EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT – BROOKE SALGER, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT – BROOKE SALGER, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
My name is Brooke Salger. I am the Director of Human Resources. I have been employed at VGH since January 2021. My job includes making sure our internal customers are taken care of, which are our team members. This includes overseeing all the HR functions within the organization, such as recruitment, benefits, training, and employee relations. This also includes planning and leading the HR Department and its hiring protocols as well as enforcing the policies and programs in place. My job also involves a lot of mediating and suggesting solutions to employee disputes to include resolutions. It is important to ensure that we are in compliance with regulations. I chose to pursue a career in Human Resource Management because the interpersonal dimension of HR work can be deeply rewarding and one that is difficult to replicate in other professions.
I enjoy the variety and challenge of this job and the fact that it is people-oriented. I also enjoy the chance to help improve the lives of employees by providing a helping hand whenever needed. I enjoy conflict resolution, which means assisting both managers and team members when issues arise by identifying the root cause of an issue and acting on it. I feel that I am a good listener and enjoy emotional caregiving when employees are going through the trauma of stress and frustration. I feel gratification to see employees move on from being frustrated to being more positive and feeling appreciated.
In a previous HR/Employment Manager position with Tyson Fresh Meats, two US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents came into my office with a standing order telling me that we had 30 days to hand over all I-9s to them for all active team members, which was approximately 2,500 people. My staff and I spent countless hours photocopying and preparing these documents for release. Because of the outcome of this ICE Audit, Tyson Foods (company as a whole across the United States), became a Compliance Partner with the Homeland Security Investigations program, which is a very high honor to hold.
I have two beautiful boys, Logan and Alex. Both are married, so that also gives me two beautiful daughters-in-law as well. Both are incredibly successful in their careers. Alex is in his fifth year of the electrical apprenticeship program and will be graduating in the Spring of 2025. I can’t live without time spent with my children. My mom always told me when my boys were little and both in diapers (15 months apart), “Don’t blink because you have no idea how fast time flies.” Boy was she right. They are now 27 and 28 and I honestly do not know where the time went. Every second I get with them is priceless and cherished beyond anything else. Because we are empty nesters, to fill the void, we have Archie! He is a 100 lb Golden Doodle and is an absolute baby. A fun fact about my family is that we are HUGE Iowa Hawkeye fans!
My family and I enjoy spending as much time together as possible, which includes camping, boating, and vacationing each year. I have a love for cooking which I inherited from my grandmother on the Isbell side. When I turned eight years old, she gave me the gift of cooking lessons. I would go to her house on Thursday evenings after school and she would teach me to follow recipes where we would prepare a meal and dessert for my grandfather. This went on for no less than 2-3 years. This was a priceless gift. To this day, cooking is still one of my favorite things to do. I can get lost in the kitchen for hours.
A fun fact about me is that the day after I graduated high school I flew out to Boston, MA, and was a nanny for a year prior to starting college. It was a fantastic experience, and I can honestly say I love the New England region. It is beautiful and Bostin is an exceptional city, not only to visit but to live in as well. It is a very clean and safe city. My favorite vacation spot is in the Riviera Maya down in Mexico. We will be going back to our favorite resort, Barcelo Maya Tropical, in April 2025 with family and friends. My absolute favorite food is sushi. My best friend from college, who is half
Japanese and half German, introduced me to this when I lived in Boston. Her mom is 100% Japanese, and she made us Sushi all the time. She even made us seaweed balls to take with us to Daytona Beach on our Spring Break. These were so tasty and are an extremely healthy snack. FYI- you can buy seaweed strips at Fareway in the Asian section.
If someone were to describe me in three words, they would be compassionate, generous, and kind. I have always wanted to learn the Spanish language. I worked for Tyson Foods, Inc., for 24 years as an HR Manager prior to coming to VGH and that would have been very helpful in my position there. With raising a family and working full-time, unfortunately, my mission to become fluent in Spanish was never accomplished.
Brooke Salger – Human Resources – Director of Human Resources – 3 years of service
VGH STRONG
