This service is primarily available to the following industry sectors:

Education

Within the United States, the country with which I am most familiar, education has been regarded as fundamental to a person’s upbringing and life. Each state since the mid-twentieth century provides a public education for children subsidized by the government for elementary and secondary education described below. In most states, elementary or primary education is compulsory and commences in kindergarten (early elementary school) when children are between five and seven years of age and continues through the sixth grade when they are eleven or twelve years old. Students proceed from there to middle school which frequently is the seventh, eighth and ninth grades and this is the beginning of secondary education. Secondary education continues through high school from the tenth through the twelfth grades, culminating in a high school diploma. Post-secondary education is voluntary and for many decades has had a four-year course of study at a university or college. Students attending either a private or public college or university have a tuition to pay for each year of attendance at their institution of choice. Graduates from these institutions may receive an undergraduate degree in the liberal arts/humanities, business, science or a more specialized field. Students wishing to attain a graduate degree in addition to their undergraduate diploma have numerous options to pursue in areas such as architecture, fine arts, business, technology, mathematics, science, medicine, the social sciences or a higher degree in the liberal arts. Usually, there is a national entrance examination to take before applying to a graduate school. For individuals who graduated from high school and wish to pursue a vocational trade or craft, vocational schools have also been available since the mid-twentieth century. In many community colleges offering a two-year degree, there are vocational opportunities as well as academic ones. Although there are alternative routes to follow, the pattern described has been standard and straight-forward. Opportunities for young people holding degrees have been plentiful in the United States.

Today, the pattern described under ‘History’ continues throughout the country, but the alternatives and options for taking a different educational path has increased considerably. For example, there are examinations, the General Education Development (GED) which can substitute for a high school diploma. Students who have not been able to complete their high school education have the opportunity to sit for this examination. Once passed, they are eligible to show their GED as evidence of having a high school degree and this is sufficient for many employers as well as applications to college or university. A second example revolves around educators in secondary schools and post-secondary institutions working together. In recent years, these education administrators have provided programs for eligible students to complete three years of high school and enter their first year of college instead of finishing four years of high school. Frequently, those students receive a high school diploma after satisfactorily completing their first year of college or university. The thinking behind the concept is one of efficiency and savings. In the US today, the cost of a post-secondary education can be prohibitive and this type of program eliminates at least one year of tuition and housing costs. One of the programs I approved of when serving as a Board of Trustee at a four-year college was the intern/apprentice program. In curricula such as business, engineering and the healthcare professions, there are numerous opportunities for students to spend a summer, semester or year at a company/organization that provides on-the-job training in the student’s course of study. These experiences can provide practical skills and clinical application to the theoretical education provided by the college. Frequently, these internships/apprenticeships lead to employment at these companies. A concluding and innovative example in education today is the opportunity for students applying to post-secondary institutions to receive credit for experiences they may have had in life or as an employee. Many are older than the average college student, have family responsibilities, yet aspire to receiving a higher education degree. The efficiency of abbreviating, where possible, the length of a curriculum, but not sacrificing the quality of the course of study plus eliminating some costs in tuition would have considerable advantages for this student.

Fortunately, the degree to which most people in this country value their education continues to be high. There is evidence every day that individuals with critical thinking skills, humanity skills, technological skills and/or knowledge/content-based skills are paramount when seeking positions that provide a high quality of life for people entering or re-entering the job market. The more highly educated person not only receives personal satisfaction, but the health of the individual is better. Within areas of the United States where opportunities for education or growth is limited, there is frequently a direct correlation to witnessing increased illness, disease, addiction, substance abuse or a deteriorated life style. This being the case, it is equally important to incorporate re-tooling or re-training programs for a working force requiring this type of education. In numerous manufacturing or mining jobs within our country today, the outlook for continuing in these positions is not long-term. The sooner new opportunities arise that can assist in these situations, the health and security of the region and country will improve. But first, acknowledging and addressing these problems are imperative and a first step begins with increasing resources into areas of need and then focusing on educating both the community and the individuals about how to help themselves. Still droves of young professionals today value the education they received and retain a critical belief that learning is a life-long pursuit. It does not conclude when the formal education stops. It is only the beginning of appreciating a love of learning.

