strategic planning may 2004

PRACTICAL STRATEGIC PLANNING

FOR WORKFORCE BOARDS

MASS WORKFORCE

BOARD ASSOCIATION

2 © 2001 Commonwealth Corporation

This guide was prepared by

Commonwealth Corporation,in coordination with

the Mass Workforce Board Association,Julie Siciliano, Ph.D. Management Professor, Western New England College, and

the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County

Dear Workforce Board Member:

I am pleased to present this guide on Practical Strategic Planning for Workforce Boards. The guide isbased on an actual strategic planning process undertaken by the Hampden County Regional EmploymentBoard. The example provided by this experience, coupled with the professional expertise of the guide’sauthors should make it an invaluable resource as your board takes on the challenge of strategic planning.I wish to thank the Hampden County REB for generously opening its process to our observation and tothe authors who bring many years of experience in both strategic planning and workforce development.

There are many books written about strategic planning and this is not the first guide through the process.But this guide, unlike others that may be written for businesses or traditional nonprofit organizations,addresses the concerns specific to Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs). Workforce boards have theunique role of having statutory authority, while being made up of volunteers from many sectors of theircommunities. Workforce boards can structure themselves in a wide variety of ways. Some boards areincorporated, while others are not. Some boards have no paid staff. The range of their responsibility isnot limited by any one set of guidelines or regulations. It is encumbant on each board to define theirunique role within their workforce area.

In light of these complexities, this booklet provides guidance for simplifying the elements of strategicplanning and making them usable for workforce boards. In addition to a basic framework, the guiderelates the strategic planning experiences of the Hampden County REB and provides a commentary ontheir process, as well as lessons learned and problems encountered. This guide should serve as a tool forLocal Workforce Investment Boards to determine if and when strategic planning would be a beneficialundertaking, and to create a plan for going forward.

I hope that you will find this guide of benefit, and wish you much success in your planning efforts.

Sincerely,

Jonathan RaymondPresident

Jane Swift–GovernorAngelo R. Buonopane–Director, Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development and Chair, Commonwealth Corporation’s Board of Directors � Jonathan Raymond–President

Authors:

Arleen DamonJulie Siciliano

Eleni Papadakis

Special thanks for contributions:

Sharon Grundel, Gregg McCutcheon, Caroline Kirton ofCommonwealth Corporation

Design and Layout:Cynthia L. Rodday

3Practical Strategic Planning for Workforce Boards

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Why Plan? ...................................................................... 5

Planning to Plan ............................................................. 5

Strategic Planning versus Long-Range

Planning ......................................................................... 5

Role of the LWIB Executive Director ............................. 6

Organizing the Strategic Planning Committee ............... 6

Choosing a Consultant ................................................... 6

The Strategic Planning Process

Keys to Strategic Thinking and Strategic Actions

Phase 1 Analyze Strengths and

Weaknesses ..................................................................... 7

Phase 2 Review Environmental Trends ........................ 10

Phase 3 Create/Review Your Mission

Statement ........................................................................ 12

Phase 4 Identify Strategic Issues and

Strategic Initiatives ......................................................... 14

Phase 5 Create a Strategy Scorecard ............................ 16

Writing the Plan Document ............................................ 18

Implementing and Monitoring ........................................ 18

Additional Reference Sources ......................................... 19

Appendices: REB of Hampden County Completed

Planning Forms .............................................................. 21

The purpose of this guide is toprovide Workforce InvestmentBoards with a basic framework forStrategic Planning which is illus-trated by one board’s experience.It includes a commentaryon their process, as well as lessonslearned and problems encoun-tered.

It is a tool for Local WorkforceInvestment Boards (LWIBs) to:� Begin examining their

readiness for StrategicPlanning.

� Learn from theexperience of anotherLWIB.

� Use strategic planningworksheets and steps thathave been tailored toLWIBs.

� Understand how toconduct a simplifiedstrategic planningprocess.


Why Plan?

Planning produces more than an actual planning document, it stimulates forward thinking. It is aprocess that assists the board and staff in focusing on the right priorities. Successful strategic planninggenerates:

• A blueprint for action. The plan is a conceptual framework that guides and supports theboard and staff as they go about doing the work ofestablishing and operating a local workforce devel-opment system.

• An explicit understanding of the organization’spurpose and values among the board members. Thatunderstanding supports an increased level of com-mitment to the organization and its goals.

• Broad milestones with which to monitor achieve-ments and assess results.

The process of working together is improved by:• Creating a forum for understanding why the board

and the organization exist and the shared values that should influence decisions.• Fostering successful communication and teamwork among the board of directors and staff.• Laying the groundwork for meaningful change by stimulating strategic thinking and focus-

ing on what is really important to the organization’s long-term success.

Planning to Plan

A strategic planning process has its proper time and place in the life of a board. It is important to spendtime determining if conditions are right to make this a creative, collaborative, successful endeavor.Committed leadership, support from the Board Chair and other key members, as well as a willingness tobe flexible and change, are all conditions which are important to consider as a board plans to plan.

Consider several questions before beginning the planning process. Why does the organization want todevelop a strategic plan? If the project is undertaken primarily because that is what every organizationseems to be doing, there may not be the motivation or commitment needed for a successful process. Isthis the right time to go through the planning process? In a time of crisis, such as a major financialcrunch or the departure of an executive director, these situations should be addressed first. Who will beon the committee? Take the time to line up planning committee members who can devote some time tothe project and who are interested in developing the organization’s direction. How do you empower theplanning committee to take ownership of the plan? Will the process be facilitated by a consultant oradvisor? Take into account how much experience the organization has with planning. Many organiza-tions prefer to use paid or volunteer assistants who can help keep the planning focused and on track.What role should the LWIB executive director take?

Boards should use this planning

process as an opportunity to inspire

its members and provide the board

and staff with a game plan for the

future.

Don Gillis

Executive Director

Mass Workforce Board Association

Strategic Planning versus Long-Range Planning

Strategic planning is one of the best tools executive directors have for coping with the challenges thatconfront workforce boards now and in the years ahead. Its purpose is to ensure that the board’s missionand strategies are in line with changing environmental conditions. Because of this external emphasis andthe larger picture it presents, strategic planning is different from long-range planning. While both typesof planning focus on what the board should do to improve its performance, long-range planning isprimarily concerned with internal operations. On the other hand, strategic planning encourages work-force board members to consider a larger vision for creating highly visible and coordinated workforcedevelopment systems that align with current and projected environmental conditions.


