As an Organization Development Consultant and Manager, Joan Kaplan has had a wide variety of experience in industry supporting major business changes: mergers, changes in business direction, work redesign, realignment of work unit goals with business strategy, refocusing of operational and customer contact units to meet customer expectations, introduction of automation, changes in the way work is organized, and implementation of a sales and service culture.

For four years as an independent consultant, she has worked with international financial services clients and clients in high tech, health care, credit card and legal services. For 15 years, Mrs. Kaplan managed management and employee development units at Bank of America, concentrating on skill development in customer service, operational effectiveness, quality improvement, productivity, employee involvement, and management. She was responsible for the training and development of large populations such as tellers; credit card employees; branch and center customer service and operations managers.

She also has significant experience in the publishing field. Over a 12-year period, she worked for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Science Research Associates, Scott Foresman and Follett Publishing.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ORGANIZATION CONSULTANT: 1994-Present
International Clients: Garanti Bank, Istanbul, Turkey and Bank Negara, Jakarta, Indonesia.
U.S. Clients: Visa International, Oracle, Cisco Systems, HIP New Jersey, McCutcheon Law Firm, World Affairs Council of Northern California

Consulted in Turkey over a three-year period to introduce a sales and service culture into the bank’s branch network, to systematically develop key populations including skill certification requirements, to support the bank’s strategic initiative into the retail market, to develop internal training staff, to support the start up of a call center and the centralization of operations functions, and to tie training to on-the-job performance.

Conducted a needs analysis in Indonesia to determine a training strategy to support the strategic initiative of developing its retail market.

With U.S.-based clients, consulted on the development of an executive leadership program, global orientation program, curriculum for new hires in sales and service, and management development. Facilitated strategic planning meetings, focus groups and problem solving meetings. Developed plans for communicating Employee Opinion Survey Feedback and generating action plans; implementing a customer service culture; and implementing a goal setting process. Provided one-on-one coaching for managers.

Conducted organizational scans, benchmarking studies, and needs analyses.

VICE PRESIDENT/MANAGER: 1978-1994
BANK OF AMERICA, San Francisco
Managed a variety of consulting, training, and development units. As Manager of Performance Improvement, developed a strategy to better use technology to deliver training in the workplace and worked on redesign of the HR function. As Manager of Nationwide Operations and Customer Service Skill Development, supported redesign of jobs, resourcing strategies, communications approaches to business direction changes, project and self-managed teams, moves in office locations, and startup of new units. Facilitated decision making and project teams composed of multiple disciplines and multiple organizational representation. Managed Bank of America’s suggestion program, Employee Involvement Program, and credit training program. Served as senior consultant to financial accounting unit to support change efforts in costing and pricing products.

SENIOR EDITOR: 1975-1978
HARCOURT, BRACE JOVANOVICH
Managed major educational publishing efforts: negotiations with authors, training sales force to meet market needs.

FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR: 1973-1975

EDITOR: 1968-1973
SCIENCE RESEARCH ASSOCIATES,
FOLLET EDUCATIONAL CORPORATION and
SCOTT FORESMAN AND CO.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
B.S. in Education and English