As Monument’s new HR Manager, Mario Renap wears quite a few hats. He’s an analyst, listener, disciplinary, strategist, and empathizer. From supporting leadership with compensation and benefits questions, overseeing social relations, managing data, budgeting, and more, his daily to-do list never looks the same twice. And he absolutely loves it that way.

“I’m the type of person that actually enjoys starting my day with a to-do list, but ending up somewhere totally different when the day is done,” Mario shared. “Being involved in so many aspects of the business and never truly knowing what each day will look like just presents more opportunity to be more creative in finding solutions. One morning, I could be conversing with employees regarding their well-being, and by the afternoon, I could be handling industrial relations with union delegates. And that’s exciting for me.”

Before his start at Monument at the end of July 2023, Mario was cultivating a strong background in human resources and strategic operations for international companies like Phillips, Johnson & Johnson, INEOS, and more. But despite the global footprint of all of his employers, Mario was drawn to Monument’s small-team mentality to the global aspect — specifically our commitment to continuous improvement.

“I studied Psychology with a major in Labor and Organization, and quickly found my place in HR,” Mario explained. “It was the perfect bridge between working at an organization and focusing on the people. What drew me to Monument was that it has both an international presence and a very tight-knit culture at each site. This structure allows me to be involved in a little bit of everything, and to have a direct impact, while simultaneously pushing the business forward on a global level. Within Monument, I’ve already learned that everyone is truly motivated to bring something unique to the table to help the business grow and thrive. I also really like that we mix the custom manufacturing aspect with our own products because it encourages our teams to be more dynamic and less automatic in how we work.”

What may surprise most people about Mario is that under his more serious exterior is a total jokester. Mario describes his sense of humor as very absurd, noting while it may not be for everyone, he certainly makes his friends laugh! And when he’s not the source of entertainment, he has no problem leaving it to the professionals.

“My wife and I love going to the theater or catching a concert. Overall, I have quite eclectic tastes — classical, 80’s, Stax, a little bit of everything!”

While there is no shortage of cycling fanatics in Belgium, Mario wouldn’t quite describe himself as one of them. But he will tell you all about the joy he does find in a nice ride.

“Being so close to the Dutch border, our area is as flat as a pancake, so I focus on speed when I ride. It does get fairly windy here though, so you have to pick a route with headwinds at the beginning; otherwise, you’re in trouble. But for me, it’s really just about getting outside and being active. I find physical activity as a great mental rest. It’s how I recharge and re-energize to be the best I can in other aspects of my life.”