Investigating, assessing, reporting—from home

2006-10: Senior Fellow, National Organization on Disability. For 2008-09, Program Director, Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) Careers, designing, funding, running a 3-year, 3-site, foundation-funded demonstration project to help severely wounded veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars resume/enter education, training, and work. Earlier, I drafted the NOD strategic plan for its major disability employment initiative.2006-07: (1) Assessed Neighborhood Progress, Inc., a community development intermediary, for the Cleveland Foundation. (2) Led/wrote report on an update of a 1998-99 study of seven eastern/midwestern cities for the Pew Charitable Trusts. 2003-05: (1) Facilitated and wrote synopsis of a retreat by the board of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. (2) Completed case studies of after-school projects in Los Angeles and San Diego for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s After-School Project. (3) Reconnoitered programs for expelled students for Public/Private Ventures. (4) Scouted the “social enterprise” movement for the Kauffman Foundation. (4) Evaluated joint labor-management Training and Education Fund of the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Local 1199, SIEU, in the New York City metropolitan area.2002-03: Wrote ten-year summary report of Living Cities: The National Community Development Initiative.2001-02: Senior Advisor, Greater Philadelphia First (a CEO Group). Researched/wrote report on how eight cities with high-technology sectors developed those sectors.1996–2008: Part-time Senior Fellow, Center for Workforce Success, National Association of Manufacturers. Conceived initiative for NAM local affiliates to function as “workforce development intermediaries.” Wrote, funded, and directed this and other CWS research and action projects. Grants won from the Ford, Casey, Mott, and MacArthur Foundations and the U.S. DOL.1991-95: Various community/workforce development projects for several foundations.

This is the nation’s largest commuter railroad ($600 million budget; 6,000 employees). I managed a $17.5 million human resources budget, 125 employees, and six departments.** Organizational Development: Established, staffed department; initiated organizational quality and teamwork program to change organizational culture to one of high involvement, high-service, high efficiency.** Management Development: Initiated management development, succession planning, management and supervisory training for effective participative leadership.** Personnel and Benefits: Managed with the Hay System; devised manpower accounting that cut overtime. Implemented triple-option health plan that kept cost growth to less than half the national average —10% versus 25%.** Employee Assistance Programs: Totally revamped LIRR EAP to increase credibility, effectiveness, and cost savings; set up LIRR drug testing program in compliance with Federal regulations.** Diversity Management: Started shift from old-line EEO to Diversity Management.** Occupational Safety and Health: Created cost-saving industrial hygiene and back-injury prevention programs.** Labor Relations: Supervised negotiations, contract administration for 23 contracts with 13 unions.

In for-profit and non-profit capacities, helped set up joint labor-management employee problem-solving teams to improve productivity, quality, and competitiveness in public/private sector employers in the U.S. and Canada. Designed, led 2-5 day training sessions for all management levels and for union leaders. Clients included AT&T, Budd Company, U.S. Postal Service, iron mines, and others. Unions worked with included the Auto, Communication, and Steel Workers.

I was deputy director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with full staff/line responsibilities for the $200 million budget and 3,000 employees of this controversial regulatory agency. Created grant program to build safety/health capacity in small businesses, non-profits, and unions.

Developed, administered, and monitored numerous resarch and social action grants for employment and training, civil rights, community development, and some of the first foundation efforts in employee involvement, quality of work life, high performance work organizations, and occupational safety and health.

Performed and supervised unit conducting personnel security background investigations.