The finalists for WashingtonExec’s 2023 Pinnacle Awards were announced Sept. 25, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 16.
Next is Kerri Morehart, chief human resources officer at Cadmus, and finalist in the HR Executive of the Year, Private Company (annual revenue less than $250M) category. Here, she shares key achievements and proud career moments.
What key achievements did you have in 2023?
Cadmus completed two back-to-back acquisitions this year, expanding our employee headcount from 660 to over 1,000! For the first time in Cadmus’ history, a large percentage of employees are based outside the United States, which introduced new elements to the challenges of welcoming and supporting new colleagues.
Our HR team met the challenge, providing exceptional knowledge and care to new staff while continuing to provide uninterrupted support — and new resources — for legacy employees.
Within this dynamic, we continued to keep attrition below Cadmus’ target in 2023, and zero attrition on the HR team that navigated the intense integration processes. We have won new contracts and expanded Cadmus’ college recruiting program, attracting excellent, diverse candidates to early career roles.
I’ve very excited that we implemented the Workday HRIS this year to empower Cadmus’ employees, managers, and HR team. Through hard work, ingenuity, and passion for what they do, our small and mighty HR team continues steadily building infrastructure that larger organizations often take for granted, supporting and strengthening our employees more every year.
We also introduced a healthcare concierge program to all enrolled employees and their families. Navigating healthcare can be incredibly stressful, particularly when one is already dealing with a crisis. This resource takes one thing off people’s plates so they can focus on the most important things in their lives – wellness for them and their families.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I’m proudest of the teams I’ve had the privilege of building and leading throughout my career. I’m amazed by what they are accomplishing here at Cadmus as well as team members from past firms—from entrepreneurs growing their own businesses to department leaders of large government contractors. I’ve learned from my teams, they’ve learned from me, we’ve learned together, and had the best time doing it even when the work is hard.
The right team can be the secret ingredient that unlocks incredible potential. Time after time throughout my career, I’ve been in situations where no one knew what they were capable of until they got together with others who brought out the best in them.
Being the person who brings together that team and watches as everyone clicks and things start to happen is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Being persistent, lifting each other up, having the courage to explore new territory, and figuring things out together leads to great things.