Brandon Cragun PHR

HR Manager - Talent Acquisition at Michels Corporation

Lomira, Wisconsin, United States

About

Experienced hiring manager with 20 years of experience in human resources and recruitment. Skilled in employee onboarding, training, and development. Committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Experience

  • Michels Corporation (Full-time · 1 yr 2 mos)
    • HR Manager - Talent Acquisition
      Apr 2026 - Present · 3 mos

    • Talent Acquisition Specialist
      May 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos

  • Talent Acquisition Manager at Zeller Transportation
    Jan 2024 - May 2025 · 1 yr 5 mos

    • Implemented systematic recruitment process improving efficiency of hiring and reducing cost. Moving leads to hire from 41 days to 22 days. Decreasing hiring cost by 30% and lead to hire from 65 to 38. • Directed hiring meetings with CEO and marketing companies to create media campaigns for various positions. Tracked progress of individual ad’s and hiring ratios raising conversions from .48% to 2% and individual recruiter conversion through daily and weekly KPI’s from .05% to 2.5%. • Managed monthly recruiting budget on advertising, onboarding and payroll. Communicated weekly needs of company and established potential weekly hiring forecast to fill vacant positions. • Worked with Operations, HR, Safety and Shop to identify current and potential future needs of staff in their departments. • Participated in job fairs and community events that built awareness and potential employee pools. • Manage hiring campaigns across the country and identified key markets that lowered cost per hire and improved turnover and profitability of company while maintaining growth projections • Established SOP for recruiting, orientation facilitator and various office positions, created KPI’s to hold accountability and expectations of all employees. • Managed ATS to create feedback on denial and rejected offers to foster data driven feedback to assist in changes to hiring criteria and expectations of management for new employees. • Created drip marketing campaigns based on hiring needs and constant contact with potential employees. • Supervised approximately 80 employees and ensure that all company policies and procedures are followed, and proper documentation is maintained. • Created SOP's for various positions and implemented employee feedback and expectations per position.

  • Swift Transportation (Full-time · 18 yrs 1 mo)
    • Talent Acquisition Specialist
      Jan 2010 - Aug 2022 · 12 yrs 8 mos

      • Coordinates recruiting activities for a territory of 7 offices, covering Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, and Michigan, hired over 500 employees annually for area-specific jobs, through online presentations, public presentations, job fairs and phone interviews.  • Successfully recruited, interviewed, and screened applicants to fill existing vacancies, resulting in approximately 40-50 consistent new hires per month. • Ensured compliance with transportation laws, DOT regulations, and company hiring criteria by attending departmental meetings and reviewing updates to the company policy manual from human resources. • Coordinates with hiring managers to develop basic job descriptions and established a strong network of contacts to identify and source qualified candidates for job postings being compliant with state regulations. • Maintained a high Return on Investment (ROI) on company equipment and contracts with schools through consultative support, achieving a 90% graduation rate and 80% hire ratio by evaluating weekly KPI's • Established relationships with over 100 area schools through networking and hiring events, resulting in the receipt of thousands of quality applications. • Successfully reestablished communications with 30 schools that were previously closed to Swift by providing product training and communicating the value of Swift to the client. • Directed the Recruiting Advisory Board in Lean processes, leading to cost-effective and efficient procedures, which ultimately reduced department expenses by 20%. • Achieved a 15% increase in team success by automating the processing/data entry process to save time and providing guidance to the team to improve their candidate acquisition process and maintaining accurate records. • Partnered closely with hiring managers to understand their needs and expectations, consistently exceeding expectations by doubling the hiring goal in 2010 (500+ Drivers) until resignation.

    • Training Coordinator
      Sep 2005 - Dec 2010 · 5 yrs 4 mos

      • Supervised orientation for MN and WI office locations averaging 20-40 new hires a week. Ensured DOT safety and compliance were met, company hiring qualifications and state and federal requirements. • Supervised 120 qualified trainers and their individual students out on the road driving across the country for both MN and WI office locations; confirmed weekly training criteria and DOT regulations are being taught and achieved. • Graduated 95% of new hires and reduced turn over by 30% by establishing creative solutions for job introduction and flexible training schedules and increased employee relationships. • Completed trainer and student payroll ensuring 100% on time pay and accuracy.  • Improved companywide recruiting and retention of 2,500 trainers by revamping trainer pay and criteria, leading to less student turnover and a safer more engaged new employee. • Responded to internal complaints according to state and federal laws by collecting and analyzing reports, reporting findings, and making recommendations to management and human resources through confidentiality. • Participated on two six sigma hikes and created two different new employee orientations and onboarding processes for 20,000 employees. Which resulted in a 50% decrease in no show rates, a reduction in orientation costs, and an increase in the number of satisfied hires. • Reduced orientation from 5 days to 3 days then eventually 2 days by reviewing the curriculum and removing bottle necks and deficiencies, created SOP for facilitators and compliance to maintain accurate records, which resulted in a more streamlined process, less dissatisfaction from future employees, and saved $1,000's in costs.

    • Customer Service and Planner
      Jun 2005 - Sep 2005 · 4 mos

      • Lead and solicit business from a specific customers by using daily available capacity (EDI). • Serve as an extension of Sales to expand business revenue. • Manages territorial balance of capacity and freight while achieving high service levels. • Maintain knowledge of customer contractual requirements. • Create and manages monthly reports regarding service levels for customers. • Review markets, check over/under capacity and check freight needs with Customer Accounts daily. • Determine balance, capacity, and demand of loads and trucks and assign loads to trucks. • Continually increase understanding of assigned market and customers and share findings with sales and/or customer account employees. • Actively review reports, identify waste opportunities and collaborate with sales and/or customer accounts to develop optimal solutions.