Healthcare

This is a subject in which I am familiar and have been for many decades. The healthcare facilities with which I had particular experience ranged from large medical centers, to psychiatric clinics, to rehabilitation/treatment centers and health-related academic institutions. From the 1970s through to the present, I have been affiliated with some form of medical and/or allied healthcare field. I have been a clinician, consultant, teacher/educator in healthcare and administrator. All of these areas are critical to a patient’s direct or indirect care and each professional or profession needs to follow standards/guidelines that guarantee he/she has the background, knowledge, confidence and competence to perform responsibilities at the highest level. Over the last fifty years, the healthcare system has also changed dramatically. In the past, a physician made house calls and treated most of a patient’s illnesses. The personal bonding between a patient and physician was usually strong and highly respected. This behavior gradually changed when other professions, such as the nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant assumed care for many of the tasks performed the doctor. Although the two professions were under the supervision of the physician, they began to see patients independently at home or in their offices. Another change witnessed during the 1980s and 1990s was the specialization among doctors, meaning that patients were sent by their primary care doctor or internist to the specialist in need. Frequently, the specialist would send a report to the primary care physician and this professional acted as a central coordinator for the patient. The delivery of medicine has been excellent in this country but it has also changed. There are now many more professionals and assistants involved in the care of children, adolescents, young adults, adults and the elderly. Although services may be in place, there are frequent complaints about access to healthcare, specifically individuals without insurance. This is the area of healthcare that is demanding most attention – asking how one can receive the care needed and how much it was going to cost.

In the United States today, one of the predominant topics of conversations of the American public is healthcare. Questions such as whether it will be affordable in the future and whether it will cover a variety of illnesses, specifically pre-existing ones, through insurance are household discussions across kitchen tables on a regular basis. This is in addition to published articles written about it on a daily basis. According to the US Bureau of Census in 2010, the US had 49.9 million (or 16% of the population) without any medical insurance whatsoever. Out-of-pocket expenses for medical conditions within this population caused many to file for bankruptcy because of the high cost of care. But it must be noted again (also cited under the ‘History’ section) is the excellence of medical treatment within the United States. What is troubling and problematic instead is the delivery of this care. This is what needs repair. Since it ranks such a high priority with the public and is of critical importance, there will be solutions in the near future, many of which have been suggested. Given this scenario, the job opportunities are growing in this arena. In every one of the five locations discussed in another section of this report, healthcare is one of the prized professions offering new job opportunities. This priority emphasizes the need to those seeking positions in the area to be as competently prepared as possible. This effort would produce professionals who can supervise and monitor the healthcare programs of the future. It demonstrates another example of the commercial opportunity Appleton-Greene could provide to organizations in this country – monitoring quality and excellence in both large and small healthcare organizations.

We touched on the future of healthcare in the previous section, “Current Position”. In this section, we will discuss a prime piece of methodology that will be used in healthcare in the US in the future – namely technology. From large medical centers to small clinics and physicians’ offices, the techniques of computerized medical records are afoot. In many situations, the systems are in place; in others, they are being discussed or in progress. The point is that this type of system could provide many benefits some of which include an efficient partnership between the healthcare team (which also includes the pharmacist) and patient, up-to-date results of medical records and tests for the healthcare team and patient to share, an enormous cost savings and time-savings benefit created for all concerned and assistance provided in times of emergency. A focus of this effort allows patients to remain in their homes or in living situations of choice and perform tests that can be sent online to the healthcare team. Many patients have already begun to perform these responsibilities by taking their own vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature) on an ongoing basis, performing diagnostic tests for a condition such as diabetes and sending this information to the healthcare team via a confidential online portal. The outcomes of combining treatment, care and technology have been highly positive. These advancements in technology are in place, but not as widely utilized as they could be. Efforts, however, are gaining speed for technology to provide every citizen with interactive tools that can be used at home and shared with a healthcare team. It will take time, but the possibilities are within reach. Equally critical is artificial intelligence utilizing other high priority techniques, such as engineering and technology. Here, innovative examples of facilitating surgeons working with delicate instruments during operations or using robots to benefit disabled people with medical appliances or prosthetics are in process currently and within greater possibility for the future. All of these exemplar instances demonstrate the need to provide a highly skilled healthcare workforce to perform these services – another excellent example of how potential clients requiring this learning would benefit from Appleton-Greene programs.

