Meet the Team 

Co-founders & Managing Partners 

Fernie C. Black, B.A. Specialty – Recruitment/Selection, Retention, Transition Services With over 20 years of experience in human resources, employment/career counselling and training, Fernie’s greatest asset is her keen ability to analyze problems and produce effective solutions.  When looking for the most appropriate solution to resolving human resources challenges, her well thought out ideas and exceptional thoroughness ensures that she has left no stone unturned.  Fernie excels at identifying staffing needs, analyzing job positions, sourcing and selecting the ‘best’ candidates for your organization.  Fernie’s positive attitude, analytical mind, coupled with the ability to look at the possibilities brings about cost saving client-centred solutions. During her career, Fernie, has been an influential partner leading the successful work search efforts of a comprehensive population of individuals from students to high ranking executives.  On the corporate side she has increased staffing success in family run businesses to multimillion dollar companies. Fernie was the Program Manager of the Advanced Career Consultant Certificate Program (Mohawk College) and is a Past Director with the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario – Hamilton Chapter. Fernie’s educational background includes a BA - Human Resources and Politics (Brock University), Certificate in Counselling (Mohawk College), and currently underway is a Human Resources Diploma (McMaster University).

Lynn Lochbihler Specialty – Employee Relations & Human Resources Generalist With 25+ years experience in management and human resources spanning over a wide range of sectors including retail, finance, manufacturing and service, Lynn brings a no-nonsense approach to achieving organizational excellence through creating and nurturing  a corporate culture that supports company goals by bringing out the best in their people. Lynn’s extensive Coaching for Performance expertise includes disciplines such as supervision, leadership, sales, operations, administration and customer service. She has a passion for positive Employee Relations practices seated in effective communication with a focus on developing trust and building personal relationships and teams. Credentials include Human Resources Management, Business Management & Supervision, Marketing, MBTI qualified, and Investment Funds of Canada.  Frequently she authors articles for business trade publications and is often contacted by the media for comment.  Lynn is an active long time member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario, including a past seat on its Hamilton Chapter Board of Directors.

Doris Lowell Specialty - Career Development, Assessments, Transition Services Doris is a professional and enthusiastic certified Global Career Development Facilitator with over 25 years of diversified experience in the field of career management. Her areas of specialization include: assessments, outplacement and transition support, career planning, work/life balance, career launch and succession planning. Doris has been a career planning specialist in government, academic, non-profit and private practice settings.  Her clients range in age and expertise from students to retirees.  With her encouragement, direction and resources, people are making informed career choices.  Within organizations she helps employers with succession planning.  Ensuring the right people are in the right positions is a critical component of a healthy workplace.  By engaging the employees to identify or reaffirm their personality type, values, personal motivators, interests and skills, informed decisions can be made for movement and developmental opportunities. With a Certificate in Adult Education (Brock University) and Social Services Honours Diploma (Humber College) Doris blends her academic learning with a common sense approach to helping people identify solutions and resolve issues.  Using various assessments such as The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI), Emotional Quotient Inventory™ (EQi), Prevue™, True Colors™ and Personality Dimensions™ she provides the foundation for people to build their future. As a member of the Association of Career Professionals International Doris keeps current on career development trends, tools and best practices.

Holly Ormsbee Human Resources Assistant Holly is a dedicated, results oriented individual with a passion for working with people. Under the mentorship of HR-Fusion’s senior partners, Holly is committed to further developing herself as a reliable and knowledgeable professional. As the newest addition to the HR-Fusion team, Holly is gaining comprehensive knowledge of human resources issues across various sectors. Holly is focused on recruitment, training, compliance issues and employee relations.   Her credentials include a B.A. in Psychology (Brock University) and a Human Resource Management Post-Graduate Certificate (Niagara College). Holly is working towards attaining the CHRP designation.

 

 

Health & Safety  

R. J. (Russ) Abbott, C.I.M., C.R.S.P., C.H.S.C.

Russ brings a wealth of Health and Safety expertise to the HR-Fusion team.  He works with you to determine your industry Health and Safety needs.  Whether you are being proactive and want to ensure you are meeting all your health and safety requirements or, being reactive to an audit, Russ will provide you with the best solutions.  From writing procedures to managing your WSIB Workers Compensation claims Russ provides for all your health and safety requirements. In addition, he offers a wide array of training from 'Air sampling to Workwell Audits'.

For over 35 years Russ worked in industry. As an Area Loss Prevention Manager (ALPM) for a large medical and industrial gases company he traveled extensively in Canada, the U.S., Columbia and Venezuela. As an ALPM, he was an Accredited Safety Auditor for his company and conducted over 100 ISRS (International Safety Rating System) audits as well as internal audits for compliance to medical, environmental and transportation standards.

