Jon C. Mcdowell, SHRM SCP, SPHR, State Legislative Director

Jon C. McDowell, SHRM – SCP, SPHR, State Legislative Director

Jon C. McDowell, SHRM – SCP, SPHR, has had a distinguished career in the field of Human Resources Management with healthcare organizations, universities, and the State of Delaware. He began his human resources career in 1975 just after the passage of ERISA with a nationally recognized, third-party, Taft-Hartley employee benefits administration firm.

In 1979, he joined Crozer Keystone Health System where he expanded his career to include compensation and employee & labor relations. He played key roles in labor contract negotiation and acquired extensive experience working with the NLRA and FMCS.

In 1986, he became the CHRO at Kent General Hospital in Dover, Delaware. In addition to Human Resources, he also had responsibility for the Education Department. In 1988, he was charged by the Board of Director and the CEO to initiate the hospital’s first ever Child Care Center. The Center opened in 1988 achieved numerous awards over the years and is a highly valued benefit by hospital staff.

In 1988, Jon joined the State of Delaware State Personnel Office where he advanced to the Deputy Director for Compensation, Classification and Employee Benefits. While at the State of Delaware he was actively involved with elected and appointed officials drafting and amending legislation at the Direction of the State Personnel Director and Governor Carper’s Legislative Liaison. He frequently testified before the House and Senate Labor Committees, the Joint Finance Committee and on several occasions testified on the floor of the House and Senate.

In 2001, Jon became the CHRO for Bayhealth Medical Center (formerly Kent Generaland Milford Memorial hospitals). At Bayhealth, he was successfully in elevating the Human Resources function to become a strategic business partner. He retired from Bayhealth as the V.P. for Human Resources in 2011.

Since retiring, Jon has instructed the SHRM CP SCP Certification Preparation Course for both Wilmington University and Villanova University. In addition, he instructs a host of graduate-level, human resources courses for Wilmington University: Compensation and Benefits, Business Ethics, International Human Resources and Health InsuranceReimbursement.

Jon received the Ron Shane HR Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was awarded the Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Governmentby Governor Thomas R. Carper.

Jon maintains memberships with the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources (ASHHRA), DE SHRM Chapter. Jon is the Vice President for Membership with DelMarVa SHRM.

Jon holds an A.S. degree in Accounting and Business Administration fromGoldeyBeacom College, a B.B.A. degree from Wilmington University and a M.S. degree in Human Resources Management from Widener University.