Photo courtesy of ERC

An award-winning business leader and human resource professional, Kelly Keefe is the first female president in ERC’s 100-year history.

A pioneer in making a flexible work arrangement a success, Kelly knows that great workplaces value both results and people. Under her leadership, ERC has helped organizations locally, nationally, and globally shift the paradigm and become more people-centric.

Since joining ERC in 2004, Kelly has been a member of ERC’s management team. She has led multiple departments, and she has held various leadership roles, including Director, Training and Events; Director, Training Services; and Vice President, Training, Consulting & Coaching Services. In 2018, after nearly 15 years in leadership positions, Kelly was selected president by ERC’s Board.

Kelly reports to ERC’s Board and takes an active role in recruiting and selecting Board members. Together, they meet quarterly to ensure our business objectives are achieved. In partnership with both the Board and ERC’s management team, Kelly leads the strategic direction of the organization and oversees all operations, including financials, business development, performance, compliance, policies, staffing, employee compensation and benefits, technology, and more. Kelly also guides ERC’s leadership team and meets regularly with practice leaders to ensure that organizational initiatives and decisions are sound and consistent with ERC’s mission and values.

Keeping a constant pulse on our clients’ needs and industry trends, Kelly sets the vision and overall strategy for all business lines in ERC and ERC Services Inc., including training, HR consulting and support, coaching and assessments, and research services. She oversees ERChealth, an Ohio health insurance program for small and mid-size employers, and NorthCoast 99, our annual recognition program and event that honors 99 great Northeast Ohio workplaces for top talent.

Through the NorthCoast 99 program, Kelly and her team are making a major impact on the Northeast Ohio economy by assisting regional employers in attracting, developing, and retaining high-performing individuals. Kelly manages the NorthCoast 99 program from conception to execution. She creates and communicates the vision, builds sponsorships, and implements best practices. She also serves as the master of ceremonies at the event which attracts over 900 guests each year.

By initiating innovative business opportunities and developing strategic partnerships, Kelly drives ERC’s growth. In her 16-year tenure with the company, she is credited with expanding ERC’s Training Services into a national practice, establishing The ERC Women’s Leadership Institute, and modifying our Supervisory Training Series curriculum. Kelly also helped create and continues to cultivate our “F” workplace culture. Under her guidance, ERC’s ideals of Family-first, Fun, Flexible, Fitness-minded, Footprint-light, and Financially supportive are carried out throughout the year.

A relational and heart-centered leader, Kelly believes that people are an organization’s most valuable asset, and each person needs the right tools and training to be successful. She lives out this belief daily by providing our staff with coaching, counseling, and skill assessment. She is the consummate example of ERC’s core values of honest, client-focused, approachable, and continuously improving.

An active volunteer and philanthropist, Kelly is heavily involved in various nonprofit organizations, committees, and community programs. She volunteers for Meals on Wheels, is a mentor for College Now, and sits on the Board of Make-a-Wish. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors for Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School (NDCL), and she was a founding member of the NDCL Alumni Association. Kelly also volunteered as president of the Parent Teacher Organization at St. Paschal Baylon School, and she was a member of their Strategic Planning Committee. Currently, she is enrolled in the Leadership Cleveland program.

Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Dayton. She is a Senior Certified Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP).

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