Boutwell shares HR leadership lessons with E.L.C. class
Amy Boutwell returned to Meridian Community College with lessons drawn from years of leading people.
The MCC alumna, who serves as vice president of human resources, East Division, at Rexel USA, recently spoke to members of the Eagles Leadership Convocation Class of 2026. Rexel is one of the world’s largest electrical distribution companies, employing more than 26,000 people. Boutwell has more than three decades in the human resources field.
Her session focused on one of the biggest challenges leaders face: building strong teams by hiring the right people, setting clear expectations, and addressing problems when performance falls short.
Boutwell shared practical guidance on identifying strong candidates, making sound hiring decisions, and helping employees understand what is expected of them once they are on the job.
She also discussed how leaders can support employee growth while holding team members accountable for their performance. Part of her presentation focused on how to handle difficult situations when employees are not meeting expectations and how to respond with confidence.
“This session was about helping leaders build successful teams, from hiring the right people to managing performance clearly and effectively,” Boutwell said. “I wanted them to leave feeling more confident in how to address performance challenges and lead their teams well.”
One E.L.C. member, JaWanda Huggins, biological sciences instructor, said Bowell’s talk was enlightening. “What stood out to me the most was how HR is not just about hiring and paperwork, but also about supporting employees, ensuring fairness, managing conflict, and helping create a positive workplace culture,” Huggins said.
Huggins added, “She emphasized that HR focuses on coaching, clear expectations, documentation, and providing support so employees have a fair opportunity to succeed.”
Supported by the MCC Foundation, the Eagles Leadership Convocation is a yearlong program that brings together selected faculty and staff members to strengthen leadership skills through expert speakers, discussion, and interactive learning.
In addition to Huggins, other members of the Class of 2026 are Veronica Fox, Eric Jones, Chris King, Parker Manley, James Runnels, Rhonda Smith, Crystal Sterling, and Dr. Tommy Winston.
MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner and Dr. Leia Hill, chief of operations and vice president for institutional advancement and operations and executive director of the MCC Foundation, are facilitators for E.L.C. Courtney Pitts, executive assistant for the vice president for institutional advancement and operations and MCC Alumni Association coordinator, is the assistant for the program.
To learn more about the Eagle Leadership Convocation, visit meridiancc.edu/elc.