Dec. 2 Workshop

CoREM takes on the Big Three!

Free Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

MEETING LOCATION CHANGE!
This month's CoREM meeting will be at the Monroeville Library rather than our customary Forbes Road location. The meeting will be held downstairs in the Program Room.

Last week the heads of the Big Three automakers pleaded for emergency government aid to stave off potential collapse, but after four hours of testimony, it appeared they had not persuaded enough lawmakers to move quickly on a bailout. Instead, they were asked to go back home and come up with written business plans on how they would use the bailout money to stave off collapse and become viable over the long-term.

It is well known in quality management circles that the success secret shared by the Big Three’s main Japanese competitors is that they have largely adopted W. Edwards Deming’s 14-points of quality management and that this approach has been mostly ignored by the Big Three. In this CoREM workshop we will be reviewing Deming’s 14-points and asking you to come up with your own plan to present to congress based on adopting the 14-points in your turn-around strategy.

This workshop will be facilitated by Pete McQuillin with the help of other CoREM board members.

Everyone is welcome to come to the Monroeville Library from 4 to 6 pm for this event, and to stay a while after to chat and network.


Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Monroeville Public Library
4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard
Monroeville, PA 15146
412-372-0500

Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
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Directions to Monroeville Public Library
From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14A (Monroeville) (Rt. 48). Merge onto MOSSIDE BLVD/ ORANGE BELT. Turn RIGHT onto GATEWAY CAMPUS BLVD. The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard.
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CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Meeting November 4, 2008 at the Monroeville Library!!

FREE Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

at the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard, Monroeville

After your vote, join CoREM members and friends to send a message to whoever goes to the White House!

The New President’s First 100 Days

As a member or friend of CoREM, you have been selected to join a prestigious blue-ribbon panel to advise our new president on how to start his new presidential term. As a person with a recognized interest in leadership, you will join a group of peers to recommend some “best practices” of leadership in this critical time. You will focus on leadership practices of what is arguably the world’s most significant leadership position: President of the United States.

There are dozens of critical issues demanding attention of the new president: the economy (Main Street vs. Wall Street), health care, wars in Iran and Afghanistan, the housing crisis, energy needs, the environment, global warming, etc., etc. What issues should come first? What should the new President address in his first 100 days?

Perhaps more importantly, how should the President set the tone for his term in office? How should he establish a connection with the public, in his new role?

How should he establish the initial relationships with other countries?

How should he establish productive relations with congress? Are their lessons to be learned from leadership transitions in the business world?

Franklin Roosevelt used his first 100 days to lay the foundations of the New Deal. Lyndon Johnson capitalized on his own legislative experience and the national trauma following the assassination of Jack Kennedy to push through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a major antipoverty measure. But other presidents have been side-tracked by taking on issues early in their administrations that are unwinnable and/or too divisive. In Jimmy Carter's first 100 days he mishandled the job of pushing his own legislative agenda. He couldn't work with Congress. He alienated key Democratic constituencies. And Bill Clinton got completely off focus by wrangling with congress over allowing gays in the military.

The financial crisis calls for immediate action—perhaps a slew of new regulations are required. But how can the new president get these and other urgent things rolling, have early wins and avoid the mistakes of previous presidents?

What should the new President say about the previous administration (if anything)? Should he carry forward or repudiate any particular policies or practices? Should he reach across the isle and appoint members of the opposite party to key positions.

You know from previous sessions how engaging and energetic the CoREM sessions are. Expect this special Election Day session to be supercharged!

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Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM

Place: Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard, Monroeville 412-372-0500

Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)

Cost: free

Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

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Directions to Monroeville Public Library

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14A (Monroeville) (Rt. 48). Merge onto MOSSIDE BLVD/ ORANGE BELT. Turn RIGHT onto GATEWAY CAMPUS BLVD. The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard. - - - - -

CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Workshop for October 7, 2008

new meeting location:
Monroeville Public Library

Developing Executive Leadership Talent for Today and Tomorrow: What is Happening in the World of Executive Development

Free Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Today’s complex business environment is calling; make that screaming, for more and better executive talent. Yet according to recent research, companies are having trouble finding and developing the talent to meet their needs.

