Sylvia Smith serves as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Advanced Technology Services, where she leads a team of Human Resource professionals dedicated to partnering with the business on opportunities and efficiencies while delivering a strong employee experience for ATS team members around the globe. Her team is responsible for attracting, developing, and retaining top talent aligned with ATS’ cultural commitments to enhance customer experience and drive business results and growth.
Smith joined ATS in 2018 and, prior to being named CHRO, led and supported major people initiatives across the company. During her tenure, she has directly led several departments, including environmental health and safety, communications, leadership development, technical training, HR business partners, HR Shared Services, and compensation and benefits.
Before joining ATS, Smith had a 21-year career at Caterpillar Inc., where she held executive-level leadership positions, including Interim CHRO, Global HR Director and Managing Director of an M&A with Mitsubishi, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. She served on two CEOs’ transition strategic planning committees and held various positions in people management, labor relations, compensation and benefits, and operations. Prior to Caterpillar, Smith worked for a private engineering firm managing PR and marketing, and for a nonprofit organization where she was responsible for development, PR and volunteer management.
Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, an MBA from the University of Illinois, and an Executive MBA from Stanford University. She is a certified executive and leadership coach, a certified DDI instructor, and an instructor and coach in emotional intelligence, communications and leadership. She is an active volunteer and has served on numerous community nonprofit organizations and boards, including Chairman/President roles with Junior Achievement and the Morton Community Foundation.
