IP: Team

As the founder of Implementation Partners in 1992, Dr. Elliott is an industry veteran with over 35 years of experience in change management, strategy implementation and organizational development.

He has advised numerous industry leaders including General Electric, Intel, Pacific Gas & Electric, Philips Semiconductor, Procter & Gamble, and Smith Kline.

Dr. Elliott is the author of Change Portfolio: Five Comprehensive Change Methodologies from Strategic Planning to Productivity, Quality Improvement and Reengineering.

Kelly brings over 16 years of experience in process-based organization design, measurement, and problem-solving. Her focus is on custom-designing an improvement approach for her clients that works with their company’s unique culture, people, and business goals to achieve speedy results. Kelly’s practical approach was honed in her years in management with American Express, GE Capital Corporation, and Target Corporation, where she had lead roles in the development and launch of change initiatives ranging from Baldrige-based business assessment, to process reengineering, to Lean Six Sigma. She has helped to bring success to both the traditional and the non-traditional targets of process improvement – including distribution, operations, information technology, marketing, human resources, and more.

Kelly has a proven track record in working across all levels of the organization. For example, she has led senior management teams in defining the organization’s core processes, determining process-based business metrics, and selecting improvement projects that helped to achieve their strategic initiatives. She has also established and coached project teams, and achieved up to 40% improvement in performance. Further, she has led international training teams, with audiences that ranged from Executives to front-line employees, and programs that integrated classroom and e-learning tools for higher efficiency and effectiveness. Kelly’s diversity in experience and expertise helps to ensure her clients they are provided the best services and solutions to meet their needs.

Kelly holds a M.A. from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and a B.A. from the University at Albany, New York.

Marc has more than thirteen years of experience in quality program implementation, management consulting, and project management.

He has experience in the implementation of Six Sigma quality including project team training and management activities. He has participated directly with manufacturing clients and transactional clients alike, as well as presenting public courses with attendees from various backgrounds. Mr. Block has aided clients, on-site, across the US and abroad (Canada, Mexico, Singapore, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Belgium, UK, Italy, Germany and Romania).

Marc’s knowledge of quality management includes strategic planning, electronic meeting facilitation, business process reengineering, metrics development and rollout, business function assessment, and leadership skills development. He has also served in the U.S. Air Force as an Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) certified project officer, an internal quality consultant, and curriculum evaluator and instructor within the Air University.

Marc holds a bachelor’s degree in Astronautical Engineering from MIT, and a master’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Rutgers University.

Tony's passion is building and improving systems. He is an experienced project and functional manager in engineering design, IT consulting, and process improvement. Trained as a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, he is experienced resolving customer focused issues and is an experienced facilitator. He has:

Helped develop Six Sigma capabilities at Sun Microsystems as member of initial cadre.
Led development of Operational Excellence capabilities in Corporate Engineering department of Genentech.
Improved performance of Sun's equipment at customer sites and improved relationships with customers.
Over $4M in cost reductions achieved in IT department at Sun using Six Sigma in 2005.
Facilitated senior management problem solving sessions.
Delivered $1.5M Java software development effort within budget and schedule.
Supported eBay in maturing their IT processes after a "CNN moment."
Managed engineering department of 150 engineers building satellite control systems. Performed detailed risk assessments for $1M+ programs.
As Director of Systems Engineering, helped venture capital backed start-up company go from $0 to $6.4M in sales

Tony graduated with a B.S. in Math from the Air Force Academy, and has M.S. degrees from the University of Southern California (Systems Mgt) and Santa Clara University (Computer Science).

Bob has over 21 years experience in the field of organization development. His career began as an internal consultant in the high-tech industry in companies such as Sun Microsystems and Tandem Computers.

Bob became an independent consultant in 1993 and his clients have included such companies as Cisco, HP, Sun Microsystems, TRW, Northrop Grumman, Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, PG&E, Exxon Oil, Chevron Oil, Microsoft, Aspect, Storage Tech, GE Capital, Lam Research, Genentech, and a myriad of others.

