“Horses (and HR) Will Discipline You”: Staff Spotlight on Doreen Kutzler, Sr. HR Consultant at Hubric

Since “falling into human resources” in 1990, you could say that Senior HR Consultant Doreen Kutzler has seen a lot, and has written even more policies and handbooks during her career!   Gaining her experience in industries spanning from bird seed production to healthcare services prior to joining our team at Hubric Resources, Doreen comes equipped with focus, dedication and passion. 

Read on to learn more about her experience, expertise, and reflections about working in HR.  

“Was Your Career Path a Straight Line, or Were There Twists and Turns Along The Way to Hubric Resources?”

What do bird seed, hospital services and utilities have in common? All of these are markets Doreen is intimately familiar with, as she began her HR journey at F.M. Brown’s Sons, Inc. before moving to The Reading Hospital and UGI Utilities, Inc., where she also served as a Senior Consultant. Upon leaving her role in the healthcare division, Doreen began working closely on benefit programs and annual enrollment meetings at UGI. During this time, she also became acquainted with Tom Hubric, with whom she worked for 15 years prior to coming on board at Hubric Resources.  

In terms of those professionals who helped to inspire and motivate Doreen during her career journey, Laura Rader is someone who stands out. While working at Berks Products, the two began a friendship that is still strong to this day. What’s even better, is the way a twist of fate led the two to cross professional paths again years down the line. After moving on to Hubric Resources, Doreen introduced Laura to Tom after hearing that Laura was not ready (or willing) to retire. As a result, Doreen and Laura enjoyed working together again for nearly a decade. 

In addition, working for Carl Staples Senior Vice President of Arrow International was also a formative professional experience. During her time at Arrow, Doreen was able to enjoy traveling to company locations in North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and San Antonio, Texas while working as a benefits manager. 

Looking Back to Understand the Present: Signs That a Life in HR Was Right for Doreen

When asked about whether there were “signs” looking back that might have indicated a career in human resources consulting was the perfect match for Doreen, a few ideas come to mind. “Now that you mention it,” she reflected, “in high school I was the president of our school’s Future Business Leaders of America club. And looking back, I can see how competitive and meticulous the events were. You had to be very savvy, very business focused. Thinking about it now, I can see how my enjoyment for that type of mindset and approach was already very much in place.” 

Year in Review: Obstacles, Challenges and Highlights

2021 Challenges: Simply put, this year has been a trying one for everyone across industries. But you wouldn’t necessarily know that from Doreen’s review! Always an optimist, she mentions that this year has also been the one that brought her her most difficult but rewarding work to date: taking on an assignment at her county’s local courthouse. This has required her to absorb much of the operating courtroom culture in addition to her day-to-day HR duties.  

Although certainly a challenge, Doreen takes pride in the fact that she is trusted to not only assist court officials with their operating philosophy but also to be present in this environment as a representative of Hubric Resources. She finds herself enjoying the hustle and business of court, while discovering ways to complete her duties in new ways.  

2021 Triumphs and Tips: When it comes to triumphs, Doreen was quick to mention that her current work with the local courthouse is also a major career highlight. Although the assignment is particularly nuanced and requires working knowledge of courtroom personnel and procedures, she finds herself ignited by the challenge. She also realizes in this role, how crucial it is that her “people skills” come into play, as remembering names, duties and networks in the courtroom are also keys to her success.   

If she has to choose, Doreen mentions that specialty writing and revising handbooks are two tasks where she “cuts her teeth”, while also enjoying the reality that this work essentially helps to reframe an organization’s operating philosophy.

When it comes to advice, Doreen is a firm believer in keeping your working and private lives separate. To achieve this in remote times, she has found managing her networks and relationships with fellow professionals through LinkedIn to be the most helpful. This way, she can keep in touch and stay up-to-date with colleagues while resisting the urge to bring the inevitable stresses of HR home at the end of the day.

To help separate work and play, Doreen is also passionate about horses and horseback riding. Although she and her husband are currently in the process of rebuilding their herd, she still enjoys spending time with and around horses to relax. Early mornings spent in the barn, to Doreen, can be cathartic. And according to her, horses help you learn about yourself because “they can smell fear on you”, which has also served as another way for her to strengthen her mindset over the years. 

What Are You Waiting For? Ask Doreen How You Can Improve Your Company’s Standard Operating Procedures. 

Now that you know a little more about Doreen, we hope you will feel comfortable reaching out to ask her about the ways your current philosophy or procedures can be enhanced. If you haven’t reviewed your business’ handbook, hiring strategy or retention plan recently, Doreen can help!

Get in touch with Hubric Resources today, and put our team to work for your business!