Role of the LWIB Executive Director

The executive director is often the prime mover of the strategic planning process and chief plannerbecause this person is generally responsible for implementation of the plan. In the case of the HampdenCounty Board process, Executive Director, Bill Ward was the mover in the early stages of deciding tomove forward; however, once the consultant was in place he took on the role of participant. Bill madethis important decision in order to allow the board’s planning committee to take full ownership of theprocess.

The following steps describes the Hampden County Board Executive Director’s role in planning to plan:Step 1: Director must take the time to grasp an understanding of strategic planning as both a tool and

a process.� Process to assist members in taking ownership of the direction of the Board.� Rethinking of past experience in programmatic and operational planning.

Step 2: Conduct an internal evaluation of the organization and director’s readiness to plan, which canserve as a guide to potential problems in the process.

� Was the time right? Did the Hampden REB have the energy for the process? Were there keyopportunities to be served by this process? Was there a healthy dissatisfaction with thestatus-quo?

� Understanding of where the board is now and where it needs to go.� Engage the staff in a self-evaluation and readiness for strategic planning.

Step 3: Discuss the board’s readiness to plan with the board chair and other key board members.Step 4: Executive director hand picks 6 to 8 “big thinkers” to be on the planning committee.

� Select individuals who like to set direction; who want to do important work.� Select individuals who want to do something for the community.

Step 5: Recruits, interviews, and hires a consultant.Step 6: Once confident that the consultant would truly facilitate the process, the executive director

backs off and becomes a participant.

Organizing the Strategic Planning Committee

It is advisable to have a planning committee of 6 to 15 individuals (a combination of board and staffmembers) representing a diverse group of stakeholders who are committed to a vision for the commongood of the workforce system and not just focused on their particular interests. These individuals shouldbe visionaries who can think “big picture” and also ensure that the projected goals are realistic. It is alsohelpful if members have an interest in community service and believe that the Local Workforce Invest-ment Board (LWIB) planning can play a vital role in the well-being of the community. It is helpful butnot necessary that those selected to be part of this committee have a basic understanding of strategicplanning.

The Hampden County Board Strategic Planning Committee was comprised of the REB ExecutiveDirector, ten members of the Regional Employment Board and two REB staff, selected by the ExecutiveDirector. Commonwealth Corporation staff was present to observe, learn, and record.

Choosing a Consultant

Many LWIBs include an outside consultant in part or all of the planning process for the followingreasons:

• Help facilitate discussions between board members, freeing the participants from having tofocus on the process.

• Extra pair of hands in carrying out tasks that board members or staff don’t have time to do.


• Bring a neutral objective perspective to the processby asking clarifying questions, challenging as-sumptions, and encouraging the group.

• Keep the group on track with the process.

Hampden wanted to hire someone who could help the planningcommittee members interpret the key issues and then challengethem to refine those issues. When working with consultants it isimportant to clearly define the scope of the project and identifythe benefits and/or outcomes. Agree on the responsibilities ofthe consultant, executive director, and board members.

The Strategic Planning Process

Once the board is committed to developing a strategic plan and the committee is in place, a five-phaseprocess will result in a useful game plan that keeps the board focused on the bigger picture. In phasesone and two, the committee analyzes the board’s strong and weak points and the external situationresulting from environmental conditions and projections. With a shared understanding of the board’srole in relation to its environment, the committee begins the next phase of developing a new mission forthe workforce board or reviewing an existing mission. Guided by the direction that the mission pro-vides, in phase four the committee identifies focal points or issues that emerge from the review of theinternal and environmental analyses. To address the key issues, three or four major courses of action,termed strategic initiatives, are designated. The board will undertake these strategic initiatives to achieveits mission. The last phase involves building a strategy scorecard that will provide the board with amechanism for monitoring progress toward implementation of the strategic plan.

PHASE 1 ANALYZE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSESGather information from committee members and external stakeholders (surveys, focus groups, or inter-

views). Rate the top three or four strengths and the major three or four weaknesses.

All organizations have strengths and weaknesses in terms of either their resources or capabilities. Areview of what is done very well and what might need improvement yields important informationneeded to develop goals and strategies later in the planning process.

This review is a good first task for a newly formed strategic planning committee. No lengthy pre-meet-ing work is necessary, since each of the members has information based on his or her association withthe workforce board. Setting up a strength/weakness table on a flip chart, as shown in Worksheet 1, willhelp to facilitate the committee’s discussion.

Gather Information from Other Sources

It is also valuable to get information from other sources to supplement the review of the committee.Surveys, interviews and focus groups are examples of techniques for gathering additional informationfrom others who interact with the organization. These sources may include key individuals at the CareerCenters, area chambers of commerce, employers, elected officials, leaders of community-based organi-zations, economic development agencies, and others who interact with the workforce board.

The advantage of getting feedback from individuals and groups beyond the committee is that it providesa validation of perceptions held by committee members. Equally important, this information maysuggest weaknesses or strengths unknown to the committee.

We wanted to engage a consultant

who would challenge us. Julie asked

us “Why do you want to do this?

Can you accomplish this by doing

something other than strategic

planning?” The other consultants

just told me what they could do for

me.

Bill Ward

Hampden County REB Executive

Director


Grouping the Data

Once a full listing of strengths and weaknesses is identified, theitems can be grouped into categories and rated. The HampdenCounty Regional Employment Board’s review showedstrengths in staff, board and operations categories. Weaknesseswere in the categories of organizational identity, funding, localpolitical connections, and geographic boundaries. See Appen-dices.

To facilitate further discussion of the internal review, thecommittee can be split into sub-groups which rate the top threeor four strengths and weaknesses. This provides an opportunityfor small group discussion, a format in which many individualsare more comfortable sharing opinions. When the sub-groupsreconvene, it is very interesting to compare the ratings. Furtherdiscussion takes place when items generate very differentratings, and the committee as a whole agrees upon the final listing.

Possible Stumbling Blocks

Discussing weaknesses is never easy. It is not only hard for the individual expressing the weakness butalso for the board and staff to discuss their weaknesses.

