements. Our members are all practicing human resource professionals. The benefit is that our members meet with other contemporaries on a monthly basis for professional development - to learn from each other, exchange ideas, gain new business friends and belong to all award-winning local chapter of a strong national organization. Since 1974, our chapter has achieved the Superior Merit Award virtually every year.

Early in 1985, our membership elected to change our organization's name to the Mid-Florida Personnel Association. When the national organization made an official name change, we changed our name in 1993 to what it is today, the Mid-Florida Society for Human Resource Management.