Rick Brick, MBA, CPHR, IPMA-ACP, SHRM-SCP, PMP

About

I am currently a full-time, permanent faculty member of the School of Business at the University of Alberta and serve as an Associate Executive Professor. I teach on the MBA and B Com programs in a number of areas including Leadership, Ethics, Culture, Human Resources, Change Management, Government Policy Development, and Project Management. I am also an Adjunct Professor at the Peter Lougheed Leadership College.

Prior to my retirement from government service about six years ago, I was the Executive Director of Human Resources (HR) for Alberta Health and Wellness [the Ministry of Health]. In that role, I was accountable for providing the full range of transactional and strategic HR services for that Government department. I reported directly to the Deputy Minister and was a member of the Department’s Executive Committee as well as the provincial governments’ Human Resources Council.

I worked in the HR field for over 30 years including at a Director level with the Federal, Municipal and Provincial levels of government. I am experienced in all HR disciplines having worked as an HR generalist/manager during my career. In addition to general HR certifications, I am certified in the HR disciplines of staffing/recruitment, labour relations, and training. 

Education and life-long learning have always been important to me and I completed my MBA in 2001 with Royal Roads University in Victoria. I have been a faculty member of the University of Alberta for over twelve years. I also was on the business faculty at Grant MacEwan University before starting full-time work with UofA.

I strongly believe in the value of professional association. In addition to being a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta (CPHR AB) and the International Personnel Management Association of Canada (IPMA-Canada), I belong to various other organizations such as the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). I hold HR certification from both Canadian associations [i.e. CPHR and IPMA-ACP] and am certified to practice HR in the United States [i.e. SHRM-SCP]. I have served on numerous boards and committees including as the National President of IPMA Canada, one of the two national HR certification bodies in Canada. Finally, I hold certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP). 

In my free time, I serve as a member of the National Board of Directors for the National Association of Federal Retirees (NAFR). I was honoured to be elected by affirmation to a second 3-year term in that role in June 2021. NAFR represents over 175,000 largely former members of the federal government, RCMP, Canadian military, and federally appointed judges. NAFR has some 79 Branches representing members in all Canadian provinces and territories as well as outside Canada. 

BUS 505 - Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

This course explores the ethical challenges facing business leaders today, and how individuals and firms can address those challenges. The course aims to enhance the skills and expertise of students through combining examination of ethical and managerial theory with discussion of common ethical problems in context. Contemporary ethical and social issues will be examined through the use of case studies, class discussions and debates. Course material includes individual ethical theory, the development of ethical organizational culture, the development of ethical management systems designed to respond to ethical challenges, and wide-ranging discussion regarding major trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of ethical business.

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BUS 680A - Special Projects Course

This course applies the techniques developed in several Business courses to a group project or a business case analysis. Groups will work on their projects under the supervision of the instructor(s). Prerequisites: Consent of Instructor and the Masters Programs Office.

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BUS 680B - Special Projects Course

This course applies the techniques developed in several Business courses to a group project or a business case analysis. Groups will work on their projects under the supervision of the instructor(s). Prerequisites: Consent of Instructor and the Masters Programs Office.

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SEM 311 - HRM: Managing the Work Force in Canada

This course is a general overview of human resource management issues in organizations. It focuses on reward systems, the design of work, legal issues, union-management relationships, staffing, and training and development. Prerequisite: SEM 201, 301 or 310. Open to third- and fourth-year students.

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SEM 402 - Leadership Skills

The purpose of this course is to increase understanding of leadership roles and skill in exercising those roles. These include team building, mentoring, managing conflict, delegating, managing participative decision making, creative problem solving, and time and stress management. Prerequisite: SEM 201, 301, 210 or 310. Open to third- and fourth-year students.

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SEM 413 - Rights in the Work Place

This is a comprehensive study of rights in the work place. It examines principles of human resource management as guided by statutes and case law by courts and administrative tribunals. Prerequisite: SEM 201, 301 or 310. Open to third- and fourth-year students.

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SEM 415 - Staffing

This Human Resource Management course is focused on the philosophy and procedures used in obtaining and maintaining an efficient work force. Topics include recruitment, selection and training. Pre- or corequisite: SEM 311. Open to third- and fourth-year students.

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