Non-Profit and Charities

Non-Profit Organizations and Charities are ancient, meaning they have been in existence for centuries. If one stops to think about their origin, it has to do with principles based on values of human character. Organizations and charities of this nature began because of a deep-seated desire to help others or perhaps to return a favor given, a favor instrumental in being able to lead a quality life. The whole idea of giving became more organized before the turn of the twentieth century when socially progressive ideas such as women suffrage, prohibition and child labor laws were popular. In the United States, this was a time of increased wealth and building and individuals like Andrew Carnegie, the great philanthropist noted an idea in his book ”Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth” in 1889 that it was a duty of owing to society and encouraging donating to causes” (non-profithub.org,). From the early 1900s through to the present, there were great organizational role models established and from them many lessons evolved and were learned about giving, fund-raising, leadership, building organizations and developing a commitment to a cause. As a result, the interest and sheer number of non-profits and charities increased phenomenally. An organization like the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) promoted franchises around the country or local chapters. The purpose was to involve more people in what was wanted to be accomplished. During World War II, people and organizations came together to raise funds for a myriad of reasons, recruiting skilled professionals to work in hospitals, such as nurses, promoting the first blood-drive program sending equipment to troops abroad and developing special programs for civilians and refugees. The success of these efforts was a collaborative spirit and an ability to share administrative and infrastructure costs.

Today, there are hundreds of thousands non-profit organizations in this country and many are 501(c) (3) organizations, ones holding a special tax status from the Internal Revenue System (IRS). Organizations first need to submit a detailed application and then be approved by the IRS before receiving this status. Subsequently, they must annually prove to the IRA that they should retain their status. Many of these organizations are small and have few members of staff. As a result, it is consequently difficult for them to operate and raise the funds they need, even though their intentions are good. One possibility for seeing growth, however, is to purchase an integrated online system that allows them to work in a sophisticated fashion and, yet, grow incrementally, as needed – another opportunity for an Appleton-Greene client. Larger organizations, also with fine principles have more ability to accomplish their goals and grow at a reasonable pace. Even with a responsible Board of Directors, they, too, may need assistance, especially in the area of online giving. They need to have a fool-proof process that assures them of bringing in and accounting for the funds they wish to raise. In concluding this section, it is important to talk briefly about leadership. The person hired for serving at the helm of the organization should have the vision and characteristics needed for the position. This individual needs to be able to inspire and influence staff, donors, consumers and the board of directors. If there is potential in a new hire for leadership, the board must have as one of its highest priorities, the commitment and interest to invest in the education and training of this individual. Likewise, training for staff members will be significant at the appropriate time.

What is the future outlook of the non-profit, charitable organization? From my experience of two decades in Washington D.C. with organizations involved in higher education, and from my work with attorneys who specialize in non-profit organizations, I believe the future is promising. Although there are start-ups that begin and subsequently fail, there are many more that succeed. It is my belief that they succeed because they are accountable to one or more national organizations, such as governmental organizations or private voluntary councils, commissions or accrediting organizations. Most of these external organizations have criteria that must be followed and monitored over a course of years. There is little time for a non-profit to slack off or become distracted. The stamps of approval from outside organizations are highly regarded and organizations want to maintain them. However, if accountability is not upheld, the external organization can scrutinize the non-profit organization and withdraw, if necessary their approval. Conversely, and more often than not, if an organization provides proof that it is compliant, it continues to receive the validation/approval it requested. This process is particularly true in higher education. There are other non-profit organizations outside of higher education that would benefit from an organized process that looks carefully at guidelines and standards, follows best practices and responds to the non-profits in a fair and collaborative manner. Non-profit organizations exist all over the country, but the two cities in which they are prolific are Washington D. C. and Chicago.

