President

Ms. Contacos-Sawyer has specialized expertise in the areas of strategic planning and organizational development and from this expertise aligns business strategies and objectives with customized performance management systems that result in improved individual, team, and organizational performance. She also specializes in job analysis, strategic compensation, managerial communications, human resource infrastructure assessment, training, and mitigating employment practice risk. By establishing performance measures and mapping workflow to organizational goals, quality processes, and customer service standards, Jonna has assisted many organizations to achieve a greater return on their investment in human capital. The firm has provided creative human resource solutions to over 1,000+ organizations in the private and public sector with staff size ranging from 5 to 17,000 and budgets from $250,000 to $10 billion in revenue.

Through her innovative leadership and business acumen, Ms. Contacos-Sawyer has enabled sustainment and growth of HR Consultants, Inc. by selecting a highly competent staff and investing in her own firm’s human capital to create an engaged workforce, establishing practices that continuously influence long-time and referral customers, and ensuring the highest quality of products and services. HR Consultants, Inc. is one of the first management and human resource consulting firms in the nation that was ISO 9001:2008 certified, now 9001:2015 certified.

Ms. Contacos-Sawyer has extensive experience in the development and delivery of both custom curricula and off-the-shelf training solutions. She has trained 15,000+ professionals in 500+ organizations, and developed and delivered Train-the-Trainer programs for in-house delivery. She has assessed performance and behavioral traits and developed and delivered specialized coaching and training services to improve performance and productivity, increase collaboration, and enhance communications to better enable achievement of client corporate goals. She has coached numerous Executive-level and Leadership-level members of multi-million dollar organizations. Jonna is a dynamic and highly rated presenter and certified trainer able to motivate audiences with her enthusiastic personality. Since she takes continuous learning and improvement to heart and she influences these traits in others by staying involved as:

• Adjunct Assistant Professor at Saint Francis University’s School of Business, Graduate Human Resource and MBA programs.
• Instructor for certification review courses for the Professional in Human Resources (PHR)/Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) testing.

Jonna’s educational credentials include:

• Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) with a concentration in Human Resources; Northcentral University
• Master of Arts Degree in Personnel Administration/Industrial Relations – Saint Francis University (SFU)
• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management/Economics – University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ)
• National recognition as a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through Human Resource Certification Institute
• Member of Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and certified as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP^SM)
• National recognition as a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP)
• Certified Management Development Trainer
• Certified Professional in 360 Task Cycle Surveys and Feedback on Leadership Development and Coaching through Clark Wilson Group

In addition to her educational credentials, Jonna is also an active member of the following associations:

• WorldatWork Society
• National Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Human Resource Association of the Alleghenies (HRAA), Former President and Community Outreach Chair
• Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society, UPJ, Lifetime National Honorary Membership

Jonna has a strong commitment to her community that she demonstrates personally and through her firm. In recognition for her contributions to the community and the Pennsylvania economy, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development chose Jonna as one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business for 2003. Jonna was also chosen as 2003’s Pennsylvania Entrepreneur award winner in the small business category. This award is hosted through Pennsylvania Business Central and sponsored by Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers. Additionally, Jonna was named HR Person of the Year in 2004 and again in 2007 by Cambria-Somerset HR Association. Jonna also was selected and served as the Executive in Residence at Saint Francis University in 2008. Marcellus Business Central announced HR Consultants, Inc. as a Women Owned Business 50 to Follow in July 2017. Jonna’s HR firm provides more than 10% of its annual revenue in donations and in-kind services to community and non-profit organizations.  

Jonna’s past and present community leadership roles include Johnstown Industrial Development Corporation, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Advisory Board to the President, Board of Trustees for the Christian Home of Johnstown, Personnel and Finance Committees for the Christian Home of Johnstown, Business Advisory Council – Goodwill Industries, Cambria-Somerset Human Resource Association, Chairperson of REACH Out Youth Ministry Community Service Program for St. Michael Catholic Church, Mentor for the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission – Entrepreneurial Assistance Network.

Jonna continually influences professional growth and achievement through presentations and published work and provides mentoring services to individuals enrolled in human resource programs, advancing careers, or entering the field of human resources. Jonna models the qualities of integrity, innovation, and service, using these ethical principles to guide her firm. The nature of her work, her community involvement, and her personal values influence positive change in the organizations to which she serves as well as to those individuals she interacts with on both a professional and personal level.

Ms. Contacos-Sawyer’s publications include:

• CEO Leadership Styles, Labor Productivity, and the Moderating Effect of Performance Management Systems: A Correlation Study in Pennsylvania’s Small Manufacturing Sector; Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Proquest, 2017

• High Performance Work Systems for Online Education; Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Northcentral Univeersity; Mark Revels and Mark Ciampa, Western Kentucky University, Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume XIII, Number III, Fall 2010
• Business Compensation Design Plan; Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Northcentral University, Mark Revels, Western Kentucky University, and Mark Ciampa, Western Kentucky University. Business Journal for Entrepreneurs, Volume 2011 Issue 4, Franklin Publishing Company
• The ROI of Training; Jonna Contacos-Sawyer. Pennsylvania County News, September/October 2011,
  pp.10, 11
• The Baltimore Sun, Article “City school system broke policy in hiring of Nowlin” December 07, 2012 By Erica L. Green, The Baltimore Sun interviewed Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, see article and quotes - http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-12-07/news/bs-md-ci-schools-temporary-employees-20121207_1_melanie-hood-wilson-city-school-hazelwood-elementary
• Benefits Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Employees; Marian Bender, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer and Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2013
• Balancing Individual and Team Performance in the Workplace; Andrea Muth, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer and Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2013
• How Marijuana Legislation Can Affect Human Resource Policies in the Private Sector; Amie Pastore, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer and Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2013
• Workforce Challenges in Transit in Pennsylvania: An Analysis of Trends and Implications for Human Resource Practitioners; Jacqueline Sheader, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer and Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2013
• Bloomberg BNA’s Human Resources Report and interviewed Jonna Contacos-Sawyer - Bloomberg BNA Human Resources Report, Vol. 32, No. 17. May 2014.
• Bloomberg BNA’s Workforce Strategies and interviewed Jonna Contacos-Sawyer - Bloomberg BNA Human Resources Report, Vol. 32, No. 7. July 2014.
• The Advantages and Affordability of HRIS Implementation in the Small Business Sector; Natasha Nunes, Saint Francis University; Jonna M. Contacos-Sawyer, Saint Francis University; Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2014
• Effects of Long-Term Care Insurance and Elder Care Benefits on Employee Motivation, Satisfaction and Retention; Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2014
• Employee Wellness Programs: Savings for Organizations and Employees; Kelsey Kohler, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2015
• How Generation Z’s Reliance on Digital Communication Can Affect Future Workplace Relationships; Amanda L. Kick, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2015
• Creating a No-Tolerance Policy for Workplace Bullying and Harassment after Suffering Litigation; Sarah Pastorek, Jonna Contacos-Sawyer, Dr. Brennan Thomas, Saint Francis University. Competition Forum, American Society for Competitiveness (ASC), 2015