CEO Testimonials
1. Joe Schroeder, CEO—Rockwell Federal Credit Union
“As a client for five years, we’ve discovered that Steve’s Systems Approach is logical and effective. He has earned the respect of management and the Board.”
2. Jim Acridge, Chairman and CEO—Giant Industries, Inc.
“Steve and his associates have continued to deliver new, but proven, methods that are exciting and are delivering the desired result. "Your Strategic Management model successfully incorporates our personnel into the planning and implementation process.”
3. Steve Barker, CEO—Eagle Creek Travel Gear
“Steve’s personal advice and coaching has been invaluable to me and helped me grow as a CEO while also dramatically growing our company. We have adopted and now “own” Steve’s Strategic Planning and Change process. It is the cornerstone of how we run Eagle Creek.”
4. Marla Shepard, CEO—First Future Credit Union
“The clarity, focus, and simplicity of the Centre’s approach to Strategic Planning is extremely effective. The commitment to the plan and the clear accountability have made implementation a resounding success.”
5. Don Fast, Governor General-Western Region Environment, Canada
“Systems Thinking has provided the means to proactively adapt my organization during periods of growth as well as severe downsizing – it has been the key to survival. ‘Creating the People Edge’ by applying systems thinking to HR management is the most exciting concept I have seen in 30 years of management. People are the greatest resource we have and this approach provides a practical way to have a win-win for the employees, our organization and our clients.”· “Steve Haines is a world leader in Enterprise-Wide Change management and systems thinking.”
6. TEC Group CEO Participant
“Steve is really great, really lived up to his reputation.”
7. Sheryl McTear, Former President and CEO—Central Credit Union
“Strategic planning and change have been the thrust for the positive results we have achieved the last two years: a decrease in expenses, growth of more than 20%, and a 70% increase in profits. Steve and his state of the art strategic planning process has paved the way to a successful turnaround.”
8. Fred Holliger, COO—Giant Industries, Inc.
“Steve Haines is the finest facilitator I have ever worked with particularly in the strategic planning and change area. His ability to probe, cajole and close the loop on key issues ensures a thorough and complete strategic review. The Model is a superb design.”
9. Dr. Robert Reeves – Superintendent, Poway Unified School District
“Strategic planning and strategic change have dramatically changed our school district from a focus on teaching to ‘Excellence in Learning our only business’.”· “Steve Haines has worked with the Poway Unified School District over the past four years. Steve has facilitated us to new positive relationships with our teacher unions through patience, understanding, coercion, and a clear understanding of group dynamics. He has made a second substantial impact by working us through Applied Strategic Planning. By helping us adopt a business model to the school business, we now have a clear focus on the future, a commitment through the active organization, and an increased sense among all employees that what they do is important to our mission.”· “Steve, Great to hear from you; shaping PUSD’s strategic mission in 1988 is still working. We even learned how to use KSF’s for learning. Keep in touch.”
10. TEC Group Chairman (International CEO Organization)
“Steve did a great presentation by TEC standards (4.8/5.0 evaluation). Steve is ‘the best’ TEC resource we have on strategic management.” Also listed in their ‘Premier Resources’ list.
11. CEO (4.7/5.0 evaluation by TEC group)
“Steve’s presentation had excellent practical content regarding strategic management, planning and change. He has an outstanding presentation style. He knows his stuff. I gained real insight into strategic planning.”
12. TEC Group Chairman
“In Steve you have the experience of large corporate operations, the ongoing research of an academic, and the entrepreneurial spirit in starting the Haines Centre for Strategic Management.”
13. Canadian Provincial Departments (4.9/5.0 evaluation)
“All of the participants of the strategic planning and change management courses considered the events a huge success. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with our public service employees.”
14. Basil Ciplitsky, GM—SASK Mobility, Canada
“Thanks for everything during our Strategic Planning course last month. Your coaching, leadership and guidance were much appreciated. You are truly an artist at your craft.”
15. Executive Participant in two week Sr. Executive Development program—Banff Centre for Management, Canada
“Stephen Haines was one of the two stars of the program. The Planning and Change modules were excellent. Haines was more of what I expected to be the standard of all. He is knowledgeable and confident. Someone presenting to 30 executives should come across with authority.”
