Karen P. Summey
Conover, North Carolina
828.466.1822
karen@karensummey.com

Accomplishments

Business development:
The Hickory Metro Higher Education Center has multiple college and university partners, providing undergraduate and graduate degree programming on weeknights and Saturdays in twelve state-of-the-art classrooms. For approximately 17 months after opening, the facility had no daytime programming or rentals. Business developed since hire:

• Established relationships with 100+ additional senior educational institutions, state agencies, non-profit agencies, governmental departments, and regional businesses to develop rental business for daytime classroom usage
• Exceeded goals for classroom rental income
• Established quarterly newsletter as promotional marketing vehicle for the center
• Established center as a new site for the Duke University Nonprofit Management Program
• Established center as a site for CPIM Exam Prep through regional APICS chapter
• Conducted feasibility study and established Prime Life Ed-Ventures continuing education series for regional citizens 45+ years of age
• Increased mailing list participation to over 2,000 recipients
• Developed marketing packet to enhance awareness and participation statewide
• Collaborated with UNC Chapel Hill and local hospitals to make region one of three pilot sites for A su salud - a beginning course in Spanish for healthcare professionals; coordinated and supervised all aspects of five-week pilot project

Conference development and management:
Provided turnkey development and management of on-site technology conference, with a registration goal of 250+ among

• the business community
• K-12 administrators, school board members, and technology managers
• higher education (college) administrators, faculty, staff, and students
• information technology workers; and
• web designers and developers.

Instructional analysis:
Invited to join UNC Chapel Hill Advisory Board for development of A su salud - Spanish for Healthcare Professionals - beginner's level.

• Member of development evaluation panel
• Provide advice on instructional systems design principles and techniques
• Critique print and multimedia course materials to ensure optimal transfer of learning

Instructional design and development:
Authored and delivered various corporate training courses and programs, including:

• The Business We're In: company-specific overview of locations, products, customers, etc.
• Orientation: for new employees
• Business Traveler: travel tips for new and experienced business travelers inside the company, including travel reservations, hotel safety, airline procedures and etiquette, traveling with computers, ground transportation, international law and customs, passports, dining out, efficient packing, and more.
• Train-the-Trainer (series):
  • Basic: primarily focused on platform skills
  • Advanced: objectives setting and course development
  • On-the-Job: non-classroom, one-on-one training; work performance
• Effective Meetings: calling meetings, getting prepared, conducting meetings, and post-meeting follow-up
• Microsoft PowerPoint Audio-Visual Tips & Techniques: for advanced software users; primary focus on using the various tools to showcase the presentation message
• SMART (Self-Motivation, Awareness, Responsibility, Technical Competence) Programs:
  • Sales
  • Customer Service
  • Switchboard

    The SMART programs were self-paced, individual training courses designed to promote fast indoctrination into departments and positions targeted by management. They required learners to make appointments with internal and cross-functional experts to obtain answers to multiple questions on specific topics. This provided expert answers, as well as establishment of professional working relationships.

Innovation in training:
Established the annual Sales Training Week (conference), providing turnkey management for events, including classroom reservations, food services, instructor identification and contracts, session scheduling, equipment reservations, participant materials, and promotions, as well as evaluations and management follow-up.

Site coordination:
Serve as site coordinator for Duke University Continuing Studies Nonprofit Management Program.

• Established Hickory Metro Higher Education Center as regional site for Duke NPM program, filling a strategic gap in geographic coverage
• Oversee all aspects of program fulfillment for region, including marketing, facilitation of information sessions, local agency needs analysis, scheduling of classroom space and instructors, reporting to program management, promotional events, etc.

Newsletter writing/editing:
Edit Hickory Metro Higher Education Center promotional and educational newsletter. Established quarterly newsletter as a branding tool for the facility. Promote events, inform community of partnerships and educational opportunities, educate community about educational issues. Praised by community leaders as creative and innovative.

Technical writing:
Wrote documentation for AS/400 Automated Expense Report and Automated Call Report Systems. Although established primarily for field sales personnel, the automated expense report became the mandatory method for all company personnel submitting expense reports.

Grant writing:
Worked with area businesses to secure grant funds for various initiatives. Researched and wrote project narratives to complete application guidelines. Secured multiple fully-funded grants.

Publication:
Initiated a project to fill a key gap in strategic information and training for external customers and internal employees. Authored and published the Introduction to Fiber Optics self-study course.

• This project was praised by the Manager of Quality and Education for filling key gaps in basic employee knowledge of the core business. An initial printed version was used for training internal employees.
• Also praised by the Manager of Marketing Communications for filling a key gap in external customer and student inquiries. The initial printed version was used to fulfill hundreds of information requests monthly.
• The course was immediately converted to a Website format as alternate to the printed publication, saving substantial monthly printing costs. It was the second most popular section of the Website, behind the home page, in the company's initial Website format.

Public speaking:

• Keynote speaker for Leadership Catawba - October 2004; Topic: The 21st Century Worker
• Session speaker for Corning Cable Systems Career Day - December 2004; Topic: Distance Learning: Is It Right for You?
• Session speaker for Catawba County Department Heads Retreat - August 2005; Topic: The 21st Century Worker
• Seminar Leader for Hickory Metro Higher Education Center - September 2005; Topic: How to Increase Your Training Return on Investment

Professional training certifications:
Earned professional training certifications from external providers, including:

• AchieveGlobal (formerly Learning International, Kaset, Zenger-Miller):
  • Quality Service Skills
  • Organizational Effectiveness Skills Modules (approximately 100 modules from Leadership for Results, Frontline Leadership, and WorkSkills programs)
    Representative topic examples include: basic principles for a collaborative workplace, coaching, constructive feedback, correcting performance problems, gaining commitment, handling emotions, managing priorities, moving from conflict to collaboration, performance reviews, recognizing positive results, and more.
• Development Dimensions International (DDI):
  • Targeted Selection (instructor/administrator)
• Interact Performance Systems:
  • Managing without Authority
  • Performance Problem Solving for Managers
• Kepner-Tregoe:
  • Project Management
• Vital Learning (formerly McGraw-Hill):
  • Proofamatics (proofreading skills)

Job analysis:
Conducted job analysis on key manufacturing position (for approximately 400 employees) to determine required skill sets for successful performance on the job. Identified key physical and mental attributes in compliance with legal requirements for ADA. Submitted final comprehensive report to staff. Completed analysis for:

• Compilation of a targeted job description
• Creation of interview guides
• Formulation of the facility's Peer Selection Committee Guidelines for selection of internal and external candidates.

Employee selection (behavioral interviewing and hiring):
Trained approximately 150 employees (plant/hourly to executive) on behavioral interviewing techniques. This led to the establishment of a peer selection committee on the manufacturing floor; i.e. plant/hourly employees assuming responsibility for the hiring of their peers. Highlights include:

• Development of interview guides based on individual position requirements and skill sets
• Interviewer/interviewee preparation
• Conducting and managing interviews
• Analysis and integration of individual and collective interview data
• Rating and ranking of candidates based on comparison to job requirements

Professional website voiceovers:

• Carolina Farm Credit
• MicroD Easy Planner

Successful history with start-up positions:
Eight previous jobs have been start-up positions; see Sales Promotion Coordinator, Editorial Assistant, Copywriter/Editor, Sales Training Coordinator, (Sales) Training Specialist, Special Projects Consultant, Special Projects Manager, and Business Programs & Conference Manager under the Skills section of this site.