Technology

From a personal and anthropological perspective, the evolution of the human being many thousands of years ago was particularly fascinating because this human had the ability to use one’s hands to make tools for eating, hunting and gathering. This, along with his/her mental acuity, was the primitive beginning of technology. Defined today, technology, from the Greek word, technologia, is the “the branch of knowledge that deals with the fine creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society and the environment” (dictionary.com). Fast forward, when one thinks of beginning innovators within the United States, one thinks of Samuel Morse, Edison, Einstein and Ford during the mid-twentieth century, along with many others. But the foundation for these scientific inventors took place in Britain and Europe during the nineteenth century “with the steam engine and scientists in Germany providing key principles in the world of physics” (livescience.com). Moving quickly again, I recall a conference in New York City in 1991 for entrepreneurial women and there one of the keynote speakers began by saying our world was going to change, technologically and in our ability to communicate. We would be able to hold in our hands a technological device that would answer almost anything we wanted to know. This idea was difficult to fully comprehend, but quickly one did. From the nineties to the present time, new computers, electronic whiteboards, smart phones have become part of a person’s life no matter where you are around the globe. The ability to communicate utilizing these tools are efficient, relatively reasonable and utterly remarkable.

Just looking at a very brief history of technology in the previous section we can appreciate the overwhelming capacity of the wide variety of technological tools available to almost everyone. When I began to employ an integrated computerized system for accreditation, it was as if I hired a full-time person to perform all the mechanisms of the system and also had a variety of consultants to call upon if something went amiss. The web-based system allowed our agency to deliver high quality with less human resources. The actual benefits were to increase the efficiency of the entire process and to reduce the costs. It also provided ready analyses of variables, so if one wanted to know how many faculty there were, their credentials and whether they were full-time or part-time, this information could be filtered immediately for whatever purposes required, such as internal university and state reviews. The system had the flexibility to manipulate data in multiple ways yielding valuable insight into the programs under review. In our everyday life, we now freely use technology to achieve specific tasks. We effortlessly communicate with one another via smart phones, almost without thinking we use remote controls to turn lights, kitchen appliances, alarm systems on and off in our homes. Even our cars have computerized controls. Most of these technologies are emerging, so what may be available today could change tomorrow. It is incumbent on everyone to embrace and keep up with them, so that they continually improve our lives and our way of doing business.

Technologies will continue to make our lives easier and more productive. There is no turning back. The world has recognized the significance of what can be accomplished by using and investing in advanced, sophisticated technologies. Many businesses are adopting technological standards on a global level so that everyone follows the same procedures and performs more accurately and precisely. Examples occur in medicine, engineering, architecture, science, energy, business and even the arts. Although the benefits of technology greatly surpass any negatives, it is still important to focus on some concerns before leaving the topic. One of the most important is how technology is used. For years, I reminded students that technology should be treated as a tool which is to be controlled as opposed to it controlling you. In other words, it is important to guard against the overuse and reliance on technology. You do not want the technology to mitigate your ability to think or to stop your understanding of the underlying purpose of what it is you are doing and why. Another mistake is to invest in technology without understanding how it will be effective in your environment. These are usually expensive pieces of equipment that need to be used daily. If there is little or no training associated with the software in your computers, there is every chance it will become the ‘red herring’ of your program.

This particular example exemplifies why technical education and training are critical factors to the success of a program. In conclusion, however, it is staggering to realize what the future of technology will bring. There are new studies in artificial intelligence, there is the design, engineering and construction of a new smart green city in Toronto at Quayside, there is Pittsburgh’s new Energy Center, a Chinese Forest City that will eat Smog, and Data Centers that will heat Rotterdam. The technology of the future is awe-inspiring, yet unimaginable.

