Mike Kerns
An experienced business professional, Michael Kerns was employed by IBM Corporation for 29 years. During his tenure with IBM, Michael held positions in Planning, Production Control, Manufacturing, Human Resources, Management Development, and Organizational Development Consulting. His experience includes seventeen years in first, second, and third level management assignments in both planning and manufacturing organizations.
During his assignment in management and leadership development, Michael participated in the development and delivery of an international executive development program designed for newly appointed IBM Executives from all over the world.
In 1995, Michael accepted an opportunity from a medium power transformer manufacturer, as General Plant Manager, to reopen a closed manufacturing operation. In a twelve-month period, production went from zero to ten units per month. Over two hundred production, administrative, and technical employees were recruited and hired. All startup objectives were met.
In 1996, Michael started his own consulting practice, Kerns & Associates.
Michael received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from San Jose State University. In addition to his University training, Michael attended all of the required IBM management training courses along with technical training in Production Planning, Production Control, Consulting Methodologies, and the design and implementation of both lecture and activity based training. Michael was also selected to attend a senior management seminar in manufacturing methods at Stanford University.
While Michael is certified to deliver a broad spectrum of leadership, management, and personal development topics including, Myers-Briggs Type Assessment, all Zenger-Miller offerings, The Leadership Practices Inventory, and Situational Leadership, his most recent experience has been in the design and delivery of custom culture change initiatives for medium and large organizations. Michael is also an experienced coach and mentor to existing executives, front line supervisors, and future leaders. Clients include the California Department of Corrections, Piedmont Label, Inc., N.B. Handy, Rubatex, R.R. Donnelley, Georgia Pacific, Sam Moore Furniture, Rock-Tenn, The City of Lynchburg, Central Virginia Community College, Mayers Memorial Hospital, and United Way of America.
A student of the interdependence between leadership behaviors and culture change in organizations, Michael brings not only an academic foundation, but also a wealth of practical, applied experience to the implementation of the organizational change process. In addition to working in a variety of disciplines, Michael has extensive experience in off shift work. He has also had the personal experience of changing companies, relocating from the West Coast to the East Coast, and starting and managing his own company.