Discussing strengths can also present difficulties. In a group setting, individuals may feel compelled tooffer strengths that they don’t necessarily believe, or they may offer generalities that don’t hold up tofurther exploration.

• Encourage open and honest discussion.• Discuss both the strengths and weaknesses, pressing for concrete examples when necessary.• Show gratitude for all contributions.

When we analyzed our strengths

and weaknesses, we assumed the

REB was fairly well-known by

employers in the region; however,

we learned from the interviews that

small and medium-sized companies

in particular were unsure of the

REB’s role and responsibilities.

Eileen Zewski

Assistant Director

of Policy & Planning

Division of Employment & Training


STRENGTHS

WORKSHEET 1: TABLE OF STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

List the major strengths and weaknesses of the workforce board.

1. Consider resources the workforce board has for carrying out its work activities andprocesses. These may include financial, physical (buildings, equipment, etc.),human (experiences, knowledge, skills, competencies of employees, etc.), andintangible assets (organization history, culture, policies, relationships, etc.).

2. Examine the workforce board’s capabilities. These involve the actual work activi-ties and processes. Are there specific things that people in the organization doparticularly well? What processes might be improved? Consider areas such ascustomer service, information systems, marketing, communication, etc.

WEAKNESSES


PHASE 2 REVIEW ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDSAnalyze environmental trends based on broad categories, such as demographic, economic, social, political,

and technological areas. Also include areas more specific to workforce development, such as education

and training, child care, transportation, housing, career preparation, trends in the workforce development

system and in the workforce enhancement system. Rate the top three or four favorable trends and the three

or four major threats.

Environmental factors are important considerations in the strategic planning process. To understandhow dynamic this stage is, it is necessary to gather information and analyze factors that are both internaland external. Sources of information were collected from internal stakeholders (board, staff and volun-teers), and external stakeholders (customers, both job seekers and employers, funders, communityleaders and other key informants). Internal factors address the organization’s resources and ability tocarry out the mission. Other sources of environmental factors were collected in the form of objectivetrend data derived from government reports and regional analyses. The planning consultant recom-mended that the environmental trends be classified into 12 distinct categories listed below in bold. TheHampden County REB staff then incorporated data from labor market information reports, economicforecasts, and recent demographics into a summary of Hampden County’s environmental trends.

Organizations don’t exist inside

a vacuum. Our success depends

on stepping out of the comfort

zone, taking a critical look at all

available resources and

recognizing which factors can

be leveraged in our favor.

Anthony Mott

Retired Executive Director for

Strategic Development

Bay State Health System

1. Demographics: population size, minority and age group analyses2. Economic and Business: detailed economic data for both MA and

Hampden County including wages and labor force participation3. Education and Training: trends in the educational levels of the local

workforce and the factors that affect the local area network of educationand training providers

4. Technology: trends addressed specific labor market needs for those withIT skills as well as the role of technology as a resource in job matching

5. Political/Legal: trends addressed legislation and governmental fundingthat impact the system

6. Socio-Cultural/Socio-Economic: trends drew parallels between educa-tional levels and work success and practical issues of single workingparents

7. Child-Care: trends addressed government funding and issues of theworking poor with children

8. Transportation: trends addressed public transportation ridership andindividual access to transportation

9. Housing: trends specified public and private housing availability10. Career Preparation System: trends regarding MCAS and state level appropriations for School-to-Career

programs11. Publicly Funded Workforce Development System: trends addressed DOE and DOL programs and policy shifts12. Workforce Enhancement System: trends addressed measuring the effectiveness of programs that train incum-

bent workers

The committee members were sent copies of Hampden County’s Environmental Trends Summary priorto session two and were asked to weigh each of the trends by whether it was a positive trend or a nega-tive one. Committee members were also given a list of internal factors that were identified and asked toprioritize them according to strengths and most urgent concerns. At its next session, in order to providethe opportunity for small group discussion, the committee was divided into two subgroups, each withrepresentation from the public and private sector and staff. When the group reconvened, it was interest-ing to observe how each subgroup arrived at their answers. One group completed the tasks relativelyquickly and came to decisive conclusions, while the other group lingered in discussion and focused onthe process. Group dynamics are a significant internal factor in this process.


There may be a tendency to think of ways to offset threats or unfavorable trends and thus place allfactors on the favorable side. This should be avoided in the environmental assessment stage. Strategiesto offset unfavorable trends will be developed later in the planning process.


FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTALTRENDS

WORKSHEET 2: TABLE OF FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLEENVIRONMENTAL TRENDS

List the major favorable and unfavorable environmental trends that workforce boards will face.1. List the trends that you believe will favorably affect workforce development in the

next 2–5 years.For example, if forecasts show growth in the region in the numbers of individuals between 15 and 19

years old, this could be considered favorable to workforce development, since this is a politically

definable group that is targeted by the state and federal governments for workforce funding.

2. List the trends that you believe will be unfavorable or pose threats to workforcedevelopment, assuming no action is taken to offset the trend.For example, suppose the county’s low unemployment rates and lack of higher-skilled job opportuni-

ties is expected to continue. If no action is taken, this will be an unfavorable trend to workforce

development.

UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTALTRENDS


PHASE 3 CREATE/REVIEW YOUR MISSIONSTATEMENTMost strategic planning guides say to do this first. We suggest that it is a

more effective exercise if the committee is aware of and in agreement on

those internal and external factors that influence the organization’s work.

Is it the right mission in view of the environment and situation analysis?

According to Peter Drucker, one of the preeminent writers onmanagement in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, amission statement must identify a clear sense of direction tomobilize people to get the right things done. For those insidethe organization, a well-established organizational identity canguide staff as decisions are made. For those outside theorganization, communicating strategic direction to external

groups and individuals can increase their understanding of the motives of the organization’s managementand may facilitate the creation of alliances.

Vision versus Mission

The vision and mission can be written in two separate statements or combined into one mission state-ment. The vision typically describes a possible and desirable future state for the workforce board(where we are going), whereas the mission describes purpose and behavior (who are we and what do wedo). It is a matter of preference whether these concepts are combined into one global “missionstatement” or stated separately.

