Ollis/Akers/Arney Human Resources Consulting Receives Innovative HR Team of the Year Award

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Human Resource Director Magazine (HRD) honors Ollis/Akers/Arney Human Resources Consulting as Innovative HR Team of 2022, which recognizes firms that are breaking boundaries to move the HR profession forward by implementing progressive and ground-breaking strategies. Nominations were assessed on areas including talent management, diversity and inclusion, health and wellness, and HR technology.

HRD cited 2021 as possibly one of the most challenging years to be in the human resources profession due to the pandemic and historic turnover nationwide with more than 47 million Americans quitting their jobs, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “What we’ve been through the last two-and-a-half years makes this honor even more rewarding,” says Karen Shannon, Vice President of Business Consulting/CHRO. “This has been a time of incredible focus, adaptability, resiliency, and finding creative solutions while turning on a dime. Sometimes we were updating client communications not only daily but on an hourly basis.”

Karen Shannon along with human resources consultants Carolyn O’Kelley and Kenya Pearman, and human resources generalist Holly Loven, provide full-service business consulting in all areas of HR including recruitment, onboarding, performance, management, compliance initiatives, training and development, and succession planning for clients throughout the U.S. and their international locations.

Shannon says, “We have the opportunity to really see the heart and soul of a business and help them put strategies in place that grow and support the business and their culture. We do tactical things that have to get done and the strategic things that influence how they treat their employees which impact the treatment of customers and ultimately profitability.”

“I want to give kudos to my team,” continues Shannon. “They contribute to our potential every day and I’m pleased they were recognized for their efforts. There are so many talented HR professionals and teams in the U.S., so to be recognized as an innovative team is pretty amazing. This was such a great surprise to receive the recognition for our Midwest team.”

About the Team

Karen Shannon has served in leadership positions in banking and human resources for 30 years. She received her M.B.A. and B.A. in business administration and economics from Drury University.

Carolyn O’Kelley has more than 20 years of human resources experience in a variety of industries from higher education to manufacturing to public accounting. She received her B.S. in business management from Missouri Southern State University.

Kenya Pearman has more than 16 years of human resources director experience in the supply chain/logistics industry. She has a B.S. in political science from Oklahoma State University.

Holly Loven has more than a decade of human resources experience in manufacturing and non-profit organizations. She received her B.A. in business administration from Drury University.

About Ollis/Akers/Arney Human Resources Consulting

The stand-alone HR Consulting division was added as another layer of business consulting to Ollis/Akers/Arney Insurance & Business Advisors in response to companies and organizations seeking retainer and on-demand expert guidance in a highly complex field of expertise. Ollis/Akers/Arney provides human resources solutions, business risk assessments and solutions, health and group benefits, and commercial as well as personal lines of insurance. Offices are in Springfield, Branson and Bolivar, Missouri and serve clients nationwide. Ollis/Akers/Arney has been nationally recognized by Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. as a Best Practices Agency in the United States and as a Top Insurance Workplace from Insurance Business America in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The agency has also received the Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau and Best Places to Work from Best Companies Group and Biz 417.