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About us For more than 18 years, Blair Miller & Associates has been teaching businesses how to think above and beyond - how to solve problems, seize opportunities and build highly productive teams. We work closely with HR and OD departments, or directly with managers and executives, to customize a blend of training, consulting and/or facilitation that gives people the mindset, toolset and skillset they need to embrace change and lead innovation.
Blair Miller, M.S., is founder and president of Blair Miller & Associates. For 18 years he has dedicated himself to helping organizations cultivate creative leadership, team building and innovation. As a guest instructor at MBA programs, Blair has taught at the Kellogg School of Management, University of Chicago, and Emory University.  Blair has coauthored numerous articles and books on creativity, innovation and creative problem solving, including Creativity Unbound, which has been translated into French, Spanish and Japanese. He is publisher of FourSight: The Breakthrough Thinking Profile, which has offered thousands of individuals and teams the ability to see how their personal problem solving style affects their creative output. Blair's gift at facilitating teambuilding grew from his early years as a classroom teacher and Outward Bound instructor. Those experiences have been enriched by his Masters of Science degree in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership from the State University of New York. His business combines the heart and mind approach to innovation to enrich the working climate and bottom line of clients including Aegon, Avon, Cadbury Schweppes, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Coca-Cola, Dupont, Deloitte, Kodak, Kraft, MeadWestvaco, NutraSweet, Pfizer and SC Johnson. When he is not delivering programs or consulting with clients, Blair can be found learning creativity concepts from his three children and dreaming of the next great trek from his family's home base in Evanston, Illinois. sarah thurber Deb Allen offers expertise in corporate dynamics and development, sales and marketing, and strategic planning. To this she brings an innate ability to assess and quickly clarify a situation and concisely verbalize the issues at hand.  As a consultant to a variety of businesses throughout the country, she provides guidance for change management processes, leadership development, creative problem solving sessions and innovation team training. Clients that have benefited from her training and facilitation include: Pfizer, Husky, America?s Community Bankers, the New England Training Directors Association, the Young President?s Organization, MONY and Williams College, among others. Debbie brings 19 years of management in the world of financial services to her client base. Her credentials include extensive experience in business development, as both a commercial and consumer lender, and in bank administration including Retail Management and Human Resources. Her education includes a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University, and a graduate banking degree from Stonier Graduate School of Banking, where her research addressed Transformation Management and its impact on corporate culture. She is also on the faculty of the Creative Problem Solving Institute. When not on the road, Debbie can be found knitting, spending as much time as possible in the outdoors around her home in Vermont. Bob Eckert is a sought after speaker with a solid track record of satisfied clients in the areas of innovation, human resource and team development. As a Senior Partner at New & Improved, his focus is on overcoming organizational challenges, team development, productive relationships, productive thinking and leadership development.  Bob speaks and trains from a perspective enriched by a background which includes: management experience in both manufacturing and retail, creation/direction of an internationally renowned health promotion program, teaching in both youth and adult criminal justice systems, work as the senior instructor in adaptive ?Outward Bound? programming for incarcerated juvenile delinquents, founding and directing a county-wide drug abuse treatment and prevention system and as a national trainer in the area of neuropharmacology and addiction. He is a facilitator for Facilitators Without Borders and an advisor to its Board of Directors. Bob uses his training and coaching skills to makes change efforts stick. The author of numerous articles and books, including "More Lightning, Less Thunder: How to Energize Innovation Teams" which details a model for healthy human development in the service of great personal creativity and the emotional intelligence that leads to great team membership. Clients include companies as diverse as Novo Nordisk (Denmark / US), Lotus Development (Asia Pacific), Nordion (Canada), Pfizer (Worldwide), Adams (Central/South America), Kraft Foods (USA) and University of the Orange Free State (South Africa). An avid outdoorsman who is as comfortable driving a tractor as he is driving meetings in corporate boardrooms, Bob lives with his wife, son and daughter on their tree farm in the northern Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Roger Firestien, Ph.D., is a nationally known speaker on creativity. President of Innovation Systems Group, and Associate Professor at the Center for Studies in Creativity (State University of New York), Roger is the author of over 70 articles, books, audio and video programs.  