An award-winning College of Business graduate with 15 years of experience in human resources management in three states will speak to students and faculty February 18 as the College of Business alumni in residence.
Donna Harris ‘93 M.B.A. ‘01 is vice president and senior human resources business partner for Fifth Third Bank Southern Indiana. She joined Fifth Third in 2004. She has responsibility for all human resources functions within Fifth Third Southern Indiana, including Evansville, Southwestern Indiana, St. Louis, Western Kentucky, and four sites in Illinois.
Previously she was human resources director at Methodist Hospital in Henderson, Kentucky, for eight years and human resources director at Wabash General Hospital in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, for three years.
The Alumni-in-Residence program includes a full day of large- and small-group presentations. Harris will speak on the topic “Your Future: It’s All About Choices.” She will focus on the choices students have in college and beyond and how those choices affect opportunities and work/life satisfaction in their futures.
Harris was recognized as Indiana State Human Resources Professional of the Year in 2002. She is a past member of the Indiana State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and past president of the Evansville-Area Human Resource Association. During her tenure as a human resources manager, her current and past employers earned six Family Friendly and Diversity Awards, sponsored by the Evansville-Area Human Resource Association and the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana to honor and recognize companies that are leaders in developing a workplace that embraces diversity and family-friendly practices.
The USI College of Business chapter of SHRM received a Superior Chapter Award in 1993-94 when Harris was vice president. She has continued her interest and involvement with the student chapter by serving as a liaison between the chapter and the Evansville-Area Human Resource Association.
Harris is a graduate and member of the board of directors of Leadership Evansville. She is active in a number of other community activities.