16. Morgan Gust, President—Giant Industries, Inc.
“Once again, what you’ve helped us achieve in rebuilding our direction and executive teamwork is wonderful. You’re the best… No one else is even a distant second.”
17. Eric Palmaer, CEO—KVP Systems
“One of the best tactical, implemental plans…ever seen. I think this is one of your strengths—to move the strategic down into the tactical and into a performance plan.”
18. Frank Fallwell, Chairman—Alberta Marketing Council, Canada
“The Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council renewed itself six years ago using the Centre’s Strategic Management System. We have also taken the opportunity to revisit and realign our strategic plan after each three year period, enabling us to further focus and strengthen. Stephen Haines and his system continue to be instrumental in giving our organization a focused direction which has greatly improved our success and positive reputation.”
19. Hal Kluis — CEO, Evans Telecommunications Company
“Steve’s personal advice and his Centre’s framework has a simplicity that we have successfully used to plan and dramatically change our telephone company over the past four years to a much more customer oriented, high performance organization. Our Board of Directors is ecstatic as well.”· “We have a focused company that knows where we need to be three years from now.”
20. Doug Pruitt, Chairman and CEO—Sundt Corporation
On why I chose Steve Haines and the Haines Centre for Strategic Management (for my Leadership and Strategic Management needs): “A good common sense approach, an excellent reputation and references, experience with construction, a known quality, with a focus on implementation and change, not just planning.”
21. Richard Condit, Senior Vice President Human Resource—Sundt Corporation
“We’ve just had the most profitable year in the 100+ years we’ve been in existence—and our Strategic Management System installed by the Centre is the major reason why.”
22. Jo Campbell, CEO—Value Added Seeds
“Very knowledgeable, good model, good examples. Excellent presenter/facilitator.”· “Good knowledge and experience base. Cross-functional in relating to all levels.”
23. CAPT Chris Guild, CEC, USN, Commanding Officer— Navy PWC San Diego
“CSM helped us create a strategic plan which focused the entire organization on a common vision of customer satisfaction with all aspects of business aligned to improve cost, quality, and response.”
24. Robert M. Earl, President—Earl Construction Company
“Your program of strategic planning and change was ideal for the purposes of this course. It required that the students address a wide range of issues…as well as providing each of them with an expertise that will not only be useful in their careers but one which is in short supply in our industry.”· “Your planning and change model was an essential ingredient in that success. The simplicity of the model coupled with the thoroughness required in the preparation of a viable plan resulted in student plans which were well thought out and highly comprehensive.”
25. Paul Kalmbach, President—Kalmbach Feeds Inc.
“Steve has an excellent ability to get through the peripheral issues and get to the core issues.”· “Steve has helped to bring our management together to understand the system to produce culture change.”
26. William E. McDaniel, Board of Trustees—Apple Valley Unified School District
“I have been exposed to many planning models, efforts, strategic and otherwise, and none of them have been as effective as Stephen Haines’ efforts and expertise assisting Apple Valley Unified School District. Stephen Haines understands strategic planning and his model and facilitation skills are unsurpassed. He has the ability to insure that the group maintains focus without exercising undo control. Steve and his model take an organizational group far beyond their expectations and achieve a consensus and excitement that sparks a rebirth and a true recognition of mission. His planning model and expertise are absolutely the best that I have experienced.”
27. L. T. Hubbard, Executive Director—Environmental Protection Division, British Columbia
“Mr. Haines introduced the concept of critical success indicators that has more narrowly focused this organization’s strategic change process. He has been an objective, outside voice that quickly earned the respect of the board, senior management, and medical staff leadership alike in working through difficult economic and interpersonal problem areas common to most health organizations.”
28. Dr. Richard B. Adams, Former Director Program and Services—San Diego County Regional Occupational Program
“In the development of the conceptual part of the 10-year strategic plan for the San Diego Regional Occupational Program, Steve provided the facilitating leadership to achieve identification of our mission statement, strategic goals, and KSF’s. He brought to our team a wealth of knowledge and practice in organizational behavior, group dynamics, motivation, clarity of purpose, time-on-task techniques, consensus attainment, and group self evaluation. Overall he was very effective in helping us identify and achieve our expectations.”
