Meet Shawne Armstrong
People First HCM is built on a simple premise: the best HRMS recruiters are people who have actually worked in HR — and who treat every search with the discipline and commitment it deserves.
Shawne Armstrong
Founder & Managing Director
People First HCM
Background
Shawne’s career in human resources spans two decades across military and corporate environments. As a U.S. Army Major, he held HR leadership roles at the Director and VP level — managing complex, large-scale people operations under conditions where precision and accountability were non-negotiable.
HRMS Expertise
After transitioning from the military, Shawne deepened his expertise in enterprise HRMS and HCM platforms — including Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, UKG, and Ceridian Dayforce. He understands the technical and functional dimensions of these platforms not just as a recruiter, but as someone who has partnered with the teams that run them.
The People First Philosophy
The firm’s name comes directly from Shawne’s military background, where “Priority One” — P1 — was not a tagline but a command imperative. That same priority-one commitment guides his approach to recruiting: treating every search as mission-critical, every candidate as a person and not a resume, and every client relationship as a long-term partnership rather than a transactional placement.
Sun Belt Focus
Based in Whitsett, NC, Shawne has deep roots in the Sun Belt region and a firsthand understanding of the talent markets in Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, and Tampa. His regional knowledge gives People First HCM a genuine competitive advantage over firms without local market presence.
Veteran-Owned Business
People First HCM is a proud veteran-owned business. The values that define our firm were forged in military service: discipline, integrity, mission-focus, and an unwavering commitment to the people we serve. When you engage People First HCM, you work with a team that treats every client commitment as an order and every candidate relationship as a responsibility.
Our Network
Part of the Dimensional Search Network
People First HCM operates as a Dimensional Search franchise — part of the Sanford Rose Associates International network, a Top 10 U.S. executive search organization. That affiliation gives our clients access to a national collaborative search infrastructure while maintaining the local Sun Belt expertise and personalized service that defines People First HCM.
Our candidates benefit from a network of 175+ offices and hundreds of search professionals who collaborate across markets and disciplines — expanding the reach of every search and every job opportunity we manage.
Learn More About Dimensional SearchReady to Work With Us?
Whether you’re looking to hire exceptional HRMS talent or ready for your next career move in the Sun Belt, let’s start a conversation.