[caption id="attachment_170126" align="alignnone" width="200"] Susan Romano
HR & Payroll Manager[/caption]

Company: Duffield Associates Inc. (Wilmington)

What initiatives or processes have you introduced?

When I joined Duffield there was not an HR person. Payroll, benefits, and recruiting were being completed by the controller. Not only was I learning new employees and systems, I was learning a totally new industry (engineering). I have marketed myself to all employees as a resource for their HR needs. I have initiated an onboarding process that allows new hires to feel welcome from the moment they sign an offer letter. Since Duffield staff is 48% millennials, our events take time to plan to ensure everyone feels they are able to participate.

Duffield is an award-winning engineering and science consulting firm specializing in civil, water resources, environmental, and geotechnical engineering, construction review and testing services. 

What have you done to help the community?

Duffield likes to think we walk the walk of "enhancing our community one project at a time." Some activities that Duffield is involved in this year are Adopt-a-Highway, Blood Drive, Thanksgiving Food Drive, Christina River Clean-Up, AHA Heart Walk, and Salvation Army Bell Ringing. In addition to participating in these events, I volunteer regularly with the March of Dimes. This organization works to improve the health of mothers and babies.