Otterbein Director of Human Resources Molly Miller has been recognized by Columbus Business First for her impact at Otterbein. She was among 20 central Ohio HR professionals honored at the HR Impact Awards Ceremony on Sept. 7, 2023. The awardees were selected for their track records of making sure their offices are productive, creative, and safe environments for their employees. 

Miller has been at Otterbein for just one year — joining the Cardinal community on Sept. 14, 2022, but her impact has been felt across campus. She has made meaningful changes from inside the HR Office, where the small staff of six employees has been reenergized, to her development of a new, strategic, campuswide staff goal setting, evaluation, and compensation process. 

Vice President for Business Affairs Susan Bolt nominated Miller for the award, and said that beyond the tangible accomplishments, it is Miller’s attitude that makes her stand out. “Molly leads with kindness and competence. When she says she is going to do something, she does — and she does it collaboratively with a good result,” Bolt said.   

“She approaches each person as an individual. Let’s face it – not every employee interaction with HR is positive, yet she leaves each person feeling heard, fairly treated, and supported. She is a positive force on our campus and in our culture,” Bolt added. 

Some of Miller’s strategic accomplishments include: 

• Worked with a representative group of staff to create and implement a new staff goal setting, evaluation, and compensation process with new training, policies, forms, and touchpoints throughout the year to better facilitate communication between employees and their and supervisors. 
• Created a new faculty/staff development program for employees interested in and capable of career advancement, which gives them an institutional view of Otterbein. 
• Developing a merit-based compensation system.  
• Moved our student payroll from monthly to bi-weekly, a long-standing request of Otterbein’s Student Government. 

Bolt said Miller has become part of the community outside of her HR duties, too. “She has been very active on campus – serving on committees, volunteering for big campus events, and going out of her way for others,” she said. 

“Molly lifts up the whole institution and we are thrilled to have her,” Bolt added.