McNemee to Succeed Moore as HR Director

The City of Atchison will have a new Human Resources Director in mid-December, as 42-year employee Lori Moore has announced her retirement.

Moore, who started with the City in 1977 as a finance clerk, has served in the chief HR role since 1981.

After an intense application and interview process, Moore’s successor has been tabbed as fellow City employee Laura McNemee.

McNemee, who has been the City’s Finance Clerk since 2014, will officially begin her new role on Dec. 16. Moore announced her pending retirement in the spring, giving City leaders an opportunity to hire a successor to work alongside the longtime director to allow for the best transition possible.

City Manager Becky Berger said the HR Director is a key role in the organization, and finding the right fit was vital.

“We have to have someone who is fair, discerning, is easy to approach and able to handle themselves professionally,” Berger said. “Laura has all those qualities and is a natural fit. She will be an ideal advocate for our more than 100 city employees.”

McNemee, who already handles payroll as part of her clerk duties, will keep that responsibility while also taking on the other aspects of human resources.

“I am ready to move into this new role,” McNemee said. “The City of Atchison, as an employer and as a community, has been such a blessing for me and my family. The opportunity to serve the City in this capacity is incredibly rewarding.”

McNemee and her husband have lived in Atchison for 12 years and have two children. McNemee has an associate degree in accounting from Highland Community College and a bachelor’s in business administration from Kansas State University.