Tarleton State University has named Donny Beasley Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective March 10.
In his position, Beasley will provide leadership, strategic planning and direction, and oversight for all human resources and civil rights functions. His role will play a pivotal part in executing transformational changes to Tarleton State’s new Division of Human Resources.
Since 2021, he has served in a leadership capacity at the University of Texas at Arlington. He started his time at UTA as the Executive Director of Human Resources before becoming Assistant Vice President of Talent, Culture and Engagement in November 2022. Leading a team of 24, he partnered with executives and other key leaders to develop and execute HR strategies, including a significant HR reorganization and transformation of the service delivery architecture.
“Donny is a proven leader who has delivered results at every stop on his journey,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley. “His strategic approach will directly contribute to a culture of excellence at our institution. With years of experience in rapid growth environments, he will be a tremendous asset as we elevate our Division of Human Resources.”
During his time at UTA, Beasley created a data-driven human resources team with real-time dashboards, including talent analytics, which reduced the time to fill positions from over 110 days to 52 days. In addition to building a new talent acquisition team for recruiting purposes, he was responsible for deploying the university’s first HR Service Center.
“I am truly humbled by this appointment and want to thank President Hurley, university leadership, and the human resources team for their trust and support,” said Beasley. “Tarleton State’s forward-thinking strategic plan makes it uniquely positioned to succeed in driving growth and innovation. I am excited to partner in building a human resources service delivery model that supports and develops our faculty and staff to their full potential while continuing to attract new world-class talent to the university as we grow.”
Before moving into higher education, Beasley held various roles in human resources across public and private sectors, nonprofits, and large startup ventures. Most recently, he was the Director of Human Resources and Risk Management for the City of Euless from 2018 to 2021.
Prior to Euless, he oversaw all aspects of HR for Capital Senior Living, a large publicly traded healthcare organization with 8,000 employees in 24 states. Under his leadership, the organization effectively doubled in size, with over $930 million in acquisitions in only five years.
Beasley’s other experience includes roles with The Chisholm Group, ASA Biofuels, Motorola and Carillon Senior Living.
He is a Senior Certified Professional by the Society of Human Resource Management and was recently certified by the Harvard Business School in Leading Change and Organization Renewal.
Beasley received his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human resources from Eastern New Mexico University. He earned his MBA in human resources from Wayland Baptist University.