Human resources director retires

After a 44-year career as a UW–Madison human resources administrator, Carla Raatz retired from her position as director of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) on July 5.

Raatz began her career as a department administrator in the Department of Nuclear Physics in June 1965. She assumed the role of director of the Office of Human Resources in July 1988. Between April 2001 and April 2005, she also was on the Appointment, Payroll and Benefits System (APBS) project as the human resources lead and has also been deeply involved in the planning phase of the Human Resources System (HRS) project.

“I have had an incredible career at the UW–Madison from my early years in a department, then a division, and then in central offices,” she says. “UW-Madison, and especially human resources, has been a major part of my life for all these years and will continue to be very important to me.”

In her role as director of OHR, Raatz helped reorganize the office to encompass the Benefits Services and Payroll and Financial Services offices and the UW Service Center, responsible for UW System-wide payroll and benefits.

“The reorganization of OHR three years ago (adding the Service Center component with the payroll and benefits functions), and more recently adding Employee Assistance, has been rewarding and challenging,” she says. “The staff is fantastic; they are very devoted, have been instrumental and supportive with a number of new initiatives, and are extremely service-oriented.”

Darrell Bazzell, vice chancellor for administration says that Raatz has accomplished much in her tenure.

“Luckily, we are not losing her,” he says. “She has agreed to fill the role as the UW–Madison HRS site lead and will be able to focus all of her knowledge and skills on helping the HRS project succeed. As you know, the success of the HRS project is absolutely critical for UW–Madison.”

Steve Lund, director of the Academic Personnel Office, will serve as interim director of OHR.