The Real Harris: Meet April Keizer

Tell us about your background. How did you get your start in the construction/service/BAS business?

My background is in HR and training/development. I’ve always been drawn to training even at my first job in retail. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA with an HR emphasis. I love talent development and have kept current on industry trends through my PHR, SHRM-CP, and CPTD certifications.

Harris is my first exposure to the construction industry, and I have enjoyed getting to know the industry!

What drew you to Harris? What makes you stay?

What drew me to Harris: The culture and change initiatives that were just beginning when I started almost 5 years ago. It has been a great journey and I’m excited about the positive changes that have been made.

What makes me stay: The people and the challenge. I enjoy collaboration and creating solutions.

What do you enjoy about working at Harris?

I love Harris’ commitment to continuous improvement and professional development which provides opportunities for growth within the company.

What is the best part about your position?

It’s never the same day twice. There are always new projects and new initiatives to keep the day to day interesting.

What traits do you think are important for someone in your role to be successful?

Adaptability is important for any role at Harris and my role is no exception. Change is constant and the ability to manage change and work through and within change is critical to success.

What are your main responsibilities and initiatives that you lead?

My main responsibility is to develop talent development programs and initiatives that support business needs such as training, employee development, change management, succession planning, compensation management, instructional design and facilitation.

I also lead our Talent + Culture Focus Group, which is an employee-driven team comprised of individuals from varying roles and locations across Harris. The team’s recommendations have made a difference as we work to continually improve our culture.

What are you passionate about at work?

I’m passionate about partnering with business leaders to create learning and development programs that meet business needs.

How do you like to re-charge?

I love to travel. Whether it’s a weekend getaway within driving distance or planning trips that are farther away, I love to see and explore new places. I haven’t been able to travel as much as I would like (especially the last 2 years) and I’m hoping to be able to do more soon!

What keeps you up at night?

I read to relax before falling asleep. Usually, I can put the book down and go to sleep but occasionally I find a book that I’m enjoying so much that I stay up way to late reading.

What are you most proud of at Harris?

The Human Capital team. We’ve come a long way since the two-person team six years ago. With the talent we have now we are better able to be a strategic partner and support the business.

What is one thing Harris employees wouldn’t know about you?

Music has always been a big part of my life and I come from a family of musicians. My mom is a singer and my dad plays the drums and guitar. I grew up playing the flute, tenor sax, contrabass clarinet and oboe. I have an associate’s degree in Music Business.

What drew you to this industry?

The people. I interact with so many people that are truly passionate about the industry and what we do.

What do you wish the public knew about Harris?

The numerous opportunities for employees to contribute to decisions at Harris.

What inspires you? What motivates you?

Learning or trying something new. Especially when it’s tied to problem solving.

Music is great for motivation. If I’m having trouble finding my motivation, playing music can help me focus.