John Birch, CPBA, CPVA, CAIA, TriMetrix Certified President & Founder ~~~~~~~ Certified Professional Values Analyst ~~~~~~~ Certified Personal Talent Skills Inventory Analyst ~~~~~~~ Certified Professional Behavior Analyst ~~~~~~~ Business Success Coach

In 1997, John founded The Birch Group LLC, a consulting organization specializing in strategic/project planning, business success coaching, organizational effectiveness and training, as well as teambuilding and conflict resolution. The Birch Group's clients include The State of Connecticut, The City of New Britain, various insurance companies, Aerospace and other manufacturing companies as well as many New England community colleges, non-profit organizations and municipalities (see client list). The measure of his effectiveness is evident by the number of repeat customers who use John's expertise to address a variety of organizational issues. John's philosophy towards organizations is that they become living entities. They grow, thrive or whither on the vine. The way that an organization develops is a direct reflection of management's ability to plan and constantly nurture. John understands the urgency of developing a highly skilled and motivated workforce to meet the competitive and financial pressures of today's global economy and changing workforce demographics. All coaching engagements, consulting programs and seminars are specifically designed to tap the inherent potential of employees. Participants are able to immediately use acquired skills and knowledge in the workplace. The wide variety of tools that John utilizes in his seminars and consulting engagements are both cost effective and designed to meet the needs of large, medium-sized and small companies and organizations. Some of the tools that John utilizes to improve teamwork, organizational effectiveness and employee selection are: DISC© Behavioral Profiles Managing for Success© Personal Talent Skills Inventory Profile TriMetrix Selection System Personal Insights, Attitudes and Values© 360° Feedback Profiles Organizational Effectiveness Surveys and Profiles Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Profiles Human Synergistic Survival Series© Emotional Quotient John is also the Executive Director of two National Science Foundation sponsored programs. The Engineering Challenge for the 21^st Century Program targets inner-city high school students to interest them in pursuing and educational and career in the Science, Math, Engineering and Technology discipline. The Life Support and Sustainable Living Program targets community college and university students throughout Connecticut to work on projects for clients such as NASA, CT Children Hospital, Homeland Security, Kaman Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand and others. John spent over 25 years in a succession of corporate strategic/expense planning, sales and operational management positions. His management experience includes managing strategic planning and project management areas, human resources, expense management, operational services, financial reporting and sales. John graduated with honors from Central Connecticut State University. He has received his prestigious Professional Behavior, Values and Personal Talent Skills Inventory Analyst Certifications and has done significant post-graduate work in management and organizational behavior, as well as business success/executive coaching. John has had additional intensive training in management/organizational effectiveness, strategic/project planning, teambuilding, total quality management and group facilitation.

Susan D. Waskow Administrative Manager

Susan, our Administrative Manager, comes to The Birch Group, LLC, with extensive experience in Office Management, Accounting and Customer Support. She graduated from Boston University in 1988 with a degree in Business Management / Professional Studies.  She ran her own service business, as well as supported various enterprises as a full time employee, for over 15 years prior to joining our team.  Susan's greatest strength is ensuring that our clients receive first class products and support. In addition to her demanding schedule, Susan has earned a reputation in animal rescue and has an interesting assortment of "family additions."

Charles Paulses Associate Director of Life Support & Sustainable Living Program

Charles (Chuck) Paulsen is the Associate Director of our Life Support and Sustainable Living Program, a National Science Foundation funded program. The LSSL Program was designed to provide community college and university engineering and technology students an opportunity to fine tune their technical skills while preparing them for leadership roles shortly after they enter the workforce. Chuck also helps out with the Engineering Challenge for the 21st Century Program, a program developed to provide inner city and underrepresented high school students with an opportunity to be exposed to careers in science, technology, engineering and math so that they may understand their gifts and their potential in order for them to enroll in college and pursue STEM careers. Chuck has been a part of the phenomenal growth in the application of computer aids to science, engineering, manufacturing, and information. Chuck is also a professor in mechanical engineering having taught since 1969 at several Connecticut colleges and universities. Fresh out of college, Chuck had a rich and rewarding 20 year career with E. I. DuPont Company, where he held technical and management positions in engineering and manufacturing. Chuck was able to take an early retirement and went on to found an engineering software company that later merged with Algor, Inc where he was the VP Sales. In 2001, Chuck helped start Knovel Corporation. Knovel is essentially an Internet portal (www.knovel.com) for engineers and scientists seeking information, reference works, and databases. In his spare time Chuck enjoys writing having published many articles in leading engineering trade magazines and has written two chapters in two popular engineering books and is currently working on his own first book, Math Anxiety Relief, scheduled for publication in late 2010. Chuck received a B.S. from Purdue University and a M.S. from Stanford University, both in mechanical engineering. Chuck is active both professionally and in his community. At Purdue, Chuck was elected to the Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary fraternities. He is also a member of the ASME.

Ronald M Baker Senior Associate

Ron received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from The State University of New York at Plattsburgh and a Masters/Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling/School Psychology from The University of Massachusetts. He also  received his Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of New Haven in 2009. Ron has worked in schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, and in private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Ron has experience creating and facilitating training programs, administering and interpreting many different assessments, writing/editing white papers, constructing surveys, performing statistical analysis, constructing behaviorally-based interviews, and the development of different selection processes. Ron will be involved in the business development process, organizational development projects including assessment and coaching, strategic planning activities, and working with organizations to hire and retain the best employees.

Pankaj (PJ) Paneru Associate

PJ serves as a research associate for The Birch Group, interning with us since the summer of 2009. He is a senior at University of New Haven pursuing his degree in Mechanical Engineering. PJ is also actively involved in our Life Support & Sustainable Living Program and is closely working on our Engineering Challenge for the 21st Century Program. He also serves as TBG’s computer systems guru and assists with our projects that have a key design facet. Although, currently he’s pursuing an engineering degree, he carries an experience of working in an administrative and executive environment. He believes that when science & technology and business come together it creates a prolific combination. His motto of life is – “when you choose not to succeed, you automatically choose to fail.”

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185 Main Street, Suite 426
New Britain, CT 06051
Phone - (860) 229-1225
Fax - (860) 229-4341
Email: thebirchgroup@snet.net