|
||
| Our People | Hiring a Consultant | Qualifications |
· Christopher J. Andrews, Partner ·
Mr. Andrews brings with him an extensive variety of management experiences. As Controller for a privately held holding company, he consolidated the accounting and office management functions, thereby reducing overhead costs while increasing cash controls. As President of his own service company, he brought the company from start-up to the dominant position in the region. Chris received his degree from the State University of New York in Albany. Prior to co-founding 
, he was a Marketing and Operations Manager for a major student transportation company. He has served as Project Leader on a variety of studies, and is a popular speaker, appearing at board meetings and management seminars in over two hundred schools and municipalities during the past fifteen years.
· Mark A. Walsh, Partner, Certified Management Consultant (CMC) ·
Mr. Walsh received his B.A. in Business and Economics from the State University of New York at Oswego. He is a frequent contributor to industry and education sector publications, and he has served as a presenter and lecturer at numerous seminars and conferences. Mark brings to extensive business management experience, including demonstrated skills as the President of a major student transportation company. His professional affiliations have resulted in an active involvement in the formation of several State and National associations. Mark has provided transportation assistance to school districts for more than 29 years, and has been a Project Leader on numerous studies. Additionally, Mark has achieved recognition as a Certified Management Consultant (CMC). This internationally recognized certification is awarded by the Institute of Management Consultants USA and represents evidence of the highest standards of consulting and adherence to the ethical canons of the profession. Less than 1% of all consultants have achieved this level of performance. (See www.imcusa.org/hireacmc.acgi)
· Louis J. "Lou" Boffardi, Consultant ·
Mr. Boffardi brings to the team extensive experience as a school district Superintendent, BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services, and Industry Specialist for a major student transportation contractor. Lou's diverse background, both overseeing transportation services as a district Superintendent and operating transportation systems for a contractor, offers a unique perspective that is invaluable when reviewing various operating systems. Lou received his Certificate of Advanced Study in School Business Administration from SUNY College at New Paltz, and his Professional Certificate with a specialization in Educational Administration and Supervision from Queens College.
· Mike King, Consultant ·
Mike serves as the technical consultant for the State of Pennsylvania. Mike has been in the pupil transportation industry for 32 years, and currently serves as the Director of Transportation for the Marple Newtown School District in Newtown Square, PA. Prior to his current role, Mike served as the Transportation Director at both the Central Bucks and Neshaminy School Districts. He is an Instructor/Coordinator for the PA School Bus Driver Training Program, a past-President of the PA Pupil Transportation Association, and served as Vice-Chairperson for the PASBO Transportation Committee. Mike received his management training from Penn State, and is a PA Registered School Business Specialist.
Hiring a Consultant
Based upon our experiences, and comments from our customers, we hope that the following suggestions will prove helpful when hiring a student transportation consultant:
-
Employ an independent firm that offers non-biased perspectives. Look
for private and public sector work experience to avoid a prejudiced
opinion. For example, would a public sector trade organization
ever recommend a private sector solution?
-
Does the consultant offer real-world experience that is applicable
to the engagement? For instance, has the consultant ever run
the type of program being reviewed, has the consultant ever
negotiated a labor agreement, has the consultant ever submitted
a bid, can the consultant offer references from similar types
of programs. All too often persons with narrow experiences
attempt to call themselves consultants offering a broad range
of services.
-
Avoid firms that sell products as well as consulting services. The
most common example of this is computer hardware/software
salesmen that claim to offer efficiency studies. Guess what
their solution to inefficiency is going to be?
-
Always check references. Was past work performed on time? Were expectations
met? Would previous clients hire the consultant again? Was
there company support in the event of illness, etc?
- Get firm quotes for the work to be performed, and set a cap on expenses.
The right consultant can be a true resource for your organization.
Call the consultants at today. We offer the experience, the references, and the results consulting services are all we offer, and we deliver!
Hiring a Consultant is a comparative check list designed by to facilitate a client's comparison and evaluation of proposals for the provision of consulting services.
|