Professional Development Certificate
2009 Schedule
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Sessions are held in UNI's Business and Community Services Building.
August 12 , 2009
Program Introduction and Goal Setting: A Winning Strategy: What's in this Program for You Company?
Facilitated by Kim Recker and Ron Padavich, Director, Executive Development Center
8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
The Professional Development Certificate Program is designed to benefit both you and your employer. This win-win approach is structured to help you grow as a professional by clarifying, reinforcing, and proactively acting upon your personal goals and your organization's objectives. The value of this session is identifying what you personally plan to gain from this certificate program which connects with the goals of your organization.
August 12 , 2009
The Road to Great Management
Facilitated by Karen Reynolds
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Management involves marshalling all resources to make a vision a reality. This session focuses on the evolution of management practices and key strategies used by today's successful managers.
August 27 , 2009
Performance Management: Setting Goals, Coaching, and Appraising Your Staff Facilitated by Casey Reynolds
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
By making performance management systematic, integral and ongoing, team leaders and managers can unleash their employees' strengths. This class will examine the importance of performance management and review best practices of other successful business. You will leave with several new ideas that you can immediately implement.

September 9, 2009
Communicating and Managing Conflict
Facilitated by David Else, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Conflict is inevitable. This session will explore your work behavioral patterns and how to approach others to gain agreement. Learn vital skills needed to resolve conflict and strengthen working relationships inside and outside your organization.
September 23, 2009
Root Cause Analysis
Facilitated by Mike Spencer, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Root cause analysis will help you discover the underlying causes to problems and give you a logical process to help identify the right solutions. Learn different methods to identify and isolate the root cause of problems; trace the problems' evolution and causes and apply a consistent problem-solving approach to a variety of situations. 
October 7 , 2009
Motivating and Maximizing Team Performance
Facilitated by Victoria Robinson, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
We all know know that people are a business' greatest asset and differentiating factor from the competition. Great managers know how to transform and motivate individuals into high performing teams and successful businesses. By understanding the dynamics of effective teams and how to determine the motivators of individual contributors, you will leave equipped with a toolkit of methods to energize and maximize your team's and business' performance.
October 7 , 2009
Mid-Program Assessment: What's in This Program for You and Your Company?12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Participants will meet their manager or other company representatives to report their progress in accomplishing the goals they set at the beginning of the program. Adjustments are made to the participants' goals and to the certificate program at this point.
October 21 , 2009
The Economics of Effective Business Decision Making
Facilitated by David Surdam, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
A solid understanding of economics is necessary to make good sound business decision. Understand how customers perceive your company's value and how to determine appropriate pricing strategies. Concepts of supply and demand will be reviewed along with strategies to maximize profit.
November 4 , 2009
Organizational Analysis
Facilitated by Farzad Moussavi, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m
Understanding the organization's internal and external environments is necessary for effective business planning. Learn how an accurate reading of your business' environment is vital to understanding its culture mission, goals and readiness for action.
November 18, 2009
Accounting Concepts for the Non-Accountant
Facilitated by David Deeds, CPA
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m
Understanding the flow of money through business operation is instrumental as you move up the career ladder. Practice careful tracking of various accounting transactions through an engaging classroom activity. The importance of managing capital to improve the bottom line will also be explained in this session.
December 9 , 2009
Advanced Customer Insights: Creating an Organization for the Future
Facilitated by Dennis Clayson, Ph.D.
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m
Your customers will make or break your business. Learn to see your relationship with your customers in an entirely new light. Create a customer orientation mindset and develop a better understanding of your internal and external customers. This class will also demonstrate marketing approaches to analyze your customers' current and future needs and wants, and target your business' advertising to the most profitable customers.
December 16 , 2009
What You Don't Know Will Hurt You: Legal Issues That Impact Business
Facilitated by Heidi Noonan-Day, J.D.
8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Learn about the important legal matters all managers must understand to remain compliant and avoid lawsuits. By using past lawsuit examples, this class presents the legal responsibilities between individuals and businesses. The legal aspects of sexual harassment and discrimination will also be covered along with contracts, offer letters and rejection letters
Program Capstone: Results of Certificate Program
12:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Class participants will present summaries on how the certificate program has improved their professional capabilities, and positively impacted their team's performance and their company's success.
Graduation
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Program Facilitators:
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Karen Reynolds, Adjunct instructor of Management, University of Northern Iowa. Her expertise is in organizational management, training and development, and communication. |
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Casey Reynolds, M.A., SPHR has over 20 years of management and consulting experience in the areas of corporate communication, leadership development, employee development, performance management, talent management, training, and employee recognition. |
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Dave Else, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Educational Leadership & Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Northern Iowa. Dave is in the business of consulting with boards of directors and facilitating administration leadership retreats. In addition, he heads leadership management programs at schools in the Slovak Republic and China. |
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Mike Spencer, Ph.D., Professor of Management, University of Northern Iowa. Mike comes to UNI from John Deere, where he worked for many years at implementing management production systems in repetitive manufacturing and the logistics function. |
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Victoria Robinson, Ed.D., Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, University of Northern Iowa. Vickie works with businesses and schools in developing effective and efficient managers and leaders. |
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David Surdam, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Northern Iowa. David puts together his interest in history, sports, and economics in his research on various economic issues of the Civil War and the economics of baseball. |
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Farzad Moussavi, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Business Administration & Professor of Management, University of Northern Iowa. Farzad has an extensive international background. He does management consulting and conducts executive training seminars around the globe. |
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David Deeds, C.P.A., C.M.A., M.B.A., Adjunct Professor of Accounting, University of Northern Iowa and founder and CEO of the Cedar Valley Restoration and Development firm. David has over fifteen years experience progressing from Big Five public accounting to management for a Fortune 200 railroad company to CFO for a $250 million private real estate firm. |
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Heidi Noonan-Day, J.D., Instructor of Business Law, University of Northern Iowa. Heidi practiced personal injury, family law, juvenile law, and criminal law for eight years before joining the faculty at UNI. |
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