Helping Callie (@SHRMCallieZ)

by Matthew Stollak on Monday, July 8, 2019


I've been teaching for nearly 25 years, and have probably taught over 5,000 students.  Few, if any, have combined the wit, charm, and intelligence of Callie Zipple. Callie is simply one of the best students I’ve had the opportunity to teach.   

Sitting in my statistic course, she knew she could earn extra credit for attending bi-monthly meetings of the St. Norbert College SHRM student organization.  After hearing from a HR professional in the area, and learning more about the profession, she was hooked.  She became my advisee, chose to pursue HR as a career, and soon became President of that organization, and intern for the College's HR department.

Through my conversations with Callie, she has demonstrated a strong respect for other people’s values and opinions.  She greets others with an open mind, interested in learning their viewpoint on a variety of issues.   Callie is also incredibly level-headed who handles conflict with remarkable aplomb.  She is empathetic to her friends' concerns.  She remains relentless in developing a portfolio that will help her succeed in this field. 

One moment stands out.  I remember sitting in the parking lot of Time Warner Cable to get my cable box fixed, when my phone rang, and Callie was in tears on the other line calling me excitedly that she passed the PHR exam. It meant so much to her.  As a teacher, you cherish and celebrate these success stories.

Her career has grown and flourished as she continued to pursue new opportunities and learn more about HR.  She started in staffing and became a HR manager and generalist.  She also gave back to the profession by volunteering in a number of roles with the Wisconsin SHRM State Council and as an inaugural member of the SHRM Young Professional Advisory Council.  Today, she serves as the Field Services Director for SHRM for the upper Midwest.  Very accomplished for someone so early in their career.

So, I was crushed to learn this weekend that she was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer.  At age 31. Stage 4 stomach cancer.



If anyone can fight it and succeed, it will be Callie. 

However, even with great health insurance, the costs can be enormous here in the United States.  So, like so many others, a GoFundMe account has been started in her name.  You can learn more about it here.


So, if you have seen her speak at your chapter meeting, chatted with her at the SHRM booth, or simply been charmed by her in conversation, I hope you can help assist her in this fight.


Kawhi Leonard, the #8ManRotation, and the #NBASummerLeague

by Matthew Stollak on Friday, July 5, 2019




Bringing the blog out from the mothballs for a couple of reasons.

First, check out this clip of the NBA whisperer, Adrian Wojnarowski chatting with Scott Van Pelt about the free agency status of the mercurial Kawhi Leonard.  As of this writing, Kawhi still has not signed with an NBA team.


Why should you, the intrepid HR professional care about this story?  As always, it covers everything that is the apotheosis of the #8ManRotation - the intersection of sports and HR.  Recruiting.  Talent. Compensation.  Decision-making. Opportunity cost.

Here we have three franchises competing for one of the top five players in their field.  Like any organization, they are trying to figure out what is going to attract him to come to their business over a competitor. 

Complicating matters is the presence of the salary cap, the collective bargaining agreement, and the start of free agency.  Kawhi Leonard can only receive the maximum, hence the three finalists for his services (Toronto, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Clippers), cannot outbid each other for his services.  So, compensation will not be the determining factor.

Further, free agents cannot begin signing contracts until Sunday, July 7 at 6 pm Eastern.  Each of the three teams involved risk missing out on other available top talent by waiting on Kawhi to make his decision.  The opportunity cost of waiting is huge.


Which brings us to the second reason for the post - the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas begins TODAY! For the past nine years, members of the 8 Man Rotation (Steve Boese, Kris Dunn, Lance Haun, Tim Sackett, and I) have made the trek to watch 9 hours of basketball a day, and opine on the HR implications.  Think I am kidding?  Check out this history of posts:

From Steve Boese:
1. Five quick 'Sports and HR' takes from the NBA Summer League 

2. NBA Summer League Part 1 - The Relative Value of Talent  
3.  Observations from the NBA Summer League 2013

From Kris Dunn:
1. My Week at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Part 1 (featuring Lessons on Talent) 

2. My Week at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Part 2 (featuring Lessons on Talent)
3. My 2016 Vegas Weekend at the NBA Summer League
4. Stuff the Capitalist (aka KD) Likes - The NBA Summer League
5.  My Vegas Weekend with the 8 Man Rotation (featuring How Pro Hoops Misses On Talent...Just Like You 
6.  My Vegas Weekend via Instagram (featuring James Harden and Bro-Packs...)

From Lance Haun:
1. Finding "A" Talent is Overrated


From Tim Sackett:
1. Different Leaders for Different Situations


From Matt Stollak:
1.  Quick Lessons from the 2014 NBA Summer League

2.  Why #HR Should Care About the NBA Summer League 

Look for posts from Steve, KD, Lance, and I in the coming weeks (Tim, as always will be the designated survivor).