Jeff Hale has over 20 years of combined Government and Human Resources Experience. He has 16 years of local government resources experience with the last seven at the Director level with the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County (ACCGov). ACCGov is a consolidated city-county government with approximately 1,700 employees and 900 retirees. As HR Director over 25 full-time professional staff, Jeff has been responsible for government-wide compensation and payroll; self-insured benefits and wellness; employment and employee relations; and the risk management functions. He has served as plan administrator for ACCGov’s defined benefit and defined compensation plans and as voting member of those boards.  Jeff has directed major initiatives in compensation and classification, recruitment and retention, risk management, and defined benefit/defined contribution retirement benefits. Jeff also has over 15 years of experience resolving complex, high liability employee relations matters and leading administrative investigations. Jeff’s prior employment includes six years of experience as an educator in public schools, regulatory and human resources consulting in the telemarketing industry, and systems integration work. Jeff brings significant and recent experience, understanding, and insight to the fast changing and growing challenges of local government human resources.