The purpose of this study was to examine and empirically test some of the theoretical ties between emotional intelligence (EI) and transformational leadership (TL). The possible relationships between core EI traits, and TL behaviors of senior human resource (HR) professionals who earned their Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certifications were investigated. The variables in this study were the core EI traits of regulation of emotion in others, and empathy as the independent variables; and the TL aspects of inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and idealized influence as the dependent variables. This study used a voluntary, survey, research methodology approach to show whether there was a relationship between SPHR professional.s scores on EI traits using the Multidimensional EI Assessment-Workplace (MEIA-W), and TL characteristics using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The results of the data analyses indicated that there was not a relationship between the EI trait of regulation of emotion in others and the TL aspect of inspirational motivation, and there was not a relationship found between the EI trait of regulation of emotion in others and the TL behavior of individualized consideration. A relationship was found, however, between the EI trait of empathy and the TL behavior of individualized consideration, and the EI trait of empathy and the TL aspect of idealized influence.