Bob has been instructor in organization development at the Community College level and he holds an Instructor Credential from the California Community Colleges. He gained his Bachelors degree in Psychology in 1980 and a Master of Science Degree in Industrial / Organizational Psychology in 1983 from San Francisco State University.

Bob has assisted companies in achieving results by reaching their organizational goals and objectives throughout the world including the Americas, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim.

Bob's approach is to work in partnership with his clients. He has both the theoretical and practical knowledge to assist clients in achieving the results they want.

Bob's Consulting work includes Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Team Development, Change Management and Resolving Organizational Conflicts. He has also conducted training in the following skill areas: Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Managing Change and Transition, Project Management, Management Skills, Leadership, Constructive Conflict, Communication Skills, Consulting Skills, and more.

Rosalie has over 20 years experience in training, instructional design and organization consulting. Over the course of her career she has been involved in change and education initiatives in many Fortune 500 companies, domestically and internationally, including Boeing, Magneti-Marelli, Cisco Systems, Tektronix, and General Motors.

Fluent in Spanish, Rosalie is skilled in a wide variety of management practices and methodologies, from both a design and delivery perspective. She has worked on major efforts such as Six Sigma, process improvement, improved problem solving, decision making and innovation, and project management. Rosalie helped convert the IP Action Strategy Development and Deployment consulting methodologies into transferable training programs and materials. She has designed and developed generic and client-custom education for many organizations across a wide range of industries.

Active in local government, Rosalie is in her second term in public office and served the City of Jackson, California as Mayor in 2005.

Deirdre has a passion for process improvement, project management, and facilitating to solutions. Her technical methodology expertise is combined with a solid understanding of the soft skills required to successfully implement any solution: stakeholder management, team management, and change management. This valuable combination enables her to deliver the results her clients need.

Deirdre has over 15 years of experience in training, project management, business process development and Lean Six Sigma Improvement in both manufacturing and transactional business areas. She honed and demonstrated these skills in a $2.3 billion diagnostic corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana, accelerating change and driving profit savings through a wide range of business processes. She held a variety of positions in this company, with ever increasing responsibility from Customer Training Consultant, Manager of Project Management, Group Manager Quality Process Improvement, and Director of Continuous Improvement. Deirdre offers a firm understanding of business processes and a passion to drive improvements.

Deirdre has also been actively involved in the professional community. She has been a speaker on the topic of Six Sigma and Project Management at a variety of local professional organizations including Project Management Institute, Central Indiana American Society for Training and Development, the Society for Information Management, and a guest speaker at the Indiana University MBA Operations Program. Deirdre also serves on the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Women’s MBA Alumni Advisory Board.

Deirdre has a BS in Biology from Ball State University and an MBA in Operations Management from the Indiana University Kelly School of Business. Deirdre is a certified Master Black Belt and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

For the past 20 years, Bruce has served to increase organizational performance through training, managing, leading, and consulting with a variety of organizations including Fortune 500’s, mid-size companies, business start-ups, government, and non-profit organizations.

Bruce has also served as an Air Force officer. His tours of duty include flying on a combat crew and serving on the faculty of the Air Force Academy.

Bruce has a unique ability to “clarify and simplify”. He has guided a wide range of executive teams through the process of creating a one-page strategic plan, and then, systematically executing that plan.

Some of Bruce’s clients have included Sprint, Citicorp, Motorola, Ford Motor Company, Kimberly-Clark, Bank of America, DST Systems, Informix, Intercontinental Hotels, Host Marriott, and General Electric.

Evans is a dynamic consultant in Six Sigma methodologies. For fifteen years he has helped companies significantly improve performance in industries ranging from financial services to heavy manufacturing. He has been successful working with teams from the factory floor to the boardroom using consulting, problem solving and facilitation to produce business results.

Evans has helped companies begin the journey to implementing an improvement culture. He works to increase the skills of his clients so they can continue handling more and more of the work independently. He has worked with teams at all levels of the organization.

