Celebrating women in leadership: Ami Hall

Bell Techlogix is proud to celebrate Women's History Month by honoring women in leadership at Bell Techlogix. Meet Ami Hall, Vice President of Human Resources. 

What is your role at Bell Techlogix?  I lead the HR function, working closely with business leaders on talent acquisition and engagement, administration of benefits and compensation, employee training and development, compliance, and all things related to helping our employees grow, succeed, and support our clients.  

Detail your career path prior to joining Bell Techlogix.  I had an interesting start and really fell into HR.  I had my daughter at 19 with no plans for a career outside of working for the family business.  I quickly determined that was not for me, so I enrolled in college and later landed a job as an administrative assistant in HR at the NCAA.  I was juggling a lot but was determined to create a good life for my daughter and me.  I worked full-time and went to college full-time for five years.  I stayed at the NCAA a few more years after graduating with a Bachelor's degree in communications and later accepted a position at Rolls Royce, where I worked in recruitment and got tons of global experience. I returned to non-profit work as an HR Generalist for Indiana Donor Network and managed all facets of HR. This was a great move for me personally because it provided balance as I started graduate school and began the international adoption process for my twin daughters.  Once the twins were home, and I earned a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, I had the opportunity to lead the HR function at BioStorage Technologies. Through the power of LinkedIn, I was contacted by Bell Techlogix CEO Ron Frankenfield, and that led me here.   

What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment or win in your career?  I feel like I’ve had a lot of accomplishments… going to school full-time and working full-time while raising my daughter as a single mom is something I’m proud of.  I am proud of being the first person in my family to get a college degree.  I am proud of all the hard work I’ve put in to get to this level in my career where I can make a difference and drive positive change.  I am proud of building and leading an HR team that is so talented and committed to our employees, clients, and each other.  When people who report to me want to work for/with me again, that is the biggest compliment. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a leader?  I have had some great mentors along the way in my career, and they have all taught me to hire the strongest talent you can on your team.  Do not be intimidated by their expertise or worried they will outshine you… encourage it!  I am humbled and thankful for all that my team teaches me, too, because I fully recognize that I am not the smartest person in the room, and we all bring varying strengths to the table. Another lesson is to show compassion.  Genuine care.  You can’t force or fake that.  If you genuinely care about people, it shows.   

 What advice would you offer women just starting out in their career?  Ask for what you want and deserve.  No one is going to care more about your career than you, so you need to advocate for yourself and show your value.  Also, take breaks in your career if you need them. You don’t always have to be in overdrive. Different seasons of life may lead you to slow down a bit, take a break, or push full steam ahead in your career.  All of it is okay because it’s your journey.  Find a mentor and share your experiences, passions, and aspirations with them.  

Quote you live by...  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  My dad taught me this golden rule as a kid, and I never forgot it.  I still strive daily to live by it. 

 A book that inspires you... I love to read, so it’s hard to choose just one!  I love books by Malcolm Gladwell and Patrick Lencioni.  Becoming by Michelle Obama is a good one, and so is Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg… but right now the book I tell every woman to read is Untamed by Glennon Doyle.  All of her books are great, and I recommend reading those first.  But Untamed is one that I highlighted, took pictures of passages to post/share/remember, and bought for all my girlfriends.  It’s that good!