2008 Woodie Awards
Human Resources director trades travel for family
Jeff Mason
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: News
Sherrie Senkfor isn't used to sitting in one place for too long.
Bunge North American, a "$26 billion global company" as she described it, had Senkfor running across the country so much, she still dials the 618 area code when making a local call. That's all about to change though, as she finishes her first week as SIUE's new director of human resources.
"Although I loved what I did … I was missing too much," Senkfor said. "And the better I got at my job, the more travel I did. So the first decision was absolutely to leave Bunge."
Senkfor brings a lot of experience from her prior job, but she said is still adjusting to the switch from the private sector to the public one.
"The work is very similar, the challenge is getting used to the university," Senkfor said. "(With that switch) comes a greater tie to the outside community … so there's much more openness (at SIUE) than my prior organization. I think it's great, but it's certainly a big change from the profit sector."
As the director of human resources, Senkfor won't be working with students often, but said she is thinking about getting more involved in the future.
"I used to be adjunct faculty member at SIUE, and I loved it," Senkfor said. "I had to drop it because I was traveling so much … and I hope down the road it's possible to begin teaching again."
Senkfor hasn't had a lot of free time in recent years, but in the spare time she had, she enjoyed David McCullough's books "John Adams" and "1776," as well as the recent Ken Burns documentary "The War."
"I like history and historical fiction … but I usually defer to what the two men in my family want to watch," Senkfor said. "(But) my husband consented to see 'Sex and the City' … which was very sweet of him."
She also enjoys gardening, a hobby she picked up from a previous job, and is a fan of cycling. Senkfor enjoys watching the Tour de France, but gets the most pleasure out of watching her son, Matthew, race.
Bunge North American, a "$26 billion global company" as she described it, had Senkfor running across the country so much, she still dials the 618 area code when making a local call. That's all about to change though, as she finishes her first week as SIUE's new director of human resources.
"Although I loved what I did … I was missing too much," Senkfor said. "And the better I got at my job, the more travel I did. So the first decision was absolutely to leave Bunge."
Senkfor brings a lot of experience from her prior job, but she said is still adjusting to the switch from the private sector to the public one.
"The work is very similar, the challenge is getting used to the university," Senkfor said. "(With that switch) comes a greater tie to the outside community … so there's much more openness (at SIUE) than my prior organization. I think it's great, but it's certainly a big change from the profit sector."
As the director of human resources, Senkfor won't be working with students often, but said she is thinking about getting more involved in the future.
"I used to be adjunct faculty member at SIUE, and I loved it," Senkfor said. "I had to drop it because I was traveling so much … and I hope down the road it's possible to begin teaching again."
Senkfor hasn't had a lot of free time in recent years, but in the spare time she had, she enjoyed David McCullough's books "John Adams" and "1776," as well as the recent Ken Burns documentary "The War."
"I like history and historical fiction … but I usually defer to what the two men in my family want to watch," Senkfor said. "(But) my husband consented to see 'Sex and the City' … which was very sweet of him."
She also enjoys gardening, a hobby she picked up from a previous job, and is a fan of cycling. Senkfor enjoys watching the Tour de France, but gets the most pleasure out of watching her son, Matthew, race.
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