Evans has utilized his talents to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of processes with American Century Investments, the Olathe School District, International Paper, Cendant Mortgage, RCI, BP, Cisco Systems, GMAC Insurance, RCI, Sun Microsystems, TriWest Healthcare and WTBTI among others.

He is especially adept at helping teams to manage the change aspects of their business improvements. By drawing on his extensive experience, he helps clients see past the theory to the practical application needed for successful implementations.

Larry is a highly experienced organizational development and effectiveness professional with over 20 years working in environments ranging from Fortune 500 to medium size companies. He specializes in large-scale organizational change, creating and sustaining effective teams, and helping individual leaders improve their results. He is also an expert at developing and implementing talent management processes on a large scale.

Most recently, Larry served as Vice President, Organizational Development for PetSmart, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of pet products and supplies. At PetSmart Larry led the Organizational Development and Training team that was responsible for all levels of employee development and training, talent selection and management, succession planning, large scale organizational change and creating and sustaining high performing work teams at all levels in the organization.

Prior to PetSmart, Larry has served in similar capacities with other Fortune 500 organizations such as TXU Corporation, America West Airlines, Frito-Lay, and JCPenney. He has partnered with senior leaders in these environments to create powerful talent management strategies as well as organizational effectiveness solutions. He has worked extensively in the energy, consumer products, retail and transportation industries.

Academically, Larry holds a Ph.D. degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Texas Tech University, a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon State University. Larry is also on the Advisory Board of Manera Group, a firm specializing in executive coaching, assessment, talent management, and career management services.

Patrick Noonan provides clients with best practices in improving productivity, reducing variation, creating metrics, developing leaders, and implementing process improvement. He specializes in leading change efforts for hospitals and other healthcare organizations.

Prior to becoming a consultant, Patrick directed the Process Excellence Initiative for the Medical Devices and Diagnostics Division of Johnson & Johnson Company, which included deployment of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Dashboard Metrics and Design Excellence.

Patrick formerly worked at General Electric. His last assignment was in Six Sigma Quality as a Quality Leader and Master Black Belt in the GE Plastics Electromaterials business unit. He also fulfilled roles in Materials Management, Logistics, Manufacturing, Sales, Finance and Customer Service.

Patrick is a certified Master Black Belt and has a degree from Northern Kentucky University in Accounting.

Matt brings over 20-years of highly diverse and international operational experience when working with clients to achieve the results they need.

Matt has earned various certifications as a Six-Sigma professional and is a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). He has been a Senior Director and Executive in various financial services businesses and has led the initial implementations of enterprise wide process improvement at both GE and Cendant Corporation. His work and consulting experience includes insurance operations and marketing; mortgage originations, servicing, and secondary marketing; travel and leisure operations; and operations in not-for-profit organizations.

Matt has presented numerous training workshops and facilitated successful Lean Six-Sigma, WorkOut, Kaizen, and other improvement events. He is also experienced with the Rummler-Brache Process Management and Metrics methodology, so he is not handicapped by any single approach to problem
solving and innovation.

Matt speaks functional Spanish after many years as a military advisor and security consultant on high-risk counterinsurgency operations, risk management, and human rights to foreign government, military, and police forces. He advised the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games on unique security threats and later held a full-time position as the Assistant Venue Security Manager for the inaugural Olympic Beach Volleyball competition in 1996.

Matt is a decorated Special Forces veteran having graduated from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center. He later graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Government from Campbell University and earned his MBA at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College.

Bill has over 20 years experience in the financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and consulting fields. His professional background includes many quality, training and organizational development assignments.

Bill started working early in his career as a quality circles facilitator and then later was a consultant with the Deming Method Consulting Group. He later broadened his background implementing Six Sigma in a major initiative at GE Capital.

At AT&T Capital Corporation, he reengineered two businesses using an Organization Systems Design (OSD) model and assisted the business in applying for an internal quality award patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige Award.