To develop a new mission statement or revise the current one, distribute several articles about missionstatements or sample statements from similar organizations to committee members. With this back-ground information, members, working individually or in sub-groups, prepare a suggested missionstatement for the organization. The statements are merged into one document, and the committeereviews and revises the statement until members are satisfied with a final version.


Avoid the tendency to get bogged down in this phase. Have the committee agree on the concepts firstand then assign two or three members of the Planning Committee to do the wordsmithing once consen-sus on the concept isreached.

It is important to bewilling to revisit themission and visionstatements as strategicplanning continues.Was an important factormissed? Did a newopportunity arise?

We started every planning session

by reviewing and revising the most

recent draft of our vision statement

and mission. This process helped

us to get a better understanding of

the future direction and purpose of

the REB.

Paul Robbins

CEO

Fitzgerald & Robbins, Inc.


1. List the existing or proposed vision statement and mission.

2. Analyze it for potential changes or clarifications.Does it need revision, based on the assessments of the organization and the environment? Has the

mission shifted over the years? Is it too long? Is it too activity-focused? Does it clearly answer the

question “why does the workforce board exist?”

WORKSHEET 3: VISION STATEMENT AND MISSION


PHASE 4 IDENTIFY STRATEGIC ISSUES AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVESCompare the strengths and weaknesses of the organization to the environmental trends. Several strategic

issues will emerge (either as a result of weaknesses in the organization or threats or opportunities from the

environment). Strategic initiatives are the major courses of action set forth to offset unfavorable conditions

or to capitalize on organizational strengths and favorable trends in the environment.

The next step undertaken in the strategic planning process was to compare the strengths and weakness ofthe organization to the environmental trends. In doing that the group was able to align strategic choiceswith the most significant forces in the environment. These strategic initiatives become the major coursesof action set forth to offset unfavorable conditions or to capitalize on organizational strengths and favor-able trends in the environment.

The process used by the facilitator to enable the strategic planning committee to work through this stepwas a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Using this grid, the facilita-tor prompted the group to fill in the blank squares, and thereby make visible, the strategic initiativeresponses that draw on favorable trends and strengths while acknowledging threats and organizationalweaknesses. The facilitator advised that strategic initiatives should be no more than 3 or 4 in number, asa longer list tends to lessen the ability of an organization to stay focused on the key areas over time. Partof this process therefore usually involves narrowing down the array of options to arrive at the key initia-tives.

This process was difficult but worthwhile. The analysis involved matching strengths and weaknesses tofavorable and unfavorable environmental trends. The process ensured environmental factors were part ofthe identification of strategic issues. The facilitator and group acknowledged the increased difficulty andcomplexity in doing this exercise for a workforce development organization that is made up of volun-teers and in an oversight role, rather than a freestanding entity, such as a for-profit business. Slowly thefour key initiatives began to emerge. The selection of the Youth Initiative is a great example of thisprocess at work. The discussion that led to selection of this item acknowledged the following:

1. The growth of youth-group cohorts (favorableenvironmental trend).

2. Staff leadership, vision, and knowledge of thesystem (strength).

3. The political and legal trends indicate that federalfunding dollars are expected to decrease (threat), sofocusing on a specific population (youth) will helpidentify targeted funding to address the need.


Try to think of workforce systems and larger issues when considering what to put in the center of thegrid. If the committee gets too focused on the weaknesses column, the results will tend to emphasizeways of improving internal operations only. Also, don’t feel the need to fill in every box in the center ofthe grid.

Doing a strategic plan for a board

that oversees an entire workforce

system like this one has unique

twists and turns.

Julie Siciliano

Planning Consultant


Favorable EnvironmentalTrends

WORKSHEET 4: IDENTIFYING KEY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Unfavorable EnvironmentalTrends

Strategic Initiative:

Matching Internal Situationto Environmental Forecasts

Internal Strengths Internal Weaknesses

(Items here are from Worksheet 1)


Course of action that is based on astrength and aligns with a pre-dicted favorable environmentaltrend.

Course of action that is based on afavorable environmental trend andis developed to offset an organiza-tional weakness.


Course of action that is based on astrength and is developed to offsetunfavorable environmentaltrend(s).


Course of action that is developedto offset an organizational weak-ness and unfavorable environmentaltrend(s).





PHASE 5 CREATING A STRATEGY SCORECARDIdentify three or four key measures that will be used to track progress toward the organization’s mission

and the implementation of strategic initiatives. Identify specific measures, responsibilities and time frames.

Consider assigning or allocating the oversight of scorecard measures to existing Board of Director

Committees or newly created sub-committees. (If new sub-committees are created, consider including staff

and other volunteers as members of the sub-committees.) This gives the full board an opportunity to

visualize what it will look like in real terms if goals are met.

The purpose of a strategy scorecard is to identify specific measures that provide the board of directorsand staff with a mechanism for monitoring progress toward implementation of the strategic plan. Inessence, it links the energies, abilities, and specific knowledge of people associated with the workforceboard, and everyone knows the score.

Three sections are included on the scorecard:

1. Strategic Initiative: This section describes the initia-tive and outlines key elements that are importantcomponents of the initiative. It is intended to providea framework to help the implementation teamsunderstand the full scope of the initiative.

2. Responsibility and Time Frames: Responsibility forimplementation is designated in this section of thescorecard. Implementation teams typically includemembers of the staff, board members and othersinterested in the initiative. Where feasible, teamsmay become subcommittees of the board of directors,in order to ensure that team progress is part of theboard’s agenda.

Time frames for start-up activities are established by the Strategic Planning Committee asthey develop the scorecard. However, it is expected that additional time frames associatedwith specific activities will be set once plans are developed by the implementation teams.

3. Measurement: The Planning Committee identifies the types of measures that will result insuccessful implementation of the initiatives by answering the questions, “How will weknow whether the initiatives are being implemented? What evidence should we look for?”Most numerical measures are left blank for the implementation teams to fill in once plansand tactics have been developed. Also, they may identify new categories or modify thoseinitially established by the planning committee.

In summary, the strategy scorecard provides a mechanism that moves the board beyond reviewing theirperformance solely in terms of WIA measures. Rather, it enables the staff to manage the performance ofits workforce system based on its strategic direction, while enabling the board of directors to monitorperformance based on the strategic plan.