Consultancy

The consulting industry, now nearly ubiquitous, was not as well known in the mid-twentieth century. The earliest consultants were found in medicine, at least in the United States. These professionals were physicians who specialized in a particular area of medicine, such as Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat, Neurology, Orthopedics, Surgery, Pediatrics or Psychiatry. During this time, a primary care physician was better known as a general practitioner and would contact a specialist for consultation with a patient. Either the patient made a visit to the consultant’s office or the consultant visited the patient in the hospital. The fee for this service was considerably higher than an office visit to the general practitioner. Consultants in medicine could also be known as an “Attendings”, meaning that they were affiliated with a particular medical center and had achieved an ‘Attending’ status because of their credentials or their extensive experience in a particular area. These physicians were also the teachers/mentors of residents at medical centers and were the heads of Grand Rounds, an important weekly gathering of students, staff and Attending to observe and discuss various patients. The rounds took place in the patient’s hospital room where the Attending examined the patient or in an auditorium where the patient’s medical condition was reviewed, sometimes with the patient present to answer questions. In the area of mental health, consultants, usually psychiatrists, were available to meet with staff on psychiatric units of medical centers and later in the 1960s in community centers. As business, industry and technology advanced, consultants became more prolific and necessary. Professions and businesses, such as, architecture advertising, education, marketing, science and technology from the 1960s to the present time all found it beneficial to call on the services of consultants.

Consultation today continues to thrive in many different areas of technology, business, science and the professions. Companies frequently want to know if they are moving in the right direction and, if not, how they could go about making modifications. This is a healthy attitude and a positive one to take every five to ten years. For several decades up to the present time, I have observed and listened to consultants make presentations to clients in the medical field and over the years, I have been a consultant myself. During this time, I sought out the best qualities I saw and heard and combined these with others I thought were important. This experience taught me how serious a responsibility it was to be in this position. First, you want to provide what is asked of you and second, you wish to achieve an outcome that is beneficial to the client and rewarding to you. But prior to beginning any consultative preparation, the key principle I like to follow is listening. Here is when you learn what the priorities are, what the nuances are and what the realistic timeline is for you to complete your work. After hearing this information, you are in a better position to ask questions and learn more about your assignment. The listening/questioning factors cannot be stressed enough. They provide information you may not otherwise receive and, in general, save time, But once accomplished, you are ready to prepare an outline and submit it to the client to see if everyone is on track. Following approval, you can organize your research and develop documents/ materials that would be of value to the company. This would be accompanied by a timeline with a date(s) for presentations meetings and conference calls. Of course, the consultation could take a different path if you need to be onsite more frequently as well as send the company timely information. Sometimes, a consultation continues beyond its timeline because the client wants you to consult with them in an advisory capacity. In other cases, it stops at the appointed time.

The future outlook for consulting is very promising according to many news articles and publications. It confirms what numerous CEOs, presidents and owners of companies predict – that within the next five to fifteen years, the consulting industry will soar higher than it is today (futureofeverthing.io). According to Griffin O’ Shaugnessy, Founder and President, Canopy Advisory Group, “within 10 years, consulting will be the predominant industry in the country with more than 50% of the US workforce identifying themselves as consultants.” But the industry will look different. Instead of large companies, there will be more freelance, entrepreneurial people in the field, possibly working from home. This is true globally, not only true in the United States. With social media and the internet providing overwhelming technical information, people are educating themselves more online and gaining the skills to provide services to companies that have specialized requirements. Jim Morris, President and Owner of The Alternative Board, Tennessee Valley, confirms the increases in consultants in the future, and also emphasizes that with new forms of technologies, consultants will need specific knowledge and expertise. He adds that this “will not only be required but worth more”. Others state that consultants will need to move quickly, know their subject well, and be willing to eliminate the need for a consultant. But O’Shaugnessy notes in some cases, the full-time workforce outside of corporate offices will be leaner and groups of consultants will be called upon to provide the expertise required. In addition, there will be need for consultants in behavioral settings and here interaction with employees on-site will be required. The important takeaways are that the consultant needs to be knowledgeable, provide value added capabilities, give the company the competitive edge it desires for its industry and adapt to changing conditions.

