Ardyth A. Cutler
1207 Southwood Drive • Lowell, IN 46356 • 219/696-8958
E-mail: parcutl@aol.com
PROFILE
Dynamic human resources professional with strong skills in project management, vendor relations, benefit plan administration, and effective internal and external communications. Perform well in fast paced, high volume environment with ability to multi-task, prioritize, and troubleshoot.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY, Homewood, IL 2000-PRESENT
Leading North American railroad with over 57 Bn. revenues, 19,200 route miles of track, and 22,000 employees
Manager, Pension & Benefits (Promoted July 1, 2004)
Management of U.S. benefit plans. Report to Director, North American Pension and Benefits
Appointments include: HJPAA Privacy Officer, Investment Committee Member and Account Representative for Retiree
Drug Subsidy program. People Award recipient in 2004 and 2006.
Added responsibilities:
• Manage staff personnel.
• Design and implement new benefit offerings, including High Deductible Health Plan with Health Savings Account
• Administer short-term and long-term disability plans for management and union populations.
• Negotiate vendor contracts.
• Sponsor health fairs to promote wellness efforts and consumerism.
• Evaluate disease management program; recommend and implement program additions.
• Prepare presentations on health care strategy and benefit initiatives for delivery to senior management.
• Conduct quarterly meetings with Corporate Finance to review benefit costs and budget considerations.
• Comply with HIPAA requirements.
• Organize and moderate quarterly investment committee meetings.
• Develop annual business plan with 40 1(k) vendor.
• Coordinate annual open enrollment activities.
• Manage active and retiree life and medical programs
• Orient new hires on benefit programs.
• Reconcile monthly trust statements; adhere to Sarbanes Oxley requirements.
HR Advisor, Pension & Benefits (March 1, 2001)
Administration of U.S. Retirement Plans. Reported to Senior Manager, U. S. Pension & Benefits
• Maintain plan compliance through implementation of procedures and audits.=
• Analyze pensionl40l(k) functions and incorporate changes to achieve cost and design efficiencies.
• Manage plan vendors to ensure deliverables are timely, within budget, and meet expectations.
• Perform project work, including plan audits, government filings, annual benefit statements, actuarial valuations and mergers/acquisitions.
• Provide consistent, high-level customer service on employee requests for information.
• Conduct employee presentations and create communication materials.
• Cross-train in related Human Resource areas to build effective team.
Contract Consultant (October 2, 2000 — February 28, 2001)
Undertook major project directing design and administration of defined benefit plan and related plan activities involving company’s U.S. subsidiaries. Reported to Director, Compensation & Benefits.
• Assisted in consolidation and transition of five 401(k) plans into two plans with new vendor. Reviewed, edited, and consulted in drafting and development of employee enrollment guides, and in plan business text and procedures. Worked with outside counsel to formalize plan documents for hourly and salaried 40 1(k) plans. Prepared Summary Plan Descriptions/Prospectuses for plans. Produced employee benefit communications and conducted employee presentations.
• Redesigned existing defined benefit plan as offering to all U.S. management employees. Required examination of plan provisions in conjunction with total employee compensation package. Added optional benefit payment form, introduced simplified table of factors for determining joint and survivor benefits, updated plan to meet IRS qualification, and eliminated minimum required distributions, outdated appendices, and excess death benefits.
SMURFIT-STONE CONTAINER CORPORATION, Chicago, Illinois 1986 - 2000
Leading paper manufacturer with over $8 Bn. revenues, 250 domestic facilities, and 45,000 employees
Manager, Pension and Savings Plans (1998 — 2000)
Oversight of pensions and savings plans, including completion of govermnental filings and production of annual salaried benefit statements. Managed exempt and non-exempt employees. Developed and maintained vendor relationships. Provided cost information and benefit recommendations to labor relations managers. Prepared employee communications and conducted presentations. Administrated defined benefit and defined contribution plans for 25,000 employees. Coordinated major projects including open enrollment activities and annual in-house audit of benefit plans. Reported to Vice President, Benefits.
• Consolidated retirement and savings plans of four major and numerous smaller acquired companies into Stone plans, reducing trustee and record keeping fees and providing ease of administration.
• Redesigned salaried benefit statements to reflect hidden paycheck, adding ~age 62” retirement benefit and employee survey response form.
• Identified major problem area, and, working with Accounting Department, constructed inter-company journal entry system for billing sites for 40 1(k) contributions, and also for communicating adjustments required to reconcile participant accounts at site level. Eliminated significant inefficiencies and errors of old system.
• Proposed standardized forms for use in field, which captured pertinent data, streamlined processes, and promoted more effective time management among company operating units.
Pension and Savings Plan Supervisor (1995 - 1998)
Pension Supervisor (1993 - 1995)
Pension Specialist (1991 - 1993)
Savings Plan Coordinator (1987- 1988)
Benefits Secretary (1986 - 1987)
EDUCATION
University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
BA — English
Luther North High School, Chicago, Illinois
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS
Member, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Courses I, II, III, IV, VIII completed towards CEBS Certification