Michael Shearer

About Michael Shearer

As Chief Human Resources Officer at AWP Safety, I partner with our executive and field leadership to design the organization, workforce, and people strategies needed to support one of the leading traffic control and worksite safety providers in North America.My work focuses on aligning organization design, talent, and workforce planning with AWP’s growth trajectory and the demands of a large, frontline-based workforce. This includes building scalable structures, strengthening leadership capability, and ensuring we have the right skills and capacity in place as the business continues to expand.I lead learning and leadership development efforts that reinforce operational discipline, accountability, and a strong safety culture. I also oversee total rewards and benefits strategy, including leading AWP’s transition to a self-insured health plan while balancing cost management, risk, and employee experience.I serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team on workforce strategy, labor and employee relations, and change management. I believe HR creates the most value when it understands the realities of the field, supports leaders at every level, and designs systems that help both people and the business perform at their best.

Experience

1. Chief Human Resources Officer

   AWP Safety

   Jul 2021 — Present · North Canton, OH, US

   Led enterprise HR strategy to support rapid growth across a large, frontline workforce, aligning organization design, talent, and workforce planning with business expansion and operational demands.Redesigned organizational structures and leadership roles to improve scalability, clarify accountability, and strengthen field and corporate alignment as the company grew in size and complexity.Built and executed workforce planning capabilities to ensure the right talent, skills, and capacity were in place to support customer demand, safety requirements, and geographic expansion.Launched and expanded learning and leadership development programs focused on frontline leadership effectiveness, operational discipline, and reinforcing a strong safety culture.Served as a strategic advisor to the executive team on workforce strategy, labor and employee relations, and change management during periods of growth and business transformation.Led total rewards and benefits strategy, including the successful transition to a self-insured health plan, balancing cost control, risk management, and employee experience.Strengthened employee communications and engagement across a distributed workforce, improving alignment between leadership priorities and field execution.Built and developed a high-performing HR leadership team capable of supporting a growing, multi-location organization.

Education

• Bowling Green State University

  BSBA, Human Resources

  1992 — 1996

Skills

• Labor Relations
• Union Avoidance
• Onboarding
• Employee Relations
• Talent Management
• Change Management
• Hris
• Talent Acquisition
• New Hire Orientations
• Personnel Management
• Recruiting
• Strategic Partnerships