It is not unusual for committees to want to keep the scorecard measures vague. However, this willdefeat the purpose of providing a way for the board to “keep score.” Identify numerical measureswhenever possible.

As we set up the scorecard, we

included a member from the

strategic planning committee on

each team. That way, we helped

to make a connection between

planning and implementation.

Mark Miller

General Manager

U.S. Tsubaki


WORKSHEET 5: STRATEGY SCORECARD

Strategic Initiative Responsibility and Time-frames

Measurement

(Individuals/group responsible foreach Initiative)

Time Frames

Initiative Summary of strategyfrom Worksheet 4

(Types of measures that indicatewhether the initiatives are beingsuccessfully implemented.)

(Individuals/group responsible foreach Initiative)

(Summary)

Key Elements•••

Initiative Summary of strategyfrom Worksheet 4

(Types of measures that indicatewhether the initiatives are beingsuccessfully implemented.)

Key Elements•••


Writing the Plan Document

You have done a significant amount of work. Commit the ideas to paper and make it official. Usuallyone member of the planning committee, the planning consultant or the executive director will write afirst draft of the final planing document, which includes a record of the LWIB’s process. The finaldocument does not need to be lengthy, but should at least include the following components:

• A brief history of the organization• A list of the planning committee members• A brief description of the stages of the planning process• A narrative of each of the elements of the plan—vision/mission, organizational strengths

and weaknesses, environmental analysis, strategic initiatives, and strategy scorecard.• Back-up documentation, such as the completed charts, may be included in appendices

The draft document is then presented for review and comment. Each board needs to agree up-front onwhat their review process will be. Will the planning committee be the only ones to comment on the draftplan or will it be presented to the full board for review and approval? A key factor to consider in thisfinal process is how to include everyone who will be responsible for executing the plan.

Consider printing an abbreviated version in a brochure format for distribution to stakeholders, as ameans of marketing the organization’s mission and strategic initiatives. This brochure can help to pro-mote the board’s value to funders, policy-makers, and others interested in workforce development.

Implementing and Monitoring

The strategic plan’s scorecard provides the framework for detailed operating plans. It also is a tool forthe board of directors and staff to monitor performance of its workforce system based on the largerstrategic direction.

The planning process is ongoing. Although the formal planning committee may dismantle once indi-viduals or groups set action plans in motion, the board of directors and staff should continue to evaluateinformation about environmental trends. This periodic external review helps to reinforce strategicthinking and ensures that the board’s strategic direction remains aligned with environmental conditions,while staying committed to the board’s values.


ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Allison, Michael & Jude Kaye. 1997. Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guideand Workbook. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Barry, Bryan W. 1997. Strategic Planning Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations. St. Paul, MN:Amherst Wilder Foundation.

Bryce, Herrington. 2000. Financial and Strategic Management for Nonprofit Organizations. 3rd ed.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bryson, John M. 1995. Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strength-ening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Drucker, Peter F. 1990. Managing the Nonprofit Organization. NY: Harper Collins.

Duca, Diane. 1996. Nonprofit Boards: Roles, Responsibilities, and Performance. NY: John Wiley &Sons, Inc.

Gelatt, James P. 1992. Managing Nonprofit Organizations in the 21st Century. Phoenix, AZ: OryxPress.

Grace, Kay Sprinkel. 2000. The Board’s Role in Strategic Planning. Washington, D. C: National Centerfor Nonprofit Boards.

Hay, Robert D. 1990. Strategic Management in Non-Profit Organizations. NY: Quorum Books.

Howe, Fisher. 1997. The Board Member’s Guide to Strategic Planning: A Practical Approach toStrengthening Nonprofit Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Siciliano, Julie. 1997. “The Relationship between Formal Planning and Performance in NonprofitOrganizations.” Journal of Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 7(4): 387–403.


Appendices:

REB of Hampden County

Completed Planning Forms


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES/AREAS

OF CONCERN

• Staff leadership and vision. Staff has the ability tosee the big picture regarding workforce issues andtakes a proactive approach to workforce invest-ment (example: one of the first REBs to pushthrough career centers concept —ahead of thecurve). Executive director has expertise based onhis background and experience—delegates welland shares knowledge.

• Board of Director commitment and composition.This has resulted in a core group of thinkers thatprovides balance in terms of ensuring an ongoingstrategic perspective with regards to workforceissues.

• Staff knowledge of the system. Staff has strongcontacts with the State, a clear understanding ofthe primary roles of facilitating, coordinating,convening groups around an issue, and a strongrecord of securing grants.

Summary of Internal Situation: REB Strengths and Weakness Worksheet

Items above the line were those given the greatest weight by the Strategic Planning Committee.

• Staff team orientation. The staff is a cohesivegroup with a wide range of talents and expertise,not risk adverse and ready to work as a team onkey issues.

• Board of Director Longevity. Continued participa-tion of long-time board members brings a historyand understanding of workforce issues.

• REB internal systems. Accounting system hasgood checks and balances with control accounts.Technology systems incorporate up-to-datehardware and adequate software packages.

• REB physical location and work environment.Central location provides easy access to agenciesand other contacts. Attractive offices and appropri-ate facilities for staff team sessions and other largegroup meetings.

• Awareness levels of the REB’s roles by employers,particularly small businesses, community agencies,and citizens needs improvement. Even thosefamiliar with the REB are not always clear about ispurpose and responsibilities and may turn to othersfor workforce development forums.

• Funding constraints restrict creativity. Sources offunding are not steady and result in varying levelsof support.

• Network of local-level partners. REB connectionswith local partners for the purpose of enhancingpolitical efforts are weak and represent a lostopportunity. Collaborative efforts with the Consor-tium are not yet at optimal levels.

• Perceptions about Board of Director composition.The majority of external stakeholders interviewedcommented on the lack of representation of keygroups in terms of Board of Director composition.The perception appeared to be that the REB doesnot pay attention to or purposely eliminates keystakeholders.

• Focus. Staff’s role as intermediary (conveneraround issues) and facilitator of the one-stopsystem is side-tracked by program provideractivities.

• Hampden County Consortium. Collaborativeefforts with the Consortium are not yet at optimallevels.

• State’s Regional Employment Board system. TheState’s REB system creates geographic boundariesand also results in little consistency among REBs.

