Sheila’s Story
Sheila, NewRange’s Human Resources Advisor, has been with the company for nearly two years. She is a local with deep Range roots; not only did her father and grandfather work in mining, but they both worked on what is now the NewRange site. Sheila’s grandfather immigrated from Canada and helped to build the original site, and her father later worked for LTV until its closure. Given her family’s rich history in the area and her own family’s frequent moves across the country as her husband served in the military, Sheila sees her journey to NewRange as nothing short of serendipitous.
Sheila originally comes from a STEM background, earning an undergraduate degree in biotechnology and chemistry before returning to school to get her MBA in Human Resources Management, which she says changed the direction of her life. She has now been in human resources for over two decades. Sheila always kept an eye out for Human Resource job openings up north. When Sheila happened upon on the open HR position at NewRange (while on the phone with her father, no less) she applied immediately and hasn’t looked back, saying, “So, I came up north, and here I am, right back where I started, it’s been an amazing journey, and it feels like it was supposed to happen this way.”
Sheila has been working closely with Gabe Coates, Director of Administrative Services, to create the foundation of the company’s HR department. Together, they are executing their strategy to build up the department to ensure compliance and prepare as NewRange works towards starting operations. On the job, her day-to-day work spans the full spectrum of HR, including strategic planning, benefits, recruiting, employee relations and ensuring compliance.
Lately, Sheila is particularly proud of implementing a new human resources information system to coordinate payroll, recruiting, onboarding, learning management systems, and more. But, most importantly, Sheila is proud of the culture, saying “I’m proud of the culture here at NewRange. I can’t take credit for that – we hire the right people – but I do like to think that I nurture and facilitate strong, trusting relationships to support a fantastic culture. Our people really are the best.”
According to Sheila, the best part of working at NewRange is the amazing people she works with.
“It feels very much like a family. We genuinely care for one another. If somebody needs assistance, anyone will drop what they’re doing and help if they can.”
As for advice for those looking to enter the mining industry, Sheila recommends staying patient and keeping an open mind. She wishes more people knew that “no matter who you are, there is a job for you in mining,” saying that “A great thing [about the industry] is that you get people from every walk of life, different viewpoints, different beliefs, different cultures. The common thread is that we work hard, we’re committed and we are respectful.”
When asked about lesser known aspects of the industry, Sheila thinks that a really important part of mining is the educational piece for the communities, so they know who can be a part of mining – that’s not always understood. “Traditionally, when you think of miners, you think primarily of men, and you think people with hard hats… but we have geologists, we have scientists, project management, environmental and safety roles. We have HR, IT and finance, like all other industries. Plus, women can go out there and wear hard hats just as well as a man can.” So it’s opening the eyes of and providing education to folks of all the different roles and possibilities at a mine and how that supports our local communities to have livable wages for folks.
Quick Questions
What do you wish more people knew about mining?
How crucial certain minerals are to our daily lives. If you’re driving a hybrid vehicle, using a cell phone, or working on a computer, you are using mined materials.
What drew you to work for NewRange specifically?
With my husband serving in the military, my family and I moved around quite a bit, but as a local, I always wanted to come back to the Range. When I saw the open NewRange position, I applied immediately. I was originally drawn in by the location, but after my interview with Tannice McCoy (NewRange’s General Manager), I was drawn in by the passion and energy to do mining the right way — providing critical minerals and jobs for the community — while meeting environmental standards and being provided with the opportunity to clean up former mine sites.
What aspect of your work at NewRange are you most proud of?
The people, definitely the people. I like to fix things. I’m a fixer by nature. It’s kind of who you are in HR. When people come to me with an issue, I think about how I can remove a hurdle, or facilitate removing a hurdle for them; that’s something that brings me joy. I enjoy solving problems, creating order from chaos, and implementing new processes.
What are your favorite parts about living on the Iron Range?
My favorite aspects of living on the Range are being near my family and the kindness and neighborly spirit in the community.
When you’re not working, where can someone find you?
I love all the nature and outdoor activities in northeastern Minnesota – animals, lakes, stargazing, and the Northern Lights – and our local coffee shop. Spending time with my family and 15-month-old granddaughter brings me joy.