Meet Keele Taylor, MA.PHR.SHRM-CP, chief human resources officer at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
Tell us a little about your business. – The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (www.omahachamber.org) is a catalyst organization that helps to support all businesses to do their best work and to support the communities they serve. It attracts talented professionals who are passionate about the mission and share a united vision for purpose-driven performance.
How did you get started in the business? – After working nearly 20 years in human resources, my network and interest in nonprofit leadership led me to the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – The shuffle and disconnect caused by the pandemic was hard and needing to be there for so many staff family through RIFS and illnesses altogether as an HR leader was tough, but I always look for silver linings. I think we are on the brink of calming, although the fear and the caution is still there.
Tell us a little about your family. – My immediate family is very close. We are supportive of one another and we all have similar characteristics of setting goals and working hard to ensure success. We believe in leaving behind a legacy for the next generations.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – I enjoy short road trips and listening to music that allows me to escape and to regroup.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? – Most people don’t know that I have a little social (media) anxiety that keeps me from pursuing one of my dreams of posting video content and creating a podcast related to the work I love. I have so many tips and best practices to share and would love to be able to leverage social media more to help educate other professionals on how to be successful in the workplace; how to be strategic to achieve the career they want and how to navigate the corporate arena. Good news is that I haven’t allowed my fear to stop me from pursuing this. I’m getting close to a partnership that will allow me to
achieve these goals while working beside a colleague. I think that having someone to do this with will be fun and the content will be even richer.
Who inspires you? – Anyone who performs self-less acts that benefit the well-being of others.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – I’d choose to be a General Counsel, but I missed my calling for Law School and would need my JD. I’m not sure how my thirties ended so quickly!
What is your favorite movie? – The Notebook. I love a good Romance/Drama with a healthy amount of emotion to it.
What is your favorite TV show? – The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston is one that my husband and I have recently enjoyed.
What is your favorite local restaurant? – Kona Grill.
If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? – Dr. Martin Luther King for dinner. I know I’d have a full notebook by the end of our conversation. His level of emotional intelligence coupled with his insight on today’s headlines and social topics would make for the dinner of a lifetime.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – (402) 804-3384; keeletaylor@hrmindedconsulting.com; www.hrmindedconsulting.biz.