Russ completed his C.I.M. (Canadian Institute of Management) designation in 1983, and his C.R.S.P. (Canadian Registered Safety Professional) designation in 1997. In May of 2000, he received the CHSC designation (Certified Health and Safety consultant) from the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering. He is currently a member of the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals and Canadian Society of Safety Engineering.  He is actively involved with the Education committee, Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) and the Qualifications Review Committee, Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP).

 

 

Personal Branding

Paul Copcutt 

Paul is Canada’s leading personal brand consultant, combining a passion for people with a realization that strengths and specialization are the keys to success - he guides his clients to that outcome.  Paul’s specialty is to work with professional and executive women who are struggling with identifying a logical and authentic path to be successful in business and their careers.

Appreciating the benefits of formal education, Paul has developed his own sales and marketing career through a mixture of his unique ability to communicate and connect with all levels of people and approach all situations with an open mind. This has resulted in gathering expertise in a variety of industries including biotech, consumer goods and executive recruitment both in North America and Europe.

Recognised by Forbes as one of the top certified personal brand strategists, Paul is a much sought after national speaker and media resource, interviewed for Elle magazine, often quoted in The Globe & Mail and is a regular contributor to several leading on line resources.

Paul’s ability to connect and inspire has resulted in his taking several leadership roles with various organizations, as well as for a number of years being responsible for the facilitation and certification of future personal brand strategists.

 

Human Rights & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Diane E. Mason LaCourse

Diane has a wealth of experience in the field of human rights having practiced extensively as an investigator, fact finder and mediator. Diane has investigated and/or mediated well over a thousand cases since 1990 both for the Ontario Human Rights Commission and in private practice. Diane has handled cases involving all prohibited grounds of discrimination and harassment under the Human Rights Code. In the last two years, Diane has worked in the specialized area of intranet and e-mail investigations. Diane also investigates allegations of unprofessional conduct under Code of Professionalism Policies.

As part of the HR-Fusion team, Diane and her associates are responsible for investigating complaints of harassment and discrimination; developing and implementing human rights related training and supportive human resource management policies; conflict resolution; facilitation and mediation and for the design of conflict management systems.

Diane is a member in good standing with the ADR Institute of Ontario, and has a background in Social Services and has received a certificate in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

 

Organizational Design and Business Process Improvement  

George Perdue, B. Sc. P. Eng., CPIM, CFP 

George's consulting practice is based upon the integration of research of organization structure and systems thinking coupled with socio-technical principles and a strong dose of practicality.  He employs the thinking processes of the Theory of Constraints for the identification and management of critical resources with the attendant performance measures.  A great deal of work has been done in the Steel and Automotive sectors.  In the non-manufacturing arena he has worked in Banks and distribution centres.  His approach has taken him on assignments from Finland to Japan.  He has authored training books on Quality Control and Flow Management and coordinated development of the original APICS certification courses.

George took his engineering degree at McMaster University and attended Brock University for business.

His expertise includes delivering services such as: Values and metrics alignment; Theory of Constraints and the thinking processes; Lean principles redesign; Business process redesign; Cycle time reduction; Quick change; Quality system enhancement; Strategic Organizational Alignment, a comprehensive approach to designing and managing organizations; Integrated Strategic Planning - corporate direction setting, operations planning and results management; Socio-technical design - enhancing productivity improvements through the restructuring of work at Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4; Complex change management - organization wide changes including process redesign, cultural change.

 

Human Resources Generalist, Strategic Planning, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures

Linda Slade, M.A., CHRP

Linda Slade has over twenty years of Human Resources experience in various industries, including both public and private sector organizations.  During her career, she has provided comprehensive, senior-level HR consultation and management support at Dofasco, McMaster University, NCR, the City of Hamilton School Board, Atomic Energy Canada, Nortel Networks, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. 

Linda’s expertise includes strategic HR planning, mergers & acquisitions, employee & labour relations, compensation and HR information systems.  In addition, Linda brings to the HR-Fusion team her experience in job evaluation and performance management systems, development and interpretation of HR programs, policies and procedures, salary administration, hiring and workforce reduction initiatives and collective bargaining activities.

Linda is a graduate of McMaster University, holding both a combined honours B.A. in English and History, and a Master’s degree in History.  Linda also has a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) from Mohawk College.  She is a designated Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) in accordance with the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO). 

 

 

Assessments, Transition Services & Human Resources Generalist

Marsha Sulewski, B.A., M.Ed., CHRP

Marsha brings a breadth of knowledge relating to the employment lifecycle.  She is an empathetic, perceptive and results oriented human resources professional.

Marsha has successfully worked with individuals from all levels within organizations assisting them to clarify their personal visions through formal  assessments and engaging them in a self-reflection process. As a career transition specialist and outplacement consultant she partners with clients to create action plans that are focused on individual goal attainment.

