On May 7th, the Portland Business Journal honored a remarkable group of Oregon employers and HR professionals at its annual HR Leadership Summit and Healthiest Employer Awards luncheon. Our team was there, and it turned into one of those afternoons that remind you why the work we do matters.
I am proud to share that Xenium HR was recognized as the number three Healthiest Employer in Oregon in the 2 to 99 employees category. That recognition carries extra weight for us because we have now been honored every single year since the Portland Business Journal launched this award in 2010. Sixteen years running.
Bridget O’Hara celebrating with Anne Donovan, President of Xenium HR, after the awards presentation.
That kind of consistency is not an accident. It comes from a real commitment to our people, from the way we approach benefits and wellness, to leadership development, to how we listen and respond to our team. We treat employee health as a long-term promise, not a one-time initiative. And we were thrilled to share the stage with other terrific organizations in our category who are doing this work just as seriously.
Bridget O’Hara Named an HR Leadership Award Winner
The luncheon had another highlight for us. Our Internal HR Manager, Bridget O’Hara, was named one of five HR Leadership Award honorees for 2026.
Bridget O’Hara accepting her 2026 HR Leadership Award from the Portland Business Journal.
Anyone who has worked with Bridget knows this recognition is well earned. She has led Xenium through a top-to-bottom internal HR transformation. She relaunched our 360-degree leadership feedback process after a two-year pause and built out a roadmap for development, goals, and progress timelines. She also helped implement Guru as our centralized internal knowledge base, streamlined onboarding, strengthened our referral pipeline, and built retention action plans to keep us attentive to what our team members actually need.
When asked about her favorite part of the job, Bridget shared this:
My favorite part of my job is building relationships across the organization and supporting people, both team members and leaders, through pivotal moments and challenging conversations. The way HR shows up in the moment can help people feel heard, seen, and valued. It is an honor to shape culture through those interactions.
She also reflected on where the profession is heading:
The HR role has already evolved from a compliance-focused contribution to organizations to a true strategic thought and business partner, and I see that evolution continuing to expand. Although artificial intelligence is an amazing tool for the HR field, it will never be a substitute for human care and connection.
Bridget O’Hara with her family, after the awards presentation.
That perspective is a big part of what makes Bridget so good at what she does, and what makes Xenium a better place to work because of her. Congratulations, Bridget. This one is earned.
We also have to give a big shout-out to Racheal Gaffney, Administrative Director at Sherpa Design, who was named a fellow HR Leadership Award winner that same afternoon. Racheal is one of our valued client contacts, and seeing her recognized on stage made the event that much more special for our team. Congratulations, Racheal. Well deserved.
Cheering On Our Clients and Partners
One of the best parts of the afternoon was looking around the room and seeing so many familiar faces. Several Xenium clients and partners were honored as Healthiest Employer nominees this year, and we could not be prouder to be part of their stories.
- Building Champions (2 to 99 employees)
- Perlo Construction (100 to 499 employees)
- The Partners Group (100 to 499 employees)
- Vernier Science Education (100 to 499 employees)
- Brown & Brown (5,000+ employees)
Each of these organizations has put real care and intention into building workplaces where people can do their best work. Watching them recognized on the same stage was a great reminder of how much good work is happening across the region.
Why Events Like This Matter
Awards are not the goal. People are. But events like the May 7th luncheon give us a chance to pause and recognize the leaders, the HR pros, and the companies who are putting in the work behind the scenes. Healthy workplaces do not happen by accident. They get built by people who care, day after day.
To everyone at Xenium who continues to show up for one another, thank you. To Bridget, congratulations again. And to our clients and partners, we are honored to keep doing this work alongside you.