Join Alice Pescuric, an independent consultant in the field of leadership and executive development and consulting partner with Development Dimensions International (DDI) as she leads a discussion on the current trends in the war for leadership talent.

Alice will review the latest research highlights regarding leadership forecast studies from top companies including Hewitt, the Hay Group and DDI. In addition, Alice will also share DDI’s experiences, trends and current best practices in designing executive development experiences based on today’s leadership development needs.

Join us to add your own experiences, insights, best practices, and discuss what you predict for the future and the implications for practitioners in the field of leadership and executive development.

Our Speaker: Alice Pescuric
Alice Pescuric possesses a wide range of experience in marketing and business development as well as experience in human resources management and general management. She was most recently a member of the senior management team of Development Dimensions International (DDI), a Pittsburgh based, human resource consulting company, where she held positions of Sr. VP/Practice Leader- Workforce Development and VP of Training and Development Technologies. She currently works as an independent consultant in the areas of leadership development, executive coaching, instructional design, large and small group process facilitation and productivity improvement.

While at DDI, Alice’s accomplishments included: increasing revenue from 18 to 50 million, successful development and launch of over 20 new or substantially revised products, design and introduction of the company's first intranet based learning application, direct management and development of a staff of product managers, consultants and support staff. She has recently focusing her efforts on executive level coaching engagements, and designing hi-impact executive development curriculum.

Her work includes associations with companies such as , Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, UPMC Health System, Glaxo Smith Kline, Highmark, Hewlett Packard, Respironics, and many other Fortune 500 and 100 clients. She resides in the Crafton area of Pittsburgh, and is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.


Date: October 7, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Monroeville Public Library
4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard
Monroeville, PA 15146
412-372-0500
Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
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Directions to Monroeville Public Library
From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14A (Monroeville) (Rt. 48). Merge onto MOSSIDE BLVD/ ORANGE BELT. Turn RIGHT onto GATEWAY CAMPUS BLVD. The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard.
- - - - -

CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Meeting for September 9, 2008

Free registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007

Energy, Global Warming and the Future



Global warming may be one of the most important and challenging issues of our time. Addressing global warming and creating a new energy future may also be one of our greatest opportunities. How will businesses be affected by these issues? How can businesses best position their companies to respond?

In this session, we will review the predicted consequences of global warming for our world and locally in Pennsylvania as well as for our businesses. Through case examples and group discussion we’ll then examine how we use energy in our own businesses and explore ideas for reducing demands for energy.

Our Speaker: Sharon Pillar is the Global Warming Outreach Coordinator for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (or PennFuture). She works in western Pennsylvania to educate individuals, faith groups, businesses, organizations and politicians about global warming.

Pillar was one of a thousand people trained directly by Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Vice President Al Gore to present the slide show used in An Inconvenient Truth movie, an initiative by The Climate Project. She has spoken about global warming with more than 50 organizations in Pennsylvania.

After 15 years in the pharmaceutical research industry, Pillar decided to pursue a career that better matched her passion. She completed a graduate degree in Earth Literacy with a focus on regional equity and sustainable communities from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. The degree stresses an interdisciplinary approach to environmentalism, realizing that human culture (government, economics, religion, justice, etc.) plays an integral role in the health of our natural world.

Pillar is a member of the Sewickley Borough Planning Commission, and enjoys camping, kayaking and cross-country skiing with her husband and eight-year-old son.

Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (or PennFuture) works to create a just future where nature, communities and the economy thrive. PennFuture is a public policy and advocacy organization that works on the state level to protect Pennsylvania’s air, water, land and economy with focuses on issues of energy, mining, agriculture, land-use policy, transportation and global warming.

In 2007, the PennFuture law staff conducted more than $200 million in pro bono legal services for the environment. The Philadelphia Inquirer has dubbed PennFuture, “Pennsylvania’s most effective environmental organization.” The organization was formed intentionally by the Heinz Endowments and Pew Charitable Trusts in 1999. PennFuture has 22 staff members in Philadelphia, West Chester, northeastern Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh.



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Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM

Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)

Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)

Cost: free

Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

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Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).

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CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Event for August 5, 2008

Free Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Move from Training to Performance Solutions

How can organizations make lasting improvements and get full participation and leader involvement? Also, how can you implement a culture of continuous improvement? Many times these efforts are seen as just another program. How can you avoid the “just another program” thinking?