With more than 20 years experience in human resources, Marsha is committed to assisting organizations in meeting their strategic objectives through effective human resources management.  Areas of expertise include human resources planning, talent acquisition and management, succession planning, design of in-house educational programs, organizational development, employee engagement strategies and termination planning.  

During her career, Marsha has achieved results in a broad range of business environments including high tech, education, financial services and outsourced food and facilities service sectors.  Marsha has taught human resources courses for the Centre for Continuing Education, McMaster University.

Marsha’s credentials include: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (honours), Carleton University; Masters of Education, Workplace Learning and Change, OISE, University of Toronto; Certified Human Resources Professional Designation, Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario.

 

Customer Satisfaction, Communications, Training & Development

Faye E. Wales, B.A., CHRP 

Faye is a respected coach who helps organizations to build employee and customer commitment through effective communications, training and development and the implementation of sound human resources and customer satisfaction policies and practices.

Faye designs, develops and facilitates customized training programs and workshops including: management development, personal development, team building, effective communications, customer satisfaction/service (internal and external), strategic/business planning.  She conducts training needs assessments, Train-the-Trainer programs and develops Training Strategy/Plan documents.  She is certified in Accelerated Learning Training Methods. 

Faye conducts needs assessments and utilizes customer satisfaction surveys and a customer satisfaction practices tool in helping organizations to improve customer relations. To obtain employee/customer/key stakeholder feedback, Faye employs a variety of feedback mechanisms including personal interviews, focus groups, surveys – telephone, written, electronic, on-site kiosk.

Faye believes that effective communications is critical to the success of employee, customer and organizational changes.  She is proficient at developing and implementing communication plans for change initiatives.

She is currently a member of the Canadian Society of Training and Development, the Customer Satisfaction Consultants Network and the Human Resources Professional Association of Hamilton. 

 

 

Compensation & Pay Equity

Heather Wilkinson, B.A.

Heather is a much sought after compensation and pay equity specialist with 30 years of combined experience in both industry and human resource consulting and she has also worked as an educator. Heather’s industry experience includes Director of North American Compensation for a telecommunications company and managing global compensation for a major Canadian airline.  She has over 15 years of consulting experience including advising Fortune 500 companies, public sector employers and not-for-profits on human resources related issues. Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Heather was Principal and National Practice Leader Compensation for Buck Consultants, Senior Consultant with Towers Perrin and a Consultant with Deloitte & Touche where she acquired international experience, including organization design for the Hong Kong airport.  

Heather’s passion for and level of professionalism in developing compensation strategies that support the organization’s business strategy is evident in every project she undertakes.

Heather's experience and knowledge is supported by extensive theoretical and 'hands-on' training from well respected international and national management consultancies and a degree from York University. She has, in turn, shared her expertise with professionals as a guest speaker at World at Work  (formerly Canadian Compensation Association), CPBI and TMAC.

Examples of her most recent compensation consulting work includes:

Development of a national sales compensation plan for five divisions of a company in the health care sector.

Redesign and implementation of a new compensation structure for an Ontario retailer. The design included job evaluation, salary structure for salaried and hourly employees, pay equity compliance, redesign of the bonus program, minimum wage analysis and a three year implementation plan.

A comprehensive review, and Board presentation, on Long Term Incentive Plan design alternatives for a retail company considering moving from stock options to another form of LTIP

Design of a compensation strategy for a company in the transportation sector.  The project included implementing a job evaluation system, benchmarking positions, developing salary ranges, developing a compensation philosophy, and a review of the bonus program.

Disability Management & Return to Work

Lynn Wilson B.Sc. M.Ed., R.R.P., C.C.R.C.

Lynn is a Senior Disability Management Consultant who has developed and implemented hundreds of successful return-to-work programs for employees returning from short- or long-term disability experiences, attributed to a wide range of psychological and physical illnesses and injuries. She has demonstrated expertise in the management of “invisible disabilities” and the unique challenges to treatment and re-employment issues that such disabilities can pose. An important aspect of her services involves, when necessary, conducting three-point assessments – Employee, Attending Physician, and Employer – to ensure that appropriate medical assessments, treatment, and follow-through are undertaken in efforts o minimize employee absence and facilitate timely return-to-work plans. Lynn often provides rehabilitation “mediation” services when confidential medical information is synthesized with workplace demands to assist Employers in developing realistic, and ultimately successful, return-to work programs for their employees. 

As an associate of HR-Fusion Inc., Lynn provides consultative services to our clients seeking to address employee absenteeism concerns or develop plans to return valued employees to the workplace when return-to-work expectations are ambiguous or, perhaps, non-existent.

Lynn is a Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counsellor and a member in good standing of the Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (recently renamed Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada). She has a graduate degree from the University of Toronto related to the areas of educational, psychological, and vocational assessment.