• Competition among REBs. The state’s 16 REBsare territorial and do not actively collaborate onissues.


FAVORABLE TRENDS UNFAVORABLE TRENDS/THREATS

• Increased funding for incumbent worker skillenhancement. At the national and state level, moreemphasis is being placed on funding for incumbent/current worker skills upgrading, helping toadvance worker self-sufficiency. This trend in theworkforce enhancement system is considered themost favorable trend, particularly from a politicalfunding perspective.

• Growth in youth-group cohorts. The only two agegroups projected to grow in raw numbers between2000 and 2005 in Hampden County is the 15 to 19year old and 20 to 24 year old population. Growthin these cohorts in favorable, particular since youthis a politically definable group.

• Technology. Federal funding requires regionalapproaches to solving technology skills shortages;this is in line with newly formed partnerships (i.e.,Hartford-Springfield Partnership).

Environmental Trends Worksheet

Items above the line are considered to have the greatest impact on workforce development in HampdenCounty over the three to five years

• Transportation system. Transportation is notconsidered a large barrier to employment opportu-nities. In fact, Hampden County workers relyheavily on individual transportation; publictransportation ridership is climbing; and federalmoneys are targeted to support transportationservices for welfare recipients.

• Housing. Compared to other parts of the state,there is a large stock of affordable single familyhomes in Hampden County.

• State Support for Hampden County. The strongstate support is expected to continue.

• Economic/Business. The state has one of thehighest labor force participation rates in the nation.Difficulties in recruiting skilled workers with analready high labor force participation rate arecompounded by slow population growth rate. Inaddition Hampden County will continue to becharacterized by a low wage rate, a growing servicesector, and a lower incidence of high-tech jobs as aproportion of total jobs.

• Education and Training. Given the situation inHampden County (low unemployment and a lackof higher-skilled job opportunities), a majorconcern is that education and training trends arepreparing workers in a local economy that does nothave the job opportunities.

• Political/Legal. The state does not fare well givenfederal funding formulas based on unemploymentrates. Diminished dollars are expected.

• Career Preparation System. Academic preparationis not strongly related to career preparation.

• Publicly Funded Workforce Development System.WIA focus on stand-alone skills training willcontinue, with little focus on longer-termremediation.

• Child care. Affordable child care will continue tobe a barrier to work for working poor, particularlythose working non-traditional hours and who donot qualify for subsidies.

• Demographics. Limited workforce growthprojections to 2005.


SITUATION ANALYSIS REB

INTERNAL WEAKNESSES

FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL TRENDSIncreased funding for incumbent worker skillenhancement. At the national and state level, moreemphasis is being placed on funding for incumbent/current worker skills upgrading, helping to advanceworker self-sufficiency.Growth in youth-group cohorts. The only twoage groups projected to grow in raw numbersbetween 2000 and 2005 in Hampden County is the15 to 19 year old and 20 to 24 year old population.Growth in these cohorts in favorable, particularsince youth is a politically definable group.Technology. Federal funding requires regionalapproaches to solving technology skills shortages;this is in line with newly formed partnerships (i.e.,Hartford-Springfield Partnership).

Worksheet for Comparing Internal Situation to Environmental Trends to Generate Strategic

Initiatives

THREATS/UNFAVORABLE ENVIRON-MENTAL TRENDS

Economic/Business. The state has one of thehighest labor force participation rates in the nation.Difficulties in recruiting skilled workers with analready high labor force participation rate arecompounded by slow population growth rate. Inaddition Hampden County will continue to becharacterized by a low wage rate, a growing servicesector, and a lower incidence of high-tech jobs as aproportion of total jobs.Education and Training. Given the situation inHampden County (low unemployment and a lack ofhigher-skilled job opportunities), a major concernis that education and training trends are preparingworkers in a local economy that does not have thejob opportunities.Political/Legal. The state does not fare well givenfederal funding formulas based on unemploymentrates. Diminished dollars are expected.

Staff leadership and vision. Staffability to see the big pictureregarding workforce issues andevidence of their proactiveapproach to issues.Board of Director commitmentand composition. Core group ofthinkers that provides balance interms of ensuring an ongoingstrategic perspective.Staff knowledge of the system.Strong contacts with the State, aclear understanding of theprimary roles of facilitating,coordinating, convening groupsaround an issue, and a strongtrack record of securing grants.

INTERNAL STRENGTHS

Awareness levels of the REB’sroles by employers, agencies, andcitizens need improvement. Eventhose familiar with the REB arenot always clear about its purposeand responsibilities and may turnto others for workforce develop-ment forums.Funding constraints restrictcreativity. Sources of funding arenot steady and result in varyinglevels of support.Network of local providers toenhance local political relation-ships and efforts could beimproved. Collaborative effortswith the Consortium are not yet atoptimal levels.

YOUTH COUNCIL FOCUS

INITIATIVE

ADULT BASIC

WORKFORCE SKILLS

SYSTEM

YOUTH COUNCIL FOCUS

INITIATIVE

ADULT BASIC

WORKFORCE SKILLS

SYSTEM


1ST STRATEGICINITIATIVE

RESPONSIBILITY AND

TIME FRAMESMEASUREMENT

Youth Council FocusBuild the capacity of the WorkforceYouth Council so that it advocates forand serves youth in a proactivemanner.

Elements include:• Development of an action plan,

which includes strategies,plans for implementation anddesired outcomes that willimprove the youth workforcesystem (WIA and beyond).This action plan will address:

• Initiatives to expand/improveexisting WIA youth servicedelivery system.

• Expectations for how the One-Stop Career Centers and theyouth system will more fullyintegrate.

• Specific efforts to move theYouth Council into a leader-ship position within thecommunity.

1. Increased organizational effi-ciency and effectiveness in thedelivery of youth services within theworkforce development system, asmeasured by:

• Reduced the waiting time bydays/weeks for youth toaccess services, i.e., Job Corpstraining and GED services.

• Increased degree of businessintegration, i.e., implementa-tion of at least quality year-round youth internships forWIA youth and an increase inquality year-round internshipsfor school-to-career youth by%.

• Improved coordination amongyouth serving partners asevidenced by at least formal-ized agreements between theYouth Council and variouspartners specifying howlinkages will be improved.

