Chief Human Resources Officer Alesia JonesUAB Chief Human Resources Officer Alesia Jones has announced she will retire from UAB effective Feb. 1, 2021, after 27 years of service to UAB and 12 as the institution’s senior HR leader.President Ray Watts says Jones has provided outstanding leadership while enhancing human resources to benefit all employees.
“I want to recognize Alesia and thank her for so ably leading UAB’s HR efforts with admirable dedication,” Watts said. “It is clear she cares about UAB employees and has worked tirelessly to support them. She has led HR through tremendous institutional growth, as well as navigated challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, which required herculean efforts from Alesia and her team.”
”She has led HR through tremendous institutional growth, as well as navigated challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, which required herculean efforts from Alesia and her team.” |
Jones started working at UAB as a temporary employee two days after graduation from the University of Alabama. Within months, UAB Human Resources hired Jones as a recruiter, and she remained at UAB for 11 more years — rising to director of Compensation and Benefits — before leaving UAB for a five-year stint at BellSouth and BE&K. Jones returned to UAB in 2005 as executive director of Human Resources. She was named interim chief human resources officer in 2008 and chief human resources officer in 2009 following a national search.
“It has been an honor to serve UAB employees, who continue to make lasting, transformational differences in the world,” Jones said. “At an institution as large as UAB, HR is not about knowing every employee; but it is about caring for every employee as if you know them. I am proud to have played a part in what this institution has accomplished in building positive momentum that I know will continue to grow.”
Among her many accomplishments, Jones earned her master’s degree in business administration from UAB and streamlined UAB’s benefits programs, improved campus engagement and developed efficient and strategic HR operations.
“Alesia’s value and contributions to UAB cannot be overstated,” said Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Allen Bolton. “As we have grown to be Alabama’s largest single employer, our HR operations had to aggressively evolve. Alesia’s efforts to guide UAB across new frontiers have had a tremendous impact on the lives of our employees and their families.”
Jones led initiatives including the implementation of paid parental leave, the creation of weather groups and workgroup assignments that streamline communications for more than 24,000 employees and the OneCard.
“Before the OneCard, employees averaged having four cards that served different purposes, and some people had as many as nine or 10,” Jones said. “That project was a huge lift behind the scenes, and it was rewarding how it benefited everyone in the UAB community. The same is true for weather groups and workgroup assignments. Those are the kinds of projects — big or small — I will remember most fondly, the ones that have a positive impact for our employees every day.”
A national search will be launched to identify Jones’ replacement.
“Alesia will continue to be a valuable member of our leadership team throughout the remainder of 2020 and into 2021,” Watts said. “Beyond that, our outstanding human resource team will continue to serve UAB employees well throughout any transitions.”
