Johnna G. Torsone

In 1993, she assumed the role of Chief Human Resources Officer with overall responsibility at that time for executive development and succession planning, executive compensation, benefits planning and administration, diversity, employee relations and employment law.  The role has continually evolved into a senior human resources strategy role and operates as part of the senior management leadership team and key staff support to the Governance and Executive Compensation Committees of the Board of Directors, including the role of Secretary to the Executive Compensation Committee for 19 years. 
 

On a daily operational basis, her focus is on key HR issues driving growth and profitability such as talent acquisition, retention and development, employee engagement, organizational effectiveness and total rewards as well as on the leadership of the human resources organization worldwide to ensure that the human resources professionals are the best they can be.  Most recently, she has driven the Human Resources Transformation initiative, which has involved a complete redesign of the global HR function and the implementation of a new SAP enterprise HR system with manager and employee self-service capability. 
 

Life Before PB
Before joining Pitney Bowes, Johnna was a partner with the New York law firm Parker, Chapin, Flattau & Klimpl, where she practiced employment and labor law for 14 years and prior to that she clerked for the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York.  A Chair of several professional and bar association committees, she was a nationally recognized leader in her field and an active participant in community and civic activities.
 

She graduated from both Vassar College and Albany Law School with honors, finishing in the top 5% of her class at Albany and serving as Managing Director of the Law Review in her last year.

Personal and Civic Activities
Johnna was born in Poughkeepsie, New York.  She currently lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband John McKeon.  Johnna is interested in history and current events, religion and music.  For several years, she served as Co-Chair of the Health Policy Committee of the Fairfield Business Council, which issued several notable reports on the state of health care and health costs in the state of Connecticut.  She also served as a member of the Health Care Policy Council, a task force of senior insurance executives and leading employers in the state focused on heath care public policy issues.  She actively participated for over a decade, with INROADS Inc., a group dedicated to the enhancement of minority youth, where she served on the National Board and most recently served as Chair of the local Fairfield/Westchester chapter until 2005.  She was a long-time member of the Stamford Hospital Board, where she served as Chair of the Quality Committee and most recently, as Co-Chair of Connecticut Governor Malloy’s Personnel Transition Team. In 2007, she was elected into the National Academy of Human Resources.
 

At present, she serves as Chair of the Pitney Bowes Foundation, as Vice-Chair of the Board of Westport Country Playhouse, Chair of the Employee Rights Committee of the Human Resources Policy Association in Washington D.C. where she has been a member of the Board of Directors for several years and previous Chair of its Health Care Policy Committee.  A long-time member of the Board of Trustees for the Albany Law School, in May 2012 she expects to assume the role of Secretary.
 

Leadership Style
When asked about her leadership style, Johnna replied that she believes her style is based on values of service, stewardship, accountability and integrity.  She has a strong commitment to creating a sense of inclusion so that each individual’s unique abilities can shine.