The answer is to stop thinking programs and to start thinking performance solutions!

Moving an organization and individuals to high performance through performance solutions requires a systems approach. Five Star’s research has identified the five drivers for high performance:
• Focused and Aligned Leaders
• Skilled and Motivated Workforce
• Integrated Talent Management
• Enabling Technology
• Continuous Process Improvement

Using case studies, this session will define the five drivers of high performance and provide a process for designing and implementing learning and skill-building solutions. These solutions have been proven to increase individual and organizational performance. Also, this session will explore how to partner with others to create lasting change on the job.

About the presenter:

Lou Camerlengo-President/Co-founder, FiveStar Development, Inc.

As President of FiveStar, Lou is responsible for day-to-day operations and supervises the company’s management team. Lou also works with FiveStar’s CEO to set long-term company strategy. In that capacity, over the past eleven years Lou has evolved FiveStar from a niche interactive training design and development company to a full-service performance improvement consultancy. Lou has extensive experience in account and project management for Fortune 1000 companies including H.J. Heinz, Ford Motor Credit Company, The Limited Brands, Nationwide Insurance, The United States Army, U.S. Steel, and Visa International. He speaks regularly at local, regional, and international conferences; most recently at the 2007 CompTIA International Symposium and ASTD International 2008. Lou holds a B.A. in Communications Studies with a minor in British history from the State University College of New York at Oswego. He also is a graduate of the Entrepreneurial Management and Technology Commercialization programs at the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School of Industrial Administration. Lou is currently on the Multimedia Advisory Board of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
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Date: August 5, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)
Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
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Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100
From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).
- - - - -
CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

July 8 CoREM Meeting

For free registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Web 2.0 and Beyond: How New Internet Technologies and Trends are Shaping Our World

Social Networking. Instant mobile communications. Unprecedented worldwide information accessibility and organization. Massive political outreach. These are today's internet.

In this session we'll explore, in an interactive setting, how the internet is affecting our lives and our businesses at an ever-increasing pace and in an ever-increasing number of ways. We'll examine how businesses are embracing the new outreach opportunities the internet is providing, and where they're failing. We'll discuss how communities are utilizing the internet to fight crime, and how one company is taking on the world.

Our Speaker: Robert Faletti is a Principal at Blue Archer, a Pittsburgh-based application and website development group.

Mr. Faletti has over 12 years of management, consulting, and entrepreneurial experience. Prior to Blue Archer, Robert founded two successful ventures and spent two years with Arthur Andersen where he participated in building the national practice for E-Commerce Strategy.

Mr. Faletti is Past President of ACG Pittsburgh, President of BNI of Western Pennsylvania’s Circle of Excellence chapter, and regularly speaks regarding internet strategy, marketing and website development.

Robert is an active volunteer, a Duquesne University graduate, and currently resides in Gibsonia with his wife and two daughters.

Date: July 8, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)
Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
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Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).
- - - - -

CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Event for June 10, 2008

Great news: we were able to reschedule our June CoREM event to Tuesday, June 10. We hope that you will be able to join us.

Free registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Improve Leadership Skills with Whole Person Learning

Becoming an effective leader can not be accomplished “in five easy steps” or “with my proven program.” It involves an on-going process of developing one’s personal mastery and deeper self-knowledge.

Neuroscience now tells us 95% of the brain’s information comes from all five senses, and the brain learns best with the body’s help. Whole Person Learning (WPL) is one way to shift from linear, one dimensional thinking to more dynamic, whole brain/whole body knowing. WPL is a lifelong journey of growing our awareness of:

• Knowing how we know so that we can get out of our own way
• Discovering our individual learning styles
• Deep listening
• The balance between right and left brain strengths
• Our creative process
• Being wholly present

At this CoREM session you can begin your journey through WPL and start develop practices that empower you to respond with greater awareness and choice instead of merely reacting. You’ll find yourself better able to lead through periods of uncertainty and chaos, and connect with possibilities for creativity and innovation. This session is an experiential introduction to WPL and its practices. We will:

• Discuss background and theory
• Experience prescience, slowing down, body awareness, and the creative process
• Practice active listening and reflection

We hope this session will ignite a spark in you to channel this reconnected energy toward a more integrated work-life balance.

