People Power - Human resource management exec focuses on the future

Alumna Kim Hauer, executive vice president and chief human resource officer at SC Johnson, attributes a lot of her success to an interviewing course she took at Purdue’s Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.

“The assignment for the course was to interview professionals in varying fields to gain greater exposure to the workplace and get their perspective on their career challenges,” Hauer says. “I interviewed the marketing manager, HR manager and a few other professionals at the Caterpillar site in Lafayette. Shortly after, I was offered an internship with the company; that assignment and that experience are ultimately what launched my HR career.”

Hauer’s time on campus also gave her a newfound sense of independence. “I enjoyed learning how to manage my time, chart my own path and determine where I wanted to go in life,” she says. “I was diligent about taking advantage of everything campus had to offer – the curriculum, the professors, networking opportunities and Greek life. I’m especially grateful for the people I met along the way, including my sorority. I made a lot of lifelong friendships.”

She also values her time at Caterpillar, the world's largest manufacturer of construction equipment, where she worked for nearly 20 years. “It was a time of great growth for the Lafayette plant,” Hauer says. “We were doing a lot of hiring, so I got to interview a large number of production workers. As an early professional, I found it very fulfilling to extend job offers and see people's lives changed with the opportunity to come work for a thriving company.”

Hauer eventually joined the full-time development program at Caterpillar and progressed her career throughout different sides of the HR function as well as different geographies and international assignments. “I had a wonderful career at Caterpillar, including the last six years as vice president and chief HR officer,” she says.

At SC Johnson, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products, Hauer enjoys building on the company’s culture and global work environment. “SC Johnson is a fifth-generation, privately held family company. As a family company, we hold tight to core values like integrity and trust. Being privately held enables us to focus on doing what’s right for the next generation, not just next quarter’s earnings report.”

Hauer advises current HR students to face their fears and embrace the unknown. “I took on a tough labor relations assignment out on a factory floor. I was willing to move overseas to get experience. I was willing to roll up my sleeves and try different jobs that maybe weren't always the most attractive,” she says. “Having that experience helped position me to deal with bigger and longer-term strategic issues.”

This year’s recipient of the Daniels School’s Distinguished Alumni award, Hauer is also a proponent of paying it forward. “It's important to stay involved,” she says. “I've been very fortunate and can attribute a lot of my success to my time at Purdue and the people who invested in me, so I love to return to campus and share insights that can help students make important career decisions.”

By Eric Nelson