29. Joel Thornley, Superintendent—Hayward Unified School District
“The Hayward Unified School District developed a Strategic Plan this year. Steve Haines, through his adroit facilitation, played a key role in developing this plan. He kept the diverse group of educators and parents who served on the planning committee focused and on task throughout the long and, at times, soul-searching process leading to the creation of Hayward’s plan. Steve is a master facilitator who understands the planning process.”
30. W. E. (Ted) Evans, President and CEO—BC Systems Corporation, Canada
“Steve encouraged us to take charge of our planning process and tailored his methodology to fit our situation. Steve’s experience as an executive helped a lot in understanding and meeting the needs of our senior management team. Steve is able to integrate diverse ideas, adapt to changing circumstances, and help people to build on others’ ideas.”
31. Marlin Foxworth, Superintendent—Hayward Unified School District
“Although I have told others, until now I have not told you how grateful and deeply impressed I am with your work. You have been both enlightening and encouraging. I not only respect your grasp of the subject matter which brought us together, but I am also thankful for your commitment to Hayward Unified’s efforts ‘at getting it right’.”
32. Stanley D. Ryals, President/Treasurer—High Desert Foundation, Inc.
“Saying thank you just doesn’t seem adequate. Yes, we benefited greatly from your expertise and suggestions, but there was something more. You brought us friendship and caring, two ingredients not required for a strategic plan. And then, you gave us most of your time!”
33. Tim McFarland, President—The Pinnacle Group
“Thank you for the valuable information you provided our business group yesterday. I found your information and ‘direction leadership’ to be most helpful. In addition to the strategic planning advice, I found the idea exchanges on how to improve our communication and how to successfully conduct a meeting to be very helpful. You can trust that we will put your knowledge to work for The Pinnacle Group.”
34. R. L. Hough, Executive Director—Red Angus Association of America
“I was extremely pleased with the content and how it was presented. I definitely gained a tremendous amount of insight on how to efficiently and correctly implement changes we are facing in our Association. You have certainly given me a new perspective and appreciation on how skilled ‘process’ people can positively impact a business, and I look forward to working with you in the future.”
35. Dr. R. P. Gilbert, Former Executive Director—Red Angus Association of America
“Steve Haines and colleagues at the Haines Centre for Strategic Management have clearly created a new and elegant level of thinking to address the significant problems of today and the future—thinking backwards to the future. Organizations that adopt this new frame of reference substantially improve their probability of long-term success.”
36. Executive Participant
“Steve Haines and the Centre’s Systems Thinking Model have been the driving force to the development of the focus, purpose, and sense of direction to move us successfully into the 21st century.”
37. Robert M. Edwards, President and CEO—Palomar Pomerado Health System
“Mr. Haines introduced the concept of critical success indicators that has more narrowly focused this organization’s strategic change process. He has been an objective, outside voice that quickly earned the respect of the board, senior management, and medical staff leadership alike in working through difficult economic and interpersonal problem areas common to most health organizations.”
38. Executive Participant —City of Yuma
“You delivered! We have a viable SM Plan to guide us towards our desired outcomes.”
39. Tyler Schilling , President—Schilling Robotic Systems
“With CSM’s help we have seen a much greater and lasting impact on our day to day activities than previous planning efforts have yielded.”
40. Ruth Papazian, Board Chairperson, California Coast Credit Union
“Steve is a fantastic facilitator—he exhibits both patience for our ‘tangents’ yet always manages to address individual concerns while continually moving us forward.”
41. Stan Huser, President—AmeriSearch
“I attended my first TEC meeting two years ago and you were our speaker that day.”· “That meeting to this day has been my favorite because strategic planning has given my managers and me focus. Focus on where we are going and how to get there.”· “Having just finished our third plan, I am confident with the process and now feel like more of a leader than a day to day firefighter. Thank you for bringing your program to TEC.”
42. Richard Johnson, Chairman, CEO and Industry “Icon”—Wescorp
“Steve Haines provided the expertise to take our organization into a living-breathing no nonsense planning cycle that won’t gather dust. This is serious stuff. Tourists shouldn’t try it. Our Strategic Planning, especially the results, are the best I’ve ever seen in my long career.”