• Increased utilization of theOne-Stop Career Centers byyouth, especially drop-outs, by% and an % increase inpositive satisfaction ratings byyouth customers.

2. Increased awareness of the YouthCouncil as a leader in youth work-force issues as measured by:

• Quarterly release of printedand/or web-based pressreleases, statements, an-nouncements, etc., on issuesimpacting our future work-force (i.e., MCAS); on currentevents of the Youth Council;and on successes made inimproving the youth deliverysystem.

• Organization or co-sponsor-ship of at least 1 yearlymedium to large scaled eventthat highlights a youthworkforce issue or program.

3. Advocacy role: Statements orannouncements advocating for youthon specific issues.Note: Sub-committee to develop morespecificity to these scorecard measures,including the assignment of numerical goals.

Responsibility: A newly formedSupport Team consisting of keymembers of the Youth Council, REBstaff (S. Nuckols and B. Sperry) andrepresentation from the StrategicPlanning Committee.

Timeframes:• September 2001—Leadership

Team formed• January–February 2002—

Action Plan developed withactivities and timeframesspecified

• October 2001—Quarterlyprogress reports submitted toWIB staff and reports made atregularly scheduled Boardmeetings

Worksheet for Strategic Scorecard


2ND STRATEGICINITIATIVE

RESPONSIBILITY AND


Adult Basic Workforce Skills SystemExpand the REB’s leadership role toinclude the development of a moreintegrated and responsive system thatbuilds and develops the adult basiceducational and workforce readinessskills within our region’s labor supply.

• Establishment of an on-goingand dynamic compact ofcommunity-based organiza-tions, employers and educatorswith a common interest in thisissue to meet the changingneeds of the workforce.

• Development of an action plan,which includes strategies, plansfor implementation (includingpiloted demonstration projects)and desired outcomes that willimprove the adult educationdelivery system. This plan willinclude:

• Identification of key skill levelsto be included (i.e., reading,language, math, computerliteracy, problem-solving,communication, etc.) andbaseline measures and require-ments for an effective system.

• Gathering of baseline dataregarding current awareness ofthe REB as a leader in work-force issues related to educationand specific efforts to move theREB into a leadership positionwithin the community.

Responsibility: Newly formed Sub-Committee of the Board of Directorsand REB staff (B. Sperry & VISTAVolunteer to be hired).

Sub-committee to include represen-tation from the Strategic PlanningCommittee, Community Colleges,Community-Based Organizationsand other interested groups.

Timeframes:• September 2001—REB

Subcommittee formed• September 2001—“Compact”

participants identified• January-February 2002—

Action Plan developed withactivities and timeframesspecified

• March 2002—Quarterlyprogress reports made atregularly scheduled Boardmeetings

1. Development & dissemination ofa comprehensive information &referral database of Basic Educa-tion, Literacy & workforce readi-ness services to facilitate the referralof customers.2. Development of customerfeedback mechanisms to continu-ously improve the adult educationsystem.3. Increased awareness of the REBas a leader in local workforce issuesrelated to education, as measuredby:

• An improvement over currentawareness gathered inbaseline data of % by 2004.

• Quarterly release of printedand/or web-based pressreleases, statements, an-nouncements, etc., on issuesimpacting our workforce(i.e., local response toMassINC reports); on currentevents of the adult education;and on successes made inimproving the adult educa-tion system.

• Organization or co-sponsor-ship (e.g., with Labor) of atleast 1 yearly medium tolarge scaled event by thathighlights education’s impacton workforce or a program.

4. Increase in local, state, andprivate investment to expand basiceducational services in our regionby %.

Note: Sub-committee to developmore specificity to these scorecardmeasures, including the assignmentof numerical goals.


3RD STRATEGICINITIATIVE

RESPONSIBILITY AND


Information AccessBecome the primary source forregional workforce developmentinformation.

• Centralized, electronic, web-based clearinghouse ofrelevant and reliable work-force information.

• Encompass a combination ofone-stop access to existingon-line databases (i.e., DET,MISER, BLS, and others);value-added interpretations ofexisting data; and REBgenerated data from surveys,Career Centers, etc.

• Focus of information wouldbe on employer labor short-ages and skill needs byindustry cluster, labor supplyinformation, available trainingin the region by skill areas,career ladder opportunitieswithin targeted industries.

• Coordinate with committeesresponsible for the YouthFocus and Adult Basic Skillsinitiatives to meet datarequirements.

Phase I: Build the System• Identify where the sources of

information are, how datafrom the sources will beaccessed, and what mecha-nism will be used to respondto queries.

• Phase II: Establish Distribu-tion Channels and Awareness

• Create awareness of thesystem and establish it as aframe of reference.

• Market the system.• Identify organizations and

individuals that can make thebest use of the informationand provide regular distribu-tion.

Responsibility: Primarily a REBstaff activity (with potential consult-ant, and/or student interns). StrategicPlanning Committee member, P.Daboul, to provide assistance toREB staff. (C. Abramowitz, R.Neveu, B. Sperry)

Reviewed by One-Stop CareerCenter Committee and ExecutiveCommittee.

Timeframes:• December 2001—Plan that

outlines activities to build thesystem, how it will bemarketed, and targetedimplementation dates

• February 2002—Progressreports made at regularlyscheduled OSCC andExecutive Committeemeetings

1. Information Access Plan approvedby the Board in September 2001.2. Recognition of data access systemas a primary source of workforceinformation, such as:

• Number of Web site hits,• User comments and survey

data,• Number of organizations

requesting to be hyper-linkedto the Web site,

• Other measures identified inthe information access plan.

Note: Sub-committee to develop morespecificity to these scorecard mea-sures, including the assignment ofnumerical goals.


4TH STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITY AND


Community Awareness andSupport

Increase community-wide awarenessof the REB’s role in workforcedevelopment and expand public andprivate resources.

• Increased awareness amongemployers and businessleaders, community-basedorganizations, and politicalpartners, via development of amarketing/ communicationplan with specific strategiesand desired outcomes. ThisPlan will include:

�Gathering of baseline dataregarding current awarenessof the REB’s critical role inworkforce developmentissues.

�Strategy for disseminationof information to thecommunity.

�Tactics to address:• Legislative/political

efforts to result inimproved relationshipswith political partners.