Our presenters will be Camille Baldassar and Merv Antoni

Camille Baldassar has been an artist and interdisciplinary designer for 20 years. Through teaching and establishing local organizations, she has used a whole person learning approach to help groups and individuals move forward. Camille is a graduate of Seattle University’s OSR program with a degree in Organizational Design and Renewal. She volunteers with Manchester Craftsman's Guild and Conservation Consultants Inc., and is beginning work with Bethlehem Haven this month.

Mervin P. Antonio designs processes that integrate whole person awareness, the arts, and systems thinking to improve personal, community and organizational learning and performance. As a member of Louisville’s Community Change Incubator, he works with enthusiastic change agents, social entrepreneurs, and community leaders to support, nurture, and facilitate transformational change in communities throughout the city. Mr. Antonio holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Systems Design and Renewal from Seattle University

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Date: June 10, 2008

Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM

Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)

Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)

Cost: free

Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

- - - - - -

Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).

- - - - -

CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

CoREM Event for May 6,2008

FREE registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Ethnographic Research


Ethnographic Research is a mixture of anthropology and industrial engineering, applied to learning what your customers really need, independent of what they say they need. It is a great way to generate patents and blue ocean opportunities. Julie Gulick and Ned Uber will share their techniques and experiences refined through multiple projects at MEDRAD.

Speakers:

Julie Gulick is a Product Planner in Marketing Department of the Molecular Imaging Group at MEDRAD leading product definition of new injector products via voice of the customer (including ethnographic research, interviewing, and surveying customers). Over her 15+ year career in the medical device industry she has held positions as design engineer, sales and marketing manager, product manager and product planner. Julie has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Ned Uber is a MEDRAD Fellow in the Corporate Innovations Department. In this role, Ned works with others to develop and patent ideas that represent entirely new product lines for Medrad. He provides technical expertise, team facilitation, and conducts ethnographic research for projects throughout the company. Ned has 25 years of experience in product development and research. He is an inventor on 40+ issued patents, with several more under examination. Dr. Uber has B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Date: May 6, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)
Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
- - - - - -

Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn?s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).

- - - - -
CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to ?CoREM?.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

Meet the Candidates for the May 6 CoREM Board Elections

In accordance with CoREM bylaws, Members in good standing will elect the Executive Board, consisting of 5 officers and two additional members.

The election will be conducted at the May 6, 2008 CoREM meeting at the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center in Monroeville, by paid-up members attending.

Membership payments will be accepted at the meeting. Below are the offices and candidates, all incumbents. We are seeking a candidate for Secretary---to nominate yourself or someone else, email Art Davidson at artdav@ece.cmu.edu.

1. President

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Executive Board. He or she shall coordinate, supervise or perform the administrative activities of CoREM, and perform any other function or responsibility assigned to the office by the executive board.

Candidate: Arthur Davidson

Arthur Davidson has been active in CoREM and predecessor organizations since 1993. He served as Director of the Deming Forum of Western Pennsylvania from 1994-1997, and was a co-founder of CoREM. He is presently employed as the Executive Director of the Center for Circuit and System Solutions (C2S2) at Carnegie Mellon University. Previously he had 25 years of experience in the computer and defense industries at IBM, Westinghouse, and Northrop Grumman. He teaches “Business for Engineers” to undergraduates and “Nonlinear Dynamics” to grad students in the electrical and Computer engineering Dept. at Carnegie Mellon. He earned a BS in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a PhD in applied physics from Harvard University.

2. Vice President

It shall be the duty of the Vice President to stand in from time to time for the President at board meetings, if the President cannot fulfill that duty. The Vice President shall be the leader of the monthly member meetings, and perform any other function assigned by the executive board.

Candidate: Marilyn Reeder

Marilyn Reeder Has been a Project Manager in Nuclear & Specialty Products for the Ralph A Hiller Company, a fluid power solutions company. She is also the owner of Diverse Leadership Solutions, a diversity leadership consulting firm providing guidance in diversity and career development. She has over twenty years experience as a mechanical engineer and project manager in several industries including nuclear, plastics, and medical devices. She has also served as the Non-Traditional Career Specialist for the Community College of Allegheny County. Ms. Reeder holds a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master Degree in Leadership and Liberal Studies from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers serving on both the national nominating committee and the editorial board of SWE Magazine, she also serves as director and awards chair for the Pittsburgh Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She has been active in CoREM for five years most recently as vice president.

