Inside Campus Partners

Pat Shepherd
May 2004

Pat Shepherd
Director of Human Resources

When Pat Shepherd, Director of Human Resources for our company, was hired last June, she had no idea of the adventure that lay in front of her. After working in human resources for 17 years at a major discount retailer, she was ready for new challenges.

Things started out slowly at first. During her first six months, she met people, learned about our business, carried out the personnel directives coming from our parent company, learned a new time keeping system, and spent weeks planning our first Employee Recognition Celebration. (Okay, maybe things were a little hectic at that time.)

Then, after our company was purchased this winter, Pat had to manage transition activities. For the first time in our company’s history, we existed as an independent company. Without a “parent company,” Pat worked closely with our new owners to put together employee health, life, disability, dental, and 401 K plans. “ I was so impressed with our new owners. They really wanted to do the right thing for the employees here,“ Pat explained. To do the right thing, form after form had to be processed for each employee, endless hours of consultation about benefits had to be conducted, and new arrangements for payroll and a time keeping system had to be made. Throughout this process, Pat maintained a characteristically serene and re-assuring demeanor, which helped assuage employee anxiety over the rapid changes.

In recognition of the expanded scope of her responsibilities, Pat was promoted from Human Resources Manager to her current position of Director of Human Resources in March. Despite her increased responsibilities, Pat sees no change in her essential role in the company. She sees her overriding responsibility as maintaining an environment where everyone is treated equally and fairly. She also wants all employees to know that they can come to her to talk about concerns they might have. “My door is always open,” Pat said. Pat is also guided by a philosophy of doing the right thing. “My favorite quote is ‘Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do,” she stated. “I was raised that way, and I believe this attitude serves me well in this field.”

Pat decided that she wanted to go into human resources while working as a cast member at the Small World attraction at Disney World during summer breaks as a college student. “Every six weeks we would have meetings with HR to learn about new policies, new attractions, and coming events. The HR department made me feel very valued, and I knew then that I wanted to work in HR,” she related. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University in business administration, and began working in HR at a Sam’s Club in Charlotte.

Later Pat earned an MBA with a concentration in human resources from Winthrop University and moved to Greensboro with her husband, Rick, and their three children. By working six days a week at Sam’s, Pat was able to be home with her two daughters and son after school when they were younger. Her willingness to sacrifice a day off for her family is very indicative of how important family is to Pat.

The family is very close, and they enjoy activities like camping—tents and all—in the mountains. One year the family had an innovative vacation when they camped at a park near their home. With Pat working days and her husband working nights, they planned to camp out for a week without either parent taking vacation. The trip was cut short by rainy weather after Pat arrived after work to find three excited children and her husband sleeping in a flooded tent.

Pat plans to spend future vacations camping, but dreams of someday vacationing in a castle in Europe. Although this goal might seem out of character in such a practical person, it ties into her secret vice. Pat loves to read historical romance novels. But, maybe it’s not so surprising after all—given that she started her career working at Fantasyland in the shadow of Cinderella’s Castle. But, whether Pat dreams of castles in the sky or camping in the rain, we know we can count on Pat to stay well grounded--and dry--at work.