Bill has utilized his talents to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of processes utilizing a Six Sigma approach with Aluminum Shapes, Amazon.com, AT&T Capital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, CIGNA, Comcast, GE Capital, Merck, NBC, PointRoll, Sun Microsystems, Temple University Health System and the US Postal Service.

Bill is the author of two major published training designs “Proactive Project Management” and “Process Improvement”. His article “Building Teams for Change” published in the Book Thriving on Change in Organizations was followed by his book, Teaming for Improvement.

Bill holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, an MBA from LaSalle University and a Ph.D. from Temple University.

Bill’s consulting work includes Six Sigma, Team Development, Change Management, Process Improvement and Organization Systems Design. He has conducted training in a variety of skill areas including: Six Sigma, Managing Change and Transition, Leadership/Supervisory Skills, Communication skills, Team Development and Team Building, Project/Time Management and Problem Solving and Decision Making.

Mark has an innate ability to facilitate, teach and implement successful programs for process improvements and cost reductions, particularly in the area of Lean Enterprise solutions, for his client companies. His clients have included Sony Electronics, Mattson, Vicor Westcor, Marich Confectionery, and BP.

Mark has more than 20 years of experience in Manufacturing Management and Industrial Engineering. He honed his Industrial Engineering skills at a $1.5 billion aerospace corporation in Akron, Ohio. While a Manufacturing Manager for a global computer manufacturer in Silicon Valley, he successfully implemented Demand Flow Manufacturing and helped achieve ISO 9001 certification. He went on to manage manufacturing operations for a progressive ambient lighting manufacturer in Berkeley, CA. All of these experiences provided the background and expertise to ensure quality services to his future clients.

After relocation to New York City, Mark put his experience to work as a consultant for ITAC, a member of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Upon his return to Northern California, he introduced the Lean Enterprise program to Manex, the northern California member of MEP.

Mark holds a B.S. Degree in Industrial Management and is a member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME). He is also a former Chapter Chairman of the Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME).

Elisabeth has provided process improvement consulting, training and design services to Fortune 100 companies for the past 20 years. Most recently she worked on the design and implementation of a Performance Management System for the Bahamas Telecommunications Company resulting in the alignment of strategic corporate goals with every layer of the company down to coordinated targets for front-line technicians.

Just prior to that she coached several improvement teams at Charles Schwab resulting in a 20% reduction in unnecessary account terminations, a 30% reduction in rework associated with on-line funds transfers, a 75% reduction in total account open cycle time from application to funding. In an ongoing effort, she has been a principal in the design and rollout of the first Lean/Six Sigma effort in the hospitality industry for Starwood Hotels and Resorts resulting in average benefits of $30 million per year from 2001-2008 for North America alone.

Elisabeth is the author of a business simulation used worldwide to gain buy-in and establish leadership awareness in the area of process improvement. Her clients include: BP, Charles Schwab, Cisco Systems, GE Capital, Fireman’s Fund Insurance, Federated Department Stores, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Mitre, NBC, Northrup Grumman, Target, NBC, Raytheon, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, United Health Care, Vanguard Financial Services, Volvo and Wells Fargo,.

Born in the UK, Elisabeth holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Computer Science from Columbia University in New York City, NY. Elisabeth is a certified Black Belt Trainer with GE Capital and a founding member of BCT (Boston Comedy Theater) specializing in improvisational techniques to foster organizational change efforts.

Rowland is a highly experienced business process transformation consultant and practitioner. He initially gained his process improvement and international experience during fifteen years at American Express where he served in a variety of leadership roles on large-scale reengineering, process improvement, and compliance initiatives.

Rowland’s consulting experience was gained over five years leading international operations for a global Lean Six Sigma consulting firm. He advised senior leaders and project teams involved with process transformation at some of the world’s leading companies including BP, HSBC (First Direct, Marks & Spencer Money), Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation, Swisscard, and Wataniya Telecom.

Most recently, Rowland has spent a year leading the Customer Experience & Process Excellence effort at al khaliji, a full service start-up bank based in Qatar.

