About Us

Since 2007, The Hayes Approach has been helping small to midsized businesses grow and thrive. Leveraging over 100 years of collective experience, our seasoned, SHRM-certified consulting team works to provide just the right amount of strategic advice and tactical resources that you need, in whatever capacity you may need; no more no less.

Our vision

A world where people are doing what they were created to do in companies succeeding beyond their wildest dreams.

To transform the world by transforming the workplace.

Our mission

Acknowledging Our Impact: Past and Present Recognition

The Hayes Approach has been the recipient of multiple awards, acknowledging our significant contributions over the past several years.

We are particularly proud of the recent recognition of our founder and President, Leslie Hayes, who received the 2024 SC Women in Business award for her exceptional hard work and dedication. Furthermore, The Hayes Approach was honored as a Silver-level recipient in the 2024 SC Best in Women-Owned Businesses.

Earlier achievements include Leslie being named the GHSRM HR Professional of the Year in 2020, and our recognition as the Greenville Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Month in June 2018.

Our Expert Team

Meet Our Team

Brad Albertson

HR Director, MBA, SHRM-CP, RCC™, TDC

Coleece Posey Cochran

HR Director, MHRD, SHRM-SCP

Gail Conway

HR Director, SHRM-SCP

Kimberly Dunham

Business Administrator

Stacey Franklin

Vice President – Operations, SHRM-SCP, RCC™, TDC

Joanne Garrett

Payroll Director

Leslie Hayes

Founder and President, MA, SHRM-SCP, RCC™, TDC

Trish Kolarik

HR Director and Marketing, MBA, SHRM-CP, RCC™, TDC

Sherry Marlar

HR Director,SPHR, RCC™, TDC

Amy Kledzik

Senior HR Administrator

The Hayes Approach is an HR Strategy Consultant serving enterprises in Greenville, Columbia, Spartanburg, Anderson, Greer, and surrounding communities.

About THA

The Hayes Approach provides fractional and tailored HR solutions to help founder-led, family-owned and non-profit businesses do their best work. Based in Greenville, South Carolina, we specialize in outsourced HR Services, Business Coaching, and Leadership Development to streamline HR processes and enhance productivity.

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Our Services

Contact Us

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Brad Albertson, MBA, SHRM-CP, RCC™, TDC

HR Director

Brad graduated from Clemson with a degree in HR Management before going on to earn an MBA from Anderson University. He joined THA in 2020, bringing with him an HR background in Construction, Manufacturing/Logistics, Engineering, and Sales/Marketing.

Coleece Posey Cochran, MHRD, SHRM-SCP

HR Director

Coleece is a Clemson University graduate, having achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master’s in Human Resources Development. Her professional journey is underscored by an HR career spanning over 18 years within diverse sectors, including Automotive, Healthcare, and Outsourced HR, affording her a comprehensive perspective on HR operations across industries.

Gail Conway, SHRM-SCP

HR Director

Gail has 30+ years of HR knowledge and expertise in a wide range of industries. She specializes in Compliance and Employee Relations but has experience in all areas of HR Management.

Kimberly Dunham

Business Administrator

Kimberly joined THA in 2021, bringing with her years of experience from the insurance and financial industries, mainly supporting small businesses. She is a graduate of Flagler College, where she majored in Psychology. She specializes in payroll, accounting, and streamlining procedures to ensure the office runs smoothly.

Stacey Franklin, SHRM-SCP, RCC™, TDC

Vice President – Operations

Stacey is a proud USC graduate, with a degree in HR/Insurance Risk Management. She has been with THA since 2011, serving as both HR and Operations Director, and has experience in a wide range of industries from manufacturing to interior design.

In 2024 Stacey was promoted to Vice President of Operations.

Joanne Garrett

Payroll Director

Joanne graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing. She has over 13 years experience in finance and banking.

Joanne joined THA in 2015 and quickly became our resource for payroll and benefits.

Leslie Hayes, MA, SHRM-SCP, RCC™, TDC

Founder and President

Leslie founded THA in 2007 after serving as a corporate HR executive. She is a Harvard graduate with 25+ years of HR management experience, as well as a registered corporate coach with the WABC and winner of GSHRM’s HR Professional of the Year (2021).

Trish Kolarik, MBA, SHRM-CP, RCC™, TDC

HR Director

Trish graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in Business before earning an MBA (HR concentration) from the University of Pittsburgh. She joined THA in 2015 after a decade in retail management. She works with clients across the country in all industries to help them create the best workplace possible.

Sherry Marlar, SPHR, RCC™, TDC

HR Director

Sherry is a graduate of the College of Charleston, where she majored in Psychology. She has been in the HR space for over 25 years mostly in manufacturing, retail, financial services as well as a consultant and trainer in the education industry. She recently earned her Registered Corporate Coach certification.

Amy Kledzik

Senior HR Administrator

Amy brings 25+ years of HR expertise, focusing on employee relations and process improvement. Her experience encompasses varied environments, from retail and blood banking to the automotive industry. Throughout her career, Amy has consistently championed respectful relationships with both internal teams and external partners.