Melissa Domingue is an Analyst in Human Resources and was nominated as an SMS Standout by Operations Manager, Teresa Jeffcoat for excellent performance, quality of work, and living the SMS mission.
Teresa emphasized, “Melissa goes above and beyond to help employees with any benefit questions. She is quick to respond by email and does not hesitate to call an employee to answer all their questions. Anytime she is asked to complete a task for our management team, she does it without hesitation. She is very responsive and is always available to help our team.”
Thank you for living the SMS mission, Melissa, and thank you for a job well done!
We chatted with Melissa to get a view of what a day in her life looks like.
AA: Describe a typical day at work.
MD: A typical day at work is where you never get done what you planned to do when the day started. LOL HR is a very busy department! My primary duties are Ultipro system maintenance, reporting, implementing and testing new functionality and sending electronic files to vendors for benefits. I am also heavily involved in benefits administration. I help out wherever and whenever I can in HR, which includes traveling for new hire orientations, mostly for Liberty. I love traveling so I’m always ready to go!
AA: What was the best vacation you have ever taken?
MD: There have been several good ones but I think the 10-day ride to Texas Hill Country has been the best so far.
AA: Describe yourself in one sentence.
MD: Calm, cool and collected (about 90% of the time). The other 10%…well, you know we all have our moments.
AA: What is your favorite thing about your job?
MD: I love helping employees. That’s why I got into HR. My role these days is more “behind the scenes” but I know that if I do my best, it ultimately does benefit employees.
AA: What food could you live on for a month?
MD: Shrimp! I’m like Bubba in Forrest Gump. I could eat shrimp all kinds of ways.
AA: Do you have a side hustle, hobby or volunteer group that you’re involved in outside of work? What else do you spend your time doing?
MD: My hobby is riding a motorcycle. I am a member of the Cajun HOG (Harley Owners Group) Chapter and volunteer to help raise money for their charities.
AA: How do you stay motivated at work?
MD: It motivates me to see the ways in which we can improve our processes within HR to make our department more efficient. We are working towards that goal and I’m happy to be a part of it.
AA: What has been the most fulfilling moment in your career so far?
MD: At a previous company, our payroll manager and the payroll clerks left the company due to the implementation of a new payroll system that they did not support. A consultant was hired to implement that new system and it was an epic failure. The CEO didn’t get paid on the very first payroll! I was in HR, not payroll but I could not let that go on without trying to help. I convinced my HR Manager to ask the CFO to let her and I handle the implementation since we both had the experience. He did! It took six months to get it right but in the end, the employees were so thankful and had more confidence in the HR and Payroll department.
AA: Who would play you in a movie?
MD: Sandra Bullock
AA: What would be your advice for future [safety professional]?
MD: For anyone, I think we need to remember the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as we would have them do to us”. It’s so simple but just about the hardest thing in the world to do.
AA: What is your favorite activity outside of work?
MD: Riding my 2009 Softail Custom
AA: Name one book that inspired you professionally.
MD: Good to Great
AA: Which talent or superpower would you most like to have and why?
MD: I wish I had an “UNDO” or “Do over” button for those unpleasant moments in life!
AA: What was the best advice you were ever given?
MD: Expect nothing and appreciate everything.
AA: Do you have a bucket list? What are the top 3 things on it?
MD:
1-Ride Route 66 from start to finish and stop at all of the roadside attractions.
2-Visit every state in the US.
3-Take a cruise to Alaska to watch the whales.
AA: Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?
MD: I’m “in-between” pets right now, but I am a huge animal lover.
AA: A penguin walks through the door right now wearing a sombrero.
MD: I want to become a medic!!