• Greater involvement andsupport of leaders in thecommunity.

• Fund raising efforts thatresult in increasedalternative sources offunding, both public andprivate to support theREB’s vision and mission.

Responsibility: Ad-hoc sub-committee of the Executive Commit-tee and REB staff(C. Abramowitz, B. Sperry, and B.Ward). Also, member from theStrategic Planning Committee.

Timeframes:• December 2001—Marketing

plan approved by ExecutiveCommittee with activities andtimeframes specified

• January 2002—Implementa-tion of marketing strategies

• February 2002—ProgressReports made at regularlyscheduled Executive Commit-tee meetings

1. Improvement over currentawareness gathered in baseline dataof % by 2004.2. Quarterly release of printed and/or web-based press releases,statements, announcements, etc., onissues impacting our workforce.3. Improved relationship with local/state legislators as measured by:

• Voting support for criticalline items in State budget,

• Local elected official supporton key decisions points (i.e.,Career Center operatordecisions, WIA planning andallocation of resources, and

• Joint sponsorship of at least 1yearly event on an issueimpacting local workforce.

4. Involvement and support ofbusiness leaders in the community:

• Number of direct contactsmade

• Number of businessesutilizing services

• Level of support at annualevents

5. Increase in funds to the REB’sbudget overall of %, with at least %being comprised of new alternativepublic and private investments, by2004.

Note: Sub-committee to developmore specificity to these scorecardmeasures, including the assignmentof numerical goals.


Arleen Damon is a consultant specializing in Project Manage-ment, Organizational Effectiveness, Program Design, TeamBuilding, and Workforce Development.

She is currently working as a consultant with WorkforceSystem Services to provide technical assistance to boardmembers and staff of the Massachusetts Workforce BoardAssociation in areas of strategic planning, performancemanagement and local board capacity building. In thatcapacity she is also implementing other key initiatives such asa demonstration project for Continuous Quality Improvementin a career center setting.

In addition, Ms. Damon currently provides technical assistanceto nine National DOL Skill Shortage Grantees as an associatewith Workforce Learning Strategies and continues to workwith other non-profit organizations in the Boston Area such asAction for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD).

Prior to consulting Ms. Damon launched one of the first careercenters in Boston as the Director of Boston Career Link andserved as an Interim Executive Director of the Metro SouthWest Regional Employment Board. From 1986 to 1994 sheworked with the Department of Employment and Training asan Area Director.

Julie I. Siciliano is Associate Professor of Management atWestern New England College. She holds B.S.B.A. andM.B.A. degrees from Western New England College and aPh.D. in Strategic Management from the University ofMassachusetts, Amherst.

Her research focuses on board of director involvement instrategic management, the relationship between formalplanning and performance, and strategy implementationissues. Her work has been published in the Journal ofBusiness Ethics, Journal of Nonprofit Management andLeadership, Journal of Management Education, and Journalof Education for Business. She is author of The Board’s Rolein the Strategic Management of Nonprofit Organizations(Garland Publishing) and is co-author of Strategize!Experiential Exercises in Strategic Management (South-Western Publishing), and Management: Responsibility forPerformance (McGraw-Hill).

Before entering academia, Professor Siciliano held manage-ment positions in marketing and sales. In her consultingpractice, she assists both nonprofit and for-profit organizationsin governance, strategic planning, and organizationalrestructuring.

About the Authors:

Commonwealth Corporation

Workforce System Services, Division of Commonwealth CorporationWorkforce System Services (WSS), under the direction of Vice President Eleni Papadakis, conceived and supported the develop-ment of this project. WSS works with all facets of the workforce development system to develop, implement, and promotequality career development programming in Massachusetts. This work includes administration of WIA Title I adult programs, theprovision of consultation and technical assistance, staff training and professional development, clinical client services, resourcedevelopment support, and the development and implementation of population- and industry-specific demonstration programs.

Practical Strategic Planning for Workforce Boards is one component of WSS’ broader efforts to assist workforce boards to fulfilltheir leadership role on behalf of the workforce development system and its customers. In addition to Ms. Papadakis, TrainingCoordinator Gregg McCutcheon, and Western Massachusetts Field Consultant Sharon Grundel supported the creation of thisguide.

Empowering People and Businesses to Learn, Earn, and Succeed

Massachusetts Workforce Board Association and Workforce Investment BoardsMassachusetts Workforce Investment Boards (WIB’s) play a pivotal role in directing the comprehensive state workforce develop-ment system and resources. The WIB’s are the private sector driven local policy boards comprised of business executives andowners, chambers of commerce and entrepreneurs, school superintendents, college presidents, local labor leaders, city managers,heads of the local welfare, DET and other state agencies, as well as consumers of these services.

As each local WIB implements these roles they are supported by one another through the Massachusetts Workforce BoardAssociation, Inc. (formerly the Regional Employment Board Association) The Association is an independent vehicle to review andprovide information, facilitate communication both between each WIB and region as well as other workforce development partners.The Association works with the WIB’s to develop system-wide policies and provides a vehicle and forum to voice commonconcerns and develop solutions to common problems.

Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public organization responsible for administering and delivering a wide range of public andprivately-funded initiatives designed to meet the labor needs of businesses; improve current and emerging workers’ skills; fostercareer success through lifelong learning; and retain, sustain, improve, and create job-generating businesses.

Commonwealth Corporation operates the following three programmatic divisions: Business and Employee Services; WorkforceSystem Services; and Center for Youth Development and Education.

For more information about Commonwealth Corporation, visit our web site at www.commcorp.org.


Phase 1: Analyze BoardStrengths and Weaknesses

Phase 2: ReviewEnvironmental Trends andProjections

Phase 3: Create/ReviewMission Statement

Phase 4: Identify Strategic Issues andStrategic Initiatives

Phase 5: Create a Strategy Scorecard

Commonwealth CorporationThe Schrafft Center

529 Main Street, Suite 110Boston, MA 02129

617–727–8158Fax: 617–242–7660

TDD/TTY 1–800–439–2370 (Verizon Relay Service)

Commonwealth Corporation is an equal opportunity employer/program.Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Jane Swift–GovernorAngelo R. Buonopane–Director, Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development and Chair, Commonwealth Corporation’s Board of Directors � Jonathan Raymond–President