3. Secretary

The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of CoREM, keeping accurate records of the affairs and transactions of CoREM and its Executive Board, including the keeping and publication of the minutes of Board meetings. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to publicize the monthly member meetings. In addition the Secretary shall perform any other function assigned by the Executive Board.

Candidate: OPEN Send nominations to Art Davidson at artdav@ece.cmu.edu.

4. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall collect, record, and keep safe all dues, assessments, and payments to CoREM, and keep records of all disbursements, as approved by the Executive Board.

Candidate: Dennis Snedden

Dennis Snedden has invested the last 19 years as a trainer and speaker. 15 years as owner of Time Management Services, based in Pittsburgh. He works with the overwhelmed and underorganized who want to get more done, feel more accomplished or go home on time more often. Thousands have benefited from his timely wisdom on timely topics. Clients range from Sr. Executives, to Owners, to Management, to Production, to Sales, to Administration.

5. Director of Public Relations

The Director of Public Relations shall be the primary liaison between CoREM and the outside world. He or she shall plan and organize publications, and interact with other organizations to further the aims of CoREM, and any other duties conferred by the Executive Board.

Candidate: Brien Palmer.

Brien Palmer is a management consultant specializing in leadership development and business management systems. He is a partner in InterLINK Management Consulting and principal in BP Enterprises. In eighteen years as a consultant, he has served a broad spectrum of clients, from large, internationally known companies such as Commonwealth Edison and Ontario Hydro to smaller, family-owned businesses. He has produced significant business results in a wide range of business settings, including high technology, manufacturing, public utilities, financial services, construction, and non-profit organizations.

Brien co-founded and serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management (CoREM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in leadership. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), Pittsburgh section (www.asqpgh.org), and is an ASQ Certified Quality auditor. He frequently presents original material in seminars, workshops and professional journals, and provides pro bono services to local community organizations. Brien received degrees in Philosophy and Geology from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Additional Board Candidate from the Membership

Candidate: Adele Lynn

Since 1982, Adele has served as the founder and owner of Lynn Learning Labs, a national consulting and training firm whose clients include many Fortune 500 names. Her business focuses on helping organizations forge trusting relationships and improve productivity and quality through improvements in emotional intelligence and workplace trust. Adele helps organizations forge trusting relationships and improve productivity and quality. She is the author of critically acclaimed, In Search of Honor, Lessons from Workers on How to Build Trust. Her newest book is The EQ Difference. She also authored Mentoring: Passing on the Torch, winner of the 1998 Athena Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Adele is a frequent guest on radio talk shows throughout the United States and Canada. Her work on emotional intelligence is offered through strategic partners throughout Latin America, India, and Europe

Adele lectures at numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States. She is also a frequent guest on radio talk shows and TV shows throughout the United States and Canada. She is a member of the National Speakers Association.

Adele’s clients include organizations such as: Boeing, Westinghouse, Electro-Glass Manufacturing, Bechtel Bettis, Corning, Inc., The Washington Group, High Mark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Pa, Illinois and Texas, Doctor’s Eyecare Network, Federal Reserve Bank, Bank One, KeyBank, Wachovia, Federal Home Loan Bank, West Virginia University Medical Center, 53^rd Bank, UPMC, Honeywell, McDonald Investments, American Society of Quality, Association of Quality and Participation, Oncology Nurses Society, Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

Additional Board Candidate from the Membership

Candidate: Pete McQuillin

Pete McQuillin, an executive coach at Fourth River Associates, holds a degree in mathematics and economics and advanced training in group facilitation. After serving six-years in the US Navy during the Vietnam War era, the rest of his career has concentrated on assessing the marketplace, monitoring trends and developing new ways of communicating about business. He has first-hand knowledge of what companies need to do to succeed in today's ever-changing global arena. His experience ranges from PPG Industries, a multi-billion dollar international corporation, to starting and operating an export trading company. Pete has held positions in sales, marketing and corporate training, with a specialty in finding and implementing new product solutions for customer problems and building teams to establish long-term customer relationships. He has facilitated new product ideation sessions, business plan development and new business start-up project planning groups. Pete's commitment to understanding training and team-building carries over to his personal interests: for fifteen years Pete has been an advocate and active volunteer in social justice work with several Pittsburgh-based organizations.

