Paul Piechota, Program Director of the Shared Corporate University, is appointed as the new Executive Director of the Center for Competitive Change. Piechota will build on the lean initiative which is already present in many organizations. Piechota and his team also plan on developing a coalition with global businesses that will help tie the Center's training arm with UDRI's technical and engineering capability.

“This changeover became necessary to reflect the evolution of the Center, and to better serve our clients vested interests in our services by helping them more effectively meet their workforce performance changes. We’re serving a broader range of businesses and needed to refine how we work as a team with our customers, strategic vendors/facilitators, and creating new models of delivering innovative performance-based lean tools” said Carol Shaw, part of the Center’s Executive team. Shaw will oversee the transition and will turn her attention to coaching, teaching and consulting with our customers.

Mr. Mike Bouchard, Head of the Aerospace Mechanics Group at UDRI, is joining the Centers Executive Team to help with the transition and continue in supporting the future growth of the Center. Bouchard’s supervision will enhance the Center's development of products and services by incorporating the engineering functions of UDRI.

The new delivery model that the Center hopes to insert blends well with the Shared Corporate University (SCU). The SCU is a new and emerging architecture which will add value to supporting clients in reviewing lean materials, gathering tips and tools and accessing subject matter experts to assist in driving lean methodologies into their business organizations. The model uses a blended, e-solution structure for access anytime, anywhere clients need the information.

Piechota emphasized that over the past several years the team has observed that fresh thinking and growth support systems within the Research Institute were going to be essential in order to see the Center for Competitive Change continue to grow. Piechota and his team value the business relationships they have developed over the years and believe that the vendor partners and facilitators are excited about the new directions and leadership.

“There is an excellent fit among the partners and Paul’s leadership. Our individual business objectives are well aligned with the model and clients view of developing a lean enterprise, and not just an organization or project. The Center continues to support us as a partner with UDRI and also allows us the ability to maintain our own corporate identities while still working as UDRI team” vendor partner, Mr. Seth Hummel of IQC said.

“The client prevails in our transition by gaining better experiences, expanded services, and always receiving top results that meet and exceed the expectations of each client” Piechota said.
Shaw, who founded the Center for Competitive Change in 1988, views this transition as a strategic move which will be beneficiary to the future of the Center.

“We have breadth and depth of experience, creative talent, a wealth of business knowledge, and impressive technical skills to support a new level of growth. Growing also means we have the ability to understand and meet the needs of all of our clientele” Shaw said.

The Center for Competitive Change will continue to strengthen its relationships with national knowledge leaders and work towards providing leading edge activities relating to the change in management of organizations. Our clients will always be our first priority.

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Contact:
Paul Piechota, Executive Director
937-229-1097
Paul.Piechota@udri.udayton.edu
www.competitivechange.com