REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Lori Reynolds knows what it takes to transform an Army organization and its human capital to meet the needs of the mission.
She has done that in a big way at least twice in her civilian career. First, in 1997, as division chief of the Civilian Personnel Office, she was instrumental in the merging of the Aviation and Troop Command in St. Louis with the Missile Command at Redstone, a transformation that involved relocating thousands of personnel. Second, as deputy director for the Aviation and Missile CommandAca,!a,,cs G-1 (Human Resources), she developed an award-winning Aca,!A"build the benchAca,!A? strategy to recruit and retain AMCOM employees to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Reynolds has also established the first Army Laboratory Demonstration Project in connection with a new personnel system, expanded AMCOMAca,!a,,cs leadership development program to other Army and government organizations, helped to develop locally designed programs to augment required Army leadership training and executed the overhaul of AMCOMAca,!a,,cs strategic work force planning processes.
Aca,!A"IAca,!a,,cve always had a passion for human resources. For me, itAca,!a,,cs about making human resources something that really supports the manager and focuses on getting the mission accomplished,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"ItAca,!a,,cs about making sure managers have the human resources tools that allow them to do their job.Aca,!A?
For her dedication and commitment to the mission, Reynolds, now serving as acting AMCOM G-1 director, was presented with the Louis Dellamonica Award for Outstanding Performance during the Army Materiel Command worldwide town hall meeting June 25. The meeting, hosted by AMC commander Gen. Ann Dunwoody, was held at Bob Jones Auditorium and broadcast to AMC sites worldwide.
Dellamonica Award recipients are recognized for their significant contributions to AMCAca,!a,,cs mission and objectives, and are judged on how their initiatives measurably improve their work environment, how they motivate and inspire fellow employees, and how well they are viewed by their peers, subordinates and supervisors.
Reynolds was among 10 AMC employees Aca,!" and the only AMCOM employee Aca,!" to receive the award this year. She was recognized for her role in Aca,!A"developing and implementing creative human capital strategies to recruit and retain a vibrant, diverse and highly skilled work force. She is credited with the development of the AMCOM leader development life cycle, utilizing her outstanding leadership skills and resourcefulness to obtain funding, develop communication and marketing tools, and establish metrics for program success. Her contributions have introduced a stream of high performing talent into the commandAca,!a,,cs pipeline and created a deep talent pool for the future, ensuring AMCOMAca,!a,,cs continued superb support to the war fighter.Aca,!A?
But, true to form, Reynolds views the award more as recognition for the G-1Aca,!a,,cs 28-person staff.
Aca,!A"This recognition is not so much about the work IAca,!a,,cve done. It recognizes the good work of G-1 as a whole. IAca,!a,,cm the supervisor of this great group of employees. IAca,!a,,cm fortunate to be the supervisor of some really super people,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"As their supervisor, all IAca,!a,,cve done is lay out their path, goals and objectives, and given them the tools to go out and achieve.Aca,!A?
G-1 employees serve as the Aca,!A"primary adviser to the commander on Human Resources, both military and civilian,Aca,!A? she said. In that role, G-1 has four key activities. The first being leading the commandAca,!a,,cs strategic work force planning.
Aca,!A"This is real important in todayAca,!a,,cs environment because there is so much competition in hiring,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"We want to make sure AMCOM is successful in the competitive environment. We want to truly be the organization of choice on Redstone Arsenal. We want to be the employer of choice.
Aca,!A"To be that, we have to look at how we develop our folks, how we recruit, how we retain and the type of quality of life we can offer.Aca,!A?
Another key area for G-1 is serving as a translator of human resources policies and using those policies to create unique leadership training opportunities within AMCOM.
Aca,!A"We break down new regulations from human resources language to language managers can understand and move out on. We tell them the bottom line of how a new regulation can help them,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"Any Army policy in the area of human resources that the command needs to address, we will take and determine the AMCOM way that we want to develop it.Aca,!A?
That approach led to another key area for G-1 -- the development of the AMCOM Leader Development Life Cycle program, established in response to AMCAca,!a,,cs organizational transformation goal to recruit and retain a vibrant, diverse and highly talented and skilled work force. The program includes the following leadership training programs: TomorrowAca,!a,,cs Army Civilian Leaders, Leader Investment for Tomorrow and People Empowering People.
Aca,!A"We are not duplicating Army leadership development programs. We are enhancing them and putting a unique AMCOM spin on them,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"And, in the Civilian Education System, you have to be at a certain grade level to go to advance course. We fill in those gaps of training for various GS employees with AMCOM leadership development programs.Aca,!A?
AMCOMAca,!a,,cs leadership program has received two work force development awards from the Under Secretary of Defense, an excellence in practice citation from the American Society for Training and Development, and an excellence in education award from the Army Management Staff College.
Aca,!A"Our program is based on the belief that leadership is a function of jobs at any grade level,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"All employees can be leaders.Aca,!A?
A fourth key area for G-1 is providing assistance to military personnel and Reservists within the command who are activated.
G-1 reaches out beyond AMCOM to provide human resources support to all Arsenal tenants, including the program executive officers for Aviation, and Missiles and Space, the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center, and the AMCOM Contracting Center, along with AMCOM groups located at Army depots and other installations.
Aca,!A"Our mission in the G-1 is to be responsible for all AMCOM employees,Aca,!A? she said. Aca,!A"Our work force development is not just focused on Redstone Arsenal real estate. We address human resource issues across the command.Aca,!A?
Reynolds is a 33-year employee of the Army. She began her career in 1976 as a civilian personnel intern with the Troop Support and Aviation Materiel Readiness Command in St. Louis. In 1979, she relocated to Redstone Arsenal, where she was promoted through the ranks to division chief within the Civilian Personnel Office.
In 1994, Reynolds made a career changing decision when she decided to stay with mission command at AMCOM G-1 instead of continuing with the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center.
Aca,!A"As a supervisor myself, it really crystallized for me how important human resources is as a tool to get the mission accomplished as opposed to just being rules and regulations,Aca,!A? Reynolds said. Aca,!A"I wanted to be part of shaping the philosophy as human resources relates to the AMCOM mission.Aca,!A?
She received her first CommanderAca,!a,,cs Award in 1996 for her role in establishing the first Army Laboratory Demonstration Project at the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center. Her second CommanderAca,!a,,cs Award came in 1997 for her work in establishing AMCOM as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure commission recommendations of 1995.
ReynoldsAca,!a,,c long career has been one filled with many different challenges.
Aca,!A"There are so many different organizations and different responsibilities here. It seemed that every three or four years I would have a different job,Aca,!A? she said.
Aca,!A"The human resources focus has changed through the years. The mission has come more to the forefront in our work. As human resources professionals, we are here to help managers get their jobs accomplished. We try to make it easier for them to hire, retain and develop employees who are dedicated, knowledgeable and professional.Aca,!A?
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