CoREM Event for April 1, 2008

Free registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

Lessons in Leadership in the wake of Katrina



In August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast, testing the compassion and generosity of all Americans. In the aftermath, it was difficult for any of us to envision a recovery for that area.

Americans responded by giving money, sending supplies, and signing up to volunteer. Lisa Scales, COO, and Larry Hokaj, CTO, both of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank were called upon by America’s Second Harvest, The Nation’s Food Bank Network, to aid in the relief effort. Although their initial impressions led them to believe their work would be similar, they returned to Pittsburgh with great contrast in experience.

Lisa was assigned to work with FEMA and representatives from American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other social service organizations at the Joint Field Office (JFO) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This group functioned as a coordinating committee for the delivery of Mass Care services throughout Louisiana. They were responsible for assessing current service delivery mechanisms, identifying gaps, responding to requests for assistance, and making recommendations on service priorities and needed service development. They reported up to the Mass Care Area Command on policy issues and solicited service support resources.

Larry was assigned to work with those remaining staff members at the New Orleans Food Bank in New Orleans, LA, in rebuilding computer infrastructure and redefining the core procedures for recording the millions of pounds of food coming in and going out. His experience there was undoubtedly divided between an organization lacking direction and leadership and the same organization transformed to one back on track with a purpose and a mission.

Together, Lisa and Larry will lead a discussion of good management (and its absence) relative to what they observed during those trying circumstances.

Speakers:

Lisa Scales has been involved with food security issues since 1993. She is the Chief Operations Officer for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Prior to this, Lisa was a Co-Director for Just Harvest, a community-based, anti-hunger advocacy and education organization located in Homestead, PA. While there, she served as Director for the Women’s Leadership & Organizing Project, and as Field Supervisor for the Hometown Hunger research project on childhood hunger. Lisa obtained a B.A. from Seton Hill University and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. She serves on the Board of Three Rivers Community Foundation, which provides grants to a variety of social justice organizing efforts in Southwestern Pennsylvania, as well as on the Board of the Funding Exchange, a national membership organization of progressive, social justice community foundations. Lisa has been an active member of the Community Food Security Coalition and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. She has also served on the Boards of Sharp Visions, Inc. and GLSEN.

Larry Hokaj is the Chief Technology Officer of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Since 2000, he’s led the organization’s IT initiatives and has worked to align the IT strategy with the business strategy of the Food Bank. He holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science from West Virginia University and has attended training course in project management, network administration, and application development. Larry is the owner of Computer Allies, a sole proprietorship specializing in computer consulting and repair.

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Date: April 1, 2008
Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM
Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)
Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)
Cost: free
Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.
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Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).
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CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

March 4 CoREM Event!

Free Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at BrienP@adelphia.net or 724-733-5007

Mission Driven Leaders – Is there really a difference?

Come and meet one to find out for yourself

We all talk about mission driven organizations. Most leaders work hard to drive the organization’s mission. But what is the difference between driving an organization’s mission and being a mission driven leader? When a leader fiercely believes in his or her organization’s mission, and his or her personal values align with that mission, the leader adds new depth to the concept of mission.

Come and join us for a discussion with one such leader. Vincent Cerasuolo, President of Century Heritage Federal Credit Union ardently believes in the credit union mission. Vin will share with us his passion for his mission. As you listen to Vin, you’ll gain an up-close look at a mission driven leader and you’ll have the opportunity to find out just what distinguishes such a leader. Come prepared to take a five point self assessment to determine how closely aligned your personal mission is with the work that you do. This discussion will prove interesting regardless of the kind of work you do.

About Vincent Cerasuolo

In his 28-year career in the credit union movement, Vin Cerasuolo has held a variety of management positions at credit unions in three different states. He formerly served as CEO of Vermont Development (now Opportunities CU), one of the nation’s most progressive community development credit unions. For the last ten years he has served as President & CEO of Century Heritage, a community-chartered credit union in the Mon-Yough area of Allegheny County.

