November
6

Introducing Lyle Toop, Our New VP of Human Resources & Administration

Peace Hills Insurance is excited to share that we have welcomed a new member to our leadership team: Lyle Toop, our new Vice President of Human Resources and Administration. We had an opportunity to sit down with Lyle to learn more about him, his professional journey, and peek under the hood at his approach to his work and his plans for the role.

Lyle’s Journey to Human Resources and Peace Hills Insurance

Born and raised in Edmonton, Lyle first realized he might find footing in the human resources (HR) realm after complementing his finance degree at the University of Alberta with several psychology courses. “I became fascinated with organization development and the people side of business.” We then share a laugh as he risks revealing his age by reminding us that majoring in HR did not exist at the time – though he later had us questioning it when he mentioned his passion for hitting the occasional mosh pit when bands such as Billy Talent are in town. Instead, he got his official start in HR as an HR Officer at a financial services company. “From there I have spent over 20 years in numerous HR positions ranging from an HR Advisor to an Executive leader, across a variety of industries.”

Now he’s here, with Peace Hills Insurance, whose origin and success story caught his attention. He proceeded to consult with contacts he has in the industry, including a former Peace Hills employee, who spoke highly of the service delivery and overall reputation of the organization. But it was during the application and interview process that Lyle became truly excited for the role: “I got a strong sense of Peace Hills’ unique corporate culture, strong level of employee engagement, and future growth objectives.”

Fostering a Collaborative Culture Amid Industry Challenges

Though he is new to the insurance industry, Lyle already possesses a profound understanding of the unique complexities and challenges that face us. “On top of regulatory changes and a higher frequency of catastrophic natural disasters, Peace Hills Insurance is growing. So, I expect that we will be focused on bringing in new talent to the organization, which will be challenging for many roles given the highly competitive nature of the insurance industry and the ongoing war for talent.” He also sees an ongoing need to review and update current processes and systems in order to adequately support a larger and more geographically diverse workforce in the coming years.

With his extensive experience in people-focused leadership, Lyle is eager to help Peace Hills meet the obstacles of growth and talent development head-on. We asked Lyle about what might hinder this, and it’s clear that he has a natural drive to frame HR as a partner in fostering a strong, inclusive culture that leads to practical change. He shared that a common misconception is that HR is viewed as the “disciplinarian”, the “policy enforcer”, or “the risk averse department that always says no”. “My hope is that the HR department is and will continue to be viewed at Peace Hills Insurance as a collaborative, trusted business partner that is solution-focused and responsive to the needs of both employees and management.”

Lyle’s approach to accomplishing his vision is having a strong presence throughout the organization by being involved in planning and attending company events, supporting our communities, and practicing active listening. “I believe these are key behaviours in building effective relationships with employees, management, our shareholder and external stakeholders.”

Aligning with Peace Hills’ Vision for a Thriving Future

It feels serendipitous that Lyle’s appointment to the role coincides so closely with the launch of Peace Hills’ new vision, mission and value statements. During our conversation, he repeatedly expressed his passion for enhancing people programs, sharing sentiments that deeply align with Wahkôtowin and the values that make Peace Hills successful. “Throughout my career I have enjoyed spending time learning about an organization, understanding the business priorities and objectives, and aligning the people programs, services and supports to achieve those objectives and strengthen corporate culture.” Lyle reiterated that he is excited to learn more about the culture at Peace Hills specifically, recognizing the important role that the HR team will play in ensuring we continue to attract, retain, and develop our people to meet the unique challenges of today and to embrace the opportunities of tomorrow.