SCANNER FREEMONT / Data Analyst

Freemont is responsible for the digital conversion of survey responses while adhering to strict quality standards set forth by its managers. Freemont began its career at TruScore in 1996 as a Data Analyst and quickly became pivotal to TruScore's success. As the years passed, Freemont has slowly matured into part-time Data Analyst while also holding many positions in the work environment including On The Floor, On The Empty Desk, and Hold The Door (AKA Hodor).

RON SACCHI / Master Coach

A former Operations Manager in the High Tech Industry, Ron Sacchi brings decades of leadership and management experience to the organizational development and the executive coaching arena. An energetic thought-leader with a track record of success in all areas of Human Capital development, he has consulted and coached managers in start-ups, joint-ventures, high tech, pharmaceuticals, and media. Because of his business acumen and creative approaches to behavioral change, he is respected in the HR community specifically for the ability to direct, motivate, influence and inspire leaders to improve performance.

Holding an MBA from Saint Mary’s College, Mr. Sacchi is also licensed in various management, leadership and psychological profiling tools.

CARLANN FERGUSSON / Master Coach

Carlann inspires leaders to reconnect to their individual purpose and lead with contagious energy. She ensures leaders gain deep self-awareness and eliminate self-sabotaging behaviors. Her guidance is based on coaching, training and selecting hundreds of executives across diverse companies as well as her own journey into the executive ranks.

Carlann is the author of the highly acclaimed book The Insightful Leader: Find Your Superpowers, Crush Limiting Beliefs and Abolish Self-Sabotaging Behaviors (Praeger, June 2018). She holds a master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Her thirty years of experience include leadership roles in Fortune 500s, the private sector, and the U.S. Government. Carlann has been a featured guest on ABC News Radio, Wharton Business Radio and has been cited in CBS MoneyWatch, International Business Times, Newsday and Workday.

DR CHUCH MELTZER / Master Coach

Dr. Chuck Meltzer is a Master Coach and President of the SynTECGroup, an organizational development consulting firm. As an executive coach, he draws on his training at a doctoral level in psychology, direct senior management experience and management consulting with a wide cross section of industries. He has developed an extensive series of strategies to assist leaders in creating organizational wide and personal change. Dr. Meltzer has a decade of direct senior management experience and 20 years’ experience functioning within his consulting and coaching practice. His coaching approach is solution focused and time framed. Based on determined goals, a personally customized approach to the process has enabled his clients to realize sustainable change in a manner that allows them to enhance their effectiveness and success as leaders within their organization.

Dr. Meltzer is certified and a master trainer in several coaching assessment tools that he employs within his practice.

ERIN HIRSCHLAND / Master Coach

Erin is an organization development expert with nearly two decades experience serving organizations of all sizes across industries on a broad range of issues. Working with leadership teams, she helps articulate an actionable vision and corresponding values, connecting these to organizational strategy, execution and results. Her tools of choice include senior team retreats, one-on-one executive coaching and proven survey and related instruments.

Erin’s additional expertise includes designing employee selection systems, developing performance management tools that increase performance across the organization over time and employee and customer experience metrics. An effective facilitator and coach, Erin works with leaders and their teams to build trust, commitment and results.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Arts degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Colorado.

SONYA D HAMILTON / Senior Assessment Consultant

Sonya is a Senior Assessment Consultant at TruScore with over 24 years of experience designing and delivering 360 feedback solutions and providing 360-based coaching, training and interpretation.

Sonya has extensive experience working with Managers and Leaders, guiding them through the feedback and development journey and providing insights and direction to help maximize their impact within the organization. Sonya’s areas of expertise include 360-based coaching, 360 data analysis and interpretation, Train-the-Trainer certifications, facilitation, survey & questionnaire design, and the design and delivery of assessment programs.

Sonya has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master’s of Science degree in Industrial & Organization Psychology from Springfield College with a specialty in Counseling and Psychological Services. She is a Master Trainer for TruScore and the Clark Wilson Task Cycle surveys receiving a Certificate of Achievement in “How to Train a Trainer”. In addition, Sonya is certified to administer a variety of other psychometric instruments including employee engagement and organizational instruments as well as the line of Hogan Personality Assessments.

KAYLEY MOTZ / Assessment Advisor

Kayley draws on her extensive customer service background to provide clients with prompt, quality support. In her role as Assessment Advisor, Kayley works to ensure clients’ needs are being met. She assists in project set up and management, as well as processing and quality checking feedback reports. Kayley also aids in the execution of the day-to-day responsibilities of the production team, such as coaching session scheduling and tech support.

