Education

M.A., Human Resource Management, Webster University
B.A., Interpersonal Communication, University of Central Florida

Background

John Sun joined the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina as director of human resources in January 2025. Sun came to HRSM with more than 19 years of experience in talent acquisition, onboarding and benefits administration. He has a proven track record of developing innovative recruitment strategies, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, and leading teams in high-volume environments. Sun is committed to fostering diverse workforce while delivering effective solutions for organizational growth.

Sun previously served as the associate director of talent acquisition and onboarding at the University of Florida. In this role, he managed recruitment programs, oversaw criminal background checks and led immigration processes to support hiring managers and employees. Sun also delivered training workshops and partners with leadership to develop strategies for attracting and retaining talent. Additionally, he held positions as human resources coordinator III for recruitment and staffing as well as assistant director for recruitment and staffing, spending a total of 16-plus years at Florida.

Before joining UF, Sun worked as a compliance and human resources generalist at Jones Edmunds & Associates. He focused on recruiting engineers, administering benefits programs and managing immigration processes for the company. Sun also played a key role in launching corporate wellness initiatives and maintaining compliance with employment regulations.

Sun began his career in human resources as a coordinator at the University of Florida, where he managed leave programs and sick leave pools. He advised employees and managers on federal leave laws and collaborated with payroll and benefits teams to resolve complex issues. Sun’s efforts included training staff and implementing new HR systems to improve efficiency.