43. Steve Vande Berg, Chairman of the Board—Best Western International, Inc.
“I want to take this opportunity as I prepare to retire from my position as chairman of Best Western’s Board of Directors to reaffirm once again my admiration for you and the Haines Centre for Strategic Management. When we asked you to facilitate our self-evaluation and strategic planning, I knew we were asking you to do something very difficult. Best Western is, as you now know, a unique organization in the real definition of that much overused word.”· “All the members of the Board and the senior staff have been impressed at how quickly you were able to comprehend the dual nature of Best Western’s personality and your ability to work within philosophies and prejudices that have been ingrained for decades. Your flexibility, keen understanding and positive attitude are in no small measure responsible for what I believe has been a remarkably successful self-assessment.”
44. John Kowalski, CEO—Pulse Engineering, Inc.
“Installing Steve and the Centre’s Strategic Management System contributed to Pulse having its’ best year ever in 1999. And 2000 is starting off even better.”
45. William Birdwell, COO – WesCorp
“Steve and the Haines Centre for Strategic Management has provided us a framework to not only plan our strategies, but the methodology to execute them. We are greatly pleased.”
46. Evan Curry, Senior VP – Cardone Industries, Inc.
“I don't embrace packaged systems quickly as the perfect solution for our business. In the case of Steve and the Centre, I would look at several other planning books and manuals. However, each time I found myself coming back to the CSM process and finding it had the answers. It would "hit" me.."This is it!"
47. Fred Branca, Chairman, Board of Directors – Orange County’s Credit Union
“On behalf of Orange County’s Credit Union, I would like to extend a special thanks for your presentation at the Strategic Planning Conference. It was a pleasure to, once again, meet with you and learn about the progress of the credit union’s mission, vision and core values. I particularly enjoyed hearing about your “Systems Thinking Approach” and philosophical emphasis that “people support what they help create:
48. Jeffrey S. Cummings, D.M.D.
“Thank you so much for your help with this strategic planning process. We now have a plan, written down, and that has changed my professional life. There is great power and reward in having a vision and plan to reach it.”
49. Darleen Welhim, Senior Vice President – First Future Credit Union
“Thanks for an awesome planning session. In my opinion ‘One of the Best’ So much accomplished in two days. Steve, you did an incredible job in facilitating the process. It is amazing to me how you were able to keep us on track and help us resolve various issues.”
50. Nancy Angus, SDPD Head of the Strategic Management Unit
“I only heard very positive things re: yesterday’s CEC workshop. We Have definitely turned the corner and will continue to move forward. Thanks!”
51. Fredric L. Holliger, Chairman and CEO—Giant Industries, Inc.
“Steve, I personally want to thank you for all your support and assistance and your dedication to the Giant Management Team. With your help, Giant is chartering a clearer path for the future.”
52. David Bejarano, Chief—San Diego Police Department
“We have made significant progress in the last two years in gaining the ownership of our Strategic Management System throughout the Department. The outstanding results we are now achieving are a tribute to the hard work it took to get us all working together on the vision. Sandi and Steve have been essential to this success and we could not have done it without them. Thanks again for the coaching.”
53. Val Dunphy, Executive Director—Kidney Foundation
“Back up north here, in Winnipeg, I continue to read your books and study Systems Thinking. It’s all very logical to me, so it makes great sense. I had facilitated two Systems Thinking Strategic Planning sessions this summer, based on my readings before the seminar, so the staff was already on board. Now I know I am on the right track and can continue.”
54. Judith McCartney, President/CEO—Orange County’s Credit Union
“Thank you so much for joining us at our Board of Directors Educational Conference. It was very valuable to have you there to ‘lead” us through our Strategic Plan. The review of our Mission and Vision and Core Values was important to ensure that the Board of Directors is still ‘on target’ with these. To gain their concurrence with our 2003 Priority Action Items is important for us to know that ‘the road we are on’ is the ‘correct; one. Again, thank you for your support and guidance during this process. It gets easier and easier!”
