Rick gave a talk on strategic planning to our North American independent distributors and agents at this year's National Sales Meeting. There were about 300 attendees at the presentation.
His performance was not only well received, but inspired a lot of productive discussion around improving distributor businesses, as well as their collective partnership with Camfil Farr. Rick's material was insightful, concise, and provided a clear realization of the need for meaningful change in our organizations.
Kevin Wood, Director of Sales for North America, Camfil Farr
Rick is able to provide new perspectives on one’s business by creating understanding in areas that may act as constraints to effectiveness. He helps owners and managers identify issues that would be difficult to discern from the inside of an organization.
Mike Rorie, President, Groundmasters Inc., Cincinnati, OH
Rick led my company through a strategic planning session several years ago. As many small companies do, we were caught in the painful rut of spinning our wheels trying to be all things to all people.
Rick forced us to work together to come up with answers to tough questions. With his encouragement, we made a leap and were finally motivated to implement some much needed, but "hard-to-pull-the-trigger" changes regarding the focus of our organization. For the first time ever, all members of our organization are on the same page and in the same goal-achieving frame of mind. We are also seeing the rewards of our evolution!
We still meet with Rick on a regular basis and I am always impressed with his uncanny ability to point out new opportunities and possible pitfalls that we have overlooked. He knows our company intimately, but since he is not bogged down with the day-to-day issues that we face, he is able to give us objective opinions about the big picture and help us map out aggressive goals. With Rick's guidance, we continue to move ahead with confidence.
Steven K. Richmond - President, Projetech Inc., Cincinnati, OH
We have engaged Rick on five occasions over three years to meet with the managers of our company, and to help us develop actions to enhance our profitability. The last meeting involved 23 people, which represented our entire salaried workforce. Rick’s ability to involve everyone in a discussion, and elicit ideas from them all, makes the results of a group discussion extremely valuable. One of Rick’s primary theses is the idea that people will only do what they want to do. If one accepts this sensible idea, then developing a good business plan means getting everyone to buy in. Rick has a marvelous way of making this happen.
At the end of an engagement with Rick, managers will have developed a good understanding of what the company does with an appreciation of its strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, they come away with a clear understanding of the nature of their competitors and customers.
I have worked with a number of consultants in the past and can honestly say that none bring value to the assignment in the fashion Rick will bring.
Cecil C. Barnett – President, Algood Food Company, Louisville, KY
Rick was able to tailor his format for the needs of our two companies, and tie everything together quite well. My staff came out of the meetings with clearly defined goals, and I believe they feel like they have taken ownership of their positions within each of our operations. I will be contacting Rick in the future for a follow-up session.
Mike Stallings - President, The Richwood Group, Florence, KY
In my first meeting with Rick, I immediately liked what I saw and heard. Rick demonstrated very strong strategic planning and analytical skills, so I decided to utilize his services.
He stepped my team through a well-organized and systematic approach to understanding our markets and our positioning relative to our competition in the various business segments we serve. He asked us challenging questions that really helped in defining who we are and how we fit in the competitive landscape.
Rick's strategic planning process provided a mix of teaching/learning, high employee participation and ownership, humor, and thought provoking exercises along with a very important documentation process for strategies and supporting action plans.
I am looking forward to utilizing Rick again for a strategic plan update and also for a more in-depth brand positioning exercise for my business. Rick is an extremely capable resource who has provided great value to this organization.
Jeffrey Tumm - former President, CLARCOR Air Filtration Products, Louisville, KY
Our business is typical of many today with more compexity, changing market conditions, and customer requirements that exceed the resources needed to meet demand. These issues, along with daily operational demands, begin to absorb key members' time and thought processes, becoming a barrier to thinking out of the box for long-term solutions.
We engage Rick Wehder to be an outside, objective voice for our firm; to help us see the bigger picture without day to day issues cluttering our perspective and becoming a barrier to a long-term mindset. Rick brings a broad knowledge base of successful strategies from a wide range of companies.
We would highly recommend Rick to anyone who is facing these types of challenges. He is a knowledgeable guide, helping plan and navigate new directions.
Rich Torbeck - President, Torbeck Industries, Cincinnati, OH
In 1997, Rick Wehder interviewed some of our key managers to get to the bottom of why our company was struggling. There were a lot of ideas, but no real consensus of why we could not stay on plan much less beat plan.
So, as a group, we completed planning, and decided to sell off a non-core company that was draining our resources, energy and time. We got back on plan. We tripled our revenue within 3 years, while increasing our profits by 600%.
Now we work hard on the right stuff. We have strategic initiatives and a company where people are engaged in executing them. We have the know how to do the right things with the right clients.
Without Rick, our firm would be out of business today. Because of Rick, our firm has the foundation to be a leader in our market while having a positive effect on our people, clients and friends.
Terry Estes - President, J&B Steel, Cincinnati, OH
Over the years, Rick has provided strategic planning sessions for both of our companies. We are in a maturing market, but every time we seem to be able to push the curve backwards, thereby maintaining margins and offering new and innovative ideas to perpetuate our company.
David T. Parlin - President, ATM Exchange, Cincinnati, OH
- Rick was persuasive in getting each of us to come up with ideas that were within us that we did not recognize on our own.
- Rick was able to get us to stretch beyond our comfort zones in a way that is having a positive impact on our business.
- He led us to a place we needed to go in order grow our business. It is not likely that we would have gotten there on our own, or with the same amount of buy-in from the people who affect change and growth.
