Haberberger Appointed Vice Chancellor for Human Resources

June 10th, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. ­— University of Missouri Interim Chancellor Hank Foley announced that Patty Haberberger, assistant vice president of Human Resources at Saint Louis University (SLU), has been appointed as vice chancellor for Human Resources at MU. Her appointment is effective Aug. 1.

“Patty has more than 30 years of experience in a field that is constantly changing, and she has held positions both inside and outside higher education,” Foley said. “This experience will bring a new perspective to Mizzou at a time when we are experiencing significant change in the human resources field. She is an MU alumna, and we are very excited to welcome her back to campus.”

Haberberger, who received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from MU, has served in the Human Resources division at SLU since 1992. While there, she has been responsible for managing the university’s recruitment process for all staff positions; handling employee relations issues; ensuring adherence to federal, state and local employment laws; mentoring and cross-training human resources consultants and staff; and developing and implementing a strategic plan for the Human Resources division. In her current position, Haberberger assists the vice president with the day-to-day management and leadership of the Human Resources division, participates in SLU’s strategic planning process, and serves on the President’s Advisory Council.

As vice president, Haberberger implemented a strategic plan for the Human Resources division that provided focus and direction for the division, streamlined processes for hiring faculty and staff that resulted in efficiencies for employees and departments, utilized technology to automate paper processes such as benefits enrollment and performance evaluations, led staff compensation analysis to compare compensation to the external market, and collaborated with wellness and health care professionals to create a holistic approach to employee well-being.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity to serve the Mizzou community,” Haberberger said. “MU is an amazing institution, and I’ve met many people who are very passionate about Mizzou; they love being here, and they love the institution. I’m looking forward to building on a great foundation and creating a workplace culture that strives for continuous improvement, high performance and excellence in service delivery.”

Prior to her work at SLU, Haberberger was a recruiter and account representative for Kelly Services, Inc., which provides temporary employees to thousands of offices across the country, and a recruiter for Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, which is now the largest hospital in Missouri employing more than 9,500 people. She has broad experience in various areas, including academic, healthcare, union, non-union, exempt and non-exempt employees.

“We immediately noticed her long-term experience in a higher education institution in Missouri,” said Rhonda Gibler, vice chancellor for finance and chair of the search committee. “Patty is a Mizzou grad, and we were very impressed with her passion and willingness to give back to her alma matter. The search committee members did a great job during this lengthy process, and we’re confident we’ve found a great person to take this position.”

Haberberger replaces Jatha Sadowski, who has served in the interim role since December 2014.