He was one of the very first human resources professionals in 1983 to receive the designation of an accredited executive in personnel (AEP) from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Since 1981 he has given seminars and presentations on human resources development with emphasis on leadership, ethics, and on wellness. He has published over 3 books, 4 videos, 20 cassette tapes, and numerous articles in national and international publications.

He is actively involved with Melaleuca; a leading Wellness company since 1992. He has been a top Representative for several Direct Selling companies worldwide. He is an international expert in Social Networking and gives Presentations on Viral Marketing, emails, and networking. He supports and is involved with the Trivani Foundation to help educate and feed starving children (www.TrivaniFoundation.org)

Mr. Thurston received his B.S. in economics and holds an M.B.A. from Brigham Young University. He is listed in Outstanding Young Men of America (1987-88), Who's Who in America (1990), Who's Who in Finance (1991), Who's Who in Finance Worldwide (1993), Sterling's Who's Who Executive Edition (1995), and International Who's Who for Professionals (1999), Who’s Who Executive Edition (2006), Wentworth Who’s Who (2009-2010), etc.

Vincent R. Ceriello, SPHR, President VRC Consulting Group -- (semi retired) Portland, OR area. Doing Strategic and tactical planning to support the Human Resources, Financial, and Information Technology communities. He has held management positions at The Hay Group, Bank of America, and Ford Motor Company.

Mr. Ceriello is a frequent lecturer on a variety of human resources and technology subjects for many professional associations and university management development centers. He has authored over 40 articles published in Personnel Journal [ Workforce ], Personnel News, HRMagazine, The Review [IHRIM], Employee Benefits News, and Human Factors Journal.

Mr. Ceriello recently completed a term as a director of NCHRA, the largest SHRM affiliate in the US, where he is responsible for Technology and HRMS. He is also a member of International Human Resources Information Management [ IHRIM ], the Marin HR Roundtable, a chapter of NCHRA, and the Marin HR Forum. He teaches graduate level management courses at Golden Gate University, San Francisco State University, and San Jose State University.

Mr. Ceriello conceived and developed HRMS / EXPO and HRMS Summit, two of the world's largest conferences and trade shows dedicated exclusively to the HRMS industry. From 1993 to 1998, over 40,000 people attended these events designed to showcase HRMS software and services from over 250 HRMS vendors, consultants, Internet service providers, and system integrators.

He authored the first HRMS textbook: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: Strategies, Tactics, and Techniques first published in 1991 and co-authored, with Dr. Michael Hawkins, a second book: ALIGNING HRMS WITH CORPORATE STRATEGY, published in 1997.

Mr. Ceriello received the Bachelor of Arts [ Psychology ] and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Colorado. He was awarded the SPHR -- Senior Professional in Human Resources -- designation in 1997 and was recertified in 2000.

Michael W. Mc Donald (semi retired) is Founder and President of HRMS Synergy, Inc., an independent HRMS consulting firm based in Dallas, TX. HRMS Synergy is an affiliate of the VRC Consulting Group. With more than 25 years experience in software applications systems, Mr. McDonald is one of the most senior IT consultants in the country.

Prior to starting HRMS Synergy, Mr. McDonald was Vice President and General Manager of Intime Systems International and The Consulting Team, a leading provider of HRIS consulting services. With Intime and TCT, he directed numerous large scale HRMS implementation and strategic planning projects, for clients that had acquired systems from Dun & Bradstreet, ADP, Tesseract, Genesys, and PeopleSoft.

Since 1984, he has concentrated on Human Resource Management Systems first as Director of National Accounts [1984 -1988] for a major HRIS software vendor and then as co-founder and managing director [1988-1995] of The Implementation Team Inc., an HRIS consulting company. Prior to 1984, Mr. McDonald held senior management positions with two leading software companies.

In addition to providing consulting services to many leading organizations, he is co-author of How to Attain Your HRMS Vision, CCH, 1999. He is a member of the King's College Advisory Council, serving the McGowan School of Business, an Adjunct Professor of HRIS at the University of Dallas, and a Vice President of the Advisory Council of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School.

