WHEREAS, Kathy Megarry joined Hennepin County in 2015 as the Chief Labor Relations Officer to lead work impacting the entire workforce, including the 70 percent of county employees in organized labor; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Megarry collaborated with leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic to respond quickly to employee and organizational needs including redeploying staff to meet service needs, and maintaining frequent, open communication with union groups during a very stressful and emotional period; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Megarry created trusted, professional relationships with departments and lines of business that fostered a more open and results oriented work environment; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Megarry’s county-wide contributions and professional leadership were evident through her participation in the Lean-In Employee Resource Group as a co-executive sponsor; as President of the Minnesota Public Employer Labor Relations Association and Chair of the Metro Area Negotiators forum; as a member of the Human Resources Leadership Council; and as a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Megarry has been an effective and highly respected leader who did not shy away from making tough decisions and communicating those decisions in a respectful and transparent manner; therefore