Instructors

Patricia Hutton
Bill Kennelly
Jennifer Koch
Erin E. Makarius
Jeffrey J. Manhardt
Patricia McGee
Robert M. Meisel
Amy Pearl
Robert Sanborn
Jessica Schimert
Frank Swiatek
Michele Tucker
Melissa Bekelja Wanzer

Patricia Hutton, PhD
Professor, Canisius College

Patricia is a professor in Canisius College’s Economics and Finance Department where she has taught for 21 years. Previously, she was a visiting assistant professor at University of Buffalo and an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

She has been recognized by Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, holds an honorary membership in Beta Gama Sigma, and is a recipient of the Canisius College Kenneth L. Koessler Distinguished Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, concern for students, service to the college and scholarship. She also received the I. Joan Lorch Award for contribution toward the advancement of the status of women at Canisius College.

Patricia is a member of the American Economics Association, Southern Economics Association, Committee on the Status of Women in Economics and has been a referee for numerous professional journals.

Patricia holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in Agricultural Economics and a B.S.A. degree from the University of Manitoba.


Bill Kennelly
Vice President at M&T Bank, Training Director

Bill has direct responsibility for the development of the training strategy and program curriculum for the Banking Services Division. He insures that the training and development strategy aligns with the overall M&T Bank leadership requirements and enterprise strategy. He has contributed to the creation of multiple departmental training and leadership development programs. Bill is a gradute of Niagara University's Graduate School of Education and an alumni of M&T's Management Development Program.


Jennifer Koch, Ph.D
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
Canisius College
Koch has over 12 years comprehensive experience encompassing all areas of fundraising, including major donor cultivation and solicitation, corporate relations, and foundation and government research and grant writing. Currently the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for Canisius College, Koch is responsible for working with faculty across the campus to identify department and institutional priorities and securing partnerships that advance those priorities from the corporate and foundation sectors, as well as securing support for the current $90 million Legacy of Leadership Campaign.

Prior to coming to Canisius, Koch's experience includes:
 * Managing the corporate, foundation and government relations for the Buffalo Philharmonic, where she secured $3.1 million annually from foundations and corporations for the annual fund, and increased government support by more than $275,000.

* Directing the Daemen College capital compaign that raised over $9 million from corporate, foundation, government and individual donors to build the Research and Information Commons. Koch also secured the college's first Kresge grant of $900,000.

* Serving as a development officer for major gifts at the University at Buffalo in both the School of Allied Health and Health Professions and the College of Arts and Sciences, raising funds critical to endowed scholarships and program building during the $250 million Generation to Generation Campain.
Erin E. Makarius, Ph.D
Assistant Professor, Canisius College


Prior to coming to Canisius College, Dr. Makarius was an instructor in the Department of Management and Human Resources at Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University. The focus of Makarius' research is to better understand how image and reputation affects outcome in the workplace. She holds a Ph.D in philosophy, labor and human resources from Ohio State University, a master's degree in business administration, and a bachelor's degree in management and marketing from John Carroll University.

  Jeffrey J. Manhardt, PMP

Jeff Manhardt has over 15 years of work experience in network engineering, system implementation and project and program management. He has managed dozens of projects and programs for a Buffalo-based, top-twenty bank. His proven experience in the development, acquisition, implementation, testing and support of information technology services includes managing large, enterprise-wide projects. Over the last seven years, Jeff’s results oriented, process driven leadership approach has culminated with projects completing within 10 percent of time and cost. Jeff has also served as adjunct professor and taught a PMP® project management course at the Buffalo chapter of PMI and internationally at the Romanian Chapter of PMI.

Jeff received his PMP® certification in May 2005 and has served on the PMI Buffalo chapter Board since 2007 in the position of VP of Programs, VP of Professional Development, Administration and currently as VP of Technology and Business Services. In 2010, Jeff was elected founding President of the Buffalo Chapter of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). He holds a BS degree in Business Management from D'Youville College and is the principal owner of the Dramjam Consulting.

Patricia McGee, Certified Adult Educator
CTA Certified Coach, Mentor, Trainer

Patricia is a business coach for leaders, managers, and high potential employees. She designs training programs for new supervisors and managers and leads skills development workshops in communication, conflict resolution, team building, diversity, time management, customer service, and change management. She is a group facilitator and a keynote speaker.

Previously, Patricia managed the New York City market for a Fortune 500 property management company and managed the Southwestern Ontario market for a leading Canadian quick-service restaurant chain. One of her career accomplishments includes developing a comprehensive management training program called Learn to Think Like a Manager.

She is involved in her professional community through the Niagara Frontier American Society of Training and Development, the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, Buffalo Niagara Human Resources Association and the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

Patricia is a Certified Adult Educator from St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia and holds an ASB from Medaille College.

Robert M. Meisel, MS, MEng, BS
Master Six Sigma Black Belt
ASQ Certified Quality Manager and Quality Engineer

Robert Meisel has been professionally leading companies, training and consulting since 1977. He specializes in the application of Six Sigma and Lean. Robert has serviced organizations across North America, with clients ranging from large corporations to small businesses, including manufacturing companies, service providers, government agencies and not for profits.

He is Principal Consultant for RMM Quality Consulting, Rochester, NY where he delivers training, consulting, and facilitation in the use of quality related improvement techniques, and where he has delivered Green Belt and Black Belt training to diverse clients.