He was a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Community Credit Unions from 2001-2004 and currently serves on the Regulatory Review Committee of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association. He donates time to the community as Steering Committee Chairman of the Mon Valley Providers Council, Vice-Chairman of the Regional Chamber Alliance, and fundraising co-chair of the Mon-Yough Council of Junior Achievement.

When not at Century Heritage, Vin enjoys renovating his home and participating in his local church in White Oak, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife Cozette raise their ten children.

Date: March 4, 2008

Time: Program - 4:00-6:00 PM

Place: Forbes Road Career and Technology Center in Monroeville (directions follow)

Sponsor: CoREM (the Council on Realizing Excellence in Management)

Cost: free

Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at BrienP@adelphia.net or 724-733-5007.

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Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center

The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC. Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100

From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).

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CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities.

Super Tuesday Feb 5 CoREM Event!!

Free Registration: Contact Brien Palmer at bpalmer@interlinkbusiness.com or 724-733-5007.

In Pennsylvania, we can't vote on super Tuesday, but we can come to a big CoREM Event for 4:00 PM Tuesday, February 5, 2008,

CoREM Book Review:
“The Black Swan”

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

--The Impact of the Highly Improbable--

Discussion leader: Art Davidson

This hard-cover non-fiction New York Times best seller makes the concept of a black swan a metaphor for rare events with high impact. For example, put yourself in the place of a young turkey, who finds every day of life just getting better and better. As each day passes pretty much like the one before, the turkey gets more and more comfortable with his environment and more and more confident in the future. For a thousand days, his confidence builds. Then, on the 1001^st day, the day before Thanksgiving, he experiences an event that he could not ever have predicted, and which has extreme consequences for him. The ax falling on that Wednesday in November is a narrative used by Taleb to define his concept of a black swan event.

In world events, 9/11 was a black swan event for the Bush administration. The rise of the internet and quick success of Google also fit the description of black swans in business. Clearly, leaders of all organizations need to think about this concept.

Art Davidson will give a summary of Taleb’s ideas, assuming no prior knowledge of the book. He will lead a discussion of how Black Swan events, both good and bad, have shaped our lives, organizations, and community. There will also be an original CoREM hands-on exercise calculating what might be called a logistical black swan.

Bio for speaker: Dr. Arthur Davidson has been active in CoREM and predecessor organizations since 1993. He served as Director of the Deming Forum of Western Pennsylvania from 1994-1997, and was a co-founder of CoREM. He is presently employed as the Executive Director of the Center for Circuit and System Solutions (C2S2) at Carnegie Mellon University. Previously he had 25 years of experience in the computer and defense industries at IBM, Westinghouse, and Northrop Grumman. He teaches “Business for Engineers” to undergraduates and “Nonlinear Dynamics” to grad students in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept. at Carnegie Mellon

Directions to Forbes Road Career & Technology Center
The Center borders Boyce Campus of CCAC
Address: 607 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 412-373-8100
From Downtown Pittsburgh: Go east on Interstate 376 (Parkway East) approximately 15 miles and get off the Parkway in Monroeville at exit 14B (Plum), just past exit 14A (Rt. 48). Proceed north through the intersection with the traffic light to the stop sign at Beatty Road. Van Horn’s Funeral Home will be on the far left corner. Turn right on to Beatty Road and drive to the second stop sign (Community College of Allegheny County--Boyce Campus entrance). Turn right and go approximately 100 feet. Turn left into the Forbes Road Career & Technology Center entrance (Gateway Press building is on the right).
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CoREM is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. All our revenues come from membership dues. If you find our services valuable, please sign up for membership and submit your tax-deductible $35 fee. (Make checks out to “CoREM”.) Give it to our treasurer Dennis Snedden or send it to him at 613 Library Av., Carnegie, PA 15106-2910.

CoREM provides a forum for the critical study of original and effective leadership methods and principles through collaboration and lifelong learning, to benefit individuals, organizations, and our communities. See CoREM’s programs since the middle of 2007 at the CoREM blog: Leading Leaders and Leadership.