Methodology

The Model for Collaborative Evaluations (MCE)

The (MCE) is a framework for guiding collaborative evaluations in a precise, realistic, and useful manner (RodríguezCampos & Rincones-Gómez, 2013). A collaborative evaluation is an evaluation in which there is a substantial degree of collaboration between the evaluator, collaboration members (CMs) and stakeholders in the evaluation process, to the extent that they are willing and capable of being involved (Rodríguez-Campos, 2012a; Rodríguez-Campos, 2012b). An evaluator who wishes to use a collaborative evaluation approach should be flexible and tolerant of contextual difficulties and variations in stakeholders’ willingness to participate (Garaway, 2005). To optimally use this type of approach, there must be clear expectations of its advantages and disadvantages based on the specific situation. In any case, the benefits gained by adopting a collaborative evaluation approach should outweigh the potential difficulties that may ensue. The MCE constitutes a theoretical foundation for accreditation self-studies because its systematic structure provides a basis for decision-making through the development of formative and summative evaluations. The model has been successfully used in business, non-profit, and educational sectors (Rodríguez-Campos, 2015), and it belongs to the use branch of the evaluation theory tree (Alkin, 2012). The MCE is flexible so it supports both summative and formative evaluation processes within a framework that is efficient and systematic, and it is sturdy enough to allow for a variety of elements to be incorporated (e.g., Danielson, 2015;Marzano, Frontier, & Livingston, 2011; Popham, 2013).

The MCE revolves around six interactive and interdependent components. This cyclic, iterative, and systematic model and its step-by-step process is robust enough to allow for handling unforeseen issues that may occur along the way. This is important when evaluating the wide range of situations that take place across departments, curricula, policies, and procedures. A sound self-study design provides a mechanism that allows development and maintenance of effective planning and continuous improvement processes. The MCE literature, includes examples of how they could help frame aspects of accreditation self-studies. These examples represent just the tip of the iceberg for how collaborative evaluations can work in this highly complex venue. The MCE helps ensure end-products of the evaluation are satisfactory to stakeholders, including those for accrediting bodies.

The MCE framework provides an alternative guidance to undertake the complex accreditation self-study process. We have outlined here how the approach could assist to organize this institution-wide endeavor. By conducting accreditation self-studies using the MCE, an institution can tap into its greatest resource – its students, faculty, and staff. The MCE gives an entire campus community or specific department the opportunity to engage in the process and to see how they can positively contribute. Each component of the MCE builds commitment to the process with the added benefit of creating a sound system to follow throughout the self-study. The greatest strengths of this model are that it gives focus to collaborative processes and provides a strong basis for establishing long-term relationships. The MCE assumes that important decisions can be made collaboratively in the early evaluation stages and that ongoing alternatives can be easily incorporated as necessary. Therefore, it is a tool that helps us better understand how to develop priorities and achieve a high level of support within a collaborative evaluation. The MCE provides an important learning opportunity. This model can help you understand and account for the nature of the work and the full range of stakeholders in a self-study effort. Results from a collaborative approach provides a useful basis for guiding the decision-making process because people work collaboratively while understanding the added value of their interactions. This paper illustrates promising practices that could be widely integrated in different self-studies. James Sanders (2005), former president of the American Evaluation Association (AEA), summed up his impressions of the MCE: “The model…serves as a guide for evaluators who believe that making evaluation an integral part of everyday work in programs and organizations is important… It is a significant next step in the evolution of the practice of evaluation. It could not have come at a better time. In my judgment, this contribution to the evaluation literature is excellent”

Collaborative Evaluation – Program Planning (Months 1-6)