Mr. McDonald's extensive presentation and publication references include more than 10 articles in HR/PC Quarterly, Commerce Clearing House, and The Review. He has also developed and/or led seminars and workshops at several Annual Payroll Management Forum & Trade Shows, HRMS Summit, HRMS/EXPO 95 and 96, and the HRIS International Conference and Trade Show [Sydney, Australia].

Mr. McDonald earned a BS degree in Data Processing at King's College, an MBA degree from Rutgers University Graduate School of Business and an Executive MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He is an active member of the American Management Association, IHRIM and ASPM.

HRMS Synergy and VRC have collaborated on several projects, including: Fujitsu, City of Redwood City, and City of Tacoma.

VRC CONSULTING GROUP was founded in 1978 to provide Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) planning, design, development and implementation. Our practice also includes strategic planning for Information Technology, Finance, Marketing and Product Development. VRC believes that the challenges and opportunities of managing a business, school system, public agency, or hospital are as complex as are other business problems and have built our consulting practice around the broadest possible base of experience, expertise, and problem solving ability.

Our services, available on an hourly, project, or retainer basis include:

• Human Resource Management Systems
• Feasibility studies
• Implementation planning
• Requirements definition
• Vendor evaluation
• Contract negotiations
• Human Resource Management
• HR department operational audits
• Human Resource planning/forecasting
• Downsizing and outsourcing
• Payroll accounting/HR Integration
• Strategic Planning
• Information Technology
• Finance and Accounting
• Sales and Marketing
• Telecommunications
• Change and Transition Management

We believe that what sets VRC Consulting Group apart from most firms consulting in human resources management is the depth of our technical background and knowledge of the HRMS marketplace combined with broad general business management experience.

VRC Consulting Group professional and contractor staff has at least 10 years relevant business experience. Their skills and abilities complement each other and are frequently more cost effective to our clients. A principal of VRC is accountable for all client engagements.

Since our founding, VRC has provided consulting assistance and management expertise to more than 750 firms in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, and Latin America.

VRC Consulting Group has been in operation continuously in the HRMS arena longer than any other management consultancy in the world. In 1974, VRC coined the term -- Human Resource Management Systems -- to emphasize that HRMS is more than HRIS, an information system. In one sense, VRC created the HRMS industry.

Since our founding in 1978, VRC is proud to have served over 750 clients -- agencies, organizations, schools, and societies -- with part or all of their HRMS strategic planning. These clients span every type, every size, and every industry sector. Their interests range from special purpose applications to support a specific HR function on a microprocessor to comprehensive, robust HRMS and Payroll applications running in client/server environments.

Among our significant accomplishments over the years, VRC has amassed an enviable history of "Firsts" in the HRMS industry. These include the following:

• VRC was the first management consultant to specialize in HRMS requirements definition, feasibility studies, and vendor evaluation as the mainstay of our practice [ 1978 ];
• VRC was the first to develop beginner and intermediate level seminars for a national professional society [ 1982 ];
• VRC was the first to develop an HRMS course at the University level [ 1983 ];
• VRC was the first to publish a monthly newsletter devoted to HRMS issues and trends [ 1984 ];
• VRC was the first to develop a vendor evaluation comparison matrix [ 1986 ]; VRC was the first to develop an advanced series of HRMS seminars and workshops on HR information security, management reporting, and managing the HRMS [ 1987 ];
• VRC was the first organization, that was not a membership-based professional society, to develop an annual professional conference geared specifically to the needs of HRMS practitioners and service providers [ 1993 ];
• VRC created the first HRMS online, internet-based discussion forum to deal with issues such as Y2K [ 1999 ];
• VRC developed and led the first online HRMS course for Golden Gate University's CyberCampus.

VRC has earned a reputation for quality work that is delivered within specified time, cost, and scope constraints. We are not "strategic partners" or affiliates of any HRMS vendor; our linkages with other professional consultants and service providers are always disclosed. Finally, VRC is proudest of the fact that 100% of our business is the result of referrals from vendors, consultants, professional organizations, and/or satisfied clients.

Where is HRCG/VRC/HRMS Synergy located?

Offices-

• Salt Lake City, UT
• Provo, UT
• Los Angeles, CA
• Austin, TX
• Portland, OR area
• Dallas, TX

Affiliates-

• Atlanta, GA
• Phoenix, AZ