Executive Team

Mahesh Kumar

Managing Director

Before taking over the management of JER HR Group, Mahesh spent more than 20 years in financial services firms including JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, working globally on change management, strategic planning and organizational development projects. At JER HR Group, he manages strategic projects and deliverables for large clients in addition to maintaining client relationships and managing both the New York and Greensboro offices. Mahesh holds a B.S. in Mathematics, M.S. in Computer Science and an M.B.A. in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business.  Mahesh also holds a certification as Project Management Professional (PMP).

James E. Rocco

Managing Consultant

Jim’s background includes extensive experience as a human resource professional and as a com­pensation consultant, successfully designing and implementing a variety of staff compensation programs and performance management systems.  In addition, he has experience with executive compensation, including compliance with IRS “Intermediate Sanctions” regulations that pertain to nonprofit organizations. He earned certification as a Compensation Professional (CCP) from WorldatWork and is a member of the New York Compensation Association, New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE) and Human Resource Professional Association of Nonprofit Organizations (HRPANO).  He also serves on various Boards of Directors of nonprofit organizations.

Bruce E. Johanson

Managing Consultant

Bruce E. Johanson, a principal officer/partner of the Johanson Group joined JER HR Group as part of our merger in early 2022. Bruce has served in a management capacity in various corporate and non-corporate positions since 1979. Those positions included five years of experience with two major multinational corporations, several years of instructing in various disciplines at the university level, and over 35 years as a management consultant to a diverse client group throughout the United States. He has experience in areas of international business with small, medium and large corporations. Bruce joined Johanson Group in 1986 and served as President of the firm from 1988 until 2000. He received his B.S.B.A. in Personnel Management in 1978 and his M.B.A. in 1979, both from the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Blair R. Johanson

Managing Consultant

Blair R. Johanson, Johanson Group’s president joined JER HR Group as part of our merger in early 2022. Blair has offered human resources and compensation management consulting services for public and private clients since 1999. In addition, he has over 20 years of business operations experience with a focus on strategic planning, budgeting, hospital and physician management, and marketing and human resource management. Prior to joining Johanson Group, Blair was employed by Pendulum Practice Management Company, Physicians Resource Group, Inc., and Charter Medical Corporation. As a senior vice president, regional operations vice president and hospital administrator, he provided development and operations leadership for numerous physician practices and hospitals. He graduated with a master’s degree in business administration and B.S.B.A. degree in personnel administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Larry F. Beers

Director of Consulting

Larry is Director of Consulting, having direct involvement and providing oversight on all major compensation consulting projects. He began consulting with JER HR Group in 1995, after more than fifteen years’ experience in Human Relations Management.

Larry has worked extensively in the field of compensation and benefits with clients of all sizes and across varied industry sectors. His work has ranged from guidance on the creation of clear and concise job descriptions, to the development of job evaluation systems and competency models, performance management systems, executive and staff incentive plans, non-cash recognition programs, and career paths. He has conducted hundreds of staff compensation studies, including custom surveys, and has expertise in executive compensation analysis. He has written and presented on Intermediate Sanctions compliance, NYS Governor’s EO#38, and related governance best practices.

Susan Cullen

Director of Learning

Susan Cullen is the former President of NexaLearning which merged with JER HR Group in June, 2023.  She is known for designing and facilitating targeted learning solutions that meet her client’s real-world needs, while becoming a trusted partner in the process.  After more than 28 years in the industry – providing state-of-the-art leadership and team building programs—Susan is a firm believer that the business of uncovering human potential never gets old.  She has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development and is among the top one percent of Wiley Workforce Learning consultants, worldwide, who are recognized as Diamond Award-Winning Partners.  (Wiley publishes the highly acclaimed Everything DiSC® and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ Programs).  Susan is a Certified Facilitator for Everything DiSC® Management, Everything DiSC® Workplace and the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™.

Rebecca (Becky) Page, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Director, HR Services

Becky Page is the former President of Human Resources Plus, Inc. (HRP) and the Co-Founder/Owner of the organization. JER HR Group acquired HRP in January 2023. Prior to founding HRP, Becky was the Vice President of Human Resources for Cordillera, a 7,000 acre premier golf community in Vail Colorado where she managed the HR department, including Recruitment & Selection, Benefits & Safety Administration, Compensation Management, Training & Development and Corporate Strategic Planning for the 600+ employees. She is a widely recognized expert in Strategic HR Management, Benefits Administration, Finance, Employee Coaching, and State and Federal Employment Law. She is a graduate of Illinois State University.

Brenda Thompson

Director, Operations

Brenda is Associate Director, Operations at JER HR Group, where she supervises the operations in the Greensboro, NC office. In her 25-year career, she has held positions in Personnel Selection, Human Resources, and Workers’ Compensation for several large organizations. She ran her own business for 10 years, supporting organizational development professionals. She received her B.A. in English from the University of South Carolina in Columbia and her M.A. in Christian Education from Union/PSCE in Richmond, Virginia. Brenda is a past Board Chair for the Better Business Bureau Serving Central and Northwest North Carolina.

Michele Matt, CSP, CSV

Speaker, Trainer, Author

Michele Matt, CSP, CVP, is a Certified Everything DiSC^®, The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ and Attitudes in the Workplace Facilitator.  Every year since 1984, Michele has inspired the attitudes and actions of thousands of people around the world with customized learning experiences and organizational development. As a dynamic and highly effective communicator, clients appreciate her unique ability to challenge the minds and touch the hearts of people at any level within a company. A specialist in healthcare, long-term care, insurance and financial services, she is a consultant for the Service Excellence Initiative with Custom Learning Systems in Canada and was awarded the “Impact to Business” honor from the Association of Talent Development for the work she’s done to improve patient satisfaction through a workforce engagement process. Michele is the author of the bestselling book Attitude: The Choice is Yours, and recently produced a video-based elearning program, ATTITUDE!™ Resolving Difficult Situations in the Workplace.

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John Wing

Business Development Specialist

As Business Development Specialist at JER HR Group, John builds new business opportunities through sales and marketing development. John has over 25 years of combined management and business development experience, working across North Carolina and Florida. With a track record in the Professional Employment Organization (PEO) Human Resources industry, John built an independent consulting firm that helps small to mid-size companies achieve greater profitability.

John serves on the Board of Directors for the Human Resource Management Association of Greensboro (HRMAG), and is the Chair of the College Relations Committee. He is also a member of the Greensboro Rotary and Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida and served on the board of several philanthropic organizations, such as, the Lewis Abraham Boys and Girls Club and Big Brother Big Sisters of Tampa, FL.

Jada Willis

Advisor

Jada is the former CEO of Willis HR, an outsourced HR Consulting firm acquired by JER HR Group in January 2023. Willis HR received the South Carolina ‘Best in Business’ Award in 2021 and2022 by being voted as the Best Human Resource Benefits Company and 2021’s Best Minority Business of the Year.

Jada is widely considered as a thought leader in leadership development, consensus building, and transforming company culture. She is the author of “Pantsless Nation: HR Guidance for Mastering Remote Work” and the host of the international podcast, HR AFTER DARK: Solving the People Problems that Keep You Up at Night. Her passion for people is contagious and she has an innate ability to motivate those around her. Her knowledge is derived from 18+ years of proven success in HR roles within Fortune 100 organizations, most notably Verizon and Target Corporation. She holds a M.A. in Industrial and Labor Relations and a B.S. degree in Human Resource Management.