- I think most of all Rick really makes you think hard about how you are going to grow and make progress personally and professionally.
- Rick taught me to think in a new way. He has a unique perspective on achieving success.
Various Participants - Horan Associates, Cincinnati, OH
Identifying the right to succeed as contingent on the right to fail shows novel intellectual leadership, contrary to the usual "me too" stuff often heard from those who should lead but really do not know how to do so.
Frank Albi – Business Information Solutions, Cincinnati OH
Our management team has worked with Rick for almost four years. As a planning facilitator, he quickly brings reality into focus and then leads you into evolving the organization to meet your vision of tomorrow. He stresses knowledge and creativity which drives innovation in order to achieve greater profitability. He then makes sure the team members are all personally involved and committed to the strategy. He challenges the group to think "Above the Trees" but insists that you execute on a personal basis. He teaches leaders to make the tough decisions, many of which are about what NOT to do anymore. I'd recommend Rick's monthly articles to any businessperson desiring some intellectual stimulation. But only if you're into prosperity. Those satisfied with marginal productivity need not sign on.
Dave Warford – CEO, Encompix, Cincinnati OH
I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Wehder in the planning process at my company. His ability to unravel the issues and get us on track has proven to be of great benefit to our management team. I always look forward to reading his next article. They're homeruns!
Hal Wendling - President, Wendling Printing Company, Newport KY
Rick writes and distributes a short document each month that is well written and thought provoking. He is one of the thought leaders in our community.
Laurance Van Tuyl - CEO, Full Service Networks, Cincinnati, OH
Rick challenges you to think and grow. He is not a by the book guy. He is never satisfied with the ordinary. "Average" is a dirty word to him. I have worked with Rick and he has an exceptional ability to think in creative ways.
Iris Hatfield, President - CEO, HuVista Inc., Louisville KY
Rick provides unique leadership to companies that want to change, but find themselves unable to find their way to new heights. He quickly helps organizations find their sweet spot and gets them to FOCUS on what's most important. Rave reviews from clients, and continued success in a difficult profession are positive indicators of his ability to lead, teach and make a difference!
Bill Cunningham - Former Xavier University Professor of Entrepreneurship, Montgomery OH
Rick is always to the point and on target. His observations go directly to the heart of a matter. His ability to clearly communicate his thought provoking analysis of a given situation really gets people to thinking and talking "outside the box".
William R. Edmonds III - International Ironworkers, Chicago, IL
I have been privileged to see the effectiveness of Mr. Wehder’s approach to planning at two client firms. His articles at: www.gocreate.com/abovethetrees/ are brilliant. His approach is best summed up in his own words:, “…my value is not in the answers I give, but in the questions I ask.”
Lowell Bowie - Cincinnati, OH
I ran into Rick four years ago. He impressed me immediately with his clear, cut-to-the-chase thinking. Since then I've read more than thirty of his online articles and keep going back to them to illuminate and clarify my own thinking. I'm lucky enough to work with Rick from time to time. I always come away from our sessions with a renewed sense of focus and opportunity.
Peter Lloyd – Creative Center of the Universe, Newport KY
Insight is the rarest of all human gifts. Process is the tool that we all insist upon in order to gain insight, knowledge and ultimately understanding. Without understanding, humans simply won't make a decision. Rick Wehder's approach to helping people make a decision is unique, effective and relevant because it always leads to meaningful decisions.
James S. Rives - CEO, Rives Development Associates, Louisville KY
In a world caught up in the status quo and scarcity mentality, it's difficult to find allies that really get it. Rick's approach, based on truth, clarity, and focus, have become far more than business ideas to get past all that. They have become a way of life.
George Pavlyak - CEO, International Automotive Network, Cincinnati OH
Rick has provided our company with sophisticated strategic planning tools. These will help perpetuate our economic prosperity for years to come. I personally have enjoyed his dedication to helping each person he meets think a little deeper and become a little wiser. He is a gifted, dedicated teacher. I will always eagerly listen to anything he wants to share and value it as a special gift.
Dan Basham - Cincinnati OH
I know Mr. Wehder, and have read many of his writings. He's a very thoughtful person, and extremely professional in his work. I can recommend him without reservation, if you are prepared to expand your thinking!
Charlie Harte – Consultant, Cincinnati OH
Rick is thoughtful, reflective, and his writings are intellectual. Best of all his analysis and insight into business is very valuable. He makes a definite contribution when he gets involved.
Pete Nadherny – CEO, The Angus Group, Cincinnati OH
I've worked with Rick. His comments reflect his character, ability and perception. He thinks and works at a higher level, and sees clearly the opportunity for positive applications for the growth of business and the value of business management. Good thinkers who are also good actualizers are a rare breed. He qualifies.
Steve Meyer - VP, Horan Associates, Cincinnati OH
My experience with companies/leaders is that most make the mistake of thinking that you can get vastly different results by trying harder at the same things you already do. My experience with Rick is that he gets people to perceive the different activities, methods and routes that will get them to where they want to be.
Henry E. Dorfman – Vice President, ATM Exchange, Cincinnati OH
Rick reads beneath the surface like a laser, giving me a critique I'd like to send to every editor in the country.
Retired Air Force Colonel, Kenneth L. Weber, Borden, IN, in the acknowledgements section of his book, What The Captain Really Means
Rick Wehder, President
ABOVE THE TREES
6244 Stirrup Road
Cincinnati, OH 45244
513-703-7779 Phone
513-624-8963 Fax
Contact Rick Wehder
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