In 2005, Rowland co-authored “What is Six Sigma Process Management?” – an introductory book that explains the need for organizations to establish end-to-end process management and offering practical guidance on how they can go about it.

Rowland was subsequently the lead author of “Six Sigma for Financial Services: How Leading Companies Are Driving Results with Lean, Six Sigma and Process Management” which includes a robust model for achieving Business Process Excellence since used by a number of leading organizations.

Rowland is a graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London, and received his Master Black Belt training at American Express.

Graham has extensive experience in leading projects, managing cross functional and cross cultural teams and supporting both service and manufacturing organizations. He is a sought-after coach, trainer and consultant, bringing a pragmatic, common sense approach to the application of the appropriate business improvement tools and techniques. He has taught people from all levels of his client companies, covering Six Sigma and Lean topics and also some 'softer skill' areas such as facilitation, presentation and team work. He is an excellent communicator and is equally effective at shop-floor and Board level.

Graham entered the consulting field in 2004 and has used his experience and knowledge to great effect in a wide range of business challenges. Prior to this, Graham’s career spanned over 25 years at Motorola, in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility. Here he gained experience in Engineering, both hands on and as a Manager, during which time he introduced the concept of statistical engineering and structured problem solving in his team. He also had the opportunity to run a Manufacturing Operation for many years, where he learned the value of the Lean family of tools. Later in his tenure at Motorola, as a Business Chief of Staff, he was instrumental in leading a quality improvement drive. Laterally, he was the Global Process Owner for Customer Quality in the semiconductor arena, a role which afforded contact with many demanding blue chip customers. Success here required involvement in all aspects of the business and interface at all levels.

His key client engagements include extensive training and consulting support for BP’s Process Fitness initiative, coaching and training for first direct Bank, and various services for firms such as Cisco, M&S Money, Babcock Naval Services, Pfizer, CRUK, RS Components and Shop Direct.
His most recent engagement within BP saw him successfully lead a Finance initiative to implement a new process and system to manage the downstream IT costs.
Graham holds a Degree in Physics from Strathclyde University in Glasgow and is a certified Master Black Belt (MBB).

Sarah has a passion for people and processes. Her diverse background in Human Resources, Operations, and Information Technology enables her to holistically drive process improvement, change management, and Engaged Team Performance as an on-site project leader.

With project leadership experience ranging from machine shops to banks and insurance companies, she has deployed Lean, Six Sigma, and Engaged Team Performance tools to deliver results for clients in both manufacturing and transactional/service industries, with an emphasis on implementing process changes, designing new workflow systems, managing team performance through both daily measures and trend analysis, and working with senior leaders to drive organizational change. She gets to know the clients' production team members just as well as the leadership and consistently strikes the right balance in aligning people and processes for successs.

Sarah has a Bachelors of Business from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, with majors in Human Resources, Operations Management, and Management Information Systems.

Lori McCarty brings over 20 years financial services experience at Fortune 500/100 companies, spanning a breadth of functions such as strategic planning, business architecture, facilitation, consulting, process improvement, management, performance management, and training and development. Over the last five years specifically, Lori has focused on helping organizations achieve results through focus and alignment of vision, strategy, initiatives, processes and people. Using a variety of tools and approaches to achieve results, Lori provides a customized approach by matching technique with customer needs, preferences, constraints and cultural fit. Lori blends an understanding of both the corporate and non profit worlds with hands on experience to:

• Help leaders translate business knowledge and business needs into executable plans that align and contribute to long-term goals
• Facilitate dynamic, thought provoking workshops
• Help organizations simplify complex situations
• Improve end results by thinking from both the business and customer perspective
• Help people learn quickly and retain what they learn
• Define and improve work processes

Lori is an honors graduate in Business Management from Simpson College, Indianola Iowa. She is also a Fellow of Management Life Institute (FLMI), former Board Member for Bidwell Riverside Center, former member of Project Management Institute, a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, and trained in Customer Scenario Mapping.

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