Authenticity and Growth In HR Leadership

Darrell Fincher-Crusan, Head of Human Resources, Octapharma Plasma

Darrell Fincher-Crusan, head of human resources at Octapharma Plasma, brings a multidimensional strategy to HR leadership, grounded in deep business fluency and people-centered execution. With more than twenty years of experience across operations, finance, marketing, and compliance, he has made a values-driven shift into senior HR roles at Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Sunlight Financial, and now Octapharma Plasma, where he leads with authenticity, data-informed insight, and a strong connection to mission.

Since 2009, Octapharma Plasma has expanded rapidly, creating the need to centralize HR practices that had been distributed across its national network of centers. With more than 180 plasma centers and over 650,000 unique donors annually, the company brought in Fincher-Crusan to unify HR and partner closely with the business, aligning people initiatives with operational priorities and the life-changing power of plasma.

THE JOURNEY TO HR

Fincher-Crusan’s move into HR was a deliberate choice, shaped by self-awareness and a clear sense of values. He recognized that people are an organization’s greatest asset and that HR professionals are uniquely positioned to help them reach their potential. To pursue this vision, he returned to school in his 30s, earning both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in organizational development, which provided him with the credentials to confidently redirect his career toward HR and professional growth.

Alongside his degrees, Fincher-Crusan leads with a practice of daily intention-setting. He begins his mornings with reflection and positive affirmations to anchor resilience and focus. He believes the mindset at the start of the day directly shapes outcomes, a discipline he uses to navigate change and sustain high-impact work with clarity and purpose.

UNIVERSAL SOLUTIONS FROM A HOLISTIC LENS

For Fincher-Crusan, there is no single blueprint for HR; each organization and challenge requires a tailored response. High employee turnover, for instance, cannot be solved by hiring alone but demands a holistic approach that leverages data and insights to inform strategies that support enhancing benefit offerings, onboarding, training, and long-term development. This has become even more critical as the workplace rapidly evolves, with five generations working together and technologies like AI and data analytics reshaping how organizations operate.

At Octapharma Plasma, Fincher-Crusan has turned these challenges into opportunities by championing investments in modern HR platforms. These tools are helping the company move beyond reactive problem-solving, enabling data-driven decision-making and proactive, targeted solutions that directly address business needs. By combining technology with a deep understanding of people, Fincher-Crusan strives to ensure HR remains both innovative and strategically aligned.

Still, technology alone does not define the company’s HR strategy. At its foundation are Octapharma Plasma’s core values of respect, collaboration, innovation, and excellence, supported by three strategic pillars: people first, growth, and efficiency. Fincher-Crusan is clear that sustainable growth and efficiency depend on prioritizing people, and that high standards and a people-first culture are complementary, not competing aims.

INSIGHTS TO ACTION

A hallmark initiative under Fincher-Crusan’s leadership is the “Insights to Action” strategy, which turns employee feedback into tangible improvements. An opportunity existed to gain a deeper understanding of previous survey results through directly engaging employees in listening sessions. With the assistance of 30 senior leaders from around the company, they facilitated over 80 sessions, engaging more than 1,000 employees. These sessions revealed opportunities to strengthen culture, simplify processes, and enable high-impact work, resulting in clear, actionable changes that the team is now focused on implementing.

Fincher-Crusan is passionate about mentoring rising HR professionals. His commitment is evident in the timeless guidance he regularly shares with them. He advises being comfortable in one’s own skin because authenticity sharpens focus, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable, since growth comes from taking risks, facing challenges, and learning from them. These pieces of advice reflect his experience and reinforce his reputation as a people-first leader—essential in today’s dynamic business landscape.

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