Norby Rudel
President/Founder/Facilitator
As the President and founder of IPI, Norby brings together a diverse team of talented professionals that share his passion and expertise for helping individuals and organizations improve performance.
Born in Manhattan, and a cum laude graduate of Alfred University, Norby began his business career in the retail industry. His experience owning and operating two successful businesses led him to the renowned retail consulting organization, The Friedman Group where he worked as a Senior Consultant with numerous retail organizations around the US to achieve breakthrough results.
He is an award winning speaker, energizer and published author with a unique perspective on the subjects of leadership, management, communications and generational issues.
Norby has been a diamond buyer in the jungles of Africa, speaks three languages and has traveled and worked in 22 countries. He is an accomplished musician, snowboarder marathon runner and grill jockey.
Harley Groff
Vice President Business Development
With 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, Harley has held several leadership positions with diverse responsibilities. He has been instrumental in creating seven start-up companies in a variety of industries including, manufacturing, service, education, and property management.
Two of those companies were created prior to graduating from the University of Arizona with a BSBA in Accounting. His most successful enterprise provided livelihoods for over 100 employees, and serviced 10,000 + children in the recreational activities field. During the late 90’s Harley went back to school and became a Graduate Gemologist so that he would have the skills needed to open a Jewelry store in the posh suburb of Colleyville in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Shortly after the turn of the century, Harley accepted an offer as Vice President of Sales at a successful management consulting company, where he spent the last 8 years honing his skills as a sales trainer, leadership coach, mentor,and strategist. Harley is a n accomplished speaker and brings a highly energetic style to his audiences while always having fun in the process.
With a strong background in assessment technologies, an eye for logistics, and the ability to see the big picture while not losing sight of the details, Harley brings a valuable dimension to the IPI vision.
Michelle Garcia
Luxury Retail Specialist
After 15 years of training and business development in the luxury business sector, Michelle has learned the wisdom of marrying substance with style. Her belief is that luxury retail and hospitality/customer service have unique challenges in an extremely competitive market: they must produce quality to maintain reputation while keeping up with the latest trends to remain relevant.
As the owner of The Curiosity Shop LLC, a training and internal communications company, Michelle combines her ‘insider’s view’ with an instructional design background. Curiosity Shop programs engage staff in the same ways that brands must try to engage customers.
Utilizing today’s most popular information channels like websites, podcasts, videos, Facebook, and Twitter, she applies sound learning principles and produces content that is at once instructionally effective and entertaining. It is all part of a quest to transform employees from lackluster clock punchers to passionate expert fans of their organization. After all, if your employees are not sold on your brand, how effective can they be at “selling” it to your customers?
Linda Davis Kirksey
Grant Writing Specialist/Facilitator
Linda Davis-Kirksey is a Rochester Hills, MI business woman who owns and operates Davis Kirksey Associates, a political consulting, grant writing, organizational development and training company specializing in law enforcement, municipalities, technology companies, hospitals, colleges, universities and non profit organizations.
Linda grew up in Flint, Michigan and earned her BA and MBA from the University of Michigan. She worked for 13 years as a National Training Coordinator for General Motors Corporation and in 1996 went on a political leave from GM and started her own business. An active community member Linda currently serves on a variety of Local Boards and Commissions.
Jan Watson
Business Development and Social Media
Jan Watson is the President and Founder of J.P. Watson Group, LLC. Formerly the Business Development Manager and Clinical Trainer for Alcon Laboratories and Advanced Medical Optics, Jan is now using her 20 years of sales, marketing and business development experience to pursue her passion of improving organizational performance through assessment technology and psycho metrics
Jan is a published author for several industry trade journals including the Review of Ophthalmology and Aesthetic Trends and Technology. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Jack Foley
Major Case Management/Instructor
A former FBI Special Agent with over 30 years of experience in the bureau, Jack brings a unique perspective, knowledge base and exceptional instructional skills to Internal Performance. Jack is an advanced certified FBI instructor providing training to international law enforcement audiences in Eastern Europe, South America, Australia and Africa. During four plus years with the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team he was deployed on counter-terrorism missions both domestically and abroad. He has played an instrumental role in several Top Ten Most Wanted fugitive apprehensions.
From 1998 until his retirement in 2009 Jack provided and coordinated training for agent and support personnel throughout the States of Kansas and Missouri and served as the FBI National Academy Coordinator for the Kansas-Western Missouri Region. In 2008 he won the Clarence M. Kelley Meritorious Service Award from the FBI National Academy. A native Missouran, Jack graduated with a BS in Business and Personnel Management from Northwest Missouri State University. Jack has two children Claire and Griffin who attend the University of Missouri and he currently lives in Kansas City, MO.