Leading with faith, trust, and people-first purpose

Ricardo Resio did not expect Central Michigan University to shape his life.

He planned to attend a college closer to home and once imagined becoming a teacher. CMU was not the obvious choice, he said, until it showed up.

A door opened by encouragement

During CMU & You Day in the fall of his senior year of high school, Resio and his father walked campus together, stopping at booths and talking through possibilities. The visit coincided with Band Day and the opening of the IET Building, and the energy of campus stood out.

The turning point came when his father encouraged him to apply for the Centralis Scholarship, offered for the first time that year.

“I didn’t think it was meant for someone like me,” Resio said. “But my dad asked me to try anyway.”

Resio was selected as one of the first 20 recipients in 1990, a moment he says changed his direction and showed him how powerful encouragement can be.

From union roots to human resources

Raised in Holt, Michigan, as the son of a union worker, Resio grew up with a strong sense of trust, responsibility, and respect for people. Those values shaped both his personal life and his leadership style.

At CMU, classroom lessons connected directly to the real world through faculty mentorship and alumni engagement. Professors such as Dr. Theeke, Dr. Beaulieu, Dr. Roscoe, and Dr. Bishop helped Resio understand how human resources could serve as a bridge between labor and management while improving workplace relationships.

“HR is where fairness, trust, and communication come together,” he said.

Leading with people at the center

After graduation, Resio built a career across labor relations, consulting, manufacturing, and strategic HR leadership. Today, he serves as vice president of human resources at Morley, a Michigan-based, family-owned company.

Throughout his career, he has focused on people-first leadership, believing that strong culture and strong systems must work together.

“Every strategy is executed by people,” Resio said. “If you treat people with trust and respect, better results usually follow.”

That belief was tested during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he served on a leadership team to guide organizational shifts to remote work while prioritizing safety, communication, and compassion. 

“Kindness is not extra,” he said. “It is essential.”

Advice rooted in relationships

Outside of work, Resio recharges through faith, teaching, basketball, and time with family. He met his wife, Stephanie, at CMU and credits their partnership as central to his growth.

For current CMU students, his advice reflects the lesson that first brought him to campus.

“Try anyway,” Resio said. “Be curious, build relationships the right way, and do not underestimate what encouragement can do.”