About the Speaker

Enhancing Performance Through Skills Development

The Textiles Human Resources Council is an award-winning, industry-led organization that works with its manufacturing members to enhance performance through skills development and related HR services.  Providing insight into industry best practices related to training and development, this presentation will show how the Council's approach is producing tangible business results for its members.

About the Speakers

SARAH WATTS-RYNARD, Director of Communications and Operations Textiles Human Resources Council David Kelly has been with the Textiles Human Resources Council in Ottawa, Canada since 1998, and is currently Executive Director, a position he has held since 2009.  David has over 20 years project management experience in corporate business, manufacturing, international development, and skills development throughout North America, South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

With leadership from the Council's Board of Directors, Mr. Kelly oversees the development of innovative skills solutions for the Council's manufacturing members.  The Council focuses on creating tangible business results through unique skills development initiatives and related services that include providing access to a robust training infrastructure, implementation services and certification programs. After completing his post secondary education in Business Administration, Mr. Kelly held positions of increasing responsibility in sales and marketing at Canada's largest food manufacturer, Canada Packers Inc.  Recognizing that he wanted to utilize his business skills, knowledge and experience in an international development capacity, David left Canada Packers Inc. to join CUSO in 1991.

Mr. Kelly was based in CUSO's South Pacific office in Papua New Guinea.  At CUSO, David again held positions of increasing responsibility, beginning as the lead on economic development projects throughout the South Pacific, and finishing his career at CUSO's Secretariat in Ottawa in 1997, prior to joining the Textiles Human Resources Council. He is a member of the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD), and the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).

Jim Anderson, Director of Human Resources, Kraus Flooring
Jim Anderson began his career in textiles at Strudex Fibres Ltd. in 1989, as the Production Manager of BCF (Bulked Continuous Filament) yarns.  His involvement with labour - management issues led to his promotion to Human Resources Manager in 1998 and his subsequent promotion to Director of Human Resources in 2008.  He fulfils these responsibilities for both Strudex and its sister company, Kraus Carpet Mills Ltd., at the Waterloo, ON facilities. Today, there are two full-time employees dealing with the human resources issues of 370 employees at the Waterloo companies.  As HR Director, Mr. Anderson strives to ensure employees have the necessary tools to develop and sustain their own career goals through personal business plans.

Mr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Waterloo.  Following his graduation, he worked at Hart Chemical in Guelph, Ontario, (a division of Unilever) in R&D, Technical Service, leading to Production Manager.  His supervisor often observed that he would rather make socks than chemicals - remarks that would prove to be prophetic of Mr. Anderson's future work in the textile industry. Kraus is an integrated global manufacturer of carpet and fibres, and a leading North American distributor of flooring products.  Worldwide, Kraus has 750 employees in Waterloo, the United States, Australia and in more than 12 North American distribution centres.