CRYSTAL HUGHES / Assessment Advisor

Crystal leverages her extensive background in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) psychology as she manages the day-to-day operational and tactical aspects of multiple and large scale projects for TruScore.

Crystal assists clients with setting up and managing feedback projects, and serves as the point of contact throughout the entire process. She quality checks feedback reports, and provides tech support when needed.

ELLIE SOLOMON / Assessment Advisor

Ellie manages project implementation for the entire 360 assessment feedback process and ensures that each client’s unique needs are met on time and in an efficient manner. Ellie consults with clients who use TruScore’s off-the-shelf Task Cycle® instruments as well as providing hosting solutions for clients using their own survey content, including custom processes and reports. She helps clients navigate through the TruScore® survey hosting software, having literally written the handbook that several clients are using.

She coordinates and implements all translation efforts, including soliciting bids, managing timelines, providing files to the translation companies, implementing translations for the web pages, and testing.

ULLA WESTERMANN / Software Engineer

Ulla uses her years of experience as a software engineer to maintain and add new features to TruScore's applications. She also helps with customizing feedback reports based on client needs.

HANK CURTIS / Business Development Manager

Hank manages and assists in the analyzing, planning, research, and development of TruScore’s objectives and strategic plans in order to achieve business opportunities, growth, and financial profitability.

Hank drives the expansion of TruScore’s direct sales, establishes relationships with TruScore’s clients, identifies clients, and keeps up-to-date on industry trends and client developments.

TAYLOR BRANTON / Bookkeeper

Taylor is responsible for managing payroll and employee fringe benefits programs, in addition to organizing company gatherings and outings. Taylor oversees day to day accounting needs as it relates to client invoicing, accounts payable, and general compliance requirements. She also has a hand in month, quarter, and year end reports and works closely with the CEO and CTO to furnish details necessary to make accurate business projections and decisions.

KURT BLAZEK / Design Director

Kurt uses a unique blend of strategic thinking with dynamic executions to create TruScore’s visual and interactive design. He is responsible for creating, evolving, and sustaining the company’s brand to internal and external stakeholders through multiple mediums. He oversees all of TruScore’s digital strategies, along with the implementation of social media tools and techniques.

Kurt leverages TruScore’s marketing and messaging information to identify, evaluate, and apply methods to maximize the effectiveness of the search campaigns across all of the major search engines. He tracks and measures the ROI of search engine rankings, direct print, and marketing websites.

JOSH SHEETS / Chief Operations Officer

Josh is responsible for all day-to-day aspects of managing the operations and various functional areas including business development, sales and marketing, client delivery, vendor relations, human resources, and IT.

Josh helps to ensure outstanding customer service, and the administration of long-term and day-to-day business processes that complement the delivery of high quality, innovative customer-focused survey tools, assessments and hosted survey offerings.

TOM KUHNE / Managing Partner and CTO

Tom joined TruScore in 1995 and has served in a number of roles, including Data Analyst, IS Manager, and VP & CIO. In his current role as Managing Partner and CTO, Tom is the driving force behind TruScore's technology vision for the present and the future. He manages all aspects of TruScore’s information systems, ensuring all systems meet the highest functionality and security standards.

Tom enjoys working hand in hand with clients and partners to make sure TruScore® delivers the technology and advancement that has become expected of it as a leader in the online assessment marketplace.

DEREK MURPHY / Chief Executive Officer

Derek joined TruScore in 1996 and has served in a number of roles, including Data Analyst, Operations Manager, and President & COO. In his current role as CEO, he is responsible for planning and implementing the strategic direction of the company. In addition, Derek is involved in product development and overseeing the day-to-day business operations for TruScore.

TruScore founder Dr. Daniel Booth, a pioneer in the field of assessment of leadership and management skills, served as a mentor to Derek for more than a decade. During this time, Derek became certified on TruScore’s full line of management and leadership assessments. He currently uses these skills to lead content debriefings with customers and partners on a regular basis.

Category All Articles

A Participative Leadership Style: Mark Cuban

People are always looking to adopt famous leadership styles of various people, hoping to one-day mimic the success of respected business men and women who helped change the world. These people don't fit the usual mold. They are independent, different, maybe even weird in some cases.

Mark Cuban doesn't stray from the narrative of ingenious leaders that are, well, not like everyone else.

