City of Greensboro Human Resources Director Announces Retirement 

    City of Greensboro Human Resources Director Patsy Burks announced Monday that she will retire effective March 31, 2004. Burks has 30 years of service with the department, beginning in 1974 when she was hired as a Personnel Specialist. She worked in every division of Human Resources except the Safety division and became its Director in 2001.

    During her career, Burks designed the City's first in-house training program, a program that has grown to over 120 classes and four full-time trainers and includes leadership tracks for executives, managers and supervisors, general in-house training courses and diversity training. In 1976, Burks developed the process used to screen job applicants - the quantitative screening methodology - which is still used by the City today. She helped to design and implement the first merit-based pay plan for the public sector in the country and also introduced the first HMO in the City of Greensboro organization.   

    Burks is certified by the American Compensation Association and is a Certified Compensation Professional and Certified Benefits Professional. She is a member of the NC Chapter of the International Personnel Management Association, Human Resources Executive Forum, Society for Human Resources Management and Triad Compensation Association.

    "It has been an honor to serve in the City of Greensboro organization for the past thirty years. I am especially thankful to the compassionate and dedicated staff of the Human Resources Department and consider it a privilege to have served as their leader," Burks stated.

    City Manager Ed Kitchen stated that, "Patsy personifies the competence and compassion that should be found in a Human Resources Director. She is considered by many to be one of the state's experts in benefits administration, but more importantly, she has never seen her job as just a job-always as a calling. There are many City employees who have her to thank for getting them through tough times, professionally and personally, and I am one of them."   

    Plans to fill the vacancy will be developed and announced within the next few weeks.