Team CMI

John A. Connor
Chief Executive Officer

John possesses 27 years of progressively responsible human resource and management experience working with Fortune 500 companies including Armour-Dial, Emery Worldwide, and PepsiCo.

As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CMI International, Inc., John has developed one of the Southeast’s leading career management consulting firms. CMI specializes in executive coaching, career coaching and development, career transition services, change management, and leadership development. John has provided executive coaching, and career coaching and development to numerous senior level executives. His efforts directly resulted in increased performance and employee retention. John has a B.S. in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University, and participated in the MBA program at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.


Ron Strieker, Ph.D.
Managing Principal, Talent Management

Ron is presently the Managing Principal for CMI and focuses primarily in the critical area of executive coaching and development. He has coached hundreds of executives through a variety of transitions including career advancement, performance issues and leadership development. He has worked directly with senior management coaching them through all aspects of company mergers, management development, training and human resources integration. Ron brings both the capacity to develop the strategic design of an issue as well as move to practical solutions. Ron has counseled numerous clients through significant transitions in their lives on a personal and professional level. His work and consulting experience includes Citigroup, Prudential Bank, American Cancer Society, Kennesaw State University, Blue Circle Clement, Voluntary Hospitals of America, Cornell University, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations and James River Paper.

Dr. Strieker has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Southern Illinois University. His diverse background includes human resources management and training, not only at the university level, but also in public schools both internationally and domestically. Ron served on the faculty of the University of Missouri where he taught courses on behavioral theory, statistics, and management development. At the Cornell School of Industrial Relations he facilitated executive development seminars, and conducted seminars across the nation on leadership development, group dynamics, effective teambuilding, negotiation, and selection and coaching.


Daniel G. Lee
Senior Vice President

Joining CMI in 2008, Dan offers 30 years’ experience in a variety of leadership roles, blending marketing and consulting expertise with operational and strategic skill. He is known for building high performance teams, coaching and motivating others to produce desired results. Clients rely on him to help successfully communicate an organization’s strategic message and support their implementation of key initiatives. He has worked directly with senior management in areas of strategic alignment, employee engagement and retention, leadership development and succession planning, as well as reorganization and its impact on branding and performance. Additionally Dan has counseled with many individuals through times of significant change, both personally and professionally.

Dan earned his degree at Atlanta’s Emory University, followed by advanced learning with American Management Association, Bank Administration Institute, and Landmark Education. His work and consulting experience includes a variety of companies in financial services, healthcare, human resources, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and technology.


Cathy Ergle
VP, Business Development & Client Services

Cathy is VP, Business Development and Client Services for CMI and is responsible for new business development as well as managing Client Services. Cathy and her staff provide consulting, training, and development services for clients in transition. The Consultant Team effectively works with clients regarding all aspects of career transition, including; assessment, marketing plan development, resume development, networking, utilizing technology, and negotiation. Having many years of corporate Human Resources Generalist experience, Cathy has worked with management teams in the areas of staffing, benefits administration, employee relations, career coaching, and facilitation/training.

Ms. Ergle’s focus is to lead Business Development efforts for CMI and effectively manage operations of CMI’s Career Transition Services, fostering positive relationships with corporate clients while ensuring the successful transition of all individual candidates that put their confidence in CMI. Cathy has successfully partnered with organizations in multiple industries assisting them with their Talent Management needs, including Forrester Research, Biogen Idec, JM Huber, Verizon Communications, Verisign, Sears, Metlife, Schneider National, and Emdeon/WebMD. Cathy is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) both locally and nationally. She graduated with honors and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Behavioral Science.


Christine Browning
Director, Client Services

Christine is Director, Client Services for CMI and is responsible for new business development and account management of local and national accounts. Ms. Browning’s primary focus is to partner with companies to provide solutions that increase organizational effectiveness and positively impact revenue in the areas of Employee Development, Retention and Career Transition.

Ms. Browning joined CMI with over 12 years of marketing, advertising and client relations experience. She led teams to create effective media campaign solutions for major corporations such as Macy’s, Hardee’s and Pearl River Resort. Most recently, Christine acted as Account Manager and Business Specialist for a major consumer product organization, coordinating benefits for micro-business owners.

Ms. Browning possesses a successful track record of understanding client needs and acting as an extension to their staff to reach a solution that enhances the clients’ goal of succeeding in a highly competitive marketplace. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Management from the University of South Carolina.


Herb Edwards
Director, Client Services

Herb Edwards, Director of Client Services for CMI, brings more than 25 years of experience in various business sectors. Herb’s business experience before coming to CMI includes senior level positions with leading companies and management consulting firms. As a management consultant, Herb worked with clients within the transportation, telecommunications, healthcare, consumer goods and industrial goods industries. He has focused on systems integration, HR transformation, career transition, talent management, and change management issues. Herb has a JD from Howard University; an MBA from Atlanta University and a bachelor’s degree with High Honors from Lincoln University (PA) with a major in Sociology.


Elaine Metzger, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant

Dr. Elaine Metzger is recognized as a leader in the talent management industry. She managed career transition projects for Fortune 500 companies in the Southeast, coached senior level clients, directed corporate career centers, managed teams, designed and facilitated change management programs for organizations experiencing restructuring, and supported business development teams. Elaine has worked with a wide range of client companies in the areas of information technology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, non-profits, government and education.

In her earlier career, Elaine served as Regional Director for the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning where she was responsible for both business development and program management of major corporate projects. Her experience has also included a position on the senior human resources team at Sun America Financial Services. In addition, Elaine has developed and managed career centers for AT&T, Kraft Foods and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. She has held positions as Director of the Pima County Adult Education Center (Tucson, Arizona); Special Projects Administrator (Bridgeport, Connecticut); and Peace Corps Volunteer (Sierra Leone, West Africa).

Dr. Metzger has served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Atlanta Chapter of the American Society of Training & Development (ASTD). She volunteers with several non-profit organizations, and has been a coach in the Georgia 100 Mentoring Program. Elaine has been saluted as a Woman of Achievement by the Atlanta YWCA. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Foundations and Policy Studies/Adult Learning from Florida State University and holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Joseph College.


Lisa Tesmer
VP, Finance and Operations

As CMI’s and VP of Finance and Office Operations, Lisa Tesmer is responsible for directing the staff and client services function. Key to this role is to guide recently terminated persons effectively into our outplacement process during what typically is a traumatic period in their lives. This includes initial orientation to training on CPI’s Career portal to daily administrative support. Lisa is also responsible for managing the day to day processes for CMI office operations. Lisa also manages and oversees the financial operations of the organization. Prior to joining CMI, Lisa spent over 15 years in operations, marketing and general office management with a focus on staff development and training with various start up companies. She has developed and managed departmental budgets, had P&L responsibility, and managed internal staff. Her background also includes studying at the University of Georgia where she majored in Business Administration.

How may we help you?


 

A History of Success

For nearly 20 years, CMI has worked with a variety of organizations, for-profit and non-profit alike, in most every field – including manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, and technology.