People outside of Dallas, TX probably know him best by his role as one of the sharks on ABC's hit showShark Tank. Basketball fans know him as the crazy yet cool owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

Read MoreA Participative Leadership Style: Mark Cuban

Book Review: Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra

act like a leader

Herminia Ibarra is the director of a prestigious executive leadership program, and her new book is designed to help managers at all levels step up to leadership. Making small but crucial changes in your job, your networks, and yourself can lead to enhanced leadership opportunities. She bases the book on the “outsight” principle, which holds that the only way to think like a leader is to first act: to plunge yourself into new projects and activities, interact with very different kinds of people, and experiment with unfamiliar ways of getting things done. In other words, change happens from the outside, rather than from the inside out.

Read MoreBook Review: Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra

Lead your Team to Excellence by Embracing Change

You know the old saying, "The only thing in life that is certain is death and taxes." Well there is something else that is certain in life, change. It is inevitable, at some point we all face a change of some kind. This is a good thing. Change means we are learning, growing, and moving forward. Imagine if you never learned anything new or tried different things. You would still be at home, living with your parents, drinking from a bottle. Not a pretty picture. While this example is extreme the point is the same, growth is good. Change in business is also a given. It can include such things as new procedures, policy changes or new management. As a leader, how do you get your team excited about change?

Read MoreLead your Team to Excellence by Embracing Change

Inspirational Leadership Style: Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank

“WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!” If you remember the commercials in which intimidating athletes stared at you with this declaration, then you remember when Under Armour started to dominate the athletic apparel, equipment and accessories market. Its CEO, Kevin Plank, is a leader that young entrepreneurs can take examples, advice, and leadership style tips from.

Here are a few reasons why Plank is an inspirational leader to learn from.
He Remembers the Past, Looks Clearly to the Future

Plank did not have success out of the gate. Shortly after college, he was at rock bottom and living in his grandmother’s basement. However, he worked hard and persevered, and now uses the methods of his football playing days to build his business for the future.

Read MoreInspirational Leadership Style: Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank

You Can’t do it All ~ 10 Tips on How to Delegate

You don't have to be a control-freak to have heard some truth in the phrase "if I want it done right, I have to do it myself." While the base thought may indicate an admirable expectation of excellence, you - no one - can be everywhere and doing everything, either in their business or in their lives. There is no need to be a superhero. Besides, even Batman has Alfred and Robin.

The good thing is, you don't have to do it all! Delegating to others is not only helpful, it is crucial for success.

Keep in mind, delegating is more than handing out "stuff off your to do list." People want more than a salary from their jobs, they want satisfaction, opportunity, growth. Effective delegation not only helps you get things done, it also helps provide those who work with and for you opportunities for personal and professional growth, and increased job satisfaction.

Read MoreYou Can’t do it All ~ 10 Tips on How to Delegate

5 Ways You May be Hurting Employee Morale

There are three types of bosses when it comes to employee morale: the boss who is very focused on keeping morale high, the kind who is solely worried about the job and neglects the morale aspect and lastly, the clueless boss which has the best of intentions for employee morale, but still inadvertently destroys it. Whichever you may be, morale is essential for employee retention, good productivity and a healthy work environment. If you feel like your workplace lacks any of these aspects, maybe it's time to reevaluate how you handle your employees.

Read More5 Ways You May be Hurting Employee Morale

Book Review: Stan Slap, Under the Hood

Under The Hood

Stan Slap, management consultant and keynote speaker par excellence, has a new book. It’s called Under the Hood, and it’s about employee culture; specifically, how management objectives can be either supported or sabotaged by the employee culture. Slap’s definition of employee culture is: “Your employees’ shared beliefs about the rules of survival and emotional prosperity.” An employee culture exists to protect itself; it is an information-gathering organism, designed to assure its own survival.

Which means it is anti-change, because change—including positive change--could threaten its very survival. You, even as a first-level manager, are not part of the employee culture. Instead, you are the key influencer of the culture’s survival and emotional prosperity.

Read MoreBook Review: Stan Slap, Under the Hood

Communicate with Your Employees and Keep Them Motivated

When you own a business, motivation and communication become two of your biggest tools when working with your employees. These two concepts go hand in hand when you want your employees to become a trusted aspect of your business. The most important way to keep your employees motivated is to communicate with them. Let them know what’s going on with your company and make them a part of the decision-making process.

Read MoreCommunicate with Your Employees and Keep Them Motivated

Empower Your Employees By Answering One Question: “Why?”

How does your company empower its employees? Many times, this question elicits solutions and actions: we implement open door policies with management; we conduct semi-annual performance reviews; we offer flexible work schedules and the opportunity to work remotely.

While all of these solutions can contribute to employee empowerment, it's important that any employee-focused program starts by answering the right question.

Read MoreEmpower Your Employees By Answering One Question: “Why?”