55. Ron Turk, EVP & Chief Financial Officer
“Steve, came to our business at a time when we were outgrowing our management processes that supported the business so well up to $100 million in sales. The diversity of types of growth that we were now going after (different customer segments, significant increases in new products and value proposition enhancements) were stretching our old ways of decision making. Steve came with his Strategic Mgt. System, which taught us how to think more strategically, but also helped us to better focus on the key initiatives that could be traced back to our vision, mission and necessary steps to reach these 5 years out. Although, not everything was accomplished in the first series of planning sessions, it provided the framework that was continued on for years after, only being modified by HD's new mgt's SOAR process started in 2001 or 2002 (very similar in concept). Steve taught us early on, that once you understood his model for planning, it could be applied to simple project mgt. to extensive strategic plans. I enjoyed applying what Steve taught in many venues. To this day, I am pleased to have had the association with Steve and the significant value he has provided to my career growth and our company's planning capabilities. His teaching and mentoring was clearly a big step in a transformational journey our organization went on for the 3 to 5 years after we met. I believe our highest performing team years were in that period, and they in large part were precipitated by the tools Steve taught us and the insight into how to be more strategic in how we approach our business, not just once a year, but day to day.”
56. Lori White, Executive VP—Valley Credit Union, San Jose, CA
“When we first started with Steve 4 years ago, people were all working off different business plans and going in all different directions. With Steve's help, we created ONE vision. The plan is like glue for our organization. It gives us all ONE purpose to strive towards.”
57. Anthony Jones, CEO—Valley Credit Union, San Jose, CA
"It is an amazing feeling to have begun with a vision for ourselves, and to see each of the goals outlined in our plan being accomplished by our team". Steve Haines and The Systems Thinking Approach are amazing.”
58. Dennis Blair, Admiral US Navy (Ret), President—IDA, Washington, D.C.
"Steve Haines and his fellow authors’ practical handbook for leading Enterprise-Wide Change in an organization is a godsend to any executive and consultant. Their years of experience, research and observation are distilled into logical steps for the executive and consultant alike to follow. The examples they give throughout the text bring each step alive. The environment for all enterprises is continually changing, and Steve Haines' book will aid leaders in keeping their enterprises ahead of change and growing profitably.”
59. Jim Evans, CEO—Jenny Craig
“Steve, the session went extremely well, as it always does when you have facilitated a Strategic Planning retreat for me as CEO in two different companies. We could not have gotten through some tough discussions and consensus as a team without your expert guidance. You first build everyone’s trust in you and then guided us through some tough but exciting decisions. You advice on not focusing on last years work too much I think made a difference also. Bottom line: we had a very successful day thanks to your leadership!”
60. Boniface Ngarachu, CFO—Uganda Telecom
“I trust that you traveled well. From us a big thank you and the work we did was indeed of immense value.”
61. Aimable Mpore, Managing Director, (CEO)—Uganda Telecomm
“I have really learned a lot, but more than that I am happy with what we have learned together as a team.”
62. Elaine Hodges, Director—San Diego County Office of Education
“You did such a great job of facilitating yesterday's meeting! Thank you foryour outstanding skillful leadership. Many kudos to you! Many persons havecommented to me on what a great job you did. Thank you for suggesting themeeting and for making it so productive. You're brilliant and a great facilitator. Thanks again!
63. Michael G. Larscheid, CEO—LMR Solutions
“I sure appreciate you giving your best efforts to help us move forward. We were a difficult group to say the least. Also, thank you for being a mentor to me in those difficult times. From where I sat, YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE! I hope all continues to go well for you and your publishing/consulting business. May it continue to grow and help others to excel.”
64. Roy Assad, Director—LeTip
“The compliments were meant, thanks for leading us as a team, the direction is essential in getting us to where we want to go. We will be busy gearing up to meet our new goals, so watch the charts.”
65. Sunil Talvadkar, General Manager Business Development-UPS, Mumbai, India
“It was indeed a pleasure attending the seminar conducted by you. For me personally it was very enriching two days as it gave me a different slant & perspective on how we can look at our business. Also I felt that you along with Jay conducted the same with a keen insight into the practicality factorrather than looking at it very superficially. I look forward to attending many more sessions which you would be conducting in the future.”
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