Program Planning is fundamental to the success of this project and there are at least four components of development that need to begin as soon as possible. The first is the preparation of a Feasibility Study (or a detailed outline of one) that defines the many aspects of the project, such the purpose, goals and objectives, development of program and resources, budgeting process, business plan, potential fund-raising, marketing and time frame over a four-year period. The study would take the time of two to three members of staff influential in the creation of the project to meet for approximately two months to discuss and write the document. Assignments for completing aspects of the study would be made to different staff members. The final document should be completed by the end of the first three months. The feasibility study should be dynamic in nature, not static, meaning that as the program evolves, the study could be modified or changed, as necessary. Simultaneously, and if approved by senior officials, it may be necessary to begin the design of the web-based program that would incorporate customized questions for the organization into a web-based template with assistance from the Appleton-Greene consultant. This would involve working with the IT department of the company or possibly outsourcing the work to a technology company. The platform development would be sustainable for the company or organization for decades. Again, those who have been influential in the creation, implementation and/or maintenance of the program could be involved. This process could take anywhere from six to eighteen months. The third component is a potential fund-raising program that may be in order to subsidize the platform for the project, i.e., similar the one described in the Executive Summary. The methodology used could be the development of a campaign over the course of the first year to raise necessary funds. It would include presentations, meetings, events, marketing to interested communities and the development of donors. The fourth is raising awareness about the project and seeking buy-in from various communities of interest internal and external to the organization. This is the marketing aspect of the project which should be vigorous in the first year and continued, as needed, during the ongoing year. In addition, six monthly workshops will be arranged requiring staff to attend. At this time, presentations and updates on major project areas will be discussed plus potential agenda items and tasks.

Personal Profile

Mr Chicles is an approved Certified Learning Provider (CLP) at Appleton Greene who is a business leader and strategist with broad experience in the global multi-industrial, aerospace and defense sectors. He is a seasoned operational leader of global industrial businesses, leading transformational strategies in highly competitive markets.

As a senior, C-suite strategist for multiple major industrial corporations he has led multiple mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings, as well as corporate break-ups and spin-offs. He has a distinguished track record of successful transformations of complex organizations in dynamic and uncertain market conditions while engendering the trust and buy-in of employees, customers, vendors, owners, corporate leadership and boards of directors.

A highly engaged leader at the personal and team level he has demonstrated the ability to engender effective senior teams and boards. He’s also an active mentor, teacher and community leader.

Mr Chicles is an active board member with AES Seals, global leader in sustainable reliability engineering, and Micro Technologies Inc, an electronics and advanced manufacturing company. He is a principal partner with ProOrbis Enterprises®, a management science consultancy with premier clients such as the US Navy and PwC, as well as the principal of Xiphos Associates™, a management and M&A advisory. Recently, he served as Board Director and Chairman of Global Business Development with Hydro Inc. the largest independent pump and flow systems engineering services provider in the world.

He was President of ITT’s Industrial Process / Goulds Pumps business segment a global manufacturer of industrial pumps, valves, monitoring and control systems, and aftermarket services for numerous industries with $1.2 billion in revenue, 3,500 employees and 34 facilities in 17 countries. Preceding this role he served as Executive Vice President of ITT Corporation overseeing the creation of a newly conceived ITT Inc. following the break-up of the former ITT Corporation to establish its strategy and corporate functions such as HR, communications, IT and M&A, building the capabilities, policies and organizations for each.

He joined ITT Corporation’s executive committee as its strategy chief in 2006 and instituted disciplined strategic planning processes and developed robust acquisition pipelines to respond to rapidly changing markets. Created successful spin-offs of 2 new public corporations Exelis Inc. and Xylem Inc. ITT Corporation was named one of “America’s Most Respected Corporations” by Forbes for exemplary management and performance during his tenure there.

Before joining ITT, Mr Chicles served as Vice President of Corporate Business Development and head of mergers and acquisitions for American Standard / Trane Companies, where he initiated and closed numerous transactions and equity restructurings globally.

Additionally, he created and led the corporate real estate function which entailed more than 275 real estate transactions around the world.

He began his career at Owens Corning rising through the ranks in various operational roles to Vice President of Corporate Development.

Recently, he taught advanced enterprise strategy at Stevens Institute of Technology as an adjunct professor and still supports start-ups through the Stevens Venture Center. He continues to be active as the Founding Board Member with several successful start-up technology businesses and non-profit organizations. A community leader, Mr Chicles has held the role of President of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tenafly, N.J., He also led trips abroad to Cambodia and Costa Rica to build sustainable clean-water solutions and affordable housing.

His formal education includes earning a Masters of Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelors in Finance from Miami University.