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MEET THE HR INFLUENCERS:
Kelly Davis, CHRL, CHRE, H.R.C.C.C.
NAVIGATING
CULTURAL
CHANGE
By Lisa Gordon
For Kelly Davis, it’s not hard to love her job as VP of human resources
at Town Shoes. The position has certainly come with its
challenges – chief among them the company’s recent transition
from a 62-year-old family business to a corporate conglomerate
that is now in the process of being acquired by a U.S. firm – but Davis
counts herself lucky. Not only does she love the business (“Who doesn’t
love shoes?”) but she’s also had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
build her own human resources department, selecting her favourite HR
all-stars to form what she calls her “A-Team.”
HR Professional grabbed some running shoes and caught up to Davis
to discuss what sparked her interest in an HR career, how her team at
Town Shoes is crafting a people strategy that will grow with the rapidly
expanding company and how nothing can replace the power of one-onone
communication, especially in difficult times.
When did you decide you wanted a career in human resources?
Kelly Davis: My story is a little non-traditional. I started at the Hudson’s
Bay Company with a program called the High School Council. It was
an awesome opportunity that ran for only one year in Ontario. They
took eight high school kids and exposed them to different functions of
the company. I was really inspired by the HR leader back then. In my
last year of high school, I decided to match my degree to a future career
in HR.
What was your first HR job?
KD: I was really lucky because each summer during university, I came
back to HBC and was a summer intern in different parts of HR. After
that, my first real HR job was in Vancouver. I was the HR supervisor for
the Eaton’s store at Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver.
42 ❚ SEPTEMBER 2015 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL