Spotlight on Mark Bailey

I'm a California native who moved to the Midwest after college to begin my career. I've spent the last 25+ years in HR, working for a variety of nationally recognized companies, including Target and Noodles & Company. I joined IDI Distributors in 2021 and began my current role as VP of HR in 2023. IDI is the nation's largest privately held insulation distributor, with more than 625 employees and 70 locations across the US. 

A fun fact about me is that I recently began playing in a pickleball league. It's been a great way to meet new people and get some exercise. My goal now is to avoid an injury!

Learn more about the Minneapolis CHRO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

I began my career in restaurant management, before using that experience to obtain a training role. Slowly, I acquired more HR experience and responsibility, ultimately leading to an HR Business Partner role with Target. I served as a Business Partner before moving into team leadership roles, with the ultimate goal of leading the HR function within an organization. 
 

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

To remain curious and ask questions to gain understanding before sharing my opinion.
 

What is the greatest challenge CHROs face today, and how are you addressing it?

Our biggest challenge is attracting the right talent and building a bench of promotable leaders for key roles within the organization. To address it, we're reshaping our candidate profile and hiring philosophy; leveraging talent review and succession planning tools; and building a routine to ensure we're routinely discussing and developing our top performers. 
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CHRO?

Begin building your network of similarly situated HR leaders right away. Doing so will give you perspective and create resources you can rely on when you inevitably get stuck.
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

I believe success is measured by the impact you have on others. If I've helped my team stretch, grow and achieve their goals then I know I've been successful.
 

What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?

Gartner has been instrumental in helping me build my network of CHRO peers, and the community is full of like-minded individuals who are more than willing to offer their time, insight and advice.

Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.