Meet the Team

Our staff is comprised of professionals with a combined 75 years of organizational development and over 99 years of corporate experience:

Bennett Hoffman

Educational Background:

• Industrial Psychology
• Adult Education
• Coaching & Facilitation
• Group Process Theory
• Organizational Development
• Leadership Development
• Customer Service Survey Systems & Process Development
• Curriculum Development
• Experiential Learning

Experience:

• 24 years of sales management, purchasing management and operational management for an electronic component manufacturing company. Held the position of Vice President of Marketing & Sales and Senior Vice President which included strategic executive responsibilities. As a senior executive, his company earned top supplier recognition with Lockheed Martin, Rockwell International, Siemans, and Westinghouse.  
• Organizational, Leadership & Team Development instructor/facilitator for Penn State University since 1996.
• Director of Operations for TeamWorks, Inc. since 2002
• Lead Instructor & Facilitator for TeamWorks, Inc. since 2002
• Continuous Improvement Training & Facilitation for internationally recognized companies since 2003
• Design and Construction of Low Element Challenge Courses and workplace simulations since 2003
• Customer Service & Continuous Improvement Process Trainer & Facilitator for American Honda Motor Corporation since 2003

Brad Ishler

Educational Background:

• Managing Total Quality
• Team Development and Facilitation
• Statistical Process Control
• PDCA and Quality Measurement Tools
• ISO 9000 Lead Auditor

Experience:

• 28 years of business and industry experience as an Inspector, Quality Facilitator and Quality Manager for an electronics manufacturing operation.
• Quality Management Consultant
• Implemented, managed and audited various ISO 9000 Quality Systems.
• Chaired Corporate Training Council to organize and formalize training for more than 300 employees.
• Team Leader for numerous process improvement teams.
• Owner/Operator of Commercial Building Supplies, Sales, Service and Installation Company.

James Katzin

Educational Background:

• Planetary Science
• Environmental Studies
• Education
• Instruction & Curriculum Development
• Organizational Development
• Adventure Based Programming & Development

Experience:

• Organizational Operations Manager for 10 Years – Plant Health Care, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA.
• Facility Manager- Hulbert Outdoor Center- Fairlee, VT
• Instructor/Wilderness Trip Director- Pine Ridge Adventure Center- Williston, VT
• Organizational Development, Team Development, and Outdoor Educator
• Team Development Instructor/Facilitator for Penn State University since 2000.
• Instruction, Facilitation, & Curriculum Development for TeamWorks, Inc.
• Lead Facilitator for the TeamWorks AdventureWorks programs.
• Design and Construction of Low Element Challenge Courses
• Organic Farmer

Frank Chelko

Educational Background:

• Lean Enterprise
• Six Sigma
• Problem Prevention
• Continuous Improvement
• Quality and Manufacturing Management
• Electrical Electronics Technology

Experience:

• Instructor with the Smeal College of Business at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Course instruction includes: Quality Management, Business Process Flow and Analysis, Quality Strategies and Management (QMM 551), Design Practices for Manufacturing (QMM 571 / 572), Manufacturing and Service Strategies (SC&IS 405), Materials Management, and Procurement Strategy (SC&IS 406). His work for the Smeal College of Business began in the spring semester of 2001.
• Corporate Director of Quality and Reliability Assurance for C-COR.net, a manufacturer of telecommunications electronics.  Led the corporation's efforts in achieving the Central Pennsylvania Quality Award in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Management experience includes leadership of Quality, Operations and Supply Chain as well as Engineering Program management departments with high-tech businesses. The companies include Xerox, Digital Equipment Corporation, Seagate Technology and Conner Peripherals as well as several entrepreneurial start-ups located in the Silicon Valley region of California. Additionally, his professional experiences include the quality management of international suppliers and the transfer of manufacturing technology to Far East and European locations.

Educational Background:

• Group Processing and Facilitation
• Individual Processing and Facilitation
• Program Development and Evaluation
• Individual and Group Supervision
• Multicultural Counseling and Interventions
• Leadership Development
• Curriculum Development
• Developmental Psychology
• Date Analysis of Large Data Sets

Experience:

• 22 years of counseling, psychotherapy, and teaching experiences at the university level. Has Held the positions faculty member and program chair at The Pennsylvania State University. Trains students to work in difference systems (e.g., primary, secondary and business). He has also been a consultant for many organizations including the United State Department of Education and many schools in higher education.
• Owner of Counseling, Consultation, and Psychotherapy Services since 2004.
• Director of the African Research Center at Penn State University since 2006
• Associate Professor of Education and Rehabilitation Services at Penn State University since 1997.
• Has taught Foundations of Multicultural Counseling at Penn State University since 2002.
• Trainer for faculty and staff in the area of diversity.

Educational Background:

• Business and Economics
• Management
• Organization Development
• Group Facilitation and Teambuilding
• Individual, Group and Organizational Assessments
• Organizational Leadership
• Technology Education
• Association for Psychological Type and Center for Applied Cognitive Studies qualifications

Experience:

• Over 20 years combined experience in business, consulting, and education
• National and international consulting experience includes work for Fortune 500 companies and US State Department of Education
• Currently provides professional development, group facilitation, teambuilding and leadership training for university faculty and staff
• Curriculum development for graduate and workforce development programs including diversity and legal compliance training
• Taught business, social science and leadership courses at undergraduate and graduate level