Previously, Robert was Director of KOS University, Eastman Kodak Company where he developed and delivered overall quality training strategy as well as the Six Sigma Green and Black Belt initiatives. He has certified more than 1200 belts whose certification projects were valued over $600M.

Robert was elected a Fellow of the American Society for Quality in 2003. He has presented at many local and national conferences. He holds a MS in Applied and Mathematical Statistics from Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MS and BS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute


Amy A. Pearl, MBS, BA
Managing Partner
 

Amy has a diverse background leading efforts in organizational and employee development. She uses her creativity, expertise and unique approach to achieve positive results for companies of all sizes. Her areas of expertise are Strategic Thinking, Workplace and Culture Assessments, Team Building, Leadership Development and HR Practices.

She is a dynamic facilitator and is trained and/or certified to use the Workplace Big Five Assessment, DiSC Personal Profile System, Denison Leadership Development and Organizational Culture Surveys and tools to conduct employee development programs in many areas including change management, time management, decision making and customer service.

She is the Vice Chairperson and Training Committee Chairperson of the Niagara County Workforce Investment Board and volunteers for many not-for-profit organizations, including St. Mary’s of Swormville and the Boy Scouts of America Niagara Frontier Council. Amy’s community efforts have been recognized by the YWCA and at a national level by the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Amy holds an MBA from the University of Buffalo and a BA in Economics from SUNY College at Buffalo.

Robert Sanborn, PhD

Robert Sanborn is a Western New York native who moved away early in his career and then returned early this century. Doctor Sanborn attended The Johns Hopkins University (BA 1971), Boston University (MBA 1979), and The University of Georgia (PhD 1982). He then pursued graduate education and after obtaining his PhD taught at the University of Virginia for six years and The University of Richmond for twenty two years. In 2010, Doctor Sanborn took early retirement from The University of Richmond and moved back to Buffalo. He taught during the 2010-2011 academic year at U.B as a visiting professor.

Doctor Sanborn has authored more than forty articles and was editor of the Virginia Accountant (Virginia’s CPA state journal) from 1990 to 1993. He has taught every financial accounting course possible from undergraduate introductory to graduate financial statement analysis. He received the VSCPA and Robins School of Business Teacher of the Year during his career. His teaching, research and consulting interest center on how accounting information is used by investors. Bob loves helping people at any stage in life take the mystery out of financial accounting.

 Jessica Schimert, MBA, MS


Jessica Schimert is a business consultant, trainer, coach, and speaker. She conducts workshops on topics such as personal strengths, leadership, teambuilding, interpersonal communication and relationships, public speaking, time management and diversity. Jessica facilitates two coaching groups for women business owners, as well as strategic planning and goal setting meetings and retreats. She has worked with organizations in health care, banking, legal, accounting, television, public relations, manufacturing, construction, property management, government, education and nonprofit industries.

Jessica is an adjunct faculty memeber of Canisius College Center for Professional Development and Women's Business Center and an adjunct professor at Canisius College in the Communication Studies Department. She is on the Board of Directors for the Western New York Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). In addition, Jessica is on the leadership team for the Junior League of Buffalo.

Jessica completed her undergraduate work at St. Bonaventure University and received an Honors BA in Journalism/Mass Communication. She completed an MBA from the Univeristy at Buffalo with a marketing concentration and an MS in Communication and Leadership from Canisius College.


Frank Swiatek

Frank is a seminar leader, coach, and consultant who has conducted over 3400 management and leadership sessions for organizations throughout the United States and Canada. He has worked for over 25 Fortune 500 companies.

He is the co-author, with Denny Strigl (former President and CEO of Verizon Wireless), of "Managers can you hear me now?" – Hard-Hitting Lessons on How to Get Real Results. Frank served as an outside performance consultant for Verizon Wireless for 16 years.

Michele Tucker, MBA
Human Resources/Traning and Development for Tapecon, Inc

Michele Tucker works in Human Resources/Training and Development for Tapecon, Inc. She recently finished her graduate work with a concentration in Leadership & Change from Canisius College. At Tapecon, Michele develops training programs, coordinates talent management and recruitment efforts, facilitates performance management programs and drives employee development.

Michele is trained in several different process and quality improvement methodologies. Her background offers a unique combination of traditional Human Resource knowledge with a progressive, continuous-improvement mindset.

She has managed a NYS Workforce Development grant application process, writing a grant that resulted in the successful acquisition of lean training funds of nearly $50,000.

In her spare time, Michele is an active member of the ‘101 Illuminating Ideas for the City of Light’ Task Force, a team putting together a non-profit book project designed to promote and create momentum for regional development initiatives.

She holds an MBA from Canisius College in Leadership and Change and a BS from D’Youville College in Business Management.
Melissa Bekelja Wanzer, EdD
Canisius College, Professor of Communication
Melissa Wanzer is a Professor of Communication Studies at Canisius College. She teaches graduate seminars in interpersonal communication and persuasion and undergraduate courses in health communication, family communication, interpersonal communication, gender and constructive uses of humor. She studies the benefits of humor production in instructional, corporate and health care contexts. She also serves on three editorial boards and is currently acting as consulting editor for Communication Education. Dr. Wanzer is also a trainer and consultant, giving professional development workshops on Persuasion and Social Influence and Building and Projecting a Positive Self-Image.