EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications announced the appointment of Shannon Thomas as its new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
She will join the executive team and report directly to EnerSys’s President and CEO David M. Shaffer. In this role, Ms. Thomas will be responsible for the strategy, leadership and operations of the global Human Resources function, overseeing the company’s talent lifecycle and development, total rewards, as well as its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Ms. Thomas succeeds EnerSys’s CHRO, Ted Fries, who announced his retirement after 26 years of service. Ms. Thomas’s appointment is effective immediately.
“We are excited to welcome Shannon to our team as Chief Human Resources Officer. With her extensive experience leading human resources teams in a variety of industries, Shannon has a proven track record of driving change through innovation, collaboration and challenging the status quo,” said President & CEO David M. Shaffer.
“We believe that her strategic vision and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to attract, develop and retain top talent from around the world, while fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion”, David M. Shaffer added.
Ms. Thomas has over 20 years of experience as a versatile and results-oriented global human resources leader in rapidly changing industries.
She served her most recent five years at Chemours where she helped lead several transformational initiatives including organizational re-design and systems implementations resulting in upskilled talent, improved productivity, and significant annual cost savings.
“I am thrilled to be joining EnerSys at this pivotal time in the company’s history and look forward to working with the team to continue the momentum of building a world-class talent lifecycle program to support the next phase of the company’s growth objectives,” said Ms. Thomas.
“I am committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace culture that values authenticity, encourages innovation, and supports the professional development of all employees”, she added.
Previous to Chemours Ms. Thomas held human resource leadership positions at several publicly traded and private companies, including Owens Corning, Hexion, Apex Tool Group, and the Eramet Group. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources Management from the University of Houston and a Bachelor Degree in Human Resources Management from Marietta College.
“Over the past 26 years Ted has been a key member of the management team at EnerSys. His business acumen has been invaluable to the growth and success of our organization, and we can’t thank him enough for the many contributions he has made to our business and community,” said Mr. Shaffer.
