Deb Steffes Email & Phone Number

Director, Organizational Development 2008-2018Directs the leadership development, talent management, and organizational change initiatives for this $40 billion distribution and supply-chain management company within the Berkshire Hathaway organization. With a team of program managers, provides nation-wide leadership training programs, change management and succession planning for corporate, transportation, warehouse, and customer service leaders. Provides change management guidance to President and other Sr. Leaders of the technology organization through multiple, complex technology initiatives.

Independent Consultant. Started the business in 1998 and again in 2005. Some highlights: Guided senior executives across four sites with creating and integrating effective customer satisfaction strategies. Provided executive coaching for leadership improvement using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Developed customer service procedures, and designed and distributed instructional materials on new sport products. Client base included Bank of America, SomaSport, Intuit, and American Express.

Built the training organization by creating a Training Delivery team for each of 4 contact centers across the country and one in India that was supported by Centralized Instructional Design team. Implemented e-learning programs that allowed remote staff to receive refresher product and leadership programs.

Functional responsibilities included teams’ development, leadership development, training delivery, and curriculum design for multiple business units.Oversaw 6 managers and 80 leadership development and training staff while controlling a $4M budget. Led training delivery, instructional design and OD processes, lowering training time 30%, while providing succession planning and performance improvement recommendations to senior executives. Prepared the company for the physical/cultural change to a semi-autonomous team environment through extensive organizational assessments, benchmarking, and pilot tests. Designed and implemented training on topics including communication, conflict management, problem-solving, and teaming.As Interim VP, Service Quality Engineering: Allocated limited performance engineer resources to critical reengineering and automation projects, significantly contributing to a $1 million savings in outsourcing and telephone center procedures improvements.