Some of the organizations to benefit from his training and facilitation include: AT&T; Clorox; Deloitte & Touche; General Mills; Disney Institute; DuPont; the Federal Executive Institute; M&T Bank; MDS/Nordion; Mead Paper; National Geographic Television; Times-Mirror; the US Air Force; and NASA. His latest book, Leading on the Creative Edge, is available in bookstores nationwide. Roger is the father of Maria, an eight-year old who helps him develop his creativity on a regular basis. And although Roger spends a lot of time on airplanes, he claims to live in Buffalo, New York, where he is working on perfecting his skeet-shooting skills. Janice Francisco is a positive change facilitator. A highly-trained listener who knows how to establish instant rapport, ask the right questions and quickly identify her clients? outcomes, she has a great track record for effective intervention as a facilitator and change leader, project manager, leadership consultant and trainer. Working closely with the International Center for Studies in Creativity at the State University of New York, Janice develops pragmatic programs and presentations that offer to a broader audience the core concepts found in this organization?s unique Masters of Science in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership program. In her calm, organized, personable and no-nonsense way, Janice is able to utilize her communication skills, business expertise and nineteen years of project management experience to empower teams to discover their strengths and move beyond their limitations. Always open to new ways of seeing and doing, and ready to challenge others to do the same, Janice is adept at helping groups to see the ?big picture,? reach consensus, and follow the process required to achieve their goals. Her insight, clarity, respect for others and pragmatic approach are well appreciated by those seeking guidance through transformation. A perfect evening for Janice would include sitting with her family on the porch of her cottage just outside of Ottawa, watching the sunset over the river. Dan Greenberger is Chief Innovation Officer for GreenHouse Communications, a marketing communications agency he co-founded 16 years ago.  In his current position, he leads a variety of facilitated workshops focusing on creativity, problem solving, strategic planning, customer insight, naming and branding for a wide range of clients. Recent clients include, the Chicago International Charter Schools, Junior Achievement, American Theatre Company, University of Wisconsin Medical Center, Abbott Labs, National Pork Board, and Highlights for Children. Prior to GreenHouse, Dan was required to hone his facilitation skills as an award-winning copywriter and creative director at Leo Burnett and Foote, Cone & Belding in Chicago. Working with teams of writers, art directors, researchers, media experts, strategists, lawyers and clients, Dan helped create and produce national campaigns for sophisticated marketers such as McDonald?s, Kraft, Keebler, Nestle, Gatorade and RCA. In his quest to unlock barriers to the new thinking necessary in our rapidly changing world, Dan is currently a student at State University of New York, where he will graduate this spring with a Master?s in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership. When not working or studying for school, Dan is busy perfecting both his chip shot and jump shot. He and his wife, Beth, enjoy traveling and visits from their grown children to their home in Highland Park, Illinois. Angel Sanchez-Huerta is the Founder and President of INDICA, Consultores en Calidad y Creatividad, S.A. de C.V., based in Mexico City. He works with organizations in North and South America to help them meet the challenges of innovative thinking, strategic transformation and leadership for change. He specializes in helping his clients understand and use processes for creative strategic thinking, customer needs analysis, creative problems solving, process optimization. He supports organizational cultures that foster creativity, innovation, inspired management and enhance team performance.  Some of the organizations to benefit from his facilitation and training include: Coca-Cola, Ingenieres Civiles Asociados, Nestle, Pedro Domecq, Pfizer, and more than one hundred firms in industry, services, education and government in Mexico, the US and South America. Angel holds a Chemical Engineering degree from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, and participated in post-graduate work in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at Northwestern University, USA. He has trained with leading world experts in Innovative Thinking and Creativity, and Total Quality Management, including: Land, Herrmann, Deming, Juran, Crosby, Conway, Ichikawa and Tribus. Angel lives with his wife in Mexico City and has three daughters. When he?s not working he can be found playing tennis, walking in the park and enjoying the woods. Russ Schoen, M.S., is a facilitator, trainer and speaker in the areas of productive thinking, innovation and leadership. He is a consulting partner with a number of innovation training and new product firms and is also the co-founder of the Creative Youth Leadership Program, dedicated to enhancing leadership, communication and problem-solving skills among teens.  Russ has delivered innovation programs throughout the world including Singapore, Italy, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. He holds a Master of Science in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership from State University of New York and is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory specializing in improvisation. Russ is a contributing author to a number of innovation articles and books including Your Guide Book, An Innovation Road Map and Your Tool Cards, an Innovation Catalyst. Organizations he has worked with include: Kraft, SC Johnson, Coca-Cola, International Flavors & Fragrances, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Tap Pharmaceuticals, New Zealand Milk, Quaker and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. When he is not working, you can find him around Chicago, practicing aikido, improvising or attempting to renovate his new apartment! Gerard Puccio, Ph.D., is Director at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at SUNY Buffalo State College. In addition to his teaching and advisement of undergraduate and graduate students, Gerard works as a trainer, facilitator and consultant for many organizations in the area of creative thinking, creative problem solving, facilitation and leadership.  Some of the organizations to benefit from his training and facilitation include: American Axle & Manufacturing, the Atomic Energy Authority (UK), AT&T, Bull, Dunlop, General Motors, Nabisco, Procter & Gamble, Wilson Greatbatch, and numerous colleges and school districts. He has worked throughout the US and Europe. Gerard is the author of FourSight: The Breakthrough Thinking Profile and co-author of Creative Leadership: Skills that drive change. He has written numerous articles, chapters, and books, and been published in publications such as the British Journal of Educational Psychology, the Journal of Creative Behavior, Psychological Reports, the Creativity Research Journal, and the Creativity and Innovation Yearbook. An avid golfer, Gerard lives in Williamsville, New York where his two young sons challenge his creativity on a daily basis. Douglas Reid, M.S., is the founder and president of the Group for Advancing Possibilities, a consulting group that helps leading companies create growth through collaboration and innovation. As a consultant, facilitator, trainer and executive and team coach, he applies his talents and experience to individual, group, and organizational development and transformation. Doug is a seasoned specialist in the field of organizational innovation and leadership and has worked throughout the US and Europe in many different industries.  Prior to starting his own business, Doug enjoyed a career in Human Resources and Organizational Development for a large multi-national information systems business. This experience has contributed greatly to Doug?s success, as he was able to experience the challenges of a complex organization first-hand. This followed his first career as a Montessori educator and teacher trainer. His ability to establish rapport with individuals and groups very quickly rests on his strong interpersonal skills and personality. Doug exhibits a keen ability to listen and clarify and make sure that meaningful communication is occurring. Doug earned a B.A. in Interpersonal Communications from Ohio University and a M.S. in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership from State University of New York. He received his certification as an executive coach from the College of Executive Coaching in Ventura, CA and now serves on their faculty. Doug has been a member of the Creative Education Foundation since 1979 and they honored him with a Distinguished Leader Award in 1997. He has served as a volunteer leader at the Creative Problem Solving Institute, Buffalo, NY since 1983. He is recognized as an expert in the field of organizational creativity and innovation. When relaxing, Doug can be found cooking in his kitchen in Phoenix, Arizona, being a dad, doing power yoga and traveling. Jonathan Vehar, M.S., is a Senior Partner at New & Improved where he works with organizations to create teams who can work together productively to create innovation. A gifted trainer, presenter and facilitator. Investor?s Business Daily calls him an "Innovation Guru." His quick wit, piercing insights and commitment to excellence create powerful programs in the areas of creative thinking, new product ideation, strategic planning, creative problem solving, and group meeting facilitation.  Some of the organizations to benefit from his training and facilitation include: Binney & Smith, Cadbury-Adams, Disney, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Pfizer, the U.S. EPA and Navy plus various business schools around the country. As a speaker and seminar leader, Jonathan has presented innovation programs to tens of thousands of people. Jonathan is a regular instructor at the Creative Problem Solving Institute and the Innovation Network Convergence. Formerly the Director of Training and Consulting for the Creative Education Foundation, he worked prior to that in advertising and marketing for Leo Burnett and Lintas:USA, among other agencies. He holds a Master?s Degree in Creativity and Change Leadership from the State University of New York. Jonathan is the author of many articles, videotapes and training manuals about creative problem solving. His latest book, co-authored with Bob Eckert, is entitled, "More Lightning, Less Thunder: How to Energize Innovation Teams". A native of Buffalo, New York, Jonathan lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his wife Susan and their dog, Cabeza. When he?s not working, he can be found racing sailboats, chasing his dog, and ? having recently moved from Santa Monica, CA ? trying to stay warm during the long Chicago winters. Don Lynch brings to his clients two decades of process efficiency experience. His work at Kraft, General Foods and Kimberley-Clark, plus an MBA from University of Wisconsin have given him a deep understanding of the productivity landscape. This combined with his restlessness with traditional approaches has driven him to blend the best-practices in the field with new approaches.  As a developer of a major productivity process at Kraft Foods, Don generated thousands of ideas worth millions in cost savings. More importantly, he demonstrated cost savings opportunities exist even in the most ?scoured? or "mature" business systems. His genius at combining old and new approaches has produced the truly remarkable breakthroughs that our clients experience with productivity and cost optimization facilitation sessions. When not identifying thousands of dollars in cost savings for his clients, Don can be found rehabbing properties in Florida and Wisconsin. John F. Cabra John is an Assistant Professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity. He was a former operations manager for American Airlines in Buffalo, New York. He has also held internal consulting positions for American Airlines in the fields of training and development, employee relations, and organizational development for its Miami, Caribbean, and Latin America division. Before joining American, John was a bilingual training and organizational development specialist for Fisher-Price Toys in Mexico. One of his functions while at FP was to facilitate sessions to generate new product ideas.
As an external consultant, John designed and presented programs on leadership and creativity for organizations such as Boehringer Maanheim, Quaker Oats, United Airlines, University of Rochester, Motts Mexico, Chilean Travel and Tourism Association, Hyatt Aruba, Transitions Optical Latin America, and El Dorado Bogota International Airport Authority in Colombia. John has presented his work in 22 countries. John's research interests are organizational creativity and perceptions of creativity across cultures. He has published articles in Latin American business journals. He serves as an editorial board member of Creatividad y Sociedad, a creativity journal published at the University of Barcelona, Spain. John holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Manchester, England, and a M. S. in Creativity, Innovation and Change Leadership from the State University of New York, Buffalo State. When he is not researching or advising graduate students, John can be found helping his 5-year old son develop new material for stand-up comedy or concept ideas for the next Star Wars sequel. Not to exclude his 3-year old daughter, you can also find John combining Salsa dance moves with Nickelodeon?s ?Backyardigans? theme song. |
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