'There are no shortcuts to success', says EVP of HR
Growing up as the 12th child of 13 children, Ann Marr learned about success, tenacity and leadership from her parents. It's something she carried through to her own career as executive vice president of global human resources at global IT giant World Wide Technology (WWT).
"My parents were such a big influence on my siblings and me, each teaching us valuable life lessons," she tells HRD. "My father was the hardest-working person I have ever known. He told us we could do anything in life as long as we worked hard, and that there are no shortcuts if you want to achieve your goals. That strong work ethic continues to drive me in whatever I do.
"My mother encouraged us to follow our passion but stressed the importance of education, kindness, compassion and giving back to others who are in need. Both my parents made family a priority in our lives and gave us a home filled with love, laughter and where everyone was welcome. To this day, they inspire me to be the best person I can be, and I want to make them proud of the things I have accomplished."
'My personal values align with the company culture'
In her role at WWT, a role she's been in for 25 years now, Marr has taken the advice her parents gave her as a child – and ran with it. The ongoing talent shortage and tight candidate-led market means employers have been grappling with more stress than usual – something that's taking its toll on recruitment plans.
However, for Marr at WWT, she's committed to hunting down the very best and brightest STEM candidates they can – and supporting them throughout their entire career.
"At the center of this is creating a culture of inclusion and investing in diversity, equity and inclusion programs that drive shared value for our people, our business and communities," she tells HRD. "Our global community-impact programs allow us to extend our impact beyond our business and give back to the communities where we live and work. These programs are also important to the work we do every day in investing in the future we want."