Lorraine A. Goffe-Rush, assistant vice chancellor for human resources at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named vice chancellor for human resources, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.
Goffe-Rush will succeed Ann B. Prenatt, vice chancellor for human resources since 2003, when she retires Dec. 31.
Goffe-Rush will become a member of the University Council, which comprises the chief administrative officers and deans of the university. She will report to Hank Webber, executive vice chancellor for administration.
“Lorraine is an outstanding and experienced leader in human resources. She has worked in HR at both BJC and Washington University, and she has been a distinguished contributor. I am looking forward to working with Lorraine in her new role as vice chancellor for human resources,” Wrighton said.
“I also want to thank Ann for her years of service and wise leadership as vice chancellor,” Wrighton added. “She has earned trust and respect across the Washington University community. I am especially grateful for both her personal counsel and for building one of the very best HR teams in higher education. It is a credit to her that we found her successor on her very own team.”
A search committee led by Webber was formed shortly after Prenatt announced in May her retirement plans. Webber said committee members soon realized that a national search was unnecessary based on the strength of its internal pool of candidates.
“Lorraine has done a wonderful job in her management positions in Human Resources, and I have no doubt she will continue to help shape, guide and lead strategically focused and well-executed HR systems that serve our employees as well as establish Washington University as an exemplary employer,” Webber said.
“The committee members talked to many people, and what came through time after time were Lorraine’s professionalism, leadership ability, integrity and customer service,” Webber said. “She is held in high regard by both her colleagues in Human Resources and by faculty, staff and administrators throughout campus.
“She has a strong understanding of the complexities of Washington University, with its decentralized organization and its diverse employee populations. In her new leadership role, she will continue to be fair and responsive to the WUSTL community while providing effective human resources support and services,” Webber added.
“I look forward to serving the university community in my new capacity and working collaboratively across the organization to ensure we are able to recruit, develop and retain the best possible talent for the university, which I believe is the essential role of Human Resources,” Goffe-Rush said.
‘Responsive to employees’
Goffe-Rush joined WUSTL’s Human Resources team in 2000 as director of employee relations. She was promoted to director of human resources in 2006 and assistant vice chancellor for human resources in 2010.
As assistant vice chancellor, Goffe-Rush is responsible for the overall design, development and implementation of policies, programs and services in the areas of employment, employee relations, Human Resources Management System (HRMS), faculty records, staff diversity and inclusion, and learning and organizational development.
She also is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and meeting the diverse needs of the university community.
In a 2009 Washington People profile of Goffe-Rush, Prenatt said, “Lorraine goes out of her way to be available and responsive to employees, and she also makes the time for those on her team — ready to assist in problem-solving, brainstorming ideas and coaching.
“She looks for the best possible solutions to difficult circumstances, balancing the potential impact on individuals with the impact on the organization.”
Born in London, the eighth of nine children, Goffe-Rush moved to St. Louis with her family when she was 14.
She graduated from William Woods University in Fulton with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1986.
Fresh out of college, she was offered a job at a small medical supply company in St. Louis, overseeing operations, customer service and purchasing.
From that three-year experience, she decided to pursue a career in human resources, where she could focus on supervising and developing staff, recruiting, organizing work and solving problems.
After marrying and moving to San Diego, she accepted her first job in a human resources position at Fornaca Family Bakery, where she helped start an HR department for what was then the largest privately owned bakery in Southern California.
While working full-time, Goffe-Rush earned a master’s degree in business administration from National University in 1992. That same year, she joined San Diego Gas & Electric Co., where she quickly was promoted to a supervisory HR role, overseeing compensation, benefits and employee relations for approximately 4,000 employees.
After moving back to St. Louis with her husband in 1998 to be closer to both of their families, Goffe-Rush joined Barnes-Jewish Hospital as senior HR consultant. In 1999, she became manager of human resources at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, overseeing compensation, benefits, recruitment and employee activities.
Implemented HR improvements
Since arriving on the Danforth Campus in 2000, Goffe-Rush has helped implement many improvements in HR processes and effective use of technology, including developing and implementing an electronic document management system that is integrated with the HRMS.
She led the university’s Affirmative Action Compliance Review Team, participated on management negotiating teams that successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the International Union of Operating Engineers, and outsourced the paper-intensive employment and income verification processes, allowing for more efficient use of staff resources.
She also has served on numerous campus-wide programs and committees, including the university’s reaccreditation process committee, the Office of Admissions’ campus interview team, the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Awards and the John B. Ervin Scholars Selection Committee.
She is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the National Higher Education Recruitment Consortium, Human Resources Management Association, the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources and the Society for Human Resource Management.
She earned certification as a senior professional in human resources in 2003.