Brian McGrath recently retired as Senior Vice President – Human Resources at American Greetings, a $2 billion business based in Cleveland, with over 20,000 employees in the US and six other countries. Brian had been with American Greetings for over 25 years, the last 12 of which were as a member of the senior management team. He had responsibility for all human resources activities and strategies at American Greetings and its global businesses.
Brian’s previous work experience includes several years at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and at SCM Corporation (at their headquarters in New York, their chemicals business in Jacksonville, and their Durkee Foods business in Cleveland). His experience and responsibilities included all aspects of human resources, including talent management, health care funding and design, incentive plan design and retirement plan management. His emphasis was on labor and union relations, both domestically and internationally.
Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College, in Easton, PA., an MBA in Finance from New York University, and a JD with an emphasis in Labor Law from Cleveland State University. He has previously served on the Boards of several multi-employer pension plans, including the Textile Workers Pension Fund and the National Retirement Fund, and has been an active participant in the Industrial Relations Research Association and the Conference Board’s Chief Human Resources Officer Council. Brian has served on the Board of the Santa Fe Symphony and is currently President of the Board of the Santa Fe Symphony Foundation.
Brian and his wife, Carmen Paradis, a retired plastic surgeon